MINOT, N.D. – The season-opener had to wait a week for the Beavers, but now the Minot State men's basketball team gets to open at home.
After a winter storm canceled their trip to Missouri, the Minot State men got a little extra practice time to prepare for their open on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. as the Beavers host Presentation at the MSU Dome. Minot State also will be in action at home hosting Montana State Billings on Saturday at 6 p.m.
Not that the Beavers haven't had chances to play, getting in four exhibition games in Canada in August, then playing in-state rival Dickinson State and rolling to an 83-52 exhibition win last month against the Blue Hawks.
But these games count, and so the Beavers will look to be at their best against two teams with real games already under their belt.
The Saints (3-4 overall) have been playing for three weeks and come in with a two-game win streak as they average 81.3 points per game and are shooting 47.7 percent from the field.
Senior guard DJ Bonds and senior forward Travez Nyx led the way for the Saints under first-year head coach Trevor Flemmer as Bonds is averaging 14.9 points and 4.1 rebounds per game while shooting 60.3 percent from the field, and Nyx is averaging 16.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game and hitting 54.7 percent from the field.
As for the Beavers, they will look to returning starters in senior guard
Cam'ron Dunfee and sophomore guard
Ben Bohl to set the tone, while the likes of junior-college transfers guard Khari Broadway, guard Michael Jok, guard Javeon Tolliver, forward Connor Hollenbeck, and redshirt-freshman center
Calvin Sisk all will look to contribute.
Saturday, the Beavers take on an MSU Billings team already 3-0 on the season that's averaging 71.0 points per game and shooting 42.6 percent, but also holding foes to 61.7 ppg and outrebounding opponents by 7.4 boards per game.
Senior guard Carrington Wiggins leads the way average 16.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, while junior guard Steve Richardson is scoring 15.7 points per contest, grabbing 5.7 rebounds and shooting 62.1 percent from the field, and senior forward Bilal Shabazz is averaging 10.7 points and 6.7 rebounds for the Yellowjackets.
