SAINT PETER, Minn. - One season removed from winning the MIAC playoff championship, the Gustavus men's basketball program is looking to build on last year's success with a veteran group of players. The Gusties, who received votes in the D3hoops.com Top 25 preseason poll, open the 2024-25 campaign this weekend at the UW-Eau Claire Market & Johnson Blugold Tipoff Tournament.
 
"I'd be naive to say there isn't a heightened expectation from our guys," said third year Head Coach Justin DeGrood. "I think their level of work is a little bit more focused. They have a better understanding of what it takes to be good, and to be good in this league you have to be good now to be good later. A year ago I'm not sure we fully understood that and now there is a better understanding."
 
The Gusties return all of their starters, led by All-District forward Spencer Swanson (Sr., Waconia) and All-Conference post Wyatt Olson (5th, Saint Peter). Swanson, who also earned his second All-MIAC honor last season, led the team in scoring (19.0 points per game), shooting efficiency (54.7%), three-point percentage (47.7%), rebounding (9.0 per game), assists (81), blocks (12), and minutes (37.4 per game). Olson was second on the team in scoring (13.2 points per game) and rebounding (7.1 per game). Olson also shot 53.4 percent from the floor and 76.1 percent from the free throw line.
 
Brady Kienitz (Sr., Raymond), Evan Wieker (5th, St. Michael), and Adam Biewen (5th, Golden Valley) will round out the starting five for the Gusties after all five started in all 29 games last season. The three combined for an average of 32 points per game last season, with Kienitz being the deep threat, shooting 76-for-176 (43.2%) from three-point range.
 
Along with Swanson and Olson, Biewen was named to the MIAC All-Playoff Team last year after making a number of key plays in each game. Biewen secured the quarterfinal win against Bethel with a steal-led-to-dunk to end the game, he posted 15 points in the final 10 minutes of the double overtime win at Carleton in the semifinals, and defended the would-be game-winning shot against Hamline in the championship. 
 
Dawson Kellen (Sr., Pipestone) is also a key player off the bench, who played in every game last year.
 
"The adage of the best teams being player-led is coming to light this year for us," DeGrood said. "Last year those guys did a good job, but this year they feel even more empowered to take the bull by the horns and lead and correct our younger guys and demand excellence even from themselves. They've ridden the roller coaster so they have a good idea of what the daily habits and what the daily work needs to look like, so we're really lucky because those six guys are some of the best and hardest workers. They've put a lot of time and effort into the program and that means a lot to them."
 
DeGrood mentioned the sophomore class has taken a big step forward in its growth and maturity, and expects that group to contribute more this season. The Gusties also welcome six first-years to the varsity roster, and junior transfer Connor Beauchamp (Lakeville) from St. Norbert.
 
The Gusties have a challenging slate of five non-conference games before starting MIAC play on Dec. 4 against Augsburg. The non-league games kick off this weekend against UW-La Crosse and UW-Eau Claire. During that five-game stretch, the Gusties travel to No. 2 UW-Platteville, who reached the NCAA quarterfinals last season.
 
"We are not building our non-conference schedule to just go get wins. That is not at all what our schedule looks like," DeGrood said. "Our group understands that. Last year's opening weekend we went and took two losses against two really good teams, and I think those losses helped us in lots of ways to win when it mattered most. I think we have a mature group that understands the big picture. We're obviously playing to win games, but we're also playing to build for what we know is coming. This opening weekend is going to be incredibly difficult for all four teams there and after that it doesn't get any easier with our conference games, but that is what we wanted. We want this group to be challenged."