MINOT, N.D. – The home stand started off strong and continues this weekend with a pair of doubleheaders for the Minot State men's and women's basketball teams at the MSU Dome.
Big contests, too, as the Beavers host the NSIC front-runners this weekend.
First it is Northern State that rolls into town on Thursday with the Beaver men (7-2 overall, 3-1 NSIC) battling the Wolves (5-5, 3-1) at 5:30 p.m. Both teams are tied for fourth in the NSIC standings.
Then Minot State women (3-9, 1-3) then host league-leading Northern State (8-2, 4-0) at 7:30 p.m.
Last season, the Beavers swept the Wolves at the MSU Dome as the Minot State women won on a thrilling buzzer-beater shot, 67-66. The men's game wasn't nearly as competitive as the Beavers rolled to an 82-62 victory.
On the men's side, the Wolves get more than half their points from the dynamic shooting duo of 6-foot-4 junior guard Josh Dilling (20.9 ppg) and 6-10 junior forward Jacksen Moni (20.4 ppg), who come in fourth and seventh, respectively, in scoring in the NSIC. Dilling has been the biggest threat as he leads the NSIC in 3-point field goal percentage at 60.4 percent (32-of-53), and is second in the league shooting 58.6 percent from the field (78-of-133).
As for the Beavers, balance has been key with All-NSIC senior guard
Khari Broadway leading the way at 15.1 ppg, while forward
Connor Hollenbeck adds 10.7 ppg, and guard
Ben Bohl scores 10.2 ppg. Hollenbeck also is second in rebounds (5.9 rpg) and leads the team with 24 assists, while
Jaxon Gunville leads the way in 3-pointers with 23 as he averages 9.6 ppg, and
Caleb Van De Griend leads in rebounds at 6.2 rpg, while adding 7.8 ppg.
Truly a team effort.
On the ladies side, Northern State is No. 2 in the NSIC defensively allowing just 59.3 points per contest to opponents as foes shoot just 36.2 percent from the field against the Wolves. As for Northern State itself, the Wolves are third in the league shooting 42.6 percent from the field.
Individual, Northern State is led by 6-3 sophomore center Madelyn Bragg who is No. 2 in the conference in scoring at 19.8 ppg and tied for No. 8 in rebounding at 7.0 rpg.
For the Beavers, junior guard
Sydney Gustavsson leads the way averaging 12.8 ppg and is second in rebounding at 3.2 rpg.
Lorelei McIver leads the team on the boards at 3.3 rpg while contributing 4.5 rpg, and
Vilborg Jonsdottir adds a team-high 33 assists along with 3.1 ppg.
The week then wraps up with Minnesota State Moorhead visiting the MSU Dome on Saturday as the men's game tips off at 1:30 p.m., and the women playing at 3:30 p.m.
After a fourth-place fight on Thursday, the Beavers face the No. 2 team in the nation on Saturday in the NSIC-leading Dragons (10-0, 4-0). MSU Moorhead plays at Minnesota Crookston on Thursday.
The Dragons are one of the top scoring teams in the NSIC averaging 82.9 ppg, which is third-best in the league, and like the Beavers rely more on balance as 6-0 junior guard Jacon Beeninga is sixth in the league in scoring at 20.4 ppg, but teammates 6-3 junior guard Jamir Price (14.9 ppg), 6-7 senior forward Dane Zimmer (10.3 ppg, 8.0 rpg), and 6-4 junior guard Ja'Kair Sanchez (10.2 ppg) all average over double digits, as well.
As for the MSU Moorhead women (5-5, 2-2), they head into the weekend a game ahead of Minot State in the standings and are led by 5-8 junior guard Natalie Jens, who is eighth in the NSIC averaging 14.0 ppg and adds a team-high 42 assists and 4.1 rpg. She's helped out by 6-2 sophomore center Terryn Johnson, who is fifth in the league averaging 7.4 rpg and who averages 10.4 ppg.
