Men’s Basketball opens exhibition schedule at Valley City State Saturday

The Bemidji State University men’s basketball program will travel to Valley City State University Saturday, Oct. 27 with a 3 p.m. tipoff for its first exhibition game of the 2018-19 season. The Beavers went 12-16 last season and feature six returning letterwinners, five true freshmen and four transfers.

The Series vs. Valley City State

Bemidji State leads the all-time series against Valley City State, 30-23, with Saturday’s game being the first exhibition meeting between the two programs.

The Beavers have won seven straight games against the Vikings, including an 88-70 win in the most recent matchup, Nov. 17, 2017.

Junior forward Logan Bader and sophomore guard Griffin Chase are the only two returning Beavers to score in last season’s meeting against Valley City State in Bemidji, Minn. Bader totaled nine points on 4-of-10 shooting and pulled down four rebounds. Chase went 1-of-1 from beyond the arc to finish with three points off the bench.

Fast Break Bemidji State

Bemidji State comes off a 12-16 overall record during the 2017-18 season and return two starters. Six letter winners in total return for the 2018-19 season while nine newcomers join the program.

The Beavers finished the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference schedule 9-13, including a 5-9 record in the NSIC North Division.

Head Coach Mike Boschee enters his seventh season with the program after totaling a 76-91 record with the Beavers and a 191-206 career record in 15 seasons as a head coach. Assistant coaches Mike Iseman and Tim Wagner begin their first seasons in their respective positions in 2018-19 with the Beavers.

Bader was named BSU’s Player to Watch in the 2018-19 NSIC Preseason Coaches’ Poll. He leads all BSU returners in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and 3-point percentage. Bader averaged 11.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game while shooting 50.2 percent from the field and 50.4 percent from 3-point range.

Bemidji State ranked 13th in scoring offense last season in the NSIC with 72.9 points per game. BSU’s defense saw a boost during the 2017-18 season while ranking second in the conference allowing 44.0 percent shooting from the field and sixth allowing 36.1 percent shooting from long range.