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THIS WEEK: Minot State University travels to Bemidji, Minn., to play in the InnKeepers Beaver Classic, playing host Bemidji State Friday (7 p.m.) and Southwest Minnesota State Saturday (5 p.m.)

TRADITION IN TRANSITION: Minot State is in its third season of a four-year transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II. MSU advanced to Year Three Provisional status in July and is expected to complete the transition in July 2012. Minot State was selected to join the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference in 2012-13.

RECORDS: Minot State is 1-4 entering the tournament and is an NCAA DII Independent. Bemidji State begins the weekend at 3-1 and 0-0 in the NSIC. Southwest Minnesota starts the tournament at 0-1 overall and 0-0 in NSIC.

COACHES CORNER: Minot State's head coach is Peter Stewart, who begins his second season with the Beavers. Stewart is 14-21 overall. Matt Bowen is the head coach at Bemidji State and has a 45-94 record in his sixth season. Brad Bigler begins his third season as the head coach at SMSU and is 29-27 overall with the school.

FOLLOW THE BEAVERS: The game is broadcast locally on KCJB 910-AM with Scott Kittell calling the play-by-play. Live audio can be accessed online at (www.kcjb.com). MSU provides live video and live stats as well as links to live audio and a MSU photo gallery all at msubeavers.com

RANKINGS: None of the teams were ranked in the preseason NABC Coaches preseason Top 25 poll.

RECENT HISTORY: Minot State earned a huge win over rival University of Mary Tuesday in Bismarck, winning 92-88 in double overtime. Bemidji State picked up a pair of wins in nonconference play, taking out the University of Sioux Falls 68-49 and Wisconsin-Stout 70-57 last week. The Mustangs were topped 71-65 at NCAA Division I Wisconsin-Milwaukee to open the season Nov. 12.

OVERALL SERIES: The MSU Beavers trail Bemidji State 6-3 in the all time series. This is the first meeting between Southwest Minnesota and Minot State in men's basketball.

NOTING THE BSU BEAVERS: Bemidji State has won three straight games since dropping a 71-60 decision to No. 10 ranked Metro State to open the season… The Beavers began the 2011-12 campaign with a trip to Minneapolis for an exhibition game against the University of Minnesota, falling 71-58… James Ellisor is averaging a double-double on the season, scoring 19.5 points and pulling down 10.0 rebounds per game… Lance Rongstad is averaging 10.0 points per game in limited time coming off the bench. Rongstad was a standout football player for BSU's gridiron team.

NOTING THE MUSTANGS: Southwest Minnesota State has only played one game coming into the weekend, losing 71-65 in front of 2,246 fans at Wisconsin-Milwaukee Nov. 12… Jordan Miller has one double-double in one game played this season as he was the top player for SMSU against Milwaukee, scoring 16 points and pulling down 11 rebounds… SMSU was held to just 24 points in the first half against UW-M, but stormed back to score 41 in the second half.

SENIOR LEADERSHIP: After the departure of Shawn Storseth this week, Minot State's Jonas Pollard (Sr., G, Mesa, Ariz.) is the lone senior on the roster who isn't redshirting. Pollard, who averaged 7.4 points per game in mainly a reserve role last season, has blossomed in his senior campaign. Through five games, Pollard is averaging 36.2 minutes per game and is second on the team with a 16.0 scoring average. He also has 25 rebounds, four steals and three assists.

PERFECT TIMING: Minot State's win over the University of Mary Tuesday night was important on many levels for the Beavers. First, MSU picked up its first win of the season and first win as an NCAA Division II Provisional member. It also marked MSU's first win over future travel partner in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference since the Beavers and Marauders parted ways after the 2005-06 season. And, last, it erased some of the memory of the Beavers disappointing loss to Upper Iowa less than a week ago.

BIG MAN: Minot State's Josh Johnson (Jr., F, Lufkin, Texas) is one of the Beavers biggest players in terms of physical size at 6-foot-6, 211-pounds. But Johnson' big play has loomed even larger. In the two games Johnson has played this season, MSU is 1-1 overall. Johnson is averaging 20.5 points per game and 9.0 rebounds. He also has blocked three shots and has three assists and two steals. He has one of only two Beaver  double-double of the year, hitting for 22 points and pulling down 13 rebounds against U-Mary.

EARLY SEASON EXTRA: For the second straight season, Minot State has played a marathon in its early portion of the schedule. The Beavers outlasted the University of Mary 92-88 Tuesday in Bismarck. Last season, MSU went two overtimes with Graceland University (Iowa), losing 107-103.

RUNNING THE SHOW: MSU's junior guard Yonas Behre (Toronto, Ontario) has been a calming force for the Beavers since joining the lineup last Saturday. In two games, Behre is averaging 15.5 points per game and has five assists. He has hit 10 of 11 free throws and is 10 of 24 from the field.