MINOT, N.D. – It's been a while since these two programs have met, despite being NSIC foes.

With the chaos created to schedules over the past two years, Minot State and Sioux Falls have not met on the hardwood since February of 2020, but that changes Friday night when the Cougars roll into the MSU Dome to play the Beavers in women's basketball at 5:30 p.m., and in men's basketball at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Minot State hosts Southwest Minnesota State with the women tipping off at 3:30 p.m., and the men's game at 5:30 p.m.

Friday night's women's game should be a classic tussle between teams looking to build momentum heading into the new year.

Sioux Falls (4-10 overall, 1-7 NSIC) is led by 5-foot-9 sophomore guard Brecli Honner who averages 10.5 points per game for a Cougars team averaging 60.6 ppg and shooting 38.8 percent from the field.

Five-5 senior guard Kate Head, coming off a 24-point outburst in her last game, leads the way for Minot State is (5-9, 1-7) averaging 15.6 ppg after tying an NCAA Division II-era school record with 123 assists last season.

She is helped out by 5-11 junior forward Natasha Elliott (7.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg) and 6-4 freshman post Emily Srejma (7.4 ppg, 6-4 rpg).

During a busy Saturday, the Beavers host one of the top offensive teams in the NSIC in Southwest Minnesota State (9-4, 6-2). The Mustangs are No. 1 in 3-point field-goal percentage (37.7), No. 2 in overall field-goal percentage (45.6), and 3^rd in scoring averaging 77.1 ppg.

Five-9 sophomore guard Hannah Parsley leads four Mustangs in double-digits, averaging 13.2 ppg.

On the men's side, both contests look to be great battles as the Beavers take on two teams just a game out of the lead in the NSIC South, and two of the toughest defense teams in the league.

Friday at 7:30 p.m. against Sioux Falls (10-4, 5-3) the Beavers (7-5, 4-4) will try and crack one of the toughest defenses in the NSIC as Cougars allow 67.1 ppg to foes. Minot State also looks to slow down the league's top scorer, 6-3 sophomore guard Matt Cartwright who leads the way for the Cougars and the NSIC with a league-best 22.1 ppg.

Saturday's foe might be even tougher as the Mustangs (9-4, 5-3) allow a league-low 61.5 ppg and hold opponents to 39.1 percent shooting. But as tough as Southwest Minnesota State is on defense, they're equally good offensively as the Mustangs are sixth in the NSIC in field-goal percentage at 46.5 percent.

The Beavers happen to be one of the teams ahead of SMSU in field-goal percentage as Minot State is fourth in the NSIC shooting 47.0 percent.

Six-3 senior guard Cam'ron Dunfee leads the way for the Beavers averaging 14.3 ppg and is a long-range threat with a team-high 29 3-pointers, which includes tying a single-game record with eight triples against St. Cloud State on Dec. 10.

Also, 6-1 junior guard Khari Broadway has had a big impact of late, leading the team in its last three outings with 21, 15, and 19 points respectively as he is averaging 12.8 ppg, and leads the team with 16 steals.

They'll help Minot State look to avenge a loss in the Beavers last meeting with the Mustangs when Southwest Minnesota State ended Minot State's season 89-75 back in February at the MSU Dome in the opening round of the 2022 NSIC Tournament.

Of course, the action against the Mustangs will be part of a busy day of activities at the MSU Dome on Saturday as Our Redeemer Christian School will also be in action at the MSU Dome in high school basketball action as the girls host Kenmare at 12:30 p.m., and the boys play Kenmare at 7:45 p.m.

Also, Saturday will be "Slam Dunk: Don't Drive Drunk" day with special activities geared toward encouraging sober driving in North Dakota.