MARSHALL, Minn.- Southwest Minnesota State will look to rebound from a tough opening weekend in the NSIC/ MIAA Challenge as it hosts its home opener against Waldorf (Iowa) on Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m., in the R/A Facility.

SMSU Quick Hits

- Head Coach, Tom Webb, enters his second season at the helm to the SMSU women's basketball program after spending eight seasons at Cameron University in Lawton, Okla.
- Senior forward, Lauren Hedlund, enters the week just 12 points shy of becoming the 19th member of the SMSU women's basketball 1,000 career points club 
- SMSU holds a 34-14 all-time record in home openers 
- Sophomore forward, Caleigh Rodning, was named to the 2016-17 NSIC All-Freshman team after averaging 13.7 ppg and 7.8 rpg as a true freshman
- Southwest Minnesota State hosts Waldorf (Iowa) for just the second time ever on Saturday
- SMSU was ranked 12th overall in this year's Preseason NSIC Coaches' Poll
 

Home Sweet Home
- The 2017-18 season marks the 22nd year the R/A Facility has been the home arena for SMSU women's basketball
- SMSU has compiled a record of 134-139 (.491) in 273 games in the R/A Facility
- SMSU is 314-238 (.571) in all home games in the program's history
- SMSU is 34-14 all-time in home openers
- SMSU last home opening win was a 101-43 win over Crown College back in 2013
- SMSU fell, 75-40 to USF in last season's home opener
- The Mustangs won seven consecutive home openers from 2002-08

Weekend Recap
- Southwest Minnesota State opened the season in the MIAA/NSIC Challenge hosted at Upper Iowa University in Fayette, Iowa
- The Mustangs opened the season against Missouri Western State and Fort Hays State for a third consecutive season
- SMSU lost to Missouri Western State, 76-46 on Friday night, dropping its record to 29-20 all-time in season openers
- SMSU struggled on offense throughout the weekend, finishing just 28 percent shooting from the floor as a team
- The Mustangs connected on just 4 of 30 three point attempts (13 percent) in their two games over the weekend
- SMSU finished with 43 turnovers in two games over the weekend
- Caleigh Rodning led SMSU with nine points in Friday's loss to MWSU after leading SMSU in scoring 13 times as a true freshman last year
- Erin Baxter averaged 8.5 ppg in her first two career games for SMSU including seven points in her Mustang debut
- Taylor Holicky led SMSU in rebounding with 5.5 rpg over the weekend
 
Waldorf Preview
        Series History
- Southwest Minnesota State will face Waldorf (Iowa) for just the second time in school history
- The Mustangs defeated Waldorf, 87-56 in the first matchup back during the 2004-05 season in Marshall
        Waldorf Team Notes

- 2016-17 Record: 2-26, 0-16 NSAA 
- 2017-18 Record: 1-5, 0-0 NSAA
- The Warriors will travel to Marshall coming off of an 89-67 loss to Bethany Lutheran on Wednesday night
- The Waldorf Warriors, members of the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA), finished at the bottom of the conference standings last year after failing to register a league win
- The Warriors defeated Nebraska Christian College, 63-41 in their regular season opener but have since dropped their last five games
- Waldorf lost to Dordt College, 65-48
- The Warriors then dropped its second home game of the year in an 86-76 loss to Trinity Christian College
- Over a four-game stretch this season, Taylor Fricke led Waldorf with 12.75 points per game and leading rebounder with 25 total rebounds
- Fricke was also first on the team with a 51.4 field goal percentage over the same four-game stretch
- Michaela Graffunder was second on the Warriors with 10.25 ppg over the same four-game stretch

           
Record Watch
        Single Season Defense Rebounds
Rank    D Reb. Name (min 20 games)
1.         182      Lillie Brown (100o-182d) - 1994-95
2.         181      Dawn Munson (102o-181d) - 1977-78
3.         174      Lillie Brown (85o-174d) - 1993-94
4.         170      Taylor Holicky (37o-170d) - 2016-17
5.         163      Julie Thein (98o-163d) - 1988-89
6.         159      Lillie Brown (96o-159d) - 1995-96
7.         144      Caleigh Rodning (58o-144d) - 2016-17
8.         142      Amy Boman (71o-142d) - 2001-02
9.         137      Lauren Hedlund (93o-137d) - 2016-17
10.       136      Michelle Bruns (27o-136d) - 2002-03

- Hedlund began the 2017-18 season ranked in the top-10 in SMSU history in rebounding average, defensive rebounding, and offensive rebounding average
- Holicky also entered the season ranked in the top-10 in SMSU defensive rebounding average for her career:
 
        Career Rebounding Avg.
Rank    RPG     Name (min 40 games)
1.         10.3     Mary Becker (71 games) - 1978-81
5.         8.2       Julie Thein (112 games) - 1987-91
6.         7.3       Kris Larson (42 games) - 1984-86
7.         7.0       Lauren Hedlund (85 games) - 2014-17
 
    Career Defensive Rebounding Avg.
Rank    DRPG   Name (min 40 games)
1.         7.5       Cindy Olson (74 games) - 1976-80
8.         4.4       Taylor Holicky (74 games) - 2014-17
9.         4.2       Lori Nangle (46 games) - 1984-87
10.       4.0       Lauren Hedlund (85 games) - 2014-17
 
Career Offensive Rebounding Avg.
Rank    ORPG Name (min 40 games)
1.         3.0       Lillie Brown (103 games) - 1992-96
2.         3.0       Lauren Hedlund (85 games) - 2014-17
3.         2.5       Julie Thein (112 games) - 1987-91
 
- In addition to her stellar rebounding numbers through her career, Lauren Hedlund, began the season averaging 11.8 points per game for her career and is just 12 points away from becoming the 19th member of the SMSU women's basketball 1,000 point club

 
2016-17 NSIC Rankings
    2016-17 NSIC Statistical Rankings- Highlights of the final 2016-17 conference rankings (conference games only):
- Lauren Hedlund ranked third in the conference in rebounding with 8.7 rebounds per game
- Taylor Holicky ranked ninth in rebounding with 8.0 rebounds per game
- Hedlund also ranked 15th in the NSIC in field goal percentage after shooting 47.4 % from the field during conference games
- Caleigh Rodning ranked ninth in scoring with 15.0 ppg against conference opponents
 

Season Opener
- SMSU dropped its season opener against Missouri Western State in the NSIC/ MIAA Challenge at Upper Iowa this past Friday night
- The Mustangs now have a 29-20 all-time record in season openers
- SMSU has dropped the last three season openers all to MWSU
 

Rodning Named All-Conference Freshman
- Caleigh Rodning was named to the NSIC All-Freshman team in 2016-17 after averaging 13.7 points per game and 7.8 rebounds per game as a true freshman
- Rodning finished the year with 10 double-double performances including a stretch of eight consecutive double-doubles and came in ranked ninth in the NSIC in scoring with 14.0 ppg against conference opponents
- During her double-double streak, Rodning averaged 18.0 ppg, 11.4 rpg while shooting 46 percent from the field and 82 percent at the free throw line
 

SMSU in the R/A Facility
            Year                 Overall NSIC    Non ---.
            1996-97           6-5       2-3       4-2
            1997-98           5-6       3-3       2-3
            1998-99           11-2     6-0       5-2      
            1999-00           11-3     7-2       4-1      
            2000-01           12-0     9-0       3-0
            2001-02           11-2     8-1       3-1
            2002-03           11-3     7-2       4-1
            2003-04           4-8       2-7       2-1      
            2004-05           10-4     5-2       5-2
            2005-06           5-9       3-4       2-5
            2006-07           5-8       3-6       2-2
            2007-08           5-9       2-7       3-2
            2008-09           9-6       4-6       5-0
            2009-10           10-5     6-4       4-1
            2010-11           6-7       5-6       1-1
            2011-12           3-9       3-8       0-1      
            2012-13           2-10     1-10     1-0
            2013-14           3-9       2-9       1-0
            2014-15           3-11     3-8       0-3
            2015-16           3-12     2-9       1-3
            2016-17           0-11     0-11     0-0
            2017-18           0-0       0-0       0-0
   Totals:                  134-139  82-108 52-31
 

SMSU Player Notes
Akoi Notes: Made her SMSU debut vs MWSU (11/10) … had four blocks in her first career game vs MWSU (11/10) … Signed with SMSU during early signing period on Nov. 10, 2016.
Baxter Notes: Made her SMSU debut vs MWSU (11/10) … reached double-figures for the first time vs FHSU with 10 points (11/11) … signed with SMSU during early signing period on Nov. 10, 2016.
Bohler Notes: Has played in 57 career games ... signed with SMSU during the late signing period on April 16, 2014.
Bonestroo Notes: Made her SMSU debut vs MWSU (11/10) … had three assists in career debut vs MWSU (11/10) … signed with SMSU during early signing period on Nov. 10, 2016.
E. Buysse Notes: Appeared in 19 games as a true freshman ... scored career high 11 points at MSU last season (2/17).
S. Buysse Notes: Scored nine points with three rebounds in season opener vs MWSU …  has appeared in 54 career games with 45 starts ... averaged 7.3 ppg and 2.7 rpg in 2016-17.
Hedlund Notes: Sits just 12 points shy of 1,000 career points ... ranks seventh in school history in rebounding average (7.1 rpg) ... ranked fourth in the NSIC in rebounding last season with 8.6 rpg (conf. only).
Holicky Notes: Started all 27 games in 2016-17 ... had 12 points and six boards against FHSU … scored career high 22 points at UMC last year (1/13) ... had career high 15 rebounds at BSU (1/14).
Hutton Notes: Made her SMSU debut vs MWSU (11/10) … had five rebounds vs FHSU … signed with SMSU during early signing period on Nov. 10, 2016.
Lother Notes: Made her SMSU debut vs FHSU (11/11) … joined the SMSU program during the summer of 2017 ... transfer from St. Olaf College.
Reinhart Notes: Made her SMSU debut vs MWSU (11/10) … signed with SMSU during early signing period on Nov. 10, 2016.
Rodning Notes: Led SMSU with nine points and seven boards against MWSU (11/10) … named to NSIC All-Freshman team in 2016-17 ... averaged 13.7 points per game and 7.8 rebounds per game as a true freshman ... posted eight straight double-doubles last season.
Stelter Notes: Made her SMSU debut vs MWSU (11/10) … Had 11 points, four assists and three rebounds vs FHSU (11/11) … signed with SMSU during early signing period on Nov. 10, 2016.
Teske Notes: Signed with SMSU during early signing period on Nov. 10, 2016.
Wenning Notes: Has appeared in 12 games ... signed with SMSU during early signing period on Nov. 13, 2013.