BEMIDJI - A new year has brought a new focus to Bemidji State men’s basketball junior Ben Best, and some of the results are already beginning to show. “This year I gotta play a big role and be a leader,” Best said. “This year compared to last year, just being a better leader and a better teammate (is part of my role).” Best, a forward from Drummond, Wis., has risen to the challenge offensively for the Beavers so far this year. Through three games, the junior forward is averaging 13.3 points in just 16.3 minutes-per-game. Best’s scoring is leading BSU to 86.3 points-per-game as a team.
Last season, Best averaged 8.6 points. That BSU team finished 10th in offense in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, out of 16 teams. But this year, BSU can hold its head high. Through three nonconference games, Bemidji State ranks first in scoring offense in the NSIC, even without having an individual scorer in the conference’s top 15. “We have good balance,” head coach Mike Boschee said. “We have quality depth that we’ll be able to use for a long season.” Bemidji State is also one of two remaining undefeated teams in the NSIC. The University of Mary is also 3-0, though the Marauders are outscoring opponents by just nine points a game, compared to BSU’s 34.7. “This year so far we’re doing well,” Best said. “I like what we’re doing.” But it isn’t just the offense that has thrived. “Defense is something we’ve been stressing from the get-go, and I think we’ve been pretty solid there,” Boschee said. Last season’s Bemidji State defense finished 13th in the NSIC, giving up 77.5 points-per-game. The defensive intensity has been stressed in practices, and the results have started to show on the court. This year, the Beavers rank first among all NSIC teams on the defensive side of the ball, as well, surrendering just 51.7 points-per-game, 10.4 points better than second place Minnesota State. But even though the Beavers are playing well now, it must be noted that they have yet to face a Division II opponent - all of the teams they’ve placed so far have been Division III and NAIA schools. That trend continues this weekend, when the Beavers compete in the Viterbo Classic in La Crosse, Wis., for an exhibition tournament. The other three teams in the exhibition tournament are NAIA schools, including Cardinal Stritch. BSU takes on the Wolves at 5 p.m. Friday. Stritch (3-2) averages 75.8 points-per-game offensively, so the Bemidji State defense will again be put to the test. BSU has yet to give up more than 55 points this season, while Cardinal Stritch has scored at least 69 in all five games. After its first game, the Beavers will return to the hardwood Saturday and match up with either Jamestown University or Viterbo University. The third place game will be at 1 p.m. and the title game at 3 p.m. And although conference play begins next Saturday, Best said the Beavers won’t be overlooking this weekend’s slate of games. “The ultimate goal is to get wins,” Best said of the tournament. “It’s gonna be huge to stick together and do what we do best.” If BSU wants to remain atop the leaderboards on both offense and defense, the Beavers will need to continue to put in the work. “We’re getting better,” Boschee said. “This team is paying attention to detail… We’re taking some strides.”BEMIDJI - A new year has brought a new focus to Bemidji State men’s basketball junior Ben Best, and some of the results are already beginning to show.“This year I gotta play a big role and be a leader,” Best said. “This year compared to last year, just being a better leader and a better teammate (is part of my role).”Best, a forward from Drummond, Wis., has risen to the challenge offensively for the Beavers so far this year. Through three games, the junior forward is averaging 13.3 points in just 16.3 minutes-per-game. Best’s scoring is leading BSU to 86.3 points-per-game as a team.
Last season, Best averaged 8.6 points. That BSU team finished 10th in offense in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, out of 16 teams.But this year, BSU can hold its head high. Through three nonconference games, Bemidji State ranks first in scoring offense in the NSIC, even without having an individual scorer in the conference’s top 15.“We have good balance,” head coach Mike Boschee said. “We have quality depth that we’ll be able to use for a long season.”Bemidji State is also one of two remaining undefeated teams in the NSIC. The University of Mary is also 3-0, though the Marauders are outscoring opponents by just nine points a game, compared to BSU’s 34.7.“This year so far we’re doing well,” Best said. “I like what we’re doing.”But it isn’t just the offense that has thrived.“Defense is something we’ve been stressing from the get-go, and I think we’ve been pretty solid there,” Boschee said.Last season’s Bemidji State defense finished 13th in the NSIC, giving up 77.5 points-per-game. The defensive intensity has been stressed in practices, and the results have started to show on the court. This year, the Beavers rank first among all NSIC teams on the defensive side of the ball, as well, surrendering just 51.7 points-per-game, 10.4 points better than second place Minnesota State.But even though the Beavers are playing well now, it must be noted that they have yet to face a Division II opponent - all of the teams they’ve placed so far have been Division III and NAIA schools.That trend continues this weekend, when the Beavers compete in the Viterbo Classic in La Crosse, Wis., for an exhibition tournament. The other three teams in the exhibition tournament are NAIA schools, including Cardinal Stritch. BSU takes on the Wolves at 5 p.m. Friday.Stritch (3-2) averages 75.8 points-per-game offensively, so the Bemidji State defense will again be put to the test.BSU has yet to give up more than 55 points this season, while Cardinal Stritch has scored at least 69 in all five games.After its first game, the Beavers will return to the hardwood Saturday and match up with either Jamestown University or Viterbo University. The third place game will be at 1 p.m. and the title game at 3 p.m.And although conference play begins next Saturday, Best said the Beavers won’t be overlooking this weekend’s slate of games.“The ultimate goal is to get wins,” Best said of the tournament. “It’s gonna be huge to stick together and do what we do best.”If BSU wants to remain atop the leaderboards on both offense and defense, the Beavers will need to continue to put in the work.“We’re getting better,” Boschee said. “This team is paying attention to detail… We’re taking some strides.”
