Beaver Fever Friday – Christian Pekarek – Mens Basketball

The Bemidji State University men’s basketball program travels Feb. 16-17 to face University of Mary and Minot State University for the final regular season games of the 2017-18 season. BSU begins the weekend Friday at 8 p.m. against U-Mary in Bismarck, N.D., followed by the regular season finale Saturday at 6 p.m. against MiSU in Minot, N.D.

U-Mary leads the all-time series versus Bemidji State, 14-10, which began Dec. 18, 1971 in Bismarck, N.D., with a 92-87 victory over the Beavers. BSU grabbed six of their 10 wins in the series consecutively from 2011-14. U-Mary took the first game of the season series Jan. 20, 88-80, in Bemidji, Minn.

All five Beavers starters recorded double-figure scoring, led by senior guard Sharif Black with 24 points on 10-of-19 shooting. He added five assists, which also led the team, and six rebounds. Freshman forward Derek Thompson was two rebounds shy of a double-double while totaling 15 points. Sophomore forward Logan Bader also came close to a double-double after finishing the game with 13 points and nine rebounds.

Bemidji State and Minot State began the 21-game series Dec. 28, 1967, an 86-62 win by BSU at the Mayville Invitational in Mayville, N.D. BSU leads the all-time record, 12-9, although MiSU has won four of the last five meetings. Bemidji State began the 2017-18 season series with an 80-73 win at home.

All five BSU starters began the January weekend series with double-figure scoring, led by Black with 24 points on 11-of-19 shooting. He also finished the opening game of the weekend with five assists. Bader followed Black with 18 points on 60.0 percent shooting from the field. Thompson and senior guard Christian Pekarek each came three rebounds shy of a double-double.