MARSHALL, Minn. – It's tournament time, and the Beavers look to be a foe no one wants to meet.

Add in a chance for revenge, and Tuesday afternoon's match-up for the Minot State men's basketball team at Southwest Minnesota State looks even more enticing.

The Beavers (10-16 overall) take on the Mustangs (16-11) in the first round of the NSIC Tournament with tip-off scheduled for 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 21, and it turns out to be a rematch of last season's NSIC playoff opener.

In the 2022 contest, the Beavers were the hosts and SW Minnesota State provided the upset, 89-75. Now, Minot State looks to return the favor.

But it will be a tough task as the Mustangs are No. 1 in the NSIC in defense allowing a league-low 63.7 points per game and holding opponents to an NSIC defensive-best 39.6 shooting percentage.

Those numbers held true in SW Minnesota State's 65-63 win at Minot State on January 7 of this season as the Beavers scored the average allowed by the Mustangs and shot just 38.24 percent in the setback.

A one-possession setback, though, which has been the hurdle for Minot State this season which makes the Beavers a team no one wants to face as Minot State lost six NSIC games by just a single possession each.

Meaning Minot State was one made shot away from potentially being 16-10 this season.

Plus, Minot State beat regular-season champion Northern State, 82-62, back in December – one of just three league losses for the 21^st-ranked Wolves.

At stake, aside from revenge for last season's playoff loss, is a spot in the NSIC quarterfinals in Sioux Falls, South Dakota this weekend.

Key to getting there is continued offensive balance for the Beavers who are led by a trio of double-digit scorers in guards Khari Broadway (14.2 ppg), Cam'ron Dunfee (11.1 ppg,), and Jaxon Gunville (10.1 ppg).

Defensively, the Beavers will look to slow down 6-foot-3 sophomore guard Dunwa Omot who is 12^th in the NSIC in scoring averaging 16.1 ppg. In the win at Minot State, Omot scored a game-high 14 points for the Mustangs.

The game is being played Tuesday, Feb. 21, a day earlier than originally planned because of the threat of a winter storm in the Midwest.