SMSU TRAVELS TO WINONA STATE, UPPER IOWA THIS WEEKEND - The Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball team will enter the weekend 1-5 overall and 0-1 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference as it resumes loop play this weekend against Winona State and Upper Iowa. The Mustangs will face the Warriors Friday night at 6 p.m., before playing the Peacocks Saturday at 4 p.m.

ABOUT WINONA STATE - The Warriors are 8-0 on the season and 1-0 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play after defeating Upper Iowa in their NSIC opener last Saturday, 83-58. WSU was picked to finish first overall in the NSIC and first in the South Division. Tara Roelofs and Alexis Foley are top returners for the Warriors after averaging double-digit points a season ago. Roelofs leads WSU averaging 14.9 points a game, while Foley is averaging 12.8. Kayla Timmerman adds to both sides of the ball as she is averaging 12.7 points a game, while also leading the Warriors pulling down 6.0 rebounds a game. Winona State is shooting 48 percent from the floor and 41.3 percent from behind the arc. Head coach Scott Bal- lard is in his 12th season at WSU with an overall record of 186-138.

MUSTANGS AGAINST THE WARRIORS - Southwest Minnesota State will meet with Winona State for the 76th time in program history on Friday night with SMSU holding a 44-31 advantage. WSU leads 22-16 all-time in games played in Winona as SMSU has lost the last nine with its last win coming back in the 2004-05 season.The Warriors won both meetings last season, 56-48 on Jan. 10, and 79-55 on Dec. 5, in Marshall.

ABOUT UPPER IOWA - The Peacocks are 1-6 overall and 0-1 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play after suffering a loss to Winona State last Saturday, 83-58 in their NSIC opener. UIU was picked to finished 14th overall in the NSIC and seventh in the South Division. Upper Iowa lost its top three scorers from last year as Olivia Meier and Aleesha Cleaver are the lone starters returning. Cleaver ranks second the team averaging 13.4 points a game, while Whitney Kieffer leads the Peacocks averaging 13.6 points. Kieffer is a redshirt senior after suffering a season-ending injury last year. In her junior season she started all 27 games, averaged 16.2 points, five rebounds and scored double figures in 22 games. Upper Iowa is shooting 39.4 percent from the floor and averaging 63.1 points per game. Head coach Carol Russell is in her 6th season at Upper Iowa with an overall record of 24-117.

MUSTANGS AGAINST THE PEACOCKS - Southwest Minnesota State will meet with Upper Iowa for the 19th time in program history on Saturday with UIU holding a 10-8 advantage. UIU leads 6-2 all-time in games played in Fayette as SMSU has lost the last five with its last win coming back in 2010. The Peacock won both meetings last season, 74-63 on Jan. 9, and 82-75 on Dec. 6, in Marshall.

CATCHING UP WITH THE MUSTANGS - The Mustangs traveled to Denver, Colo., and played a pair of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference teams in the Holiday Inn Denver Cherry Creek Classic. SMSU suffered a 75-53 loss to Colorado State-Pueblo last Friday, but recorded its first win of the season against MSU Denver on Saturday, 78-71. Annessa Rosch and Hope Bonlander set career-high in points against MSU Denver. Rosch scored 28 points which broke her previous high of 23 that she set last season. Bondlander cashed in 21 points to break her previous high of 16 that she also set lasat year.

MEDIA COVERAGE - Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball during the NSIC season can be heard all season long on 105.1 FM KARL with Ryan Rohlik handling the play-by-play and Anthony Rohlik as color analyst. Games can be heard via live stream at marshallradio.net. All NSIC games can be viewed online at smsumustangs.com/watchnow.