THE WEEKEND - The Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball team (3-18, 2-14 NSIC) will begin a four-game home stand this weekend, as it faces Bemidji State (7-13, 3-13 NSIC) and Minnesota Crookston (14-6, 11-5 NSIC). The Mustangs will face the Beavers on Friday night at 6 p.m., before playing the Golden Eagles on Saturday at 5 p.m., for the annual "Hawaiian Night" game. Fans are encouraged to dress in "tropical" wear on Saturday and to cheer on the Mustangs and forget about the cold, winter season.

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.

ABOUT BEMIDJI STATE - The Beavers are 7-13 overall, 3-13 in the NSIC and snapped a five-game skid with a 70-53 win against Upper Iowa last weekend. BSU is led by Sophomore center Sierra Senske who is averaging 14.1 ppg, shooting 45.9 percent from the floor and is averaging 6.1 rpg. Both junior guards Tatum Sheley and Aimee Pelzer are averaging 13 ppg to help the offense. Pelzer averages 5.7 rpg, while shooting 38.8 percent from the field and 37.7 percent from downtown. Sheley is shooting 75 percent from the stripe and 36.8 from 3-point range. Junior guard Hanna Zerr adds to the offense averaging 10.4 ppg while shooting 34.3 percent from the floor.
Bemidji State is averaging 67.2 ppg, shooting 38 percent from the field, 34.6 percent from 3-point range, 70.8 percent from the free-throw line and is a minus-2 rebound margin. BSU opponents are averaging 67.2 ppg and shooting 41.2 percent from the field. Bemidji State head coach Chelsea DeVille is in her first season. She also spent time at the University of Sioux Falls as associate head coach for five seasons.

MUSTANGS AGAINST THE BEAVERS - Southwest Minnesota State will meet with Bemidji State for the 73rd time in a series that started during the 1977-78 season. SMSU leads the series 39-33 and has a 22-12 advantage in games played in Marshall, including winning the last five. SMSU's last loss in the series was a season ago when it suffered a 62-51 loss in Bemidji on Feb. 6. SMSU's last ho me loss in the series was a 76-66 defeat on Dec. 2, 2006. See page 14 of game notes for full series.

ABOUT MINNESOTA CROOKSTON - The Golden Eagles will enter the weekend 14-6, 11-5 in the NSIC and will play Sioux Falls on Friday night. UMC split games last week with a 74-65 win over UIU, before losing to WSU, 96-72. Senior forward Katrina Nordick leads UMC averaging 17.2 ppg, 6.9 rpg, shooting 48.9 percent from the floor and 74.2 percent from the free-throw line. Senior guard Alexa Thielman is averaging 16.2 ppg, shooting 43 percent from the field, 45.7 percent from 3-point range and 85.3 percent from the charity stripe. Freshman guard Alison Hughes adds to the offense dishing out 70 assists and averaging 11.2 ppg, while shooting 47.3 percent from downtown and 76.2 percent from the line.
Minnesota Crookston is averaging 73.7 ppg, shooting 42.7 percent from the field, 42.4 percent from 3-point range, 75.7 percent from the free-throw line and has a plus-0.4 rebound margin. UMC opponents are averaging 65.9 ppg and shooting 40 percent from the field. Minnesota Crookston head coach Mike Roysland is in his 10th season.

MUSTANGS AGAINST THE GOLDEN EAGLES - Southwest Minnesota State will meet with Minnesota Crookston for the 30th time in a series that started during the 1996-97 season. SMSU leads the series 19-10, but has suffered a loss in the last three matchups. SMSU is 10-5 while playing in the R/A Facility, but has lost the last two games with its last win being a 93-67 victory on Feb. 6, 2010. See page 14 of game notes for full series.

CATCHING UP WITH THE MUSTANGS - The Mustangs headed north to face St. Cloud State and Minnesota Duluth last weekend. SCSU outscored SMSU 23-6 in the second quarter and went on to defeat the Mustangs, 78-53 last Friday night. SMSU finished shooting 34.5 percent (20 of 58) from the floor and 63.2 percent (12 of 19) from the charity stripe. SCSU finished shooting 42.9 percent (30 of 70) from the field and 78.6 percent from the free-throw line. SCSU forced SMSU into a 23 turnovers, that they turned into 19 points. Hope Bonlander led SMSU with 18 points (7 of 16) and nine rebounds, while Lauren Hedlund scored 12 points (5 of 10) and pulled down eight rebounds. Annessa Rosch added 10 points (4 of 15) and five rebounds
Against UMD, the Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball team trailed by five with 3:44 left to play before finishing the game on a 17-0 run to defeat Minnesota Duluth, 87-75 to snap its 10-game losing streak. SMSU finished shooting 38.1 percent (24 of 63) from the field and 38.5 percent (5 of 13) from 3-point range. UMD (5-14, 5-11 NSIC) shot 45.3 percent (29 of 64) from the floor and 23.1 percent (3 of 13) from downtown. SMSU held a 49-31 rebound advantage, including 19 offensive boards that they turned into 22 second-chance points. Hope Bonlander led SMSU with 25 points, while pulling down eight rebounds. Annessa Rosch scored 21 points, with four from 3-point range, while also shooting 5 for 5 from the charity stripe. Lauren Hedlund added 11 points and tied her career-record for rebounds with 14 to earn her fourth career double-double.
For the season, SMSU is averaging 61.1 ppg, shooting 37.8 percent from the field, 27.6 percent from 3-point range, 69.3 percent from the free-throw line and has a minus-4.2 rebound margin. SMSU opponents are averaging 75.8 ppg and shooting 44.3 percent from the field.

HEAD COACH - Allison Kruger is in her sixth season as head coach at Southwest Minnesota State University and has compiled a record of 28-129, including 20-106 in NSIC play. Prior to SMSU, Kruger spent two seasons as assistant coach at NCAA Division I University of South Dakota and four years at Wayne State (Neb.).