The Bemidji State men’s basketball team opens its home schedule with a three-game weekend Nov. 17-20. The Beavers (0-2) start the busy weekend slate at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17 against Valley City State University, and continue at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18 against Northland College and at 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 20 against Oak Hills Christian College.
Fast Break Bemidji State
BSU leads the all-time series against Valley City State, 29-23, including a six-game winning streak dating back to Nov. 22, 1997. The Beavers and Vikings have not played since Nov. 22, 2002, which was a 73-64 win for BSU. The Bemidji State/Northland College series dates back further than BSU’s two other opponents this weekend, which goes back to a 62-31 win by BSU on Dec. 5, 1941. The Beavers lead the series against the Lumberjacks, 44-7, including a current five-game winning streak. Head coach Mike Boschee has faced Northland twice, taking wins of 84-55 and 101-58. Bemidji State and Oak Hills Christian College, which is also located in Bemidji, Minn., have never faced each other.
The Beavers fell twice in the season-opening Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference/Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Classic held Nov. 10-11 in Wisconsin Dells, Wis. BSU opened the weekend with a 74-63 loss to Lindenwood University before a 76-62 loss to University of Central Missouri. Sophomore forward Lucas Wendt led BSU in scoring during its first weekend, averaging 15.5 points per game on 54.2 percent shooting from the field while coming off the bench. Sophomore forward Logan Bader followed with 13.5 points per game on 63.6 percent (7-11) shooting from beyond the arc. Senior guard Sharif Black topped double-digit scoring each game with 11.5 points per game and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds against Central Missouri.
Scouting Valley City State
Valley City State enters the weekend with a 2-3 record overall under second-year head coach Ryan Montgomery, who was an assistant coach at BSU from 2010-2016. The Vikings most recently took a 100-72 loss to No. 5 ranked Northwestern College (Minn.). Valley City State has played all five of its games in Valley City, N.D., and will play its first road game against Bemidji State.
In their most recent game, Valley City State went into halftime trailing Northwestern, 43-36, before being outscored in the second half, 57-36. Senior guard Justyn Galloway led VCSU with 22 points on 9-of-18 shooting and also pulled down a team-high seven rebounds. Senior forward Jayden Ferguson and senior guard Rashad Satahoo also reached double-digit scoring for the Vikings with 15 and 14 points, respectively.
Ferguson leads the Vikings in scoring on the season with 18.2 points per game while shooting 49 percent from the field. Satahoo and Galloway follow in scoring with 14.8 and 14 points per game, respectively. Galloway leads the team in rebounding with 9.0 board per contest.
Scouting Northland College
Northland College opens its 2017-18 season Wednesday, Nov. 15 at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minn. The Lumberjacks will follow with the 52nd all-time game in the series against the Beavers Saturday, Nov. 18.
Senior forward Thomas Whiting returns as one of the Lumberjacks top student-athletes, leading all returners in scoring (12.3 ppg), shooting (58.8 percent), rebounds (5.0 rpg), assists (1.1 apg) and steals (1.1 spg).
Scouting Oak Hills Christian
Oak Hills Christian comes into the weekend 1-4 overall and face Northland College a day before its game at Bemidji State. The Wolfpack’s lone win of the season came against Providence University College, 75-61, Saturday, Nov. 11. Oak Hills Christian fell to University of Minnesota Crookston, 104-68, Tuesday, Nov. 14 in its most recent game since the weekend.
Sophomore guard Duke Abalos led the Wolfpack wtih 25 points while sophomore guard Ezekiel Cook followed with 19 points. Cook finished with a double-double during the game against the Golden Eagles, grabbing 10 rebounds.