Armed with five returning starters and some talented imports, Minnesota State University Moorhead fully expects to create some major waves in the rugged Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference this winter.

The Dragons retain their top five scorers from last year, including 6-1 senior guard Blake Strouth, a first team All-NSIC selection, 6-5 junior forward Jamal O’Neal, 6-6 senior forward Lee Isaacson, 6-2 senior guard Craig Williams and 6-0 junior guard Grant Fossum.

Strouth enjoyed a huge junior season, averaging 16.9 points per game and 6.0 rebounds per game. A four-year starter, Strouth became the Dragons’ career theft leader with 175 steals after three seasons and 77 games.

O’Neal, 11.4 ppg, and Isaacson, 11.2 ppg, built double digit scoring averages last year as well and O’Neal posted a club high 7.0 rpg. The Dragons also retain 6-9 senior post Kyle Nelson, 6-6 junior forward Kyle Price and 6-5 sophomore forward Dwayne Hardy, Jr. Troubled by knee problems much of collegiate career, Nelson eyes a healthy senior campaign. He played in 11 games last winter with one start and averaged 4.5 ppg and 2.5 rpg.

Jake Driscoll, 5-11, headlines a promising recruiting class that also includes 6-4 Andrew Van Havermaet and 6-6 Marijan Bargaric. The all-time career scoring leader at Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton High School and a member of the Minnesota High School All-Star game series, Driscoll averaged 28.2 points as a senior.

Stu Engen, who begins his sixth season as basketball boss of the Dragons this winter, also
has plans for 6-3 junior redshirt Justyn Burgess, 5-11 sophomore redshirt Andy Thompson and 5-10 freshman Sheldon Bjorgaard.

The only significant subtraction from last year’s cast is J.C. Seals. Limited to 20 games as a senior because of a foot injury, Seals provided 4.5 ppg in a relief role.

Last winter the Dragons tumbled from the first division in the NSIC with four losses in its final five league games and finished 13-15 overall and 8-10 in the league.

Once again the Dragons will face a challenging schedule this winter. In addition to an 18-game NSIC slate that includes a home-and-away series with 2006 NCAA Division II national champion Winona State University, MSUM will also face Concordia College, Lake Superior State, Graceland University, St. Cloud State, Minnesota, Duluth, Presentation College and Mayville State.