Every person attending and working will be required to wear masks and social distance. A limited number of USF fans (less than 20 percent of capacity of the Stew-art Center) will receive tickets and be allowed to attend if they follow facility/university protocols. No season tickets will be sold. For ticket information, click here.

Schedule will be 16-game regular season

Due to the CoVID-19 pandemic, schedules for NSIC have been altered. The Cougars will open with a nondivisional contest against the Marauders which are members of the North Division. And unlike years past, the Cougars will host Mary in consecutive games. The games will not be part of a doubleheaders but single games, a NSIC scheduling decision for 2020-21 only. After the nondivisional game this weekend, both the USF Men's and Women's Teams will play seven South opponents. When the men are home, the USF Women play the same opponent on the road and vice versa. 

South Champs picked 2nd in NSIC Coaches Poll

The Cougars earned three first place votes and was picked second in the South in the 2020-21 NSIC Coaches Preseason Poll released in late December. USF has earned national recognition in the NABC Poll for three straight weeks, moving up to No. 24 this week. USF, which was 22-8 and 17-5 in league play a year ago, was also ranked 19th earlier this fall by The Basketball Times, a monthly print publication which has covered college basketball for more than 40 years. 

In the South poll, USF totaled 41 points and the three first place votes to finish just behind Augustana, which amassed 46 points and four first place votes.  Winona State was third with 36 points and the other first place vote. In the North Division preseason voting, Northern State picked up seven first place votes for 49 points. MSU Moorhead was second with 43 points and the other first place vote.

The NSIC / Sanford Health Men's & Women's Basketball Tournament Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Championships are set to take place Thursday-Sunday, February 25-28 at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  The top for teams from each division will make up the eight-team field for the 2021 tournament.  
 

USF has a 7-2 all-time lead in the series, including 6-2 while members of the NSIC. The Cougars recorded a 59-53 win at Bismarck on January 17, 2020 as Chase Grinde had 19 points and Jack Thompson added 14 included a clutch layup late in the contest. Mary had 12 points and nine rebounds from Matthew Kreklow and 11 points from Connor Hellebust.

In the last meeting in Sioux Falls, USF took a 77-72 win at the Stewart Center on Jan. 18, 2019 as Trevon Evans had 26 points. U-Mary was led by Connor Hellebust and Tom Kubank with 15 points while guard Jaylan White added 12. In a game that included eight lead changes and eight ties, USF and U-Mary were tied at 30 at halftime. The Cougars outscored the Marauders, 47-to-42 in the second half. 

USF registered a 75-66 win over U-Mary on Feb. 2, 2018 at the Stewart Center. Drew Guebert led all scorers with 26 points and Trevon Evans added 19 as USFtook a 31-25 lead at halftime and with a 44-41 second half advantage took the nine point win. Mary had 17 from both Keith Hunter and Matt Kreklow. 

On Feb. 3, 2017, U-Mary defeated USF,  81-73 at Bismarck. Damonta Henry scored 25 and Bryan Jefferson supplied 21 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Mack Johnson led USF with 18 points while Clint Thomas had 13. USF led, 26-25, at half but the Marauders had a 56-46 margin in the second half. The 102 combined points in the second half is the most combined in a half in the series. Mary's 56 points is the most by one team in a half in the series with USF's 53 on Feb. 9, 2013 the most by USF. 

On Dec. 12, 2015, U-Mary took a 69-65 decision at Sioux Falls. Clint Thomas had 17 points and USF had a 29-22 advantage on the boards, 10-to-5 edge in made threes and 7-4 margin in blocked shots but fell to Mary at home. Damonta Henry led the Marauders with 12 points. Marquelis Edwards, who had 11 points, made a pair of free throws in the final seconds to ice the victory. 

On Dec. 13, 2014, USF edged U-Mary, 75-73 at Bismarck. Jordan Stotts (19 points) hit a three-pointer at the 1:23 mark of the second half to give USF a 71-70 lead. On Feb. 15, 2014, USF picked up a 79-71 overtime win at Bismarck. USF led 37-31 at halftime, outscored the Marauders, 12-4 in overtime. DaMonta Henry sent the game into overtime tied at 67 with a three with six seconds left. In overtime, USF didn't make a basket from the floor but converted all 12 of its foul shots, including six by Ward. 

On Feb. 9, 2013, USF defeated U-Mary, 75-70 at the Sioux Falls (Stewart Center). Derek Brown scored 21 points, including 6-of-9 from three point range to lead USF. The Cougars outscored the Marauders, 53-39 in the second half after trailing 31-22 at the break. USF, which also had 14 points from David Maxwell, hit 11-of-25 from three-point range. The 53 points is the most by USF in a half in the series. 

The first-ever meeting was a nonconference matchup in the NAIA in 1999. The Cougars, which had 15 points from Corey Smith and nine rebounds from Brad Kennett, took a 75-63 win at the Stewart Center. 

Breaking down the Coo - Five starters return

Directed by NSIC Coach of the Year Chris Johnson (233-166 overall –  USF career wins leader with 217-151 mark), the Cougars finished 22-8 (best record at the DII level, since 2012) and won the NSIC South Division with a DII program best mark of 17-5 in 2019-20. 

USF, which was seeded No. 2 in the conference tourney and reached as high as No. 8 in the regional rankings in 2019-20, returns five starters, which includes first team all-conference junior guard Chase Grinde, who was named the NSIC Player to Watch for USF, and second team all-league redshirt senior forward Teathloach Pal. Sophomore guard Jack Thompson (10.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.7 spg) also returns after earning NSIC All-Freshman Team honors. USF also welcomes back 6-9 senior forward Austin Slater (9.0 ppg, 6.8 rpg) as well junior guard Troy Houghton (6.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg) and a group of talented newcomers. 

The Cougars will feature significant experience with eight of the top nine players returning and a host of talented newcomers. USF led the NSIC in scoring defense at 66.2 ppg and was second in rebounding margin at 7.3 per game (35.7 to 28.4). The Cougars also blocked three shots per game and ranked fifth with 6.37 steals per game. Cougars advanced to the NSIC quarterfinals for the fifth straight year where they lost to Minnesota State, 60-59 and season ended. They were ranked as high as eighth in the central region.

Mary Notes - Marauders picked sixth in North

U-Mary, which has been picked to finish sixth in the NSIC North after a 12-17 (7-15 NSIC) mark a year ago. Like USF, the Marauders return plenty of experience with 12 returning letter winners and three starters back. 

It is a squad led by Head Coach Joe Kittell, who is in his fifth year at the school and coaching in his seventh overall season. Kittell, has a Bachelor's degree (Physical Education) in 2006 and a Master of Arts in 2008 from North Dakota State. He is 103-104 all-time with a 61-84 mark at U-Mary. With the Marauders, he has a 42-68 conference record.

The Marauders will be led by its NSIC Player to Watch in Matt Kreklow, a 6-8 forward, who is the school's all-time an single season blocked shots leader. A year ago, second team All-NSIC forward Kreklow, who has 986 career points, averaged 14.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game. 

It is a squad led by Head Coach Joe Kittell, who is in his fifth year at the school and coaching in his seventh overall season. Kittell, has a Bachelor's degree (Physical Education) in 2006 and a Master of Arts in 2008 from North Dakota State. He is 103-104 all-time with a 61-84 mark at U-Mary. With the Marauders, he has a 42-68 conference record.The Marauders, which dropped a 59-53 home decision to USF a year ago, will also have four other players who played key roles in 2019-20. However, they lost starters Jaylan White (11.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg) and Connor Hellebust (7.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg).

The Marauders return senior forward Wyatt Carr, who averaged 8.1 points and hit 43 threes a year ago. He started all 29 games. Josh Sipes, who averaged 6.6 points and hit 42 triples, played in 29 and started 13 games a year ago. Also back is Glenn Jordan, who started 16-of-29 games while suppling 5.3 points per game. Another key returnee will be Trevor Kaiser, who played in all 29 games and supplied 7.2 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.  

(School, 2020-21 record, poll points)

1. Northwest Missouri State, 3-0, 400, 1

2. Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.), 3-0, 383, 2

3. West Texas A&M, 0-0, 366, 3

4. West Liberty (W.Va.), 0-0, 324, 6

5. Colorado School of Mines , 4-0, 319, 8

6. Northern State (S.D.), 0-0, 305, 7

7. St. Thomas Aquinas (N.Y.), 0-0, 284, 9

8. Azusa Pacific (Calif.), 0-0, 268, 10

9. Valdosta State (Ga.), 1-0, 245,16

10. Washburn (Kan.), 5-0, 237, 17

11. St. Edward's (Texas), 2-0 , 229, 18

12. Truman State (Mo.), 4-0, 213, 18

13. Augustana (S.D.), 0-0, 207, 13

14. Point Loma (Calif.) , 0-0, 177, 14

15. Findlay (Ohio), 3-0, 162, 24

16. Augusta (Ga.), 2-0, 157, 23

17. Colorado Mesa, 4-0, 149, 22

18. Fairmont St. (WV), 0-0, 109, 19

19. Missouri Western, 4-0, 97, NR

20. Queens (N.C.), 2-2,  89, 20

21. Mercyhurst (Pa.), 2-0, 81, NR

22. Alabama Huntsville, 0-1, 76, 11

23. Charleston (W.Va.), 0-0, 59, 21

24. Sioux Falls (S.D.), 0-0, 50, 25

25. Missouri-St. Louis, 2-1, 47, NR

Records through Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020.

Others receiving votes: Tusculum (Tenn.) 36, DBU (Texas) 25, Saint Anselm (N.H.) 22, Seattle Pacific (Wash.) 15, UNC Pembroke 15, Union (Tenn.) 12, Daemen (N.Y.) 8, Emporia State (Kan.) 8, Texas A&M-Kingsville 6, Hillsdale (Mich.) 5, Biola (Calif.) 3, Wingate (N.C.) 3, Fort Lewis (Colo.) 2, Lubbock Christian (Texas) 2, Minnesota State 2, Southern Indiana 2, Wingate (N.C.) 2, Southern Nazarene (Okla.) 1, Stonehill (Mass.) 1.