The Bemidji State men’s basketball team (18-11; 13-9 NSIC, 9-5 NSIC North) plays for a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference/Sanford Health Men’s Basketball Tournament Championship Saturday, March 9 in a 5:30 p.m. contest against No. 7 Minnesota State University, Mankato (25-4; 18-4 NSIC, 11-3 NSIC South). The Beavers earned the No. 3 seed in the North and have moved on to play the No. 1 seed in the South, the Mavericks.

Bemidji State is playing for its first NSIC Tournament Championship and an automatic bid to make its second consecutive (third overall) appearance in the NCAA Central Region Tournament.

The Series
Earlier this season the Beavers won its third straight game against Minnesota State when they went on the road and upset the then-No. 5 Mavericks 82-74. Senior Dermaine Crockrell recorded a career-high 29 points and added eight rebounds and five assists in the win. BSU is 34-63 all-time against MSU. Before the three wins the Beavers hadn’t defeated the Mavericks since 1969 – a 23-game losing streak.

You can listen to the game this afternoon on the Beaver Radio Network (92.1 The River, http://beaverradionetwork.com)