THIS WEEKEND: IT'S A SLAM DUNK - DON'T DRIVE DRUNK (MAKE THE PLEDGE)
SATURDAY: PINK ZONE -- WEAR PINK!
OPENING TIP
The Southwest Minnesota State University women's basketball (4-18, 2-14 NSIC) continues its five-game homestand with Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference contests versus the University of Mary (13-9, 8-8 NSIC) on Friday, Feb. 8, at 6 p.m. before hosting Minot State (9-11, 5-11 NSIC) on Saturday, Feb. 9, with game time set for 5 p.m.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT - UNIVERSITY OF MARY
The Marauders are 13-9 overall, 8-8 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference and sit in fourth place in the north division. The Marauders have hit a rough patch as of late, dropping their last three games to top NSIC opponents - St. Cloud State, Minnesota State and Concordia-St. Paul. U-Mary is averaging 70.9 points per game (3rd NSIC) and are led by Ali Collins, who is averaging 14.7 points per game (11th NSIC) and is shooting the ball at a 40.2 percent clip (107-266). Rick Neumann is in his first season as head coach of the Marauders.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT - MINOT STATE
The Beavers are 9-11 overall, 5-11 in their first season as a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Minot State has dropped six of its last seven games including two losses to Concordia-St. Paul and Minnesota State this past weekend. MSU's last win came on Jan. 26, 2013 versus Minnesota Duluth (52-51). MSU is just 1-6 on the road this year with its last road victory coming versus U-Mary, 74-73 on December 1, 2012. MSU is averaging 64.8 points per game (9th NSIC) and is led by Sacarra Molina's 12.7 points per game (18th NSIC). Sheila Green Gerding is in her 18th season as the head coach of the Beavers and sports a 311-209 career record during her tenure.
SERIES HISTORY - UNIVERSITY OF MARY | U-MARY leads 6-3
Southwest Minnesota State and the University of Mary will meet for the 10th time in a series that U-Mary leads 6-3. SMSU is coming off a 74-66 loss at the R/A Facility last season. SMSU is 3-5 all-time in NSIC games versus U-Mary, including 1-4 at home.
SERIES HISTORY - MINOT STATE | SMSU LEADS 1-0
Southwest Minnesota State and Minot State will meet for only the second time in series history, SMSU took the inagural meeting played in the Minot State Dome in Minot, N.D. last season, 72-60, on Nov. 11, 2011. The meeting will be the first Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference game since Minot joined the conference this season.
GAME NOTES | LIVE STATS | LIVE AUDIO | LIVE VIDEO | PHOTO GALLERY
