Basketball season is upon us. The Bemidji State University men’s and women’s basketball programs open the 2012-13 season Oct. 15 with its first official practice. The men’s basketball team will practice 1-3 p.m. Monday and for the rest of the fall semester, while the women will hold the 5-7 p.m. time slot.

The BSU men’s basketball team returns nine student-athletes from last season’s Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Regular Season Championship squad, including 2011-12 NSIC Newcomer of the Year Dermaine Crockrell (Sr., G, Mesa, Ariz.). The team begins the 2012-13 campaign Nov. 16 with a contest against University of Colorado-Colorado Springs in Winona, Minn.

The Beaver women’s basketball team welcomes nine student-athletes from last year’s roster, including junior Morgan Lee (G, Hayward, Wis.) a 2011-12 NSIC Second Team All-NSIC honoree. The women’s team opens competition with an exhibition at University of North Dakota Nov. 1, before beginning regular season play Nov. 2 with a home contest against Lakehead University (Ontario).