MORRIS, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris men's basketball team returns to Upper Midwest Athletic Conference play as it hosts North Central University on Wednesday at 7:15 p.m., then travels to the University of Northwestern for a 2:45 p.m. start on Saturday.
 
The streams can be found on the UMAC Sports Network or by clicking here. To follow the live stats of UMM vs NCU, click here and live stats for UMM at UNW can be found here.
 
The Cougars last competed in two nonconference games against No. 19 Gustavus Adolphus College and St. John's University. UMM battled in both contests but was unable to come away with a win. Kadien Pieper led the Cougars at Gustavus with 19 points and, combined with his 45-point performance against Martin Luther College, earned UMAC Player of the Week honors. Against the Johnnies, Carvin Fish paced the team with 21 points.
 
This season, Fish, Pieper, and Matt Thompson have been the primary scoring threats for the Cougars. Fish has totaled 253 points (18.1 points per game), Pieper has 240 points (17.1 ppg), and Thompson follows with 232 points (16.6 ppg). As a team, the Cougars are averaging 76.7 points per game, the third-highest mark in the UMAC. Gustav Gunderson leads the team with 53 assists.
 
Defensively, Thompson leads the team in rebounding with 113 boards, the fourth-most in the conference. Fish follows with 95 rebounds, including 41 on the offensive glass, while Pieper rounds out the top three with 83 rebounds. The Cougars have totaled 40 blocks this season, led by Fish with 15.
 
North Central enters the week with a 4–11 overall record but has opened conference play 2–0. Last week, the Rams defeated the University of Wisconsin–Superior 78–72 before topping Northwestern 84–77. Last season, NCU shared the UMAC regular-season title with the Cougars, finishing 10–4 in conference play, and was selected first in the preseason coaches poll. Jeremy Becker is in his fourth season as head coach. Carrington McNeal leads the Rams with 258 points this season, followed by Carmello McNeal with 229.
 
Northwestern is 2–12 overall and 0–2 in UMAC play, currently riding a seven-game losing streak. To open conference action, the Eagles fell 70–69 to Bethany Lutheran College and 84–77 to North Central. Last season, UNW finished third in the conference and was picked second in the preseason coaches poll. Tim Grosz is in his 26th season as head coach. Japheth Nyamari leads the Eagles with 205 points, averaging 18.6 points per game, while Jacob Hoefs leads the team defensively with 88 rebounds.