By: Logan Anderson
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The University of Sioux Falls Men's Basketball team heads to Kansas City, Missouri, this weekend for the Central Region Tipoff Challenge, facing Pittsburg State on Friday, November 13 at 2 p.m. before taking on Missouri S&T on Saturday, November 14 at noon. Both contests will be played at Municipal Auditorium.
The Cougars enter the weekend looking to bounce back from a narrow overtime loss in their season opener at Upper Iowa. After showcasing their offensive potential with 91 points on the road, Sioux Falls will look to build on that performance while improving its defensive consistency against two competitive regional opponents.
Scouting Pittsburg State (0–0, 0–0 MIAA)
Pittsburg State enters the weekend looking to build on a 15–15 campaign that included a 9–10 mark in MIAA play last season. Under fifth-year head coach Jeff Boschee, the Gorillas return three starters and two additional letterwinners, giving them an experienced foundation despite several changes to the roster. The Gorillas will make their regular-season debut against Sioux Falls after facing NCAA Division I Kansas in an October exhibition, falling 80–62.
The strength of Pittsburg State's returning lineup lies in its backcourt, where senior Connor Rogers and sophomore Mason English combined to average 33.1 points and 7.9 assists per game last season. Rogers earned Second Team All-MIAA honors after leading the Gorillas with 18.0 points per game while shooting 46.7 percent from the field, 38.2 percent from three and 85.3 percent at the free-throw line. English earned honorable mention recognition after contributing 15.1 points, 5.4 assists and 3.9 rebounds per contest, establishing himself as one of the team's primary playmakers.
Pittsburg State also returns fifth-year guard Hayden Shanks, who started all 30 games last season and averaged 5.3 points and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 50.8 percent from the field. Sophomore Landon Short adds perimeter scoring after making 45 three-pointers during his freshman campaign. The Gorillas have also added considerable size to their frontcourt, including 7-foot center Charles Caporaso from Jacksonville University, 6-foot-10 Cristian Revenco from Morton College and 6-foot-8 Lucas N'Gombo from Seward County Community College. Against a Sioux Falls team that has traditionally emphasized rebounding and offensive production, Pittsburg State's combination of experienced guards and added interior size will present a challenging opening matchup.
Scouting Missouri S&T (0–0, 0–0 GLVC)
Missouri S&T enters the 2026–27 campaign following a 19–9 season that included a 13–7 mark in Great Lakes Valley Conference competition. The Miners have established themselves as a competitive program in the GLVC, producing at least 19 victories in each of the last two seasons. Saturday's meeting will be Missouri S&T's second game of the weekend after opening against Minnesota State on Friday.
The Miners averaged 79.6 points per game last season while allowing just 71.3, producing a +8.3 scoring margin. Missouri S&T held opponents to 41.5 percent shooting from the field while averaging 8.0 steals and 3.2 blocked shots per contest. Their defensive pressure helped generate a +2.5 turnover margin, with opponents committing 13.5 turnovers per game compared to just 11.0 for the Miners. Offensively, Missouri S&T shot 45.3 percent from the field, 34.3 percent from three and 74.7 percent at the free-throw line while averaging 14.6 assists per contest.
Missouri S&T returns several contributors from last year's rotation, including Cameron Stovall, who averaged 13.7 points and 6.3 rebounds while shooting 48.7 percent from the floor. Stovall recorded a season-high 42 points against Illinois Springfield and provides an established scoring presence entering the new campaign. Zac Brown also returns after averaging 5.6 points and 4.0 rebounds, while Adam Rickman recorded a team-high 59 steals last season, averaging 2.1 per game. With an emphasis on defensive pressure, efficient possessions and creating turnovers, the Miners will present a different challenge for Sioux Falls in Saturday's tournament finale.
Cougar Spotlight (0–1, 0–0 NSIC)
Sioux Falls enters the weekend looking to bounce back from a narrow 94–91 overtime loss at Upper Iowa in Monday's season opener. The Cougars carried a 45–33 lead into halftime and built their advantage to as many as 15 points in the second half before the Peacocks rallied to force overtime. Despite the setback, USF demonstrated its offensive potential by shooting 47.6 percent from the field and 47.4 percent from three-point range while scoring 91 points on the road.
Freshman guard Brady Nick made an immediate impact in his collegiate debut, leading the Cougars with 24 points on 8-of-17 shooting, including a 3-of-4 performance from beyond the arc. Junior guard Jacoby Mehrman added an impressive all-around performance with 22 points, 10 rebounds and four assists, connecting on 10-of-12 free throws. Fifth-year forward Kyle Ingwerson contributed 13 points, six rebounds and three assists while shooting 3-of-6 from three-point range, while senior Alex Mattes added 11 points off the bench. Gerard Bosch provided eight points and five rebounds, and sophomore Bryon Laue finished with six points and seven boards.
The Cougars finished the opener with 39 rebounds, including 12 on the offensive glass, generating 19 second-chance points compared to just four for Upper Iowa. Sioux Falls also recorded 17 assists and committed 12 turnovers, but free-throw consistency and closing out possessions will be areas of emphasis after shooting 22-of-33 from the stripe. With a pair of challenging opponents awaiting in Kansas City, USF will look to build on its offensive balance while improving its defensive execution and late-game consistency.
Numbers Game
- Freshman Firepower – Brady Nick opened his collegiate career with 24 points and three made triples against Upper Iowa, giving Sioux Falls an immediate offensive spark entering the weekend.
- Backcourt Battle – Pittsburg State returns Connor Rogers and Mason English, who combined for 33.1 points and 7.9 assists per game last season, making perimeter defense a priority for the Cougars.
- Second Chances – USF collected 12 offensive rebounds and scored 19 second-chance points against Upper Iowa, an advantage the Cougars will look to maintain against Pittsburg State's revamped frontcourt.
- Defensive Discipline – Missouri S&T allowed just 71.3 points per game last season while holding opponents to 41.5 percent shooting, presenting a challenge for a Sioux Falls offense coming off a 91-point performance.
- Turnover Pressure – Missouri S&T averaged 8.0 steals and forced 13.5 turnovers per contest last season, making ball security and decision-making important for USF.
- Free-Throw Focus – Sioux Falls went 22-of-33 at the line in its opener, leaving room for improvement in an area that could prove decisive in two competitive neutral-site matchups.
Coach's Corner
"Always excited to head to KC for the conference challenge, as we always play great competition. Pitt State and Missouri S&T are both very well-coached teams, and we will need to play well to have success."
– Head Coach Chris Johnson
Inside the Gym
Friday vs. Pittsburg State
Saturday vs. Missouri S&T
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