OPENING TIP
The Southwest Minnesota State University women's basketball team hits the road to battle No. 11 Wayne State (17-2, 10-2 NSIC) on Friday, Jan. 24, at 6 p.m., and Augustana (10-6, 6-6 NSIC) on Saturday, Jan. 25, at 4 p.m. The Mustangs are coming off a weekend in which it snapped its 12-game losing streak. The Mustangs will have a chance to defeat its first ranked team since Dec. 3, 2010, when SMSU upset No. 17 Augustana 63-56 at the R/A Facility.
OPPONENT AT A GLANCE
#11 WAYNE STATE -- The Wildcats enter the weekend atop the NSIC south standings with their 17-2 overall record and 10-2 record within the conference. The Wildcats boast the NCAA's 14th most potent defense that has suffocated opponents to the tune of 57.4 points per game. The Wildcat offense is potent as well as the offensive unit averages 78.4 points per game. The Wildcats are led by Omaha, Neb., native Jordan Spencer as the 5 foot 11 junior forward is averaging a team best 16.7 points per game. Chris Kielsmeier is in his sixth season as head women's basketball coach at Wayne State College. In his five previous seasons with the Wildcats, Kielsmeier has guided the team to a 116-35 record, including a 82-24 mark in the Northern Sun Conference, along with two NSIC regular season titles, two NSIC Sanford Health Tournament titles and three trips to the NCAA Division II National Tournament. The Wildcats are 6-1 at home this season with their lone loss coming to Concordia-St. Paul on Dec. 14, 2013.
AUGUSTANA -- Augustana, the reigning Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference regular season champions, enters the weekend with a 6-6 NSIC record and an overall record of 10-6. The once ranked No. 10 team in the NCAA has lost two straight. The Vikings are averaging 77.3 points per game (3rd, NSIC) versus NSIC opponents, while allowing 75.8 per game (13th, NSIC). In Augustana's 10 wins this season the Vikings are averaging 88.8 points per game, but in their six losses the Vikings average just 67.3 points per game. Augustana relies heavily on the 3-point shot as Viking players combine to average 7.7 3-point field goals made per game, which ranks 22nd in the NCAA. The Vikings drilled 15 3-pointers in their 108-46 win over Presentation College earlier this season. Shaunteva Ashley fronts the attack as she averages a team-high 15.8 points per game in NSIC contests this season, while three other Vikings average double-digit scoring -- Rhianna Gullickson (14.6), Riley Nordgaard (12.9), and Emily Schulte (12.8). Dave Krauth is in his 24th year at the helm of the Augustana women's basketball team. Last season, Krauth guided Augie to its 13th NCAA tournament appearance in school history and a single-season record of 28 wins. The 2012-13 season also saw the Vikings claim their first NCAA Central Region title and Elite Eight appearance.
