MARQUETTE, Mich. -- Junior Naba Echols (Memphis, Tenn./Mitchell) was named to the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Preseason All-GLIAC Team as the Northern Michigan University Men's Basketball team opens the 2017-18 season this weekend with two games.
Echols returns to the Wildcats after leading NMU with 17.6 points a game, shooting 48 percent from the field, and 42 percent from the three-point line. He also finished fourth in the GLIAC from the free-throw line, shooting 88 percent on the season.
Northern Michigan hosts St. Norbert College Saturday at 1 p.m. in an exhibition game to kick of this year. They then will host Bay College in a scrimmage at 1 p.m.
Video of both games will be available. Radio and live stats will be provided for Sunday's game as well.
Follow @NMU_Wildcats on Twitter continued updates throughout the weekend.
GAME NOTES
Returning Depth:
Seven of the team's top players from last year are returning for this season. In addition to Echols, sophomore Sam Taylor (Chicago, Ill./Thornton), senior Jordan Perez (Greendale, Wisc.), junior Isaiah Johnson (Whitefish Bay, Wisc.), sophomore Marcus Matelski (Boyne Falls, Mich.) and sophomore Myles Howard (Chicago, Ill./Marian Catholic) return after logging significant minutes last season. Sophomore Will Carius (Bettendorf, Iowa/Pleasant Valley) also returns after making eight starts in ten games before losing the remainder of the season to illness. Sophomore Ian Hodges (Flint, Mich./Holly) returns for his sophomore season and will seek an expanded role after averaging eight minutes in 23 games last season.
Perez leads the way:
Perez enters the season as the lone senior and will be looked on to provide leadership. Last season, he finished second on the team with 12.3 points a game and 2.2 assists per game.
The man in the middle:
Howard returns for his sophomore season looking to make a larger impact inside. During his freshman campaign, he started six games while averaging nearly 18 minutes a game. With a season of experience, his role appears to be expanded to provide more scoring and rebounding inside for the Wildcats.
Impact Transfers:
Junior Transfer Max Prendergast (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids West Catholic/Grand Rapids CC) and senior transfer Eddie Torres (Muskegon, Mich./Cumberland CC) joins the Wildcats after gaining experience at the junior college level. Prendergast comes in looking to add more depth to the low post. Torres joins a talented group of perimeter players and will provide more experience and size to the guard position.
New Faces:
The Wildcats welcome six freshmen to the team this season, Carson Wonders (Iron Mountain, Mich.), Marcus Krachinski (Powers, Mich./North Central), Anthony Bethea (Muskegon, Mich.), Dolapo Olayinka (Chicago, Ill./Mather), Alec Fruin (Beloit, Wisc./Turner) and Troy Summers (Grayling, Mich.).
