MINOT, N.D. -- The Minot State men's basketball team will face Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State as the Beavers open the home portion of their Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference schedule this weekend. Minot State will face Minnesota Duluth on Friday (Dec. 7) at 7:30 p.m. and then square off with St. Cloud State on Saturday (Dec. 8) at 5:30 p.m.

Minot State is currently 5-5 overall on the season and 0-1 in conference play. The Beavers are 3-0 in the Minot State Dome this season and have won six straight at home dating back to last season.

Minot State opened NSIC play on the road on Dec. 1 and suffered a 65-58 loss at the hands of Mary. The game was deadlocked at 52-52 with 3:55 to play in the game, but the Maruaders pulled away by outscoring the Beavers 13-6 down the stretch.

David Akibo led Minot State with 16 points and seven rebounds against Mary, while Dorian Aluyi scored 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the floor. Max Cody also reached double figures in scoring for the Beavers with 13 points.

The Beavers have featured balanced scoring through 10 games as Minot State features four players averaging in double figures on the season. Akibo leads the Beavers averaging 16.0 points per game, while Cody is scoring 12.3 points per contest. Kyle Beisch is scoring at 12.2 per game and Aluyi is averaging 10.8 points per outing.

Akibo also tops the team in rebounding averaging 8.0 per game, while Aluyi is second on the team averaging 6.3 rebounds per contest. Cody tops the Beavers in assists with 45 and is averaging 4.5 per game.

Minnesota Duluth currently sports a 4-1 overall record and a 1-0 mark in conference play, while St. Cloud State is 5-2 overall and 0-1 in the NSIC.