MINOT, ND – Bismarck Century remains atop both Class A Basketball Polls. The polls are voted on by the North Dakota Associated Press Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association.

 

 

       (First Place Votes)    Record    Points    Last Week
1. Bismarck Century (18)   11-0         90           1
2. Minot High                       12-2         70           3
3. Mandan                            11-1        48           2
4. Fargo Davies                   11-2        44           4
5. Fargo North                       8-4         10          RV

 

Others receiving votes: Grand Forks Red River (8-4), Bismarck Legacy (7-5)

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           (First Place Votes)    Record    Points    Last Week
1. Bismarck Century (17)       9-2           88            1
2. Fargo Davies (1)                11-1          69            3
3. Grand Forks Red River      12-1          51            2
4. Minot High                           11-3          43            4
5. Bismarck Legacy                 9-2          15            5

 

Others receiving votes: West Fargo (10-3), Bismarck High (8-4)

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MINOT STATE HOCKEY-POLLS

 

MINOT, N.D. (MSU) – The Minot State hockey teams remain two of the best in the ACHA according to the latest poll as the Beaver men’s team remained No. 1 in the ACHA Division I men’s poll, while the Beaver women moved up two spots to No. 3 in the latest ACHA Division I women’s poll.

 

The Minot State women (15-6-1 overall) climbed two spots to No. 3 after winning three-in-a-row, starting with a 5-0 win over then No. 4-ranked Indiana Tech, which slid to No. 5 in this week’s poll. Minot State has not allowed a goal in that three-game win streak. The Beavers also have wins this season over No. 2 Adrian (Mich.) and then-No. 4 Midland (Neb.). The Minot State women look to add wins against the No. 1 team in the nation as the Beavers play at Liberty (Va.) on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Despite seeing a 57-game win streak snapped on Friday night, the Flames remained No. 1 in the ACHA Division I women’s poll.

 

As for the Minot State men (24-1-0), they held onto the top spot in the ACHA Division I men’s poll for the seventh consecutive ranking. Like the women’s poll, Adrian (Mich.) is No. 2, followed by UNLV at No. 3, and Ohio at No. 4. The Beavers play at Ohio next weekend, Feb. 3-4. Liberty (Va.) rounded out the top five as the No. 5 pick. The Minot State men play at home this Thursday, hosting Waldorf at 7 p.m. at the Maysa Arena, before heading to Ohio for a top-five battle with the Bobcats next weekend.

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MINOT STATE SOFTBALL-PRESEASON

 

MINOT, N.D (MSU) – With junior infielder Brooklyn Morrison and freshman pitcher Calley Olson named as the Players to Watch for Minot State, the Beavers were voted to finish in the middle of the NSIC standings by the league’s coaches as the NSIC Preseason Softball Coaches’ Poll. Under the guidance of first-year head coach Bailey Gaspar, the Beavers were selected to finish ninth in the preseason poll, receiving 90 points. Minot State compiled a 28-20 record last spring and finished 11th in the NSIC standings.

 

Defending regular-season and NSIC Tournament champion Augustana earned 10 first-place votes and was the favorite to repeat as NSIC Champions for the third straight year with 217 points, while Minnesota State, Mankato was picked second with three first-place votes and 208 points. St. Cloud State earned the other three first-place votes from the NSIC coaches and was picked to finish third with 187 points, tied with Winona State which did not garner any first-place votes but was picked third with 187 points, as well.

 

Morrison, a junior third baseman, leads the way for the Minot State returners as she hit .288 with a team-best five home runs, 28 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases in 46 games last spring. Morrison was named the position Player to Watch for the Beavers, while Olson, a freshman pitcher from Bloomer High School in Wisconsin, was named the Preseason Pitcher to Watch for Minot State. The right-hander pitcher joins the Beavers after a stellar high school career where she was 23-3 in the circle with a miniscule .058 ERA in 156 innings with 322 strikeouts.

 

While they lead the Beavers, Winona State All-American Abbie Hlas was named the NSIC Preseason Player of the Year and Minnesota Duluth left-hander pitcher Lauren Dixon was named the NSIC Preseason Pitcher of the Year. Dixon led the NSIC in ERA (1.91), innings pitched (164.2), strikeouts (212), and opponent batting average (.219) last season.

 

Rounding out the preseason poll, Minnesota Duluth was fifth with 181 points, Concordia, St. Paul was sixth with 157 points, Southwest Minnesota State was picked seventh with 128 points, Sioux Falls was eighth with 127 points, Minot State was ninth with 90 points, Upper Iowa and Wayne State tied for 10th with 87 points each, Bemidji State was 12th with 66 points, Northern State was 13th with 61 points, Minnesota Crookston was 14th with 47 points, and Mary and MSU Moorhead tied for 15th with 45 points each.

 

Minot State opens the 2023 season hosting its annual Bubble Invite on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 4-5. The Beavers first game will be a non-conference contests against in-state rival Mary at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 4. The Beavers also play Carroll College at 3 p.m. on Feb. 4, then take on Dakota Wesleyan at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 5, and Valley City State at 3 p.m. on Feb. 5.

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NDSU-UND

 

FARGO, ND – The North Dakota State men’s basketball team (8-13 overall, 5-4 Summit) will host North Dakota (7-15 overall, 1-8 Summit) on Friday at 7 pm inside the Scheels Center in Fargo. Friday will be the 307th meeting between NDSU and UND, with UND leading the all-time series, 163-143. The Bison lead 15-6 over 21 meetings in the Division I era, and NDSU has won 9 of the past 11 games against the Fighting Hawks. The game will be broadcast by WDAY and available statewide on ABC affiliates. It will also be carried on ESPN+.

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WOLVES-PELICANS

 

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Anthony Edwards scored 37 points, Rudy Gobert had 17 points and 12 rebounds, and the Minnesota Timberwolves spoiled Brandon Ingram’s return from a two-month absence with a 111-102 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. D’Angelo Russell scored 19 points for the Timberwolves and Jaden McDaniels closed out a 10-point night with a jumper and 3 in the final minutes to thwart New Orleans’ comeback bid. Ingram had not played since Nov. 25. He scored 13 points but struggled with his shot. He missed 14 of 18 including all six attempts from deep. CJ McCollum scored 25 for New Orleans, which has lost six straight.

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VIKINGS-DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR

 

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings interviewed internal candidate Mike Pettine on Wednesday for their defensive coordinator vacancy. Pettine served as assistant head coach this season under rookie coach Kevin O’Connell. The 56-year-old Pettine has 19 seasons of experience as an NFL coach, including three stints as a defensive coordinator with the New York Jets (2009-12), Buffalo (2013) and Green Bay (2018-20). Pettine was the head coach for Cleveland for two years from 2014-15. O’Connell fired Ed Donatell after the Vikings ranked second-worst in the league in yards allowed and fourth-worst in points allowed in their only season together. Two other defensive coordinator candidates have already interviewed with the Vikings: New Orleans co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Ryan Nielsen and Seattle associate head coach for defense Sean Desai.

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NFL-AWARD FINALISTS

 

UNDATED (AP) – Jalen Hurts, Justin Jefferson and Patrick Mahomes are finalists for The Associated Press 2022 NFL Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year awards. The winners will be announced at NFL Honors on Feb. 9. A nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league completed voting before the start of the playoffs. Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Bengals QB Joe Burrow also are finalists for MVP.

 

Hurts had 3,701 yards passing, 760 yards rushing and 35 touchdowns combined, leading the Philadelphia Eagles to a 14-3 record in the regular season and the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The Eagles (15-3) are in the NFC championship game for the second time in six seasons.

Jefferson led the NFL with 128 catches and 1,809 yards receiving in his third season with the Minnesota Vikings. Jefferson was one of two unanimous choices for AP All-Pro along with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

 

Mahomes, the 2018 NFL MVP, helped Kansas City go 14-3 to earn the No. 1 seed in the AFC. The Chiefs (15-3) are in the AFC title game for the fifth straight season. They’ll host the Bengals. Mahomes led the NFL with 5,250 yards passing and 41 TDs. He received 49 of 50 votes for AP first-team All-Pro.

 

San Francisco 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa, Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones and Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons are the finalists for AP Defensive Player of the Year. Bosa led the NFL with 18 1/2 sacks, Jones had 15 1/2 and Parsons got 14 1/2.

 

Brian Daboll, Doug Pederson and Kyle Shanahan are the finalists for AP Coach of the Year award. Daboll led the New York Giants to a 9-7-1 record in his first season as head coach. Pederson guided the Jacksonville Jaguars to a 9-8 record and an AFC South title in his first year with the team. Shanahan led the San Francisco 49ers to a 13-4 mark, including 5-0 down the stretch with third-string rookie quarterback Brock Purdy.

 

Purdy, Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III and New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson are the finalists for AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. Purdy, the last player selected in the draft, began the season as third-string QB and stepped in after injuries to Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo. He led San Francisco to a 5-0 record down the stretch, two playoff wins and an appearance in the NFC championship game at Philadelphia. Walker led all rookies with 1,050 yards rushing and nine TDs. Wilson led all rookies with 83 catches and 1,103 yards receiving.

 

Jets cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson and Seahawks cornerback Tariq Woolen are the finalists for AP Defensive Rookie of the Year.

 

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley, 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey and Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith are the finalists for AP Comeback Player of the Year.

 

Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans and Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen are the finalists for AP Assistant Coach of the Year.

 

This was the first year for the AP’s new voting system. Voters chose a top 5 for MVP and top 3 for all other awards. For MVP, first-place were worth 10 points. Second through fifth-place votes were worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points. For all the other awards, first-place votes equaled 5 points, second were 3 and third were 1.