OPENING TIP
The Southwest Minnesota State University women's basketball team (4-16, 2-15 NSIC) hits the road for a four-game road swing starting this weekend with No. 24 Minnesota State on Friday, Feb. 7, at 6 p.m. and Concordia-St. Paul the following day at 4 p.m. SMSU is coming off a 1-1 home weekend versus Bemidji State (W, 76-64) and Minnesota Crookston (L, 69-76) and is in search of its first NSIC road win of the season.
OPPONENT AT A GLANCE
#24 MINNESOTA STATE -- The Mavericks enter the weekend as the No. 23 ranked team in NCAA Division II and currently sit in second place in the NSIC South Division with their 12-4 conference record. MSU, 15-5 overall, has put together four straight wins after defeating U-Mary (84-68) and Minot State (80-62) on the road last weekend. MSU is led by senior forward Ali Wilkinson who leads the team in scoring, with an average of 18.3 points per game, and rebounding, with an average of 8.3. Currently, MSU's 80.6 points per game average in NSIC games ranks first in the 16-team conference. MSU also leads the NSIC in 3-point FG percentage defense (26.8%), offensive rebounding (15.44), and turnover margin (6.38). MSU is holding opponents to 65.3 points per game. MSU is 9-1 at home this season with its only loss coming on Jan. 18, to No. 11 Wayne State. Emilee Thiesse enters her second season as head coach of the Maverick squad.
CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL-- The Golden Bears begin the weekend 17-6 overall and a 12-4 record within the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. CU, which entered the weekend receiving votes in the last NCAA poll, has gathered five straight wins, including eight straight at home coming into the weekend. CU is 11-2 at the Gangelhoff Center this season with the last loss coming on Nov. 30, 2013, to No. 17 Minnesota State. As a team in conference games, CU is putting up an average of 69.9 points per game, while allowing an average of 67.6 points per game. CU leads the NSIC in field goal percentage defense (36.3%), and defensive rebounding (30.06). CU is led by 6-2, junior forward Anika Whiting, who is averaging 17.2 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. Paul Fessler is in his 14th season as head coach of the Golden Bears. The three-time NSIC coach of the year is 24-6 versus SMSU.
