SIOUX FALLS -- The University of Sioux Falls Men's Basketball Team (5-1, 1-0 NSIC), which has matched its best start since 2013-14, will host Winona State (4-1, 1-0 NSIC) on Friday, Dec. 1 at 8 p.m. and Upper Iowa (6-3, 0-1 NSIC) at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2 at the Stewart Center in the first league weekend doubleheader of the year.

For the first time since 2012-13, the Cougars - the top scoring team in the NSIC and 29th nationally at 89.0 ppg - have opened the season with three straight wins before dropping a closely contest 79-74 contest with Minnesota Crookston. Junior forward Drew Guebert had 28 points to help USF bounce back with a 98-62 victory over Waldorf on Tuesday. The Cougars, led by a career high 36 points from Drew Guebert, matched the 5-1 start  of the 2013-14 team by rallying late for a 91-85 overtime victory over Southwest Minnesota State to open the NSIC season. After averaging 32 points and eight rebounds, Guebert was named both the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Player of  the Week and the NSIC Men's South Player of the Week. USF sits in a tie for first place in the NSIC South.

Cougar Tracks
~ Junior forward Drew Guebert needs 40 points this week to become USF's 32nd player ever to score 1,000 points
~ Both seniors Jerrod Walton (486) and Zach Wessels (496) are approaching 500 career points.
~ With a 5-1 start USF has matched the 2009-10 and 2013-14 teams. A win on Friday would give the Cougars its best start at 6-1 since a 15-1 run to open the 2006-07 season.
~ With a victory Friday, USF will have two three-game winning seasons this year
~ USF has outrebounded every team this season by at least six rebounds. The Cougars have had over 40 boards three times with a high of 50 against SMSU
~ In its five wins, USF has outshot opponents from the field.
~ Twice in 2017-18, the Cougars have over 10 3's in a game with a high of 12 against Wisconsin-Superior
~ Redshirt freshman Austin Slater recorded his first career double double with 13 points and 17 rebounds in OT win over SMSU. He had totaled just five points and seven rebounds before his big game on Nov. 25. In fact, the 17 rebounds are the most by a USF player since Kelly Hubbard had 19 on Jan. 13, 2009 (16 points, 18 rebounds, 85-84 win over Northwestern)

Winona State leads series, 6-5
USF will play Winona State for the 12th time dating to an 84-66 win by the Warriors in the 1969-70 season. A year ago, the Cougars defeated Winona State, 90-81 in Winona on Dec. 2, 2016. USF also picked up a 58-55 home win over  Winona State on Jan. 7, 2017 as USF has won three straight games in the series. In the 90-81 win, Mack Johnson had 23 points, including six three-pointers, and Drew Guebert, added 21 with three treys. USF, which also had 18 points from Zach Wessels (6-of-8 from the floor), led 35-29 at halftime before shooting 57.1 percent (16-of-28) in the second half in outscoring the  Warriors, 55-52, to take the win. Kyle Baumann had 22 points and Riley Bambenek, 20, for WSU, which made 20-of-33 shots in the second half for 60 percent . In the second game at the Stewart Center, USF, led by 13 points from Clint Thomas, built a 13-point lead in the second half and held off a rally by the Warriors in the final six minutes. USF led, 35-29, at halftime but were outscored, 26-23 in the second half. Drew Guebert added eight points and 12 rebounds. Conner Flack had 14 and Corey Jeffs, 13, to lead the Warriors.  The Warriors pulled within two points late, including 55-53 with a minute to play. However, M. Johnson, who had 10 points, converted a driving jumper and then hit a free throw with 17 seconds left to give USF a 58-55 lead. WSU put up two late three point attempts from Corey Jeffs and Riley Bambanek, but the shots did not fall as the Cougars swept WSU in the season series. WSU defeated USF, 80-69 on Dec. 5, 2015. USF returned the favor with an 83-78 decision at the Stewart Center on Jan. 8, 2016. In Winona, Mack Johnson had 28 points, hitting 4-of-8 from three point range, but WSU shot 28-of-52 from the field to 45.1 percent for USF (23-of-51). Kyle Bauman had 20 points, hitting 8-of-12 shots, while Mark Blaylock provided 15 points for WSU. In the win in Sioux Falls, the Cougars had four players scoring in double digits with M. Johnson scoring 23 while Drew Guebert had 15 and Daniel Hurtt 11.  On Jan. 9, 2015, Winona recorded a 79-64 victory as Corey Jeffs had 29 points, including 7-of-8 from three point range. In the matchup in Sioux Falls, the Cougars took a 76-54 decision at the Stewart Center on Dec. 6, 2014. Mack Johnson scored 19. USF hit 24-of-42 shots for 57.1 percent, including 9-of-17 from three point range. The win was USF's second straight over WSU, taking a 76-69 win on Jan. 18, 2014 as Charles Ward scored 17. In the first meeting of the 2013-14 season, Winona State recorded a 90-65 decision at Winona. In 2012-13, Winona State defeated USF twice, taking a 76-61 win at the McCown Gym on Jan. 15, 2013 and a 73-63 win on Jan. 25, 2013 at the Stewart Center.

Upper Iowa leads series,  9-4
Sioux Falls trails Upper Iowa, 9-4, in the overall series after splitting games in 2016-17 (78-76 loss, 73-57 win).  The two teams will meet for the 14th time Saturday with the teams splitting eight matchups while members of the NSIC.  A year ago, UIU took a home 78-76 decision over USF despite 22 points by Guebert. USF, which trailed 41-38 at halftime, struggled shooting in the second half, hitting 10-of-35 from the field for 28.6 percent. However, USF, which drew within 74-73 with 34 seconds to play, had opportunities to tie or take the lead in the final three minutes but couldn't get the shots to drop.. USF made 23-of-66 shots for 34.8 percent. The Cougars were 11-of-26 three point shots for 42.3 percent. Plus, they were solid at the free throw line, hitting 19-of-23 for 82.6 percent. UIU, which was 24-of-58 from the field for 41.4 percent  and 6-of-20 for 30 percent from three point range), made just 24-of-44 from the foul line for 54.5 percent.  While USF was outscored by five points at the foul line, they lost the rebound battle, 42-40.  Led by a stalwart defense effort and four players in double digits, USF defeated Upper Iowa, 73-57 on Jan. 6, 2017. USF limited Upper Iowa to 33.3 percent shooting from the field on 21-of-63 shooting. In addition, the Cougars held UIU to 3-of-20 from three point range or 15 percent. In addition, USF held a 44-38 rebound edge, winning the board battle for the 14th time in 17 outings. USF forced 10 turnovers, and recorded five steals. Leading the Cougars offensively was Mack Johnson, who had 19 points and six rebounds to go with three assists. As a team, the Cougars hit 22-of-59 from the field for 37.3 percent, including 9-of-25 from three point range for 36 percent. USF was a torrid 20-22 from the foul line for 90.9 percent.  The series dates to a 100-94 win by Upper Iowa in 1965-66. The Cougars recorded its first win over the Peacocks in 2005 with a 74-56 decision. In 2015- 16, Upper Iowa and USF won on each other's home floor. With Mack Johnson scoring a career high 39 points, USF defeated Upper Iowa, 85-79 on Dec. 5, 2015 in Fayette, Iowa.  Upper Iowa returned the favor with an 81-68 decision on Jan. 9 at the Stewart Center. USF had 15 points from Drew Guebert and 14 from Kebu Johnson. UIU was led by Carson Parker with 23.  The Peacocks won twice in 2012-13 with a 71-62 win in Fayette on Jan. 4, 2013 and an 82-74 decision on Jan. 26, 2013 at the Stewart Center. In the 2013-14 season, USF defeated Upper Iowa, 84-78 at the Stewart Center on Jan. 17, 2014. Earlier in the season, Upper Iowa took a 96-87 win over the Cougars in Fayette on Dec. 14, 2013. The Peacocks recorded a 82-66 win over USF on Dec. 5, 2014 at the Stewart Center and a 100-87 verdict in Fayette, Iowa on Jan. 10, 2015.  

How  Cougars stand in NCAA DII Statistics
Team                
Scoring -- 29th, 89.0 ppg
Rebound Margin -- 9th, 12.7 per game
3 point field goal percentage -- 16th, 43.1 percent
Defensive Rebounds Per Game  -- 19th, 30.67 per game
Individual
Scoring -- Drew Guebert, 6th, 25.3 ppg
Field Goals -- Drew Guebert, 10th, 56
Total Field Goal Attempts -- Drew Guebert, 34th, 99
Total Points -- Drew Guebert,  12th, 152

Inside Look at the Opponents - Winona State, Upper Iowa
Coming to the Stewart Center are a pair of NSIC South opponents in Winona State, which is fifth in the league in scoring at 85.0, and Upper Iowa at 77.4 ppg (11th, NSIC). Both teams are off to quick starts as WSU is 4-1 overall and tied with USF at the top of the NSIC South with a 1-0 record. The Warriors are coming off a shoot out 90-80 win over UIU on Nov. 25. WSU, which had 17 points from Devin Whitelow and 15 from Mason Domask, outscored the Peacocks, 58-45 in the second half. Upper Iowa led, 35-32, at halftime but  were outshot by WSU 60.6 percent (20-of-33) to 46.4 percent (13-of-28) in the second half. Kam Rowan had 19 points to lead UIU.   

Winona State is led by head coach Todd Eisner, who has 448 career wins, including 31 at WSU.  The Warriors, which only have a 84-75 setback to Washburn, owns a three-game winning streak when they have scored at least 89 points in each game. Corey Jeffs leads a balanced WSU attack with 16.2 points per game. Devin Whitelow is scoring 14.2 ppg with Connor Flack at 13.2, Tommy Gathje at 12.7 ppg and Mason Domask, 10.8. In fact Charlie Koontz is coming off the bench with 10.0 ppg. They are hitting 40.4 percent from three-point range and have a slight rebound edge over opponents at 36.0-to-33.6. Flack has the most treys with eight in 21 attempts.

Upper Iowa, directed by head coach Brooks McKowen (77 career wins), is an efficient offensive squad, which opened the season at 6-3. They started with three wins before falling to No. 1 Northwest Missouri State, 89-65, and Missouri Western, 77-65. They rebounded with three straight wins, including a 110-92 shootout win over Truman State on Nov. 17. However, they lost a high-scoring affair to Winona State, 90-80. On the season, senior guard Carson Parker leads UIU with 16.4 points per game and has 15 treys. Dennis Austin III provided 13.6 points and 4.9 rebounds while Joe Smoldt comes off the bench to provide 11.7 ppg. Smoldt leads the team with 24 treys and is shooting 42.9 percent on the season. As a team, UIU is hitting 46.2 percent from the floor and 36.7 percent from three-point range.

Inside Scoop on Cougars
Through six games, USF ranks ninth in DII with a rebounding margin of 12.7 at 41.5-to-28.8 rebounds per game edge. The  Cougars have shot under 50 percent just once this year and rank second in the league in field goal percentage at 49.7 percent (192-of-386) and are fourth in field goal percentage defense at 42.5 percent. USF is also first in the league in three-point percentage at 43.1 percent (47-of-109). Led by Guebert, who ranks in the league's top-10 in five offensive categories, the Cougars are an explosive squad with a 534-to-456 total points edge, including 268-to-238 in the second half and 40-25 in three overtime wins. Trevon Evans is averaging 18.2 points per game for ninth in the league while grabbing 7.5 rebounds per game for ninth in the NSIC. The Cougars, picked ninth in the NSIC Preseason Poll, have scored 90 points or more in four of six games for the first time in the D2 era and dating back to the NAIA days.  

On  Saturday (Nov. 25), Drew Guebert, who was named U.S. Basketball Writer's DII Player of the Week, had a career-best 36 points with 10 rebounds to rally USF to a 91-85 overtime victory over defending NSIC South champion Southwest Minnesota State at the Stewart Center. Trevon Evans added 16, including the game-tying basket with 2.8 seconds left in overtime and Jerrod Walton had 18 points, including 7-of-7 from the foul line in overtime. Earlier in the week (Nov. 21), the Cougars had 28 points from Drew Guebert and 21 from Jerrod Walton in an 89-62 victory over Waldorf at the Stewart Center. In the victory, the Cougars shots 60.6 percent from the floor in the second half and 54 percent for the game on 34-of-63 shooting. USF made 8-of-18 from three point range for 44.4 percent. In a loss to Minnesota Crookston on Nov. 18 at Lysaker Gymnasium in Crookston, USF had a 16-point lead but a hot shooting Golden Eagles squad rallied in the second half for the win. It was a rare nonconference match up between NSIC foes. Guebert made 7-of-13 field goals, including both of his three pointers and all five of his free throws while grabbing five rebounds. Jerrod Walton and Trevon Evans both had 14 points. USF shot just 43.3 percent from the floor (26-of-60), but were 8-of-14 from three point range and are leading the NSIC.  Against UW-Superior in the home opener Tuesday, the Cougars opened up a 41-20 advantage at halftime and cruised to the 90-49 win. For the third straight game, USF shot over 50 percent from the floor.  Guebert scored 22 points with four three-pointers. Evans had 13 points while reserves Aaron Rothermund had a career-high 11 and freshman Chase Grinde added a career-high 10. In the opening weekend, the Cougars recorded back-to-back overtime wins with the 94-89 decision over host Emporia State and a 96-92 victory over Fort Hays State at the MIAA-NSIC Challenge in Emporia on Nov. 10-11.  Junior Trevon Evans, who was named the NSIC Men's Basketball Player of the Week, averaged 29 points and 10.5 rebounds and Drew Guebert supplied 22.5 points per game in the wins at the MIAA-NSIC Classic. It was the first time in the D2 era that USF had recorded back-to-back overtime wins. In fact, no USF team had won back-to-back overtime wins since before 2000.

Evans has NSIC POW honor in fast start to career
Junior guard Trevon Evans has opened his career at USF in a big way, leading the Cougars to five wins in six games. He ranks ninth in scoring and rebounding at 18.2 and 7.5 per game. In a 91-75 overtime win over SMSU Nov. 25, Evans had 16 points and had the game-tying basket with 2.8 seconds to play. At the MIAA-NSIC Classic on Nov. 10-11, he had 28 points and nine rebounds in the 94-89 OT win against Emporia State on Nov. 10. He bettered his performance on the second day, lighting it up for a career-best 31 points and grabbing 12 rebounds as USF defeated Fort Hays State, 96-92 in overtime.  As a result of those performances, he earned NSIC Men's Basketball Player of the Week honors.  Evans has five double digit scoring games (28, 31, 13, 14, 16) including two over 20 points and one over 30.  He also has one double double.

Guebert approaching 1,000 career points;  named USBWA POW
After a big week, junior forward Drew Guebert , who ranks sixth nationally in scoring at 25.3 ppg, received a number of accolades including earning his first ever NSIC South Player of the Week honor. On Tuesday, he became the first USF player at the DII level to receive the U.S. Basketball Writer's Association DII Player of the Week honor after scoring 64 points and grabbing 16 rebounds. He had games of 28 and a career-high 36 while hitting 60 percent (24-of-40) from the floor and 57.1 percent (8-of-14) from the foul line while committing just one turnover in 70 minutes of action. He is drawing closer to 1,000 career points with 960. With 40 points, he will become the 32nd player in school history with 1,000 career points. He ranks in the NSIC top 10 in five offensive categories. A junior forward from Apple Valley, Minn., he is also tied for the league lead with 25.2 points per game.  He also ranks 12th in total points in DII with 152 and 10th in field goals made with 56. His career-best 36 points against SMSU ranks as the 23rd best total in DII this season. The junior is fourth in the NSIC in field goal shooting at 56.6 percent (56-of-99), first in three-point percentage at 48.6 percent (18-of-37), third in made threes per game at 3.0 and third in free throw shooting at 91.7 percent (22-of-24). He averages 6.0 rebounds and has four blocks in six games.  Guebert has scored 13, 32, 22, 21, 28 and 36 points this season. Twice he has set a career high in points, scoring 32 in an overtime win (96-92) over Fort Hays State and then collecting 36 in the 91-85 OT against SMSU.  He now has 46 double digit scoring games in his career. With five 20 point or better performances, he has 17 in his career. Guebert has three games over 30 (Emporia State, 30,  11/12/16; and Fort Hays State, 32, 11/11/17; SMSU, 36, 11/25/17). In all three of his games of 30 points or more, he has made four made three pointers.