SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- The University of Sioux Falls Men's Basketball Team will kick off their regular season at the NSIC-MIAA Challenge in Kansas City, Missouri this weekend, with games against Southern Nazarene University (Friday, Nov. 12 at 11 am) and preseason No. 1 ranked Northwest Missouri State University (Saturday, Nov. 13 at 12:45 pm).
Last season, SNU finished the year 11-8 overall and 11-7 in their conference, while NWSU finished 28-2 overall and 21-1 in their conference.
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The University of Sioux Falls Men's Basketball Team, which returns nearly 68 percent of its scoring and rebounding, has been picked eighth overall in the 2021-22 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Preseason Coaches Poll as announced recently by the league office.
The Cougars, directed by USF all-time wins leader
Chris Johnson (240), was fifth in the South Division balloting by the coaches. The Cougars earned 131 points and finished just behind St. Cloud State at 132 ballot points for seventh overall. USF, which won the NSIC South title in 2019-20, has won 68 games in the past four seasons and had 19 wins or more in the three years prior to the CoVID-19-shortened season in 2020-21. "We are excited about the many players we have coming back alongside some really talented newcomers. I really like the mix of skill and toughness we have, and our improved ability to shoot the ball from the perimeter," said Johnson, who was the NSIC Coach of the Year in 2019-20.
USF, which finished 7-5 and 5-5 in the NSIC a year ago in a CoVID-19-shortened season, will look to contend in the NSIC South and overall. The Cougars return 67.8 percent of its scoring and 68.5 percent of its rebounding from a year ago. Back with USF again this year will be four players who started a year ago and six letter winners.
USF will be led by Player to Watch
Jack Thompson (10.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.1 apg, 2020-21), 2019-20 All-NSIC selection and senior
Chase Grinde (11.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.1 apg, 2020-21), senior forward
Austin Slater (4.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 2020-21), guard/forward
Jake Kettner (5.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.4 apg, 2020-21), and forward
Wesley Oba (4.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2020-21), as well as a group of talented returners and newcomers, which include senior transfer
Matt Cartwright (2018-19 All-NSIC, 16.0 ppg).
Thompson was an honorable mention All-NSIC selection in 2019-20 as a freshman and Academic All-League a year ago. He averaged 10.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game in 2020-21. Thompson has 19 career double-digit scoring games and started in 34 of 41 career games. He also has hit 36.1 percent from three-point range as well as 76.8 percent at the foul line.
USF also returns a pair of three-year starters in Grinde and Slater, who have a combined 175 games and 118 career starts.
Slater returns at forward and has 100 career games (55 starts) with 519 career points and 532 career rebounds. He is a three-time Academic All-NSIC selection, who has 15 double-digit scoring games, 12 double-digit rebounds games with five double doubles. Grinde, a three-time Academic All-NSIC honoree, has played in 75 games with 63 starts with 736 points, 62 three-pointers, and 356 rebounds along with 167 assists and 79 steals in his career. Grinde has 34 double-digit scoring games including five over 20 points.
A year ago, USF averaged 68.7 points per game while allowing 68.3 per game for second in the NSIC in scoring defense. USF is annually one of the league's top rebounding squads and was first in overall rebounding at 39.7 and first in rebound defense (30.2) and offensive rebounds (15.3) a year ago. USF was also fourth in field goal percentage defense at 43.8 percent and third in steals at 6.83.
The Cougars return to the Stewart Center for their home opener of the 2021-2022 season to host Dakota State University of Tuesday, Nov. 16 at 7:30 pm.
