LINCOLN, Neb. (November 15, 2024) - After leaving Wisconsin with a 82-73 win against UW-La Crosse, Nebraska Wesleyan men's basketball is ready to compete at the Bill Merris Tournament this weekend. 

LOCATION, GAME TIME, LIVE STREAM & LIVE STATS
Nebraska Wesleyan will face Franklin College on Friday, November 15th, at 5:30 p.m. Then, on Saturday, the Prairie Wolves will face either Illinois College or Concordia-Wisconsin. All games will be held in the Sherman Gymnasium in Jacksonville, Illinois. Illinois College will carry all live streams and live stats. 

ABOUT THE PRAIRIE WOLVES
Nebraska Wesleyan began the 2024-25 season 1-1 in Wisconsin, losing 64-68 against UW-Eau Claire and winning 82-73 against UW-La Crosse on November 9th and 10th. The black and gold finished the weekend with a .388 field goal percentage with a .391% from beyond the arc. The Prairie Wolves totaled 88 rebounds and turned over the ball 30 times. The P-Wolves also hauled in 14 steals and 10 blocks. 

HEAD COACH DALE WELLMAN
Dale Wellman enters his 11th season as the head coach of Nebraska Wesleyan Men's Basketball, having led the Prairie Wolves to numerous accomplishments, including a national championship in 2018. Under his guidance, the program has seen five A-R-C Regular Season titles and multiple NCAA Tournament appearances. Wellman is confident that the 2024-25 team has the depth and talent to compete at the highest level once again.

CHAMPIONSHIP CULTURE
Nebraska Wesleyan boasts a history of basketball excellence. Winning the national championship in 2018 and finishing runner-up in 1997, the Prairie Wolves have made five NCAA Division III Final Fours, appeared in 18 NCAA Division III tournaments, and won 16 conference championships. 

SCOUTING THE GRIZZLIES
Franklin College enters Friday night with one loss in their exhibition game. This will be the official season opener for the Grizzlies. Last season, Franklin went 12-14, scoring an average of 73.1 points per game and allowing 74.3 points per game. The Grizzlies are coached by Chris Hamilton who is in his second year as head coach.

SERIES HISTORY AGAINST FRANKLIN COLLEGE
This will be the first time Nebraska Wesleyan and Franklin College meet.