WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota men's basketball team officially kicks off the 2017-18 season on its home court on Wednesday, as the Cardinals entertain Martin Luther in a 5:30 p.m. nonconference game at the Saint Mary's Gym.
 
The Matchup:
• Saint Mary's Cardinals (2016-17: 6-18 Overall) vs. Martin Luther Knights (2016-17: 2-23 Overall)
 
GameDay Live On The Web:
• Live Stats * Live Video | GameDay Program
 
Last Action:
• Saint Mary's—November 11, 2017 * Macomb, Ill.: The Cardinals gave NCAA Division I Western Illinois all it could handle in the first half of the teams' exhibition game, trailing by just four, 47-43, at the break. Over the game's final 20 minutes, however, Saint Mary's could not slow a trio of lengthy Leatherneck runs, as WIU dealt Saint Mary's a 109-68 setback | Recap
• Martin Luther: Wednesday's nonconference game is the season-opener for the Knights.
 
Saint Mary's vs. Martin Luther—A Year Ago:
• November 15, 2016 * New Ulm, Minn.: The Cardinals, clinging to a four-point lead midway through the first half of their season-opening nonconference game against Martin Luther, closed the half on a 24-16 run—and scored 25 of the first 34 points of the second half in rolling to an 84-50 win over the Knights | Recap
 
Up Next:
• Saint Mary's: The Cardinals hit the road on Saturday, traveling to Decorah, Iowa, for a 3 p.m. nonconference game against Luther
• Martin Luther: The Knights are back on the road on Sunday, head to Plymouth, Minn., to take on Lakeland in a 3 p.m. nonconference game.
 
Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals:
2017-18 Roster | 2017-18 Statistics | 2017-18 Schedule
• Kareem Anthony-Bello (Chicago, Ill.) scored a team-high 17 points and Jason Timm (Brillion, Wis.) chipped in 12 in the Cardinals' exhibition loss to Western Illinois last Saturday. … The Cardinals shot 49 percent from the field (24-for-49)—including a 16-for-32 effort from the 3-point line—while going a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line against Western Illinois last Saturday. … Four of the Cardinals' six wins last season came on their home court. … The Cardinals' last three wins a year ago were decided by a combined nine points—75-70 over Hamline, 76-74 against Macalester, and 75-73 vs. Gustavus. … Wylie Ferron (Waconia, Minn.) scored a team-high 22 points in his collegiate finale against Saint John's on Feb. 18. It was the fifth time the senior scored 20 or more points last season—Ferron also scored 22 points against both Gustavus on Dec. 10 and St. Thomas on Jan. 18, while scoring a career-high 24 points against both Macalester and Augsburg. … Ferron scored in double figures in 13 of the Cardinals' last 16 games—and in 19 of the team's 24 contests a year ago. … Quashingm Smith-Pugh (St. Paul, Minn.) led the team with six double-doubles a year ago, one more than Ferron. … Ferron closed out his senior season as the team's scoring leader, averaging a career-best 14.0 ppg. Smith-Pugh and Aaron Romportl (Stillwater, Minn.)—both seniors last season—also ended the year averaging in doubles figures at 11.3 ppg and 10.9 ppg, respectively. … Ferron and Smith-Pugh also led the team in rebounds with 169 (7.0 rpg) and 99 (6.5 rpg), respectively. … Smith-Pugh notched 10 or more rebounds seven times last season—including three games with a career-high 11 boards and four more with 10. … Smith-Pugh scored a career-high 30 points in the Cardinals' 111-106 overtime loss to Augsburg on Jan. 11. … Smith-Pugh's 30-point effort was the highest single-game performance since Will Wright poured in 30—also against Augsburg—on Feb. 19, 2010. … The Cardinals boasted nine players who recorded single-game career highs of 10 points or more last season—Smith-Pugh (30), Ferron (24), Aaron Romportl (Stillwater, Minn. / 22), James Cullen (Western Springs, Ill. / 22), Cole Kruger (Hayfield, Wis. / 17), Eli Cave (St. Paul, Minn. / 15), Jason Timm (Brillion, Wis. / 12), David Lindstrand (Euclid, Minn. / 10), and Liam Gorman (Orland Park, Ill. / 10). … The Cardinals posted five players scoring in double figures twice last season—achieving the feat in a 74-67 win over Carleton on Nov. 30 and in an 89-86 loss to Hamline on Jan. 2. … Smith-Pugh led the team in assists with 65. He was one of seven Cardinals with 20 or more assists. … Ferron ended the year as the team's steals leader with 24. … Saint Mary's shot a season-best 51 percent (32-for-63) from the field against Hamline on Jan. 2. … The Cardinals drained 186 3-pointers—including 10 or more six times. … The Cardinals, who finished just three 3-pointers shy of the school record of 189 set during the 1995-96 season, knocked down a season-high 13 treys twice a year ago. … Romportl led the way with a team-best 50 3-pointers last season. … All 15 players on the Cardinals' roster netted at least one 3-pointer this season. … As a team, the Cardinals averaged 71.7 ppg, while their opponents scored at an 80.2 ppg clip. … The Cardinals erupted for 106 points in their 111-106 loss to Augsburg in the team's first meeting on Jan. 11. The 106 points were just four shy of the school-record 110 points, set against UM-Duluth during the 1952-53 season. … The Cardinals scored 80 or more points four times last season. … Saint Mary's game against Augsburg on Jan. 11 was its lone overtime contest of the season—and the first since beating Crown 86-81 on Nov. 23, 2013. … The Cardinals' 78-76 loss to Macalester on Jan. 30 marked the second straight meeting between the two teams that was decided by two points. Saint Mary's beat the Scots 76-74 in their first meeting on Jan. 4. … With their 75-73 win over Gustavus on Dec. 10, the Cardinals put an end to a 12-game slide against the Gusties that dated back to a 78-75 win on Jan. 27, 2010.
 
Scouting The Martin Luther Knights:
2017-18 Roster | 2016-17 Statistics | 2017-18 Schedule
• The Knights kick off the 2017-18 season coming off a 2-23 effort a year ago. … Martin Luther closed out the 2016-17 season with a 76-71 win over North Central, snapping a season-high 21-game losing streak. … MLC surrendered 80 or more points in 20 of its 25 games, including allowing 100 or more points three times—falling to Bethany Lutheran (102-98), UM-Morris (110-56), and Northland (100-75). … Both of Martin Luther's wins last season—75-74 over Maranatha Baptist and 76-71 vs. North Central—were on the Knights' home court. MLC finished 0-12 on the road. … Martin Luther closed out the year with three players averaging in double figures—Ian Paulsen (12.5 ppg), T.J. Babinec (10.3 ppg), and Austin DeNoyer (10.2 ppg). … Paulsen also led the team in rebounds with 180 (7.8 rpg). … The Knights knocked down 146 3-pointers last season, led by Nate Lindloff with 36 and Babinec with 25. … MLC boasted six players with 20 or more assists a year ago. Jeffrey Parker led the way with 64 helpers, followed by Paulsen (55) and Luke Rothe (54). … Paulsen was also the team leader in steals (36) and blocks (39).