Kentucky Basketball had no problem with the Fighting Ryan Lemonds of Kentucky Wesleyan in the first preseason exhibition game, winning by 71 points last Wednesday. Tonight, the Wildcats will play another preseason game, hosting the Fighting Myron Medcalfs of Minnesota State University, Mankato at Rupp Arena in Lexington. Medcalf, who guest-hosted KSR on Merry Mondays throughout the summer, attended Minnesota State, where he was the editor-in-chief of the student newspaper. Let’s make him proud with a preview of the Wildcats versus the Mavericks with things to know about MNSU.
The last time Minnesota State played a basketball game, the Mavericks won the NCAA Division II Championship, the first in school history. Minnesota State defeated defending champion Nova Southeastern, 88-85, in the 2024 championship game in Evansville, Indiana. Kyreese Willingham called game with a tie-breaking, game-winning, buzzer-beating 3-pointer from the corner.
The 2023-24 championship season was a record year for Minnesota State. The Mavericks set new single-season highs in several team categories last season:
Kyreese Willingham, the hero from last year’s championship game, is one of Minnesota State’s top returning players and one of the best players in all of DII. Last season, the 6-foot-5 guard averaged 14.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, earning All-NSIC First Team recognition.
Division I schools called but the Mavericks retained Willingham with one of the best NIL setups in DII. With him, fellow guard Justin Eagins returns to the backcourt. Eagins averaged 12.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists, earning Second Teal All-NSIC honors.
Entering his 24th season on the job, Matt Margenthaler leads Minnesota State with a career record of 488-211 (.699). The Mavericks have eight conference championships, 14 NCAA Tournament appearances and one NCAA Division II Championship with Margenthaler as the head coach.
Margenthaler spoke with KSR+ to preview tonight’s game.
NCAA.com ranked the top DII programs heading into the 2024-25 season, and Minnesota State claimed the top spot. The explanation:
No. 1 Minnesota State | 2024 final ranking: 1. Kyreese Willingham is back for the defending champs, and the last time we saw him, he was drilling the game-winning shot in a thrilling finale to the season. I expect him to contend for the Bevo Francis Award. Justin Eagins, who started every game for the champs, is also back after scoring 12.6 points per game and shooting an impressive 41.3 percent from 3-point land. The Mavericks also brought in some nice transfers like David Harmon (10.6 points per game for Wayne State (Neb) last year) and Caden Kirkman (8.3 points per game at Augustana (SD) in 2024) with NSIC experience.
Kentucky and Minnesota State will meet for the first time in tonight’s game, so it’s a high-stakes first game for the series.
Go Cats.
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