North Dakota (8-11, 2-3) vs. North Dakota State (12-6, 3-1)
Scheels Center, Fargo, North Dakota; Saturday, 3 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Two senior guards will be on display as Marlon Stewart and North Dakota will go up against Tyson Ward and North Dakota State. Stewart has scored 23 percent of the team's points this season and is averaging 21.6 over his last five games. Ward is averaging 17.6 points over the last five games.
PLENTY OF EXPERIENCE: Senior leadership has been on display for both teams this year. Ward, Vinnie Shahid and Rocky Kreuser have combined to account for 55 percent of North Dakota State's scoring this season and 58 percent of the team's points over its last five games. For North Dakota, Stewart, Kienan Walter and Billy Brown have combined to score 43 percent of the team's points this season, including 57 percent of all Fighting Hawks points over their last five.
TAKE IT UP A NOTCH: The Bison have scored 76.3 points per game against conference opponents so far, an improvement from the 67.2 per game they managed in non-conference play.
FACILITATING THE OFFENSE: Stewart has made or assisted on 49 percent of all North Dakota field goals over the last five games. The senior guard has accounted for 31 field goals and 26 assists in those games.
WINLESS WHEN: North Dakota is 0-10 when scoring fewer than 73 points and 8-1 when scoring at least 73.
STREAK STATS: North Dakota State has won its last five home games, scoring an average of 84 points while giving up 64.
DID YOU KNOW: The North Dakota State offense has recorded a turnover on only 16 percent of its possessions, which is the 17th-lowest rate in the country. The North Dakota defense has forced opposing teams to turn the ball over on just 15.3 percent of all possessions (ranked 346th among Division I teams).
