BEMIDJI, Minn. — Bemidji State University Men's Basketball starts the 2026-2027 campaign Friday as the Beavers travel to St. Joseph, Mo. for pair of games at the Hillyard Tipoff Classic, hosted by Missouri Western State University. The Beavers will start the season with the Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats Friday at 3 p.m. followed by the Emporia State University Hornets at 2 p.m. Saturday. 
 
Bemidji State Notes

• The Beavers finished the 2025-26 season with an overall record of 9-18, going 6-16 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. The team finished sixth in the North Division and 14th overall with a 6-8 divisional record. This preseason, Bemidji State was slated to finish in the middle of the pack, going ninth overall with 106 points and fourth in the North with 33. 
• Bemidji State returns seven from last season's roster, including this year's captains, fifth year Tate Olson, senior John Pecarich and junior Eddie Jallow Hedqvist. Additionally, senior Isaac Severts, juniors Dominic Fairbanks and Nathan Fenske, and sophomore Logan Sipple return to the Beaver bench. 
• Last season, Pecarich led the team in scoring with 558 points, averaging 20.7 per game and setting numerous records. Pecarich ended the season just 18 points away from joining the 1,000-career-points club, sitting at 982.
• Pecarich was named the Beavers' NSIC Preseason Player to Watch to start the season. 
• The Beavers will open their home season next Tuesday, hosting Concordia College at 5:30 p.m. in the BSU Gymnasium. 

 
Northwest Missouri State Notes

• NMSU started their season earlier this week against William Jewell College, falling 92-85 on Monday night. 
• The Bearcats were led in scoring by Robby Garcia, who dominated the NMSU stat leaderboard. He totaled 25 points, shooting just under .500 from the field and grabbing 14 rebounds. Garcia added an assist and two blocks.
• As a team, NMSU shot .472 percent from the field and .208 from the arc, landing five of 24 shots. From the free throw line, the Bearcats shot at .480 percent with just 12 makes on 25 attempts. 
• Following Friday's match up, the Bearcats will take on another NSIC member in No. 22 St. Cloud State University at noon on Saturday.

 
Emporia State Notes

• The Hornets finished the 2025-26 season similarly to the Beavers with a 9-19 overall record, going 5-14 in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Conference. Emporia State finished 13th of 14 teams in the MIAA last season. 
• Last year, the Hornets were led in scoring by then sophomore Chris Harris, who returns for his junior campaign. Harris totaled 12.0 points per game with a total of 324 in 27 games played. He led from the field with a .415 shooting percentage and 119 makes on 287 attempts, averaging 4.4 makes per game. 
• Defensively, Harris also led with 120 defensive boards, along with his 26 on offense for a total of 146. He blocked 20 shots last season, averaging .7 blocks per game. 
• ESU takes on the University of Minnesota Duluth to start the season on Friday at 5 p.m. before taking on the Beavers Saturday at 2 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).