Much more on Will Cherry's debut today

This is all from Jeff Goodman, with apologies for excerpting so much:

I had this one circled on my schedule before the start of the season: South Dakota State's Nate Wolters going up against another one of the top mid-major point guards in the nation, Montana's Will Cherry. 

For a while, it didn't look as though it would happen. Cherry broke his foot in the preseason and was expected to miss anywhere from 2-3 months, but the 6-foot senior told CBSSports.com he intends to make his season debut on Saturday night at 9 p.m. against Wolters and the Jackrabbits. 

Wolters is one of the nation's most prolific offensive players, averaging 20.4 points, 6.1 assists and 6.0 rebounds. He missed a couple games earlier this month with an ankle sprain, but returned in a victory against Cal State Bakersfield and finished with 18 points, seven boards and six assists. 

Cherry said he was able to go full-contact, five-on-five in practice for the first time on Tuesday and his foot felt great. Montana coach Wayne Tinkle could limit Cherry's minutes, but the Oakland native said he was cleared and intends to play as long as he can on Saturday. 

"Unless something else happens, or they tell me I have to sit out, I'm going to play Saturday," Cherry said. 

While Cherry won't be at full-strength, it'll still be a barometer for both guards -- who are on the radar of NBA execs. Cherry is considered one of the elite perimeter defenders in the country, and both he and Wolters have made major strides with their perimeter shot over the course of their college careers. Cherry said he feels as though he's right there with Ohio State's Aaron Craft and Louisville's Russ Smith as one of the top defensive guards in the nation, but just doesn't get an opportunity to showcase it in front of the country. 

"I watch him [Craft] all the time," Cherry said. "He's a ball-hawking guard. I love watching him. He's so good at putting all that pressure and not fouling. I have taken what he does and tried to use it. He gets his hands straight up when guys are shooting and doesn't foul."