DULUTH, Minn. (
csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica men's basketball team will open up its Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) slate this weekend down in the Twin Cities.
Where:
Friday
Wild Athletic Center – St. Bonifacius, Minn.
Saturday
Ericksen Center – St. Paul, Minn.
When:
Friday vs. North Central (Minn.) – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday at Northwestern (Minn.) – 5 p.m.
Live Video/Stats vs. North Central: http://www.ncurams.com/sports/mbkb/2016-17/boxscores/20161202_wos3.xml
Live Video vs. Northwestern: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/unw/
Live Stats vs. Northwestern: http://unweagles.com/sports/2012/11/7/gen_1107121456.aspx
Social Media:
Twitter:
www.twitter.com/CSSsaints
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/csssaints
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/css.saints
St. Scholastica Saints
Stats
Record: 1-3, 0-0 UMAC
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference: Standings | Stats
Last Action: The Saints dropped their home opener to Concordia College-Moorhead 80-64 on Saturday … The loss snapped a 13-game home regular season win streak … CSS shot only 36 percent from the floor, while the Cobbers shot 59 percent … Concordia used a 30-7 run in the first 11 minutes of the second half to put the game away.
Friday's Game Location: Friday's game against North Central is being played at Crown College in St. Bonifacius because of scheduling conflict at North Central's facility in Minneapolis.
D It Up: Opponents have scored over 80 points in three of the first four games and in the one game where the Saints didn't give up 80, they allowed 79 … CSS is 0-3 when it gives up 80 points … Teams have also shot over 50 percent in three of the four games against St. Scholastica … Opponents are shooting 52 percent on the year, which is second worst in the UMAC … Last season, the Saints gave up at least 80 points seven times and had a record of 3-4 on those games.
UMAC Preseason Poll
1. Northwestern - 62 points (7 First Place Votes)
2. St. Scholastica - 58 (2)
3. Minnesota Morris - 46
4. North Central - 42
5. Bethany Lutheran - 32
6. Northland - 31
7. Crown - 25
8. UW-Superior - 19
9. Martin Luther - 9
Upcoming Opponents
North Central Rams
Record: 1-3, 0-0 UMAC
The Rams' lone win this season came against Trinity Bible College (N.D.) on November 19 … North Central is led by junior guard Travis Voight, who leads the conference at 21. 8 points per game … Junior forward Joel Cline is second in the league, averaging nine rebounds per game and also scores 11.8 per game … CJ Lewis is the team's second leading scorer at 14.8 points per game.
Northwestern Eagles
Record: 1-2, 0-0 UMAC
The Eagles have made the NCAA Division III Tournament the last six seasons and are once again predicted to capture the UMAC crown … After dropping its first two games of the year to Hamline University and Central College (Iowa), Northwestern defeated Macalester College on November 22 … Northwestern opens the season with six straight home games … The Eagles begin conference play on Friday night when they host the University of Wisconsin-Superior … Anderson Bazille Jr. leads the team in scoring at 14 points per game … Senior guard Will Gisler is next at 12.7 per contest … Northwestern has the top scoring defense in the conference, allowing 75.0 points per game, but has struggled to shoot it as it ranks near the bottom in field goal percentage (.386).
Series Records:
-CSS leads North Central 20-9
(Last Meeting: 97-79 CSS – 2/19/2016)
-Northwestern leads CSS 50-27
(Last Meeting: 93-70 UNW – 2/27/2016)
Series Histories: The Saints snapped a three-game losing streak to North Central with a 97-79 victory at the Reif at the end of last season … CSS has lost four of the last five games at North Central, but this game will be played at Crown … The only other time the two programs played a neutral site was a 93-73 CSS win in River Falls during the 2006-07 season /// St. Scholastica swept the regular season series against Northwestern last season for the first time since the 2008-09 season, but the Eagles had the final word defeating the Saints 93-70 in the UMAC Tournament Championship game.
Looking Ahead: The Saints will be back at home on Friday, December 9 when they welcome Finlandia University (Mich.) to the Reif Gymnasium … CSS will then face Northland College on Saturday, December 10.
