PREVIEWING THIS WEEK
•The Southwest Minnesota State University women's basketball team (3-0) prepares the 2019-20 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference this Wednesday, Nov. 20, at NSIC South Division preseason favorite the University of Sioux Falls (2-0) with a 7 p.m. tip-off at the Stewart Center. 
•SMSU is 3-0 for the first time since the 2007-08 season. 
•SMSU started 2-0 at the Newman Classic in Wichita, Kan., and earned a victory versus Presentation College (S.D.) on Saturday.

    BROADCAST INFO 
•Wednesday's game will be broadcast on 105.1 FM KARL with Anthony Rohlik handling the play-by-play. 
•Live stats, radio broadcast and video can be found at SMSUmustangs. com.

    SMSU QUICK HITS
•The 2019-20 season is the 51st of women's collegiate basketball at SMSU and has amassed 597 all-time victories. 
•SMSU is 3-0 to start a season for the first time since 2007-08. SMSU's last 4-0 start came during the 2004-05 season when the team started 7-0. 
•SMSU finished with a 9-5 home record last season earning its first home winning season since 2009-10. 
•Freshman guard Sam Wall was named a Top Performer in the South Division for her 14-point game in the home opener. Wall played 13 minutes and had 14 points, including four 3-pointers.
•Junior guard Meleah Reinhart is leading the Mustangs in scoring with 14.3 ppg. 
•Junior forward Caleigh Rodning leads SMSU in rebounding with 7.0 rpg. 
•Junior center Abuk Akoi leads the team in assists with 2.0 assists per game. 
•Rodning and Jenna Borchers are tied in steals with six.
•SMSU is averaging 72.7 ppg, while opponents are averaging 49.7 ppg. SMSU has a plus-1.7 rebounding margin.
•SMSU is shooting 36 percent from the field, 31 percent from the 3-point line, and 81 percent the free-throw line. 

    SMSU TIED FOR EIGHTH IN D2SIDA REGIONAL POLL
•SMSU is ranked eighth in this week's D2SIDA Central Region poll released on Tuesday.
•Each of the eight regions has six representatives from D2SIDA that coordinate the regional committee, with a regional poll that will be released every Tuesday during the regular season. 
•The D2SIDA weekly rankings are independent of the official NCAA Regional Rankings that will be released towards the end of the regular season and determine the NCAA Tournament teams. 
D2SIDA Central Region Poll (Nov. 19)
    Rk    (First-Place Votes)                   W-L    Pts.    Prev.
    1     Fort Hays State (4)     4-0     58     1      
    2     MSU-Moorhead (2)     4-0     53     3      
    3     Harding     3-0     46     4      
    4     Southwestern Okla.     3-1     38     5      
    5     Sioux Falls     2-0     30     6      
    6     Washburn     2-1     18     7      
    7     St. Cloud State     3-0     16     NR      
    T8     Southwest Minnesota St.     3-0     11     NR      
    T8     Nebraska-Kearney     3-0     11     NR      
    10     Emporia State      3-1     10     10

    REINHART NAMED NSIC SOUTH PLAYER OF THE WEEK
•SMSU junior Meleah Reinhart was named the NSIC South Division Player of the Week on Nov. 12. It's the first time in her career she has earned the award.
•Reinhart averaged 15 points and four rebounds in two victories during opening weekend on Nov. 8-9. She shot 44 percent from the field and was a perfect 14 of 14 from the free throw line. She scored 18 points on 5 of 7 shooting and 8 of 8 from the foul line in SMSU's win over Ouachita Baptist. 

    SERIES HISTORY VERSUS SIOUX FALLS
•SMSU has a one-game advantage over USF in the all-time series with a 17-16 all-time record. 
•SMSU snapped an 11-game losing streak on Dec. 30, 2018, with a 77-61 victory in Sioux Falls. 
•SMSU longest winning streak was from 1989-90 season to 2002-03 with an 11-game winning streak. 
•SMSU is 11-6 in games played in Sioux Falls.
•Full series history on page 20.

    SCOUTING SIOUX FALLS 
•The Cougars started the 2019-20 campaign with a pair of victories over William Jewell and Chadron State in the USF Classic, hosted at the Stewart Center. 
•USF ended last season in the semifinals of the NSIC Tournament with a 77-64 loss to tournament champions, MSU Moorhead. 
•Head coach, Travis Traphagen, is in his 11th season as head coach for the Cougars. He holds a 196-103 overall record and is 105-81 in the NSIC. 
•Redshirt junior and NDSU transfer Anna Goodhope is the Cougars top scorer, averaging 16.0 points per game, after a 21-point game over William Jewell. 
•USF's senior Kaely Hummel was named NSIC South Preseason Player of the Year and is averaging 15.5 ppg. 
•USF is shooting 40 percent from the field, 37 percent from 3-point range, and 89 percent from the free throw line.
•The Cougars average 79.0 points per game, while opponents average 53.5 points per game. 

    SMSU HEAD COACH TOM WEBB
•Tom Webb is in his fourth season as head coach with a 23-61 record, including 16-50 in NSIC play. 
•SMSU finished 3-24 during his first season in 2016-17, before improving to 5-21 in 2017-18 and jumping to seven more victories last season and finishing 12-16 overall .
•Webb is 114 -184 overall in his 12th season as head coach at the Division II level after compiling a record of 91-123 in eight seasons as head coach at Cameron University (Okla.) 
•Webb recorded his 100th career win against Wisconsin-Parkside (91-83) on Nov. 16, 2018.
•Webb's complete bio is found on page 15.

    SMSU PICKED NINTH IN NSIC PRESEASON POLL
•SMSU was picked to finish ninth overall and sixth in the South Division in the 16-team NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll. 
•MSU Moorhead was chosen as the North Division and overall favorite, while Sioux Falls was picked to win the South Division. 
•SMSU senior forward Caleigh Roding was named a "Player to Watch".

    NCAA RANKINGS
•SMSU ranks 11th in the nation in scoring defense (49.7), 11th in field-goal percentage (30.2), and 15th in free-throw percentage (81.0).
•Abuk Akoi ranks 62nd in blocked shots per game (1.67), and Meleah Reinhart ranks 52nd in free-throw percentage (93.8), and Jenna Borchers comes in 27th in three-point percentage (58.8).  Full rankings on page 16 and 17.

    NSIC RANKINGS
•SMSU second in free-throw percentage in the NSIC with a 81 pct., leads the conference in blocked shots with five, and ranks second in steal (12). 
•Meleah Reinhart is 12th in the league in scoring (14.3) and leads the conference in free throw pct (93.8), Caleigh Rodning is eighth in rebounding (7.0), and Jenna Borchers ranks second in 3-point pct. (58.8). 
Full rankings on page 18 and 19.

    ABUK AKOI NOTES
•Started all three games this season.
•Averaging 6.0 ppg and 5.3 rpg. 
•Leads the team in assists with four.
•Tied for team lead in blocks with five. 
•Had five blocked shots vs. Minnesota State (12/7/18).
•Ranks second in all-time record in blocking average with 1.7.
•Recorded her first double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds against Upper Iowa on Jan. 26.  
•Tied program single-game record with seven blocked shots vs. UMary (2/3/18). 

    ERIN BAXTER NOTES
•Started all three games this season.
•Averaging 5.3 ppg and 4.3 rpg. 
•Led the team in steals with 39 in 2018-19. 
•Career-high five 3-pointers vs. William Jewell (11/17/18).
•Career-high 25 points at Concordia-St. Paul on (1/19/18).

    TAYLOR BONESTROO NOTES
•Has made two appearances to average 1.5 ppg.
•Appeared in 15 games a season ago.
•Scored a career-high three points against Upper Iowa on Jan. 26.

    JENNA BORCHERS NOTES
•Started all three games this season. 
•Led the team in scoring in the season opener with 18 points. 
•Averaging a team second-best 14.0 ppg. 
•Went 3-of-4 from the 3-point line in the victory over Ouachita Baptist. 
•Borchers is 4-of-4 from the free-throw line in the 2019-20 season.
•Career-high 21 points at UMD (2/27/19)
•Career-high five steals against UMC (2/1/19).

    EMILY BUYSSE NOTES
•Has played in two games this season.
•Made two three-pointers in the victory over PC.
•Played in 26 games last season and is averaged 2.3  ppg.
•Finished the season with 15 3-pointers. 

    OLIVIA DRUMMER NOTES 
•Has appeared in all three games this season.
•Averaging 1.3 ppg and 0.3 rpg.
•Sat out the 2018-19 season as a redshirt. 

    MORGAN FRANK NOTES 
•Has appeared in two games this season. 
•Played in 15  games and averaged 1.5 ppg and 1.1 rpg a season ago. 
•Scored a career-high seven points with six rebounds vs. North Central (11/20/18).

    MADISON GEHLOFF  NOTES 
•One of two true freshmen playing this season.
•Has appeared in all three games this season.
•Averaging 2.7 ppg and 1.3 rpg.

    MATEYA HUTTON NOTES 
•Has appeared in two games this season.
•Tied career-high with six rebounds vs. North Central (11/20/18).
•Tied her career-high points (7) twice last season. 
•Played in 24 games as a true freshman in 2017-18.

    MELEAH REINHART NOTES 
•Has started all games this season.
•Averaging a team-best 14.3 ppg and averaging 2.7 rpg. 
•Has shot 15-of-16 from the free throw line.
•Led the team in scoring in 10 games a season ago.
•Ranks 10th in SMSU history in free throw percentage with a career .779 from the line.
•Recorded a career-high five assists and six steals against Minnesota State (1/12/19). 
•Scored a career-high 22 points with for 3-pointers vs. North Central (11/22/18).
•Season-high seven rebounds at Sioux Falls (12/30/18).
•Named All-NSIC second team in 2018-19.

    CALEIGH RODNING NOTES 
•Named a 2019-20 NSIC "Player to Watch." 
•Has started all games this season.
•Averaging 8.0 ppg and 7.0 rpg. 
•Became the 20th Mustang to score 1,000 career points against Upper Iowa on 2/15/19. 
•Has a team-high five double-doubles, including three straight (34 points and 16 rebounds vs. Wisconsin-Parkside, 17 points and 10 rebounds vs. William Jewel, and 12 points and 10 rebounds vs. North Central).
•Named All-NSIC second team in 2018-19.
•Shot 85.3 percent from the free throw line last season to rank third in team single-season history.

    LILY SCHOKNECHT NOTES 
•Sat out the 2018-19 season as a redshirt. 
•Has appeared in all games this season.
•Averaging 0.7 ppg and 1.7 rpg. 

    SADIE STELTER NOTES 
•Has appeared in all games this season.
•Averaging 7.0 ppg and 1.7 rpg. 
•Started 27 games last season. 
•Led the team with 45 3-pointers in 2018-19.
•Ranked third on the team averaging 9.6 ppg and 3.5 rpg. 
•Scored season-high 18 points--one shy of her career-high--in season opener vs. Fort Hays State (11/9/18) with a season-high three 3-pointers. 
    
    SARA TESKE NOTES 
•Has appeared in all three games this season.
•Averaging 3.7 ppg and 6.3 rpg.
•Tied for team lead in blocks with three. 
•Played in 28 games with 14 starts while averaging 4.1 ppg and 4.3 rpg last season. 
•Earned first double-double vs. Wisconsin-Parkside (11/16/18) with career-highs in both points (11) and rebounds (13).
•Career-high four steals vs. Minnesota State (12/7/18).

    SAM WALL NOTES 
•Has appeared in all three games this season.
•Named a South Division Top Performer on Nov. 19 for her team-leading performance versus PC.
•Led the team in scoring with 14 points in the home opener.
•Averaging 6.7 ppg and 1.7 rpg. 

    RODNING: NSIC "PLAYER TO WATCH"
•For the second consecutive season, senior forward Caleigh Rodning, was named an NSIC "Player to Watch" entering into the 2019-20 season. 
•Rodning started all games a season ago and led the team in scoring an rebounding with 13.5 ppg and 6.9 rpg.
•Rodning ranks third in the SMSU all-time career books in free throws after going making 111 out of 129 attempts last season. 
•Rodning became the 20th player in Mustang history to reach 1,000 career points.

    A LOOK BACK AT SMSU IN 2018-19 
•SMSU concluded the 2018-19 season with a 12-16 overall record and 9-13 in NSIC play.
•SMSU lost 87-57 at Minnesota Duluth in the first round of the NSIC Tournament.
•SMSU's 12 victories was the program's highest since the 2009-10 team finished with 15. 
•SMSU finished the season shooting 39 percent from the field, 33 percent from 3-point range, 76 percent from the free throw line and was minus-0.3 in rebound margin. 
•SMSU averaged 71 points per game, while opponents averaged 79 points per game. 
•The 2018-19 squad set a team single-game record with 19 3-pointers made and most three-point attempts (34) in a victory over William Jewell. 
•SMSU also earned a three-game winning streak from Nov. 16-20 and once again from Jan. 26-Feb. 2, for the program's first three-game winning streak since the 2011-12 season. 

    RODNING AND REINHART: ALL-NSIC IN 2018-19
•Senior Caleigh Rodning and junior Meleah Reinhart were both named second team All-NSIC team last season.
•Rodning averaged a team-high 13.5 points per game and also led the squad with 6.9 rebounds per game. She finished the season shooting 39.3 percent (117 of 298) from the field and 85 percent (110 of 129) from the free throw line. 
•In NSIC play, Rodning ranked eighth in the league in free throw pct. (82.6), 15th in rebounding (6.4) and 18th in scoring (12.3).
•Reinhart averaged a team second-best 11.7 points per game last season. She finished the season shooting 42 percent (108 of 259) from the field, 42 percent from the 3-point line (43 of 102), and 82 percent from the free throw line (68 of 84). 
•In NSIC play, Reinhart ranked ninth in free throw pct (81.9), ninth in 3-point pct. (41.0), and 22nd in scoring (11.8). 

    HOME AND AWAY     
•SMSU is 1-0 at home in 2019-20 after finishing 9-5 last season. 
•SMSU is 2-0 in road/neutral site games this season after finishing 3-11 in away/neutral games last season.
•The following is a statistical comparison of the Mustang team averages for home and away/neutral games in 2019-20:
        W-L    FG%    3-FG%    FT%    REB    PTS    TO        
Home    1-0    38.4    38.5    76.5    44.0    84.0    14        
Away    2-0     34.4    24.5    82.9    39.0    67.0    16          
     
    HOME SWEET HOME 
•The 2019-20 season marks the 24th year the R/A Facility has served as the home arena for SMSU women's basketball. 
•SMSU has a record of 149-152 overall record and a 92-121 conference record in the facility. 

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    4-8     3-8     1-0
    2018-19    9-5    6-5    3-0
    2019-20    1-0    0-0    1-0        
    Totals:     149-152     92-121     66-31

    SMSU ALL-TIME IN THE NSIC 
•The 2019-20 campaign marks the 41st season SMSU has competed in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. 
•SMSU has an all-time record of 238-384 in conference games and have won four regular season championships (1979-80, 1980-81, 2000-01, 2001-02) and one NSIC Tournament championship (2002). 
    MUSTANG HISTORY
•Southwest Minnesota State is competing in its 51st season of women's basketball in 2019-20.
•SMSU has played 1,262 games compiling an all-time record of 597-665. 
•SMSU has recorded 26 winning seasons, but has not had  a winning season since the 2009-10 team finished 15-12.