BEMIDJI, Minn. — Bemidji State University Men's Basketball has been slated in ninth place in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, projected to take fourth in the North Division. Senior guard John Pecarich was named BSU's NSIC Preseason Athlete to Watch after a standout 25-26 season.
 
"We return eight players from last year's team and have added a talented group of newcomers who should provide increased depth and strengthen us across the board," said Head Coach Mike Boschee. "The versatility our players have demonstrated so far has been very encouraging, and we're excited about the different possibilities this group presents."
 
Last season, the Beavers finished sixth in the North and 14^th overall with a 9-18 overall record and 6-16 in the conference. The Beavers finished the season with the fifth-best offense in the conference, averaging 79.3 points per game. The team's field-goal percentage was third in the NSIC, landing .483 percent of shots with 773 makes on 1602 attempts. Additionally, the Beaver defense took second in impacting opponents' shooting efforts, holding opponents to a .430 percentage. BSU led the conference in blocks, averaging 4.81 per game with a total of 130. 
 
John Pecarich finished his junior season second in the NSIC for scoring, marking 558 total points, including taking second in free-throw shooting at .888 percent and sixth in three pointers with .396 percent. Pecarich is just 18 points away from joining the 1000-career-points club, sitting at 982 after last season. He averaged 20.7 points per game last year and set multiple program records beyond the arc. 
 
"Johnny is a great shooter with deep range and can score in a variety of ways," said Boschee. "He's a returning first team All-Conference player that set the record for three pointers made in a season."
 
The Beavers begin the 2026-27 campaign in less than a month, heading to the Hillyard Tipoff Classic Nov. 13-14 in St. Joseph, Mo. The NSIC season starts Nov. 24 with the Beavers hosting the University of Minnesota Duluth at 5:30 p.m.
 
For more information on the Bemidji State Men's Basketball program, tickets or schedules, visit BSUBeavers.com, follow the Beavers on X (@BSUBeaversMBB), like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers) and like them on Instagram (@BSUBeaversMBB).
 
Located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men's and women's hockey membership in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).