Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska Kearney men's basketball team tips off the regular season once again in Duluth, Minn.

The Lopers start 2022-23 at the annual American Family Insurance Classic at Minnesota Duluth. UNK faces Bemidji (Minn.) State Friday at 4 p.m. with a game against  tourney host and the No. 7 Bulldogs set for Saturday at 3 p.m. Those not in attendance can watch via The NSIC Network or follow along with live stats.

The BSU Beavers are coming off an 8-17 (5-1 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conf.) season and picked to finish seventh in the North Division and 15th overall. 

Three of the top five scorers are back in 6-3 fifth-year senior guard Mohamed Kone (11.7) and a pair of 6-7, 225-pound junior forwards in Dalton Albrecht (7.9) and John Sutherland (10.3). Bemidji averaged 73 points per game last year thanks to 47% shooting from the field. They had a minus 3.0 turnover margin but were plus five on the glass. Finally, they gave up 73 points a night.

Duluth is the overwhelming favorite in the NSIC, earning 13 of a possible 16 first-place votes. They return the majority of a roster that went 25-6 (18-5 NSIC) last year and reached the NCAA Tournament. Last November, Duluth downed the Lopers 77-64 as they shot 48% from the field and got a double double from post Austin Andrews (14 points, 11 rebounds).

Andrews (18.1 points & 9.5 rebounds), a 6-6, 220-pound junior forward, was close to a double double for the year as he shot 64% from the field. UMD also returns four other double digit scorers in 6-4 junior guard Joshua Brown (15.0), 6-5 redshirt senior guard Drew Blair (18.1), 6-6 junior forward Charlie Katona (11.5) and 6-5 senior guard Jack Middleton (10.4). Finally, UNK is 2-0 all-time vs. BSU and has a 4-1 mark against UMD.

The Lopers, with eight returners and eight newcomers, won 11 games last winter. That includes four on the road and one in Duluth, a 75-57 decision over Minnesota-Crookston.

Super senior forward Darrian Nebeker (12.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 0.9 steals per game) lead the way. The Utah native was among the MIAA leaders in both assists per game and field goal percentage (54.6) and is UNK's top returning scorer.

Next, sophomores Sean Evans (9.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists pg) and Sean Murphy (4.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 54.3 FG pct.) were thrown into the fire as true freshmen and both started over 20 games. Wing Tom Connelly (Denver East) and guards Braden Boley (Parker, Colo.) and Cam Binder (Auburn) are part of last year's newcomer class with forward Winston Cook (Wahoo) and guard Matt Brien (New Zealand) joining Nebeker as the team's veterans.

Several of the newcomers will redshirt this year with point guard Jamison Gruber (Council Bluffs, Ia.) and transfers Ryder Kirsch (Rapid City, S.D.), Jaleque Dunson (Sioux City, Ia.) and Skylar Wilson (Centennial, Colo.) slated to contribute.  

After a long bus ride home, UNK has three home games next week; Tuesday (Manhattan Christian), Thursday (Haskell Indian Nations) and Saturday (Wayne State).