MARSHALL, Minn.- Southwest Minnesota State will look to build on its momentum from its first win of the season last week as the SMSU women's basketball team looks ahead to its conference opener this weekend on the road at Sioux Falls on Saturday beginning at 4 p.m.

SMSU Quick Hits

- Senior forward, Lauren Hedlund, enters the week just six points shy of becoming the 19th member of the SMSU women's basketball 1,000 career points club

- 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.

- SMSU is now 35-14 all-time in home openers after last Saturday's win over Waldorf

- 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 will play the first of two games against Sioux Falls this weekend after going 0-2 against the Cougars last season

- SMSU was ranked 12th overall in this year's Preseason NSIC Coaches' Poll


Sioux Falls: Game Preview
        USF Team Notes

- 2016-17 Record: 22-8, 15-7 NSIC

- 2017-18 Record: 2-1, 0-0 NSIC

- USF opened the season with a 90-56 home victory over Presentation, breaking the program record with 17 made 3-pointers

- The Cougars dropped the first game of the Tony Corbetta Classic in Golden, Colo. with a 73-54 loss to Metro State

- USF rebounded to win, 54-52, over tournament host Colorado School of Mines, using Jasmine Harris's buzzer-beating layup to break the tie and win

- The Cougars made six 3-pointers in the second half against CSM, hitting nine in the game, while holding the Orediggers to 29.3 percent shooting

        Series History

- SMSU leads the all-time series 16-13

- Sioux Falls has won 10 of the last 11 games which includes a 9-1 record since USF joined the NSIC and a current streak of eight straight wins

- SMSU is 10-5 all-time on the road in Sioux Falls but have lost the last four games

- USF defeated SMSU 75-40 in last year's conference opener

- The Cougars also won, 63-47 over the Mustangs in last year's game in Sioux Falls


1,000 Point Club

- Lauren Hedlund enters Saturday's contest just six points from becoming the 19th member of the 1,000 career point club in SMSU women's basketball history

- Hedlund averaged double-digit points in each of her first three seasons at SMSU

- The last player to reach 1,000 points was Abby Kenealy during the 2011-12 season


Conference Openers

- SMSU is 11-27 in home openers since 1979-80 season

- The Mustangs' last win in a conference opener was a 63-56 home win over Augustana in 2010

- SMSU has lost its last five conference openers all to Sioux Falls

- Sioux Falls defeated SMSU, 75-45 in last season's conference opener

NSIC Stats

Below are highlights of NSIC rankings through the first two weekends of the regular season:

        Player/ Team             Category                   NSIC Rk.

        SMSU                         Opp FG Pct- .365      8

        Emily Buysse              3pt FG Pct- .600        5

        Erin Baxter                  Steals- 2.33/ game    4

Below are highlights of NSIC rankings from the 2016-17 regular season (conference games only):

        Player/ Team             Category                    NSIC Rk.

        Lauren Hedlund          Reb / gm- 8.7              3

        Lauren Hedlund          FG Pct- .474               15

        Taylor Holicky             Reb/ gm- 8.0               9

        Caleigh Rodning         Points/ gm- 15.0         9

Record Watch

- Lauren Hedlund (9), Taylor Holicky (4), and Caleigh Rodning (7) each finished in the top-10 in school history for total defensive rebounds in a single season in 2016-17:

                    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 (86 games) - 2014-17

            Career Defensive Rebounding Avg.

    Rank       DRPG       Name (min 40 games)

    1.             7.5             Cindy Olson (74 games) - 1976-80 

    8.             4.3             Taylor Holicky (75 games) - 2014-17 

    9.             4.2              Lori Nangle (46 games) - 1984-87 

    10.           4.0              Lauren Hedlund (86 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 (86 games) - 2014-17 

    3.           2.5              Julie Thein (112 games) - 1987-91 

 

SMSU Individual Player Notes

#1 Reinhart Notes: Led SMSU with three assists vs Waldorf (11/18) ... made her SMSU debut vs MWSU (11/10) … signed with SMSU during early signing period on Nov. 10, 2016

#3 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

#5 Rodning Notes: Had her first double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds against Waldorf … 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

#10 Bonestroo Notes: Made her SMSU debut vs MWSU (11/10) … had team high three assists in career debut vs MWSU (11/10) … signed with SMSU during early signing period on Nov. 10, 2016

#11 Bohler Notes: Has played in 57 career games ... signed with SMSU during the late signing period on April 16, 2014

#12 Wenning Notes: Has appeared in 14 career games ... signed with SMSU during early signing period on Nov. 13, 2013

#14 E. Buysse Notes: Conncected on 3 of 4 three point attemtps against Waldorf (11/18) ... appeared in 19 games as a true freshman ... scored career high 11 points at MSU last season (2/17)

#20 Teske Notes: Signed with SMSU during early signing period on Nov. 10, 2016

#21 S. Buysse Notes: Led SMSU in scoring with 18 points against Waldorf (11/18) … has appeared in 54 career games with 45 starts ... averaged 7.3 ppg and 2.7 rpg in 2016-17

#23 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

#24 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

#30 Lother Notes: Made her SMSU debut vs FHSU (11/11) … joined the SMSU program during the summer of 2017 ... transfer from St. Olaf College

#33 Hedlund Notes: Sits just 6 points shy of 1,000 career points ... ranks seventh in school history in rebounding average (7.0 rpg) ... ranked fourth in the NSIC in rebounding last season with 8.6 rpg (conf. only)

#35 Akoi Notes: Has at least two blocks in every game this season ... 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

#45 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)