The Beavers are 3-0 in NSIC play after defeating St. Cloud State University 70-65 and University of Minnesota Duluth 90-79 Dec. 6-7 in a pair of home games. The Beavers used a career-high 21 points and a BSU program record 24 rebounds from senior Maxie Rosenbloom to defeat the Huskies – who were receiving votes nationally entering the contest. Saturday, junior Brock Lutes totaled a season-high 30 points to help guide the Beavers to victory versus UMD. Rosenbloom posted his fourth double-double of the season Saturday with 15 points and 11 rebounds, for his efforts on the weekend he was named NSIC Player of the Week. Lutes owns 19.6 points per game to lead the NSIC, while Rosenbloom is the NSIC’s rebounding leader with 11.4 rebounds per contest.
Fast Break
• Bemidji State Head Coach Mike Boschee was a graduate assistant at Northern State and graduated with a masters in 1993.
• BSU will be facing its second undefeated team on a Friday this month. Dec. 6, BSU defeated 5-0 St. Cloud State 70-65.
• The Beavers are 3-0 in NSIC play for the first time since the 2004-05 season.
• BSU’s 6-1 start is the best seven-game record to begin a season since the 1973-74 team posted an 8-0 start to its campaign.
• The Beavers lead the NSIC (all games) in blocks (39 – 5.6 bpg) and steals (79 – 11.3 spg).
• Senior Maxie Rosenbloom recorded a career-high 21 points and a BSU program record 24 rebounds Dec. 6 versus St. Cloud State to post the first 20-point, 20-rebound performance in program history.
• Rosenbloom is second in the NSIC in field goal percentage with a 64.3 percentage.
• Senior Michael Farrington is averaging 2.43 steals per game to sit first (tied) in the NSIC.
The Dragons
After a 4-0 nonconference finish, the Dragons defeated Northern State at home 87-76 to begin NSIC play, then went on the road Dec. 6-7 and downed U-Mary 83-73 before a 78-67 victory at Minot State. MSUM leads the NSIC in scoring (88.7 ppg) and scoring defense (61.3 ppg). In the seven games, six different players have led the team in scoring. Three Dragons are scoring in double figures, led by Tyler Vaughan’s 11.3 points per game. MSUM’s 7-0 start is its second in head coach Chad Walthall’s four-year tenure. In 2011-12, the Dragons started the season 11-0 and went on to qualify for the NCAA tournament.
Series Note
Bemidji State trails in the storied rivalry with MSU Moorhead, 82-90, a series that dates back to 1928. Last season the Beavers defeated the Dragons 76-75 in overtime at home to snap a six-game losing streak to MSUM. Earlier in the season, BSU suffered an 82-48 loss in Moorhead, Minn.
The Wolves
The Wolves recorded a 5-1 nonconference record before starting league play with a 87-76 loss at MSU Moorhead. NSU continued on the road Dec. 6-7 and posted a 2-0 record with victories at Minot State (88-84) and U-Mary (83-74). The Wolves are leading the NSIC in field goal percentage with a 51.9 mark, while their 40.7 percent clip from 3-point land ranks second. Six different players have led the team in scoring this season, while five players are averaging 9.8 points per game or more. Seth Bachand owns 13.4 points per game. Paul Sather is in his fourth season as head coach of the Wolves.
Series Note
The Beavers trail the all-time series with the Wolves 24-56. The teams traded wins in the previous six games entering last season. In 2012-13, BSU lost twice to NSU by the total of six points. Bemidji State loss at Northern State 64-61 before it suffered a 58-55 loss at home.
NSIC Preseason Poll/BSU’s Player to Watch
Coming off an 18-12 overall record and a 13-9 league mark a season ago, the Bemidji State men’s basketball team was tabbed to finish 12th in the 2013-14 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll. The Beavers were pegged to finish sixth in the NSIC North Division, while senior forward Zach Noreen (Avon, Minn.) was deemed BSU’s Player to Watch.
Against Ranked Opponents
In the first season under Mike Boschee, the Beavers went 3-3 versus nationally ranked opponents. The Beavers are 10-25 in the last eight seasons versus nationally ranked opponents.
Rebounding Machine
Senior Maxie Rosenbloom totaled a Bemidji State program record 24 rebounds in a home victory against St. Cloud State Dec. 6. The school’s previous record was 20 set by Stacy Pearson-Taylor March 1, 2006 versus Minnesota State University Moorhead. The rebound total sits tied for third in NCAA Division II this season.
In NSIC games since 1998-99, only five players have recorded 20 or more rebounds in a game, while just two players have totaled more than 20 points and 20 rebounds in a contest (both did so in at least one overtime). In that same time span, no one has recorded more than 22 rebounds in either league or nonconference play. The NSIC record for rebounds is 32, set in 1975.
Home Sweet Home
The Beavers are 15-3 at the BSU Gymnasium under second-year head coach Mike Boschee. BSU is 3-0 versus teams ranked for receiving votes nationally and have won a postseason game. Bemidji State is 5-1 in 2013-14.