OPENING TIP
The Southwest Minnesota State University women's basketball team hits the road this Friday and Saturday for Northern Sun Intercollegiate north division collisions with St. Cloud State and Minnesota Duluth. The Mustangs currently ride a 10-game losing skid dating back to Nov. 15, 2013.
OPPONENT AT A GLANCE
ST. CLOUD STATE -- The Huskies finished the 2012-13 season 18-8 and took the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference north crown with its 14-8 conference record. The Huskies enter with an 8-4 overall and own a .500 conference record of 4-4. The Huskies have struggled as of late as SCSU has dropped three straight contests and have averaged just 64.3 points per game during the losing streak. SCSU is coming off road losses to ranked teams -- No. 23 Minnesota State (100-66) and No. 20 Concordia-St. Paul (67-61). SCSU enters the game with the most prolific offenses in the conference as the Huskies lead the NSIC in FG percentage (45.4%), 3FG percentage (39.6%), FT percentage (85.7%) and are second with a 81.0 point per game average. Hindering the Huskies is the defensive side of the ball as they rank last in the NSIC scoring defense (82.0 ppg), FG percentage defense (47.2%), and 3FG percentage defense (42.8%). Overall, SCSU is led by Jessica Benson - who is averaging a double-double this season - as she scores on average 16.0 points and grabs 11.4 rebounds per game this season. The 6 foot senior forward is shooting 51.0 percent from the floor this season for sixth-year head coach Lori Fish.
MINNESOTA DULUTH -- The Bulldogs are 7-5 overall and bring with them a 4-4 conference record within the NSIC. UMD entered the weekend coming off a pair of road losses to ranked teams -- No. 20 Concordia-St. Paul (95-63) and No. 23 Minnesota State (69-63). As a unit, UMD is averaging 70.7 points per game - which ranks 10th in the NSIC - while allowing opponents to score 74.4 points per game - which ranks 12th in the NSIC. UMD offers a solid offensive rebounding threat as the Bulldogs' 14.0 offensive rebounds per game ranks third in the conference. Hanna Rutten leads the pack as she averages a double-double - 15.3 ppg and 10.2 rebounds per game for sixth-year head coach Annette Wiles. UMD is 83-58 under Wiles' watch.
