SIOUX FALLS (Feb. 3, 2015) -- The University of Sioux Falls Men's Basketball Team (7-15, 4-12 NSIC South) will look to get on the winning track when they visit Minnesota-Crookston (6-14, 4-12 NSIC North) and Bemidji State (8-12, 4-12 NSIC North) on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 6-7. All three teams have struggled of late. Both USF and UM-Crookston, which has nine straight losses, will seek an end to losing streaks.
Previewing Cougars vs. Golden Eagles, Beavers
USF will seek to end an eight-game slide this weekend, which starts with a game against Minnesota-Crookston. Last weekend, the Cougars fell to Minnesota-Duluth, 74-70, despite 20 points from Mack Johnson and a 36-22 halftime lead. In a 76-61 loss Saturday to St. Cloud State, the Cougars rallied from a 16-point halftime deficit to tie the game but couldn't find sustained offense down the stretch in falling at home. One highlight was senior Charles Ward, who had 23 points, including 18 in a 10-minute run of the second half.
Series Breakdown
In the two plus seasons, USF has been in the NSIC, they stand 2-0 (4-0 overall) vs. Minnesota-Crookston and 1-1 (1-2 overall) against Bemidji State.
In 2013-14, the Cougars defeated Minnesota-Crookston, 75-73 as Derek Brown had 22 points, including five 3's, in a win at the Stewart Center. Tyler West had 16 for Crookston. In 2012-13, USF took an 89-59 victory over UMD as Bill Freeman had 19 points, including five 3's. In the win, USF hit 51.4 percent from the field on 36-of-70 shooting. They were 15-of-31 from 3-point range for 48.4 percent. The Cougars also recorded a 71-58 on Nov. 10, 2008 in the first meeting between the schools and the Cougars had a 68-67 win on Nov. 10, 2009 vs. UMC.
In the most recent meeting with the Beavers at the Stewart Center, Charles Ward scored 21 points with seven rebounds while Jordan Stotts had 16 points in an 87-78 win by USF. For BSU, Zach Noreen scored 24 points with seven rebounds. Two years ago at Bemidji, the Cougars dropped a 72-69 heartbreaker to the Beavers. James Rader had 19 points and eight rebounds for USF, which shot 45.1 percent from the field – 5-of-16 on three point shots. Lance Rognstad had 20 points to lead BSU, which shot 51 percent (25-of-49) from the field. The schools played for the first time on Nov. 20, 2011 with BSU taking a 68-49 decision.
Cougars win when outshooting opponents
In all seven USF wins this season, the Cougars have held the advantage over opponents in shooting percentage. USF hit a season-best 58.8 percent from the floor in an 82-76 win over Young Harris. In NSIC play, USF converted 57.1 percent of their field goals in a 76-54 win over Winona State at the Stewart Center. The Cougars have shot 48 percent or better from the field in five of their six wins.
Cougar bites
~ In league stats, USF sits 15th in scoring at 67.7 ppg and 10th in scoring defense at 74.2 ppg. They rank eighth in field goal percentage defense (44.9 percent) and seventh in rebounding offense at 35.3 per game. The Cougars sit third in rebounding defense at 31.3 while ranking fourth in rebounding margin at 4.2. USF is second in the league in blocks shots at 4.2 per game but their total of 92 is a league-high.
~ On the season, Charles Ward ranks sixth in the NSIC in scoring at 17.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. He has scored double figures in points 20-of-22 games this season. Overall, Ward, who has 14 career 20-point games, including eight this season, has 36 double figure point games in his career at USF.
~ Sophomore guard Mack Johnson, who averages 14.5 ppg, ranks 11th in the league scoring. He leads USF in three's with 53 (139 attempts, 38.1%) with his 2.4 3's per game ranking fifth in the NSIC.
~ Mack Johnson and Charles Ward have a combined 85 three-point field goals in 224 attempts for 37.9 percent. The 85 three's comprise 66.4 percent of the 128 three-point shots that USF has made this season. The Cougars have attempted 391 shots from distance.
~ In all seven USF wins this season, the Cougars have held the advantage over opponents in shooting percentage from the floor.
~ Senior center Bryan Kielpinski has 121 career blocks, including 29 this season with his 1.3 blocks per game fifth in the NSIC. Redshirt freshman forward Tom Aase is tied for first in the NSIC in blocks with 35 overall or 1.7 per game.
~ USF has lost eight straight and are a 1-9 in January.
~ Charles Ward has recorded six 20-point outings in the past 12 games. Twice this season Ward has had back-to-back 20 point games.
~ In his career when Charles Ward has scored in double digits (36 times), the Cougars are 19-18, including 7-13 this season.
~ In the 14 games in which Ward has scored 20 points in his career, USF has a 9-5 record, including 4-4 this year.
~ Both times in which Ward has reached his career high of 28 points, USF has scored at least 87 points but both games resulted in losses. On Feb. 21, 2014, Ward had 28 in a 103-101 home loss to Minnesota State, Mankato. Against Upper Iowa on Jan. 10, Ward hit 11-of-17 field goals and 6-of-6 free throws for 28 points in a road loss at Upper Iowa, 100-87.
~ Mack Johnson had a team-best and career-high 30 points in a 76-50 win over Mount Marty. In that same game, USF had both a 20-point and 30-point scorer in the game for the only time all year. Johnson's point total was the highest since Derek Brown at 32 on Feb. 15, 2014. Interestingly, Johnson set his career total by hitting a technical free throw for his 30th point.
~The 11 steals by USF vs. NSU on Jan. 17 was a season-high. Mack Johnson had a season-best five thefts.
~ The Cougars shot over 50 percent from 3-point range in consecutive games (MSUM, NSU, Jan. 16-17) for first time this season.
~ By hitting a combined 20-of-38 for 52.6 percent from 3-point range vs. MSUM, NSU, Cougars had a two-game season high.
~ For the fourth time this season, USF, the league's top offensive rebounding team, had 17 (vs. Concordia, St. Paul) or more rebounds in a game. The Cougars had a season high 21 boards vs. Dakota State and 20 vs. Augustana.
~ Overall, USF has outrebounded opponents in 17-of-22 games this season and are 5-12 when holding the edge on the boards.
~ When USF has made more three pointers than its opponents, they are 5-5. Speaking of three points, USF's opponents last weekend, UMD and SCSU, hit a combined 20-of-37 for 54 percent from 3-point range. Both squads had 10 conversions. Meanwhile USF hit just 10-of-31 for 32 percent from long range.
Three double doubles in one game a rarity
When senior guard Charles Ward (23 points, 11 rebounds), redshirt freshman Tom Aase (11 points, 11 rebounds) and sophomore guard Freddie Young (12 points, 10 assists) all recorded double doubles in the 82-76 win over Young Harris, the trio combined for a statistical rarity. The three double doubles in a single game has not been met at USF at least dating back to prior to 2001. It is a first in USF's DII era (since 2011).
Ward 6th in scoring in NSIC
On the season, Ward, who ranks sixth in the NSIC in scoring, is averaging 17.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. He has scored double figures in points 20 times this season and 36 times in his career. Ward has 14 career 20-point games, including eight this season. He has 756 career points, including 388 this year which ranks 39st nationally.
20-point games by Ward
12-6-13 -- Wayne State -- 23
1-3-14 -- MSU Moorhead -- 21
1-25-14 -- Wayne State -- 23
2-1-14 -- Bemidji State -- 21
2-14-14 -- Minot State -- 25
2-21-14 -- MSU-Mankato -- 28 (career-high)
11-29-14 -- Young Harris -- 23
12-2-14 -- SMSU -- 21
12-16-14 -- Mount Marty -- 23
12-20-14 -- SMSU -- 23
1-3-15 -- Wayne State -- 20
1-10-15 -- Upper Iowa, 28 (career-high)
1-16-15 -- MSU Moorhead, 26
1-31-15 -- St. Cloud State, 23
Most recent action - USF falls to UMD, 74-70
Despite 23 points from Charles Ward, including 18 in a 10-minute span in the second half, the University of Sioux Falls men's basketball team dropped a 76-61 decision to St. Cloud State before 898 at the Stewart Center on Jan. 31. The Cougars, which trailed 36-22 at halftime, fought back to tie the game at 47 with 11 minutes to play but SCSU closed the game on a 29-to-14 run to take the win as they improved to 13-9 overall and 9-7 in league play. USF, which lost its eighth straight, fell to 7-15 overall and 4-12 in the NSIC South. Ward, who reached double digits in points for the 20th time this year and 36th in his career, finished with 23 points, hitting 8-of-13 shots from the floor. Ward made 2-of-5 from three-point range, knocked down 5-of-6 free throws, grabbed eight rebounds and dished three assists. While the Cougars shot the ball well, hitting 51 percent (25-fo-49), the difference in the game was at the free throw line and from three-point range. SCSU hit 18-of-21 from the charity stripe while the Cougars had just 11 attempts, making eight. From distance, the Huskies hit 10-of-22 from three-point range while USF was just 3-of-15. For the second straight night at the Stewart Center, an opponent scorched the nets from three-point range. In the past two nights, UMD and SCSU hit a combined 20-of-37 for 54 percent. Meanwhile, USF was just 10-of-31 for .322 percent. While USF was effective inside, owning a 38-to-22 edge in points in the paint, SCSU had a 25-15 advantage in points off turnovers and a 14-4 margin in second half points. SCSU was led in scoring by Jordan Poydras, one of the league's top players, with 21 points and four three-pointers. Reserve forward Donnell Cegers added 19 points, including 3-of-4 from three-point range after making just 4-of-11 all season long from distance. SCSU also received 16 points from Scott Stone.
Scouting Minnesota-Crookston
UM-Crookston comes into the game with a nine-game losing streak, including losses to Winona State, 76-52, and Upper Iowa, 63-55 last week. UMC's last win was a 64-61 win over U-Mary at home. In fact, three of the four league wins have happened at home. Against Winona State, Derrick Redd had 10 points and four boards and Tim Lubke had 10 points. Crookston ranks 16th in the league in scoring at 58.8 points per game and 8th in scoring defense at 70.8 ppg. While they rank from 14th-to-16th in most categories, they are stingy on three-pointers, allowing a conversion percentage of 34.8 percent, a total which is fourth in NSIC. Derrick Redd lead the team in scoring at 11.6 ppg while Tyler West adds 10.1 ppg and 7.3 rpg.
On UM-Crookston's Dan Weisse
Dan Weisse is in his first year as head coach at UM-Crookston, owning a 6-14 mark. Prior to taking over the Golden Eagles, he was an assistant coach at Minnesota State Moorhead and also served under former NDSU head coach Saul Phillips in Fargo. Weisse played at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee . Originally from Oshkosh, Wis., Weisse graduated from Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2004 with a degree in secondary education with an emphasis in broad field social studies. He earned his master's degree from Middle Tennessee State in 2007 in sport management. Weisse was inducted into the Oshkosh West Hall of Fame in the Fall of 2013.
Scouting Bemidji State
Bemidji State ended an eight-game losing streak with an 88-85 win over Upper Iowa as Brock Lutes scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds. BSU also lost to Winona State, 75-68 as Lutes scored 18. BSU averages 74.2 ppg (6th in the league) but gives up 76.1 per game (12th, NSIC). The Beavers rank seventh in the NSIC in shooting percentage at 46.9 percent and six fourth in steals with 6.8 per game. They also stand seventh in blocks with 7.2 per game. Lutes is the leader for BSU at 16.8 points per game, which ranks eight in the league. He is the only player averaging double digits also Kaylor Zimmerman scores 9.3 a contest. BSU is 6-5 at home but just 2-5 in league play.
On BSU Head Coach Mike Boschee
Mike Boschee is in his third season as head coach with a 44-33 overall record and 32 -28 mark in Northern Sun intercollegiate Conference play. He guided the Beavers to an NSIC North Division Championship in 2013-14. A 1991 graduate of University of North Dakota, Boschee earned his bachelor's degree in recreation management. During his undergraduate career, he was a four-year letterwinner for the UND men's basketball team, where he played for former BSU head men's basketball coach Dave Gunther (1995-2001) and BSU Athletic Hall of Fame member Rich Glas. He earned all-conference and all-region honors as a student-athlete, while captaining a squad that earned conference and regional championships, en route to a third place finish at the NCAA Division II National Tournament in 1990. He also coached nine seasons at Central College in Pella, Iowa.
Top 100 rankings by USF
Team
Blocked Shots Per Game, 42nd, 4.2
Offensive Rebounds Per Game, 76th, 12.14
Rebound Margin, 69th, 4.2
Total Blocks, 25th, 92
Total Rebounds, 56th, 776
Individual
3-point Field Goal Attempts, Mack Johnson, 39th, 139
3-point Field Goal Attempts Made, Mack Johnson, 55th, 53
Total Blocks, Tom Aase, 41st 35; Brian Kielpinski, 72nd, 29
Total Field Goal Attempts, Charles Ward, 16th, 308; Mack Johnson, 99th, 252
Total Field Goals Made, Charles Ward, 43rd, 122
Total Points, Charles Ward, 39th, 388
Blocked Shot Per Game, Tom Aase, 53rd, 1.67
Free Throw Attempts, Charles Ward, 67th, 120
Free Throw Made, Charles Ward, 65th, 90
Point Per Game, Charles Ward, 89th, 17.6
