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USF Men's Basketball Weekend Preview
The University of Sioux Falls men's basketball looks to complete a season sweep of Dakota State University Satuday when they head to Madison, S.D. for a 7:30 encounter with the Trojans.
Follow the Cougars: Visit the "media" section of the USF men's basketball schedule for links to follow live stats, listen to the broadcast by KWSN or watch a live stream.
Quick Hits
The Series
Saturday will be the 74th meeting between USF and Dakota State University in men's basketball. The Cougars lead the series 48-26. Since 2001, USF has won 10 of the last 11 meetings, most recently handing the Trojans a 83-57 beating Jan. 17 in Sioux Falls, S.D.
The Beat Goes On
USF has now recorded nine consecutive win, with their last loss coming in a heartbreaker at D-I Wyoming, meaning the Cougars have been victorious in 11 of their last 12 contests. The nine game win streak is the Cougars' longest under head coach Chris Johnson.
On the Rise
Junior point guard A.J. Holland's game has continue to elevate each week and last weekend's game were just a glimpse of the potential the Cougar coaching staff sees in him. In Friday's matchup at Minot State, he was only second to Skyler Bloch in scoring with a career-high 14 points, while adding five rebounds and team-high four assists. Saturday he scored five points, but he was not looking to score, he facilitated, dishing out seven assists to set a second career high in two games. Holland also put his solid defense on display Saturday when he swiped four steals. He currently leads USF in assists (56) and steals (26), and is second in rebound (4.3 rpg).
Feeling the Heat
Like the weather, USF's offense has warmed up as of late, particularly in their last five games, where the Cougars shot an average of 54% from the floor. Two of those games consisted of 60% shooting by the Cougars (64%vs.DSU & 61% vs. SDSM&T). USF is shooting 47.2 on the year.
Winning on the Glass
USF has held the advantage on the glass in all but two games this season. They have outrebounded their last 13 opponents. The last team to out hustle the Cougars on the boards was the Colorado School of Mines (11/25).
Cashing in at the Line
USF's sharp shooting has been equally effective at the free throw line, where the Cougars boast an impressive 77% as a team. USF comes off a 41-48 (85%) effort in last weekend's double-header at Minot, which included a 90% (19-21) performance at the stripe Saturday.
Streaking
The Trojans also carry a winning streak into the weekend matchup, as they have won four straight since falling to the Cougars (1/17/12).
DSU Memorial Fieldhouse
DSU carries is 8-5 at home this season and their four game win streak consists of four consecutive home wins.
20+ Performances
Seven represents the number of 20 point games by Skyler Bloch this season. His latest victim was MSU, a team he posted 20 or more points against twice in two nights. Bloch has tallied double-digits in 16 of USF's 19 game this season to record a personal best, 312 points this season. At 902 for his career, he still has a legitimate shot at the 1,000 point mark. Bloch averages 16.4 ppg and the Cougars have seven games left on the year. USF is 7-3 this season when Bloch leads the team in scoring.
Last Time They Met
The Cougars were the definition of balance in the first half, outscoring DSU 18-6 in the paint, 16-2 on the bench and 15-6 from behind the arc. Not to mention USF connected at a 57% rate, while holding the Trojans to just 28% shooting before intermission.
DSU chances only became worse in the second half, where USF went 18-25 to shoot a very impressive 72% from the floor. At one time the Cougars converted 12 consecutive field goals to stretch their lead to 30. Fans saw nine different USF players score in the second half, as the Cougars picked up another dominating win at home.
USF's bench accounted for 33 points, while DSU's posted 16. The Cougars also owned the boards, as they outrebound the Trojans, 31-24.
Double-Double
Through the first 19 games of the 2011-12 season, Skyler Bloch has recorded two double-doubles, which came at Bemidji (11/20) and against UW-River Falls (12/31), while James Rader accounts for the team's third double-double this season. His came versus Black Hills State (1/21).
Up Next
The Cougars will spend the weekend visiting in-state rivals in S.D. School of Mines & Technology, Friday (Feb.10) and Black Hills State University Saturday (Feb.11). The games are scheduled for 8:30 and 7p.m., respectively.
