Key Returners Back For New Season Of NDSU Men’s Basketball

Bison Return all five starters from last year's championship team

FARGO, N.D. — North Dakota State Men’s Basketball heads into a new season as the defending Summit League Champions and coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance. Guard Vinnie Shahid and forward Tyson Ward were named to Preseason All–Summit League first and second team.

Shahid and Ward are two of the five starters returning from last year’s squad making the Bison one of the more veteran teams in the conference. With many relationships already established from last year’s postseason run, the team sees that chemistry as a benefit starting off a new year.

“Its a big advantage. Some teams don’t have as close a family as we do,” Ward said. Were all brothers and family for life. Its also good to know everybody’s strength and weaknesses. What they’re good at and what they’re not good at so you have someone to correct them and get better. Its big time.”

“Its really good to have experience. The experience brings out a lot of character and situations that get tough in tight games,” Shahid said. “Having all those guys back with experience bring a lot of character to this team.”

“The one thing this team has is good leadership. The great senior and the great leadership on this team its helping us grow and impacting the younger guys like me,” freshman guard and former Moorhead Spud Maleek Harden-Hayes said. “We just have that team chemistry to grow as a unit.”