What's Up:  The 14th-ranked Minnesota State men's basketball team, 10-3, 16-3 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, opens a three-game roadtrip this weekend as it travels to Minnesota Duluth (Friday, 8 p.m.) and Bemidji State (Saturday, 6 p.m.).

Scouting The Bulldogs Minnesota Duluth enters the weekend owners of a 9-13 record, including a 7-11 record in the NSIC, good for tenth-place.
    
The Bulldogs are led in scoring by junior guard Ryan Rasmussen who is averaging 18.1 points per game.  Sophomore guard Jake Hottenstine is averaging 13.4 points per game and a team-high 4.8 rebounds per game while freshman Brett Ervin averages 10.6 points per contest.
    
As a team, UMD is allowing 77.3 points per game while scoring 73.1 points.  The Bulldogs are shooting 44.1 percent from the floor and 77.6 percent from the free throw line and are being outrebounded 35.5-33.7.
    
Gary Holquist is in his 13th season at UMD and owns a 191-171 record with the Bulldogs.

Inside The Series: Minnesota State leads the all-time series, 37-29...Last month, the Mavericks earned a 95-79 victory behind a team-high 21 points by senior wing Jefferson Mason...The Mavericks finished the contest shooting 58.2 percent from the floor and outrebounded UMD, 31-22...Head coach Matt Margenthaler is 9-3 all-time against UMD...Senior wing Jefferson Mason leads all active Mavericks in scoring and rebounding against UMD averaging 19.5 points and 11.0 rebounds...Seniors Joe Drapcho and Marcus Hill have each played in six career games against UMD.

Scouting The Beavers: Bemidji State enters the weekend owners of an 8-14 record, including a 5-13 mark in the NSIC, good for 13th.  BSU plays host to Southwest Minnesota State Friday evening before playing MSU.

Five Beavers are averaging double-figures led by junior forward James Ellisor who is scoring a team-high 16.8 points per game and hauling in a team-best 6.8 rebounds.  Sophomore Lance Rongstad is second in scoring at 11.8 points per game while junior forwards Pat Cassidy and Mason Walters are each averaging 10.5 points.  Sophomore forward Mason Walters rounds out the Beavers in double-figures, averaging 10.3 points per contest.

Bemidji State is averaging 76 points per game while allowing 76.3.  As a squad, BSU is shooting 47.2 percent from the field and 79.8 percent from the free throw line while outrebounding opponents, 33.7-32.5.

Matt Bowen is in his fifth season with the program and owns a career record of 39-90.

Inside the Series: Minnesota State leads the all-time series, 63-31...Under head coach Matt Margenthaler the Mavericks are 5-0 against the Beavers...Earlier this year, MSU earned a 87-82 win over BSU in the Taylor Center behind 28 points by senior wing Jefferson Mason...Redshirt freshman Connor O'Brien added a double-double in the win with a15 points and 10 rebounds while senior guard Marcus Hill scored 21 points.  Mason leads all active Mavericks in scoring against BSU, averaging 21 points per game while Hill is averaging 12.5 points in four career games...BSU Assistant Director Athletic Media Relations, Dax Larson, was a graduate assistant in the MSU Athletic Communications office from 2007-2009.

To view the complete version of the game notes, click HERE