MINOT, N.D. – Fans are invited to help the Beavers "Defend the Dome" this Friday night as everyone gets in free to Minot State's basketball doubleheader against NSIC foe Sioux Falls.
Action tips off with the Minot State men's team (11-3 overall, 6-2 NSIC) taking on the Sioux Falls Cougars (7-8, 4-5) at 5:30 p.m., then the Beaver women (4-13, 1-7) meet the Cougar women (6-7, 4-5) at 7:30 p.m.
The evening will be filled with fun activities for fans which include some new promotions in cooperation with community sponsors: The Bravera $10,000 halftime shot and the I. Keating best seat in the house promotions.
At halftime of the men's game Friday night, one lucky fan will get the chance to win $10,000 if they can make a layup, free throw, 3-pointer, and half-court shot in 30 seconds.
Fans also can sign up to win the best seat in the house to watch the game courtside at half court in a love seat sponsored by I. Keating.
Both promotions will continue throughout the remainder of the Minot State basketball season.
As for the action on the court, the Beaver men come in third in the NSIC after a road upset of then No. 24 Minnesota Duluth on Saturday, vaulting Minot State into national attention and landing the team in "others receiving votes" in this week's national Top 25 poll.
Balance and tough defense have been key for the Beavers who lead the NSIC allowing foes a league-low 67.6 points per game.
Meanwhile, Minot State is No. 2 in the NSIC in 3-point field-goal percentage (39.4 percent) and third in overall field-goal percentage (48.8 percent), but individually only
Khari Broadway is in the top 15 in scoring averaging 14.9, tied for 15th best in the NSIC.
But that is because the Beavers rely on balance with
Jaxon Gunville averaging 10.5 points per game,
Ben Bohl adding 10.4 ppg,
Connor Hollenbeck adding 9.9 ppg, and
Michael Jok scoring 9.3 ppg, a well-balanced and difficult to defend starting five.
Sioux Falls equally shoots the 3-pointer well as they are right behind Minot State in the NSIC at 36.7 percent, but the Cougars also defend well allowing foes to shoot only 43.2 percent from the field and score just 70.3 ppg.
Six-foot-2 senior guard Jack Thompson and 6-4 junior guard Shawn Warrior led the Cougars averaging 14.3 and 12.0 ppg, respectively, while 6-10 junior center Creighton Morisch adds 6.7 ppg and a team-best 6.2 rpg.
On the women's side, the Beavers come in after a near upset of last year's runner-up national champion Minnesota Duluth and look to build off that moment.
Sydney Gustavsson continues to lead the way offensively averaging 11.9 ppg for Minot State.
The Cougars are led by the one-two punch of 5-6 freshman guard Kami Wadsworth and 5-11 freshman forward Ayla Brown who average 11.8 and 11.0 ppg, respectively, for a team that has been solid defensively as the Cougars are sixth in the NSIC allow 61.5 points per game and foes to shoot just 38.5 percent from the field.
Saturday, Minot State hosts Southwest Minnesota State at 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. at the MSU Dome in men's and women's action, and the Beavers and Mustangs have a unique history.
Last February, the Minot State men beat the then-host Mustangs in triple overtime in the first round of the NSIC playoffs, ending Southwest Minnesota State's season. One year earlier, Southwest Minnesota State beat the Beavers in the first round of the 2021-22 NSIC playoffs at the MSU Dome, ending Minot State's season.
While Saturday's contest won't end either teams' season, it is a key battle in the NSIC race as the Mustangs (9-6, 6-3) currently sit just a half game behind the Beavers in the standings.
A quartet of Mustangs are averaging double digits, led by 6-9 center Jake Phipps who leads the way in scoring (15.7 ppg) and rebounds (6.9 rpg), and is 11th in the NSIC in both categories, as well.
In the women's game, the Mustangs (9-6, 7-2) come in one of the hottest teams in the league and a half-game out of the NSIC lead as Southwest Minnesota State is the second-highest scoring team in the league averaging 75.0 ppg.
Five-8 junior guard Bri Stoltzman leads the Mustangs as she is third in the NSIC in scoring (19.2) and ninth in rebounds (6.7).
