BSU makes NSIC Tournament push with home weekend finale versus UMC
Bemidji State University men’s basketball will face the University of Minnesota Crookston Feb. 19-20 at BSU Gymnasium with sights set on a final push towards the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Tournament. The Beavers and Golden Eagles will tip-off the weekend at 6 p.m. Friday followed by senior day at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at BSU Gymnasium in Bemidji, Minn.
Bemidji State leads the all-time series against Minnesota Crookston, 50-19. Both teams split the 2019-20 season series and have each won six of the last 12 games in the series. Senior forward Derek Thompson made his first career start Dec. 16, 2017 against UMC and has averaged 10.8 points and 9.0 rebounds in five games during the series since, including two double-doubles.
The series first began Jan. 13, 1922, a 21-15 win by UMC in Bemidji, Minn.
Bemidji State took a weekend split Feb. 12-13 versus the University of Minnesota Duluth at BSU Gymnasium. The Beavers opened the weekend with a 96-77 win on Friday before taking a 90-77 loss on Saturday.
On Friday, the Beavers its winning streak to three games behind a .636 field goal percentage against the Bulldogs, the highest field goal percentage for BSU this season and since November 2019. BSU also connected of 52.0 percent from 3-point range (13-25) and totaled 22 assists on the night.
On Saturday, Bemidji State saw its largest factor in the game come at the free-throw line, as Minnesota Duluth took 43 free-throw attempts compared to 12 for BSU. While the Beavers hit 10 free throws, the team shot 43.3 percent from the field compared to 53.1 percent for UMD.
Junior guard Nick Wagner led BSU in scoring with 23.0 points per game, including tying a career-high with 32 points in Friday’s win. Wagner has scored at least 30 points in two of the last three games and is averaging 25.3 points per game over the last three. In Friday’s game, Wagner hit 5-of-6 3-pointers in the first half and went 17–of-34 from the field, including 6-of-17 from 3-point range and 6-of-8 from the free-throw line. He also added 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.
Junior guard Mohamed Kone scored 19.5 points per game, including a team-high 24 points on Saturday. He chipped in 9.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game, including his third double-double of the season Friday with 15 points and 10 assists. Kone’s 10 assists was the most for the program in a game since Ja Morgan recorded 11 on Feb. 21, 2020. In addition to his three double-doubles, Kone now has three games with at least 20 points.
Freshman forward Dalton Albrecht led BSU off the bench with 8.5 points per game, including a career-high 11 points on Saturday.
BSU ranks 11th in the NSIC in scoring offense with 71.3 points per game and 12th in scoring defense with 78.2 points allowed per game. The Beavers are 12th in the conference in both field goal percentage (.440) and field goal percentage defense (.478).
Heading into the final weekend of the season, BSU currently sits sixth in the NSIC North Division standings. The Beavers are looking to move up two spots before the NSIC Tournament, held Feb. 25-28 in Sioux Falls, S.D., with two wins and two losses from Minot State University.
Minnesota Crookston is currently on a five-game losing streak and enters the weekend 2-12 overall and 1-11 in conference play. UMC was taken down in a weekend sweep to St. Cloud State Feb. 12-13, facing losses of 74-70 on Friday and 78-59 on Saturday in Crookston, Minn.
The Golden Eagles are led by seventh-year head coach Dan Weisse who has totaled a 58-130 record with UMC, including a 6-6 mark against BSU.
Listen to the games this weekend on Talk Radio 106.3 and online at beaverradionetwork.com.