DULUTH, Minn. (
csssaints.com) – For the first time since last February's epic four-overtime thriller in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Tournament championship game, the St. Scholastica men's basketball team squares off with the University of Northwestern (Minn.) on Saturday at The Reif.
Where:
Reif Gymnasium – Duluth, Minn.
When:
Saturday vs. Northwestern (Minn.) – 3 p.m.
Live Video: http://csssaints.com/watch/?Live=88
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/css/mbball/
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St. Scholastica Saints
Stats
Record: 6-6, 3-2 UMAC
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference: Standings | Stats
What You Need to Know about the Saints:
-The Saints enter Saturday's matchup on a two-game win streak after defeating Martin Luther College on Wednesday.
-CSS has yet to win three straight games this season and is looking to climb above .500 for the first time.
-Sophomore
Collin Anderson (Eagan, Minn./Eagan HS) is averaging 18 points off the bench in each of the last two games.
-If you recall, Anderson had a career-high 36 points against the Eagles in the UMAC Championship last year.
-The CSS bench has scored 77 points in the last two games and is averaging 32.6 points per game this season.
-After scoring in double figures in each of the first 11 games, junior
Brandon Newman (Barnum, Minn./Barnum HS) was held to a season-low four points by the Knights on Wednesday.
-Junior
Sam Thompson (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) has recorded 11 points in each of the last two games.
-Freshman
Jarod Wilken (Annandale, Minn./Annandale HS) has scored in double figures in four of the last five games.
-CSS continues to lead the conference in scoring defense, allowing 70.5 points per game.
-The Saints have a league-best +3.0 turnover margin and lead the league, forcing 13.8 turnovers per game.
-St. Scholastica also leads the UMAC with a 1.52 assist-to-turnover ratio.
-Anderson leads the conference with a 2.8 assist-to-turnover ratio.
-In league play Anderson has a 6.7 assist-to-turnover ratio.
-The Saints force 7.0 steals per game.
-CSS is 6-1 this season when it scores at least 40 points in a half.
What You Need to Know about Northwestern:
-The Eagles will enter Saturday with a 3-9 overall record and 2-2 in conference play.
-Northwestern is coming off a 65-54 victory over Northland College at home on Wednesday, which snapped a four-game losing streak.
-Northwestern has won four of the last five UMAC regular season titles and seven straight UMAC Tournament championships.
-The Eagles' two conference losses have come on the road at Bethany Lutheran College and at home to Crown College.
-Northwestern lost its top four scorers from last season.
-Junior Anderson Bazile Jr. is the team leading returning scorer and is averaging 21.0 points per game in the last two games.
-Caleb Hageman and Tanner Youngberg lead the team in scoring averaging 11.7 and 10.5 per game, respectively.
-Youngberg also averages a team-best eight rebounds per game.
-The Eagles are shooting only 41 percent from the floor, which is second-worst in the UMAC.
-Northwestern has made the fewest 3-pointers in the conference (62), but leads the conference making 78 percent of its free throw attempts.
Series Record: Northwestern leads 52-28
(Last Meeting: 112-108 (4ot) UNW – 2/25/2017)
Series History: The teams have split the last six meetings with each team going 2-1 at home during that span … Five of those six meetings have been decided by seven points or less.
Looking Ahead: The Saints will go out of conference next Wednesday as they travel to face Finlandia University (Mich.).
