THE LOOK AHEAD
• The Southwest Minnesota State University women's basketball team (2-6, 1-2 NSIC) is back in action at home on Friday, Dec. 8, taking on Concordia-St. Paul (7-1, 3-0 NSIC) inside the SMSU R/A Facility, with tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
• The Mustangs round-out their weekend against Minnesota Duluth (6-1, 3-0 NSIC) on Saturday, Dec. 9, at 5:30 p.m.
• A preview for CSP and UMD can be found on page 3.
 
GAME COVERAGE
• Both games will be broadcast on 105.1 FM KARL with Ryan Rohlik providing play-by-play.
• Live stats, radio and video broadcasts of all games can be found at SMSUmustangs.com.
 
CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL SERIES HISTORY
• SMSU and Concordia-St. Paul will meet for the 65th time with the Golden Bears holding a 45-19 edge in a series that started in 1974.
• CSP is 19-10 all-time in Marshall. SMSU is 2-2 in the previous four meetings in Marshall.
• The Mustangs split two games with the Golden Bears last season and have won three of the last five meetings.
•Game-by-game results of the series is located on page 16.
 
MINNESOTA DULUTH SERIES HISTORY
• SMSU and Minnesota Duluth will meet for the 80th time with the Bulldogs holding a 61-18 advantage in a series that started in 1976.
• The Bulldogs have won all seven previous match-ups dating back to the 2016-17 season.
• SMSU is 8-27 all-time in Marshall and last won inside the R/A Facility on Jan. 31, 2015.
• UMD bested the Mustangs last season, beating SMSU 87-75 in Marshall.
•Game-by-game results of the series is located on page 17.
 
LAST TIME OUT
• Despite a season-high 18-point scoring performance by Madison Gehloff, SMSU struggled to piece anything together in a 76-61 loss to the Winona State Warriors last Friday night inside the McCown Gymnasium.
• Senior guard Madison Gehloff scored a team-high 18 points in the contest on 50 percent shooting (7-14), while adding three rebounds, an assist, and team-high three steals. Bri Stoltzman was the only other Mustang to reach double-figure scoring, grabbing 14 points on 5 of 14 shooting, while pulling down a team-high five rebounds, and dishing three assists.
• SMSU shot 34 percent (22 of 65) from the field and 27 percent (9 of 33) from three while making 8 of 12 free throws.
• SMSU fell to the Minnesota State Mavericks 78-50 last Saturday evening inside the Taylor Center.
• Madison Gehloff scored a team-high 14 points on 5 of 11 shooting, adding a steal, six rebounds, and three assists.
• Hannah Parsley scored 11 points on 5 of 8 shooting, pulling down nine rebounds and dishing two assists.
• Bri Stoltzman added seven points, and a team-high in rebounds, assists, and steals with 10-4-4, respectively.
• SMSU closed the night shooting 34.4 percent (22 of 64) from the field, 4.5 percent (1 of 22) from three, and 71.4 percent (5 of 7) from the free throw line.
 
MUSTANGS BY THE NUMBERS
• For the season, SMSU has two players averaging double figures in scoring, and three averaging over eight points per game, with junior Bri Stoltzman leading the way at 17.4 ppg while leading the team in rebounding at 7.4 per game and also in assists with 25.
• Senior Sam Wall is averaging 11.0 ppg and shooting 85 percent from the foul line. She is second on the team with 15 3-pointers.
• Junior Peyton Blandin is scoring 9.5 ppg and is leads the Mustangs with 16 3-pointers.
• Senior Madison Gehloff and senior Hannah Parsley round out the SMSU top scorers, averaging 8.8 ppg and 8.0 ppg, respectively. Kenzie Jones is tied for a team-second 15 3-pointers.
• SMSU is shooting 39 percent from the field, 31 percent from 3-point range, 70 percent from the free throw line and is minus-3.5 in rebound margin. The Mustangs are averaging 70 points per game, while opponents are averaging 75 ppg.
• SMSU is sixth in Division II in 3-point attempts per game (28.5) and 12th in 3-pointers made per game (8.8).
 
STONE COLD STOLTZMAN
• Bri Stoltzman recorded a career-high 36 points on 13 of 23 shooting in a loss to Northwest Missouri State on Nov. 10.
• Stoltzman is leading the team in scoring, rebounding, assists, and steals. She also has made a team-high 28 free throws on 37 attempts. As of Dec. 4, she ranks 58th in scoring and 38th in field goals made in Division II.
 
KEEP THE WALL ROLLING
• Sam Wall set the program record for 3-pointers made in a single-season last season with 77.
• Wall ranks fourth all-time in 3-pointers made in program history with 178 in 106 games. She is 12 away from moving into third place all-time and passing Michelle Bruns (2001-2005).
• The senior guard also ranks sixth in free throw percentage at .818 (139 of 170) and is 10th in 3-point field goal percentage at .377 (178 of 472).
• More info on the SMSU women's basketball record book can be found on page 3.
 
SMSU HEAD COACH TOM WEBB
• Tom Webb is in his eighth season as head coach with a 79-108 record, including 58-87 in NSIC play.
• Webb is 170-231 overall in his 15th season as head coach at the Division II level after compiling a record of 91-123 in eight seasons (2008-16) as head coach at Cameron University (Okla.).
• Last season, SMSU advanced to the NSIC semifinals for the fourth time in program history and first time since 2003.
• The team finished with 19 victories a season ago, tying for fifth most in program history, and highest total since 2004-05.
• SMSU also recorded a top three finish in the NSIC South last season, best in the division era, while earning a top four finish in the NSIC regular season standings for the first time since 2004-05.
• Webb's complete bio is found on page 16.
 
SMSU COMING OFF BEST SEASON IN NEARLY 20 YEARS
• SMSU finished the 2022-23 season with 19 wins, the most single-season victories since the 2004-05 season.
• The Mustangs closed conference action third in the NSIC South, its best finish in the NSIC division era, and tied for fourth in the NSIC overall, the highest finish since the 2004-05 season.
• SMSU's 14 NSIC victories were the most since the 2001-02 season, and its .636 conference win percentage is the highest mark since the 2004-05 season.
• The Mustangs developed into road warriors during the season, winning seven of its final nine road games, the best stretch since winning 11 consecutive games across two seasons from Dec. 16, 2000 to Dec. 8, 2001.
 
PEYTON BLANDIN NOTES
• Started all eight games and is averaging 9.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg, and leads the team in 3-pointers with 16.
• Scored a career-high 17 points vs. Northwest Missouri State (11/10/23).
 
KENNADI BUCHHOLZ NOTES
• Has played in four games recording 13 points and eight rebounds.
• Tallied 30 points, 26 rebounds, three steals, and five blocks in 16 games last year.
• Recorded her first double-double, scoring 11 points and grabbing 13 rebounds last season vs. Crown College (11/15/22)
 
BRYNN BUSSE NOTES
• Has played in all eight games.
• Has recorded nine points, three rebounds, and three steals.
 
ZOIE CENTERS NOTES
• Has played in four games and scored four points.
• Tallied seven points, nine rebounds, and five assists in 18 games last season.
 
MADISON GEHLOFF NOTES
• Has started every game this season and is averaging 8.8 ppg and 4.4 rpg.
• Scored season-high 18 points on 7 of 14 shooting at Winona State (12/1/23). 
• Last season, tied a career-high with 20 points against Northwest Missouri State (11/11/22).
• Career-high 13 rebounds and five assists against Sioux Falls (11/22/22).
 
KENZIE JONES NOTES
• Has started every game this season and is averaging 7.5 ppg and 3.3 rpg.
• Scored a career-high 14 points with four 3-pointers at Michigan Tech (11/16/23).
 
HANNAH PARSLEY NOTES
• Has played in seven games. Missed one game with an injury.
• Averaging 8.0 ppg and 4.7 rpg.
• Career-high five steals vs. Nebraska-Kearney (11/11/23).
• Scored career-high 19 points vs. Sioux Falls (11/22/22).
• Recorded a career-high nine rebounds vs. MSU Moorhead (1/13/23).
 
BRI STOLTZMAN NOTES
• Has started all eight games and is averaging 17.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg, and has dished out a team-high 25 assists.
• Scored a career-high 36 points on 13 of 23 shooting and tied a career-high five assists vs. Northwest Missouri State (11/10/23).
• Grabbed a career-high in rebounds (11) against Augustana (2/16/23).
• Named All-NSIC second team in 2022-23.
 
AUDREY SWANSON NOTES
• Has played in seven games and has recorded seven points,  two steals and two assists.
• Scored career-high seven points in 16 minutes vs. Bethany Lutheran College (11/27/23).
 
MADDIE THORFINNSON NOTES
• Has played in all eight games and recorded six points, eight rebounds, and two blocks.
• Scored six points vs. Nebraska-Kearney (11/11/23).
• Scored career-high 10 points vs. Augustana (12/1/22) last season.
 
CHRISTINA WAGNER NOTES
• Has played in four games.
• Scored four points and recorded five rebounds with two steals vs. Bethany Lutheran (11/27/23).
 
ELIZABETH WAGNER NOTES
• Has played in seven games and is averaging 3.6 ppg.
• Scored a career-high seven points and pulled down five rebounds vs. Bethany Lutheran (11/27/23).
 
SAM WALL NOTES
• Has started all eight games and is averaging 11.0 ppg and 2.9 rpg.
• Ranks fourth in team history with 178 3-pointers.
• Season-high 18 points at Wayne State (11/21/23).
• Scored a career-high 25 points on seven field goals and four 3-pointers last season at Minnesota State (12/17/22).
• Made a school single-season record 77 3-pointers last season.
 
WORKING OVERTIME
• SMSU is 13-30 all-time in overtime games, including 1-1 last season after defeating MSU Moorhead 82-75 in overtime on Jan. 13, and suffering a loss to St. Cloud State 70-59 on Jan. 20.
• SMSU is 4-4 in double OT games.
 
HOME AND AWAY      
• SMSU is 1-2 at home this season after finishing 11-4 at home in 2022-23 and 10-3 in 2021-22.
• The Mustangs are 1-4 in road/neutral site games this season after recording a 3-9 mark in road/neutral site games in 2022-23.
• The following is a statistical comparison of the Mustang team averages for home and away/neutral games in 2023-24:
            W-L      FG%     3-FG%  FT%     REB      PTS      TO
Home  1-2       42.5     36.3     70.0     37.3     80.6     11.7
Away   1-4       37.0     26.4     70.0     33.4     60.8     18.8
 
SMSU ALL-TIME IN THE NSIC
• The 2023-24 campaign marks the 45th season SMSU has competed in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
• SMSU has an all-time record of 280-421 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 in its 55th season of women's basketball in 2023-24.
• SMSU has played 1,365 games compiling an all-time record of 653-712.
• SMSU has recorded 28 winning seasons, including the last three seasons. The 2019-20 squad that finished 16-12 was the program's first winning season since 2009-10.
 
CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL NOTES 
2023-24 Record: 7-1 overall, 3-0 NSIC
Head Coach: Amanda Johnson, 9th season, 128-88
• CSP is 7-1 on the season and last played on Dec. 3 claiming a 65-58 home victory Wayne State. The Golden Bears are 3-0 on the road this season.
• Ally Geitzel leads the team in scoring at 18.8 ppg, and is No. 1 in the nation in free throw makes with 66.
• Lauren Wilson is scoring 14.6 ppg ranking second on the club, and leads the squad in field-goal percentage shooting 61.6 percent.
• Lindsey Becher is scoring 13.1 ppg and leads the team in blocks with 20, good enough for 10th overall in the country.
• CSP is shooting 44 percent from the field, 29 percent from 3-point range, 73 percent from the free throw line and is plus-2.7 in rebound margin.
• The Golden Bears are averaging 70 points per game, while opponents are averaging 64 ppg.
 
MINNESOTA DULUTH NOTES 
2023-24 Record: 6-1 overall, 3-0 NSIC
Head Coach: Mandy Pearson, 9th season, 162-69
• UMD is 6-1 on the season and last played on Dec. 3 claiming a 82-68 home victory over Augustana. The Bulldogs are 2-1 on the road this season.
• UMD is ranked No. 20 in the Dec. 4 WBCA Top 25 poll.
• Taya Hakamaki leads the team in scoring at 14.1 ppg with a team-high eight 3-pointers.
• Taytum Rhoades is scoring 13.9 ppg ranking second on the club, and leads the squad in assists with 24.
• Madelyn Granica leads the nation in field-goal percentage shooting 67.9 percent, recording 86 points on 53 attempts.
• UMD is shooting 47 percent from the field, 37 percent from 3-point range, 72 percent from the free throw line and is plus-1.1 in rebound margin. The Bulldogs are averaging 68 points per game, while opponents are averaging 59 ppg.