THE LOOK AHEAD 
• The No. 23 Southwest Minnesota State University women's basketball team (14-2, 8-2 NSIC) continues action in the R/A facility hosting Northern State (10-6, 7-3 NSIC) and UMary (9-5, 6-4 NSIC). 
• SMSU begins the weekend versus the Wolves on Friday, with tip-off set for 7:30 p.m. 
• The Mustangs round out the weekend on Saturday with a 5:30 p.m. tip-off against the Marauders.  
• A preview for NSU and UMary can be found on page 3.  

GAME COVERAGE  
• All regular season 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 

SERIES HISTORY 
• Friday will be the 73rd meeting between NSU and SMSU, with the Wolves holding a 53-19 advantage in a series that began in 1969. 
• SMSU took both games in the season series last year, winning 73-53 at home before earning an 86-75 victory in Sioux Falls, S.D. 
• SMSU is 13-22 all-time at home versus NSU. 
• Saturday will be the 22nd meeting between UMary and SMSU, with the Marauders leading 14-7 in a series that started in 2006. 
• UMary took both games in the season series last year, winning 89-74 in Bismarck, N.D. and winning 83-72 in Marshall, Minn. 
• SMSU is 4-7 all-time at home versus UMary.  

SMSU HEAD COACH TOM WEBB 
• Tom Webb is in his ninth season as head coach at SMSU with a 110-116 record, including 80-94 in NSIC play.  
• Webb is 201-239 overall in his 17th 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.).  
• In 2023-24, SMSU advanced to the NSIC semifinals for the fifth time in program history and the second consecutive season since 2003.  
• The team finished with 19 victories a season ago, tying for fifth most in program history and the highest total since 2004-05, tying the 2022-23 team.  
• SMSU also recorded a top-five finish in the NSIC last season posting a 15-7 league mark, the most conference wins since going 17-1 in NSIC play in the 2000-01 season. 
• Webb's complete bio is found on page 17.  

MUSTANG TIP-OFF TIDBITS 
• In the current NSIC stats, SMSU ranks first in scoring margin (19.8), field goal pct. (48.4), and rebound margin (8.7), and 3-point field goal pct. (37.3), while ranking second in the league in scoring offense (85.2) and in rebounds (43.3). SMSU ranks third in assists per game (16.06). 
• Bri Stoltzman ranks first in the league in field goal pct. (55.4), third in scoring (17.1) and in assists per game (4.2), while Peyton Blandin ranks fifth in field goal pct. (48.2), fourth in 3-pt field goals per game (2.4) and sixth in scoring (16.4). Audrey Swanson ranks first in rebounding (8.9), third in field goal pct. (50.3), and 11th in scoring (14.1). Natalie Nielsen ranks third in the conference in blocks per game (1.9). 
• SMSU shot a season-high 57 percent versus Bethany Lutheran and has shot 50 percent or higher six times this season. 
• SMSU dished out a season-high 23 assists twice this year and has recorded 20 or more assists four times this season. 

MUSTANGS BY THE NUMBERS 
• On the season, SMSU has four players averaging double figures in scoring, and five averaging over eight points per game. Bri Stoltzman leads the way at 17.1 ppg while leading the team in field goals made, assists, and steals. 
• Peyton Blandin ranks second averaging 16.4 ppg, leads the Mustangs with 39 3-pointers and scored a career-high 27 points versus Wayne State on Nov. 26. 
• Audrey Swanson ranks third on the team averaging 14.1 ppg and leads the team in rebounding with 8.9 rpg. She has also recorded seven double-doubles. 
• Natalie Nielsen averages 11.3 ppg and 6.7 rpg and leads the SMSU defense with 1.9 bpg. Nielsen scored a career-high 28 points with eight rebounds versus then-No. 12 Minnesota State on Dec. 13. 
• True freshman Nicole Maenke is fifth on SMSU with 8.9 ppg and ranks second on the team with 31 3-pointers. Maenke set the single-game program record for 3-point field goal pct. making all six 3-point attempts against Winona State on Dec. 14. 
• SMSU is shooting 49 percent from the field, 37 percent from 3-point range, 77 percent from the free throw line, and is plus-8.7 in rebound margin. The Mustangs average 85 points per game with a plus-19.8 scoring margin. 

SMSU IN THE NCAA STATS  
• In the latest Division II national statistics (Jan. 13), SMSU ranks first in field goal pct. (48.4), third in scoring offense (85.2), ninth in 3-point field goal pct. (37.3), and ninth in scoring margin (19.8). 
• Audrey Swanson ranks No. 12 nationally with seven double-doubles and No. 17 in defensive rebounds per game (7.3), while Natalie Nielsen ranks No. 16 in blocks (30) and No. 22 in blocks per game (1.88). 
• Bri Stoltzman sits at No. 25 in field goal pct. (55.4), while Peyton Blandin sits at No. 26 in 3-pointers made (39). 
• SMSU in the latest NCAA stats can be found on pages 19-20. 

SMSU IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS 
• SMSU moved up to No. 23 in this weekly Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Top 25 poll. SMSU last appeared in the WBCA Top 25 at No. 25 on Jan. 7, 2025. 
• SMSU is one of three Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference teams ranked in this week's poll with Minnesota State at No. 10 and Concordia-St. Paul tied at No. 21. 

LAST TIME OUT  
• SMSU cruised to an 84-57 victory over the Minot State Beavers on Jan. 11 inside the R/A Facility in Marshall, Minn. 
• Natalie Nielsen led the SMSU offense with a game-high 18 points on 100 percent shooting from the field, and 10 rebounds, en route to recording her second double-double of her career. Bri Stoltzman finished the night with 13 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. Peyton Blandin and Audrey Swanson both recorded 12 points apiece.    
• SMSU finished the night shooting 42 percent (27 of 64) from the field including 31 percent (9 of 29) from downtown.  

PEYTON BLANDIN NOTES 
• Has started every game and is averaging 16.4 ppg and 4.4 rpg. 
• Leads the team with 39 3-pointers and ranks fourth on the team with 34 made free throws. 
• Scored a career-high 27 points on 12 of 20 shooting with five rebounds vs. Wayne State on Nov. 26. 
  
KENNADI BUCHHOLZ NOTES 
• Has played in 10 games and is averaging 3.3 ppg and 2.8 rpg. 
• Recorded 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting with six rebounds and an assist vs. Bethany Lutheran on Nov. 30. 
• 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 15 games and is averaging 2.6 ppg and 2.1 rpg. 
• Scored a season-high nine points on three field goals vs. Augsburg on Nov. 16. 

ZOIE CENTERS NOTES 
• Has played in 12 games adding 16 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. 
• Tallied 19 points, eight rebounds, and six assists last season. 

BRYLEE IVERSON NOTES 
• Has played in 13 games and is averaging 1.8 ppg and 1.7 rpg. 
• Scored a season-high seven points with a pair of 3-pointers and grabbed four rebounds vs. Augsburg on Nov. 16.   

KENZIE JONES NOTES  
• Has played in 15 games with one start and is averaging 7.1 ppg and 2.7 rpg. 
• Scored a career-high 15 points with four 3-pointers vs. Augsburg on Nov. 16. 

NICOLE MAENKE NOTES 
• Has played in every game and is averaging 8.9 ppg and 1.8 rpg as a true freshman. 
• Ranks second on the team with 31 3-pointers. 
• Set a single-game school record for 3-point field goal pct. making all six 3-point attempts in the 93-64 win over Winona State on Dec. 14. 
• Scored a career-high 22 points on 6-of-7 shooting versus Central Oklahoma on Nov. 9. 

ALLISON MILBRANDT NOTES 
• Has played in 11 games adding 10 points, three assists, and three rebounds. 
• Scored a season-high six points vs. Bethany Lutheran on Nov. 30. 

NATALIE NIELSEN NOTES  
• Has started every game and is averaging 11.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg, and 1.9 bpg. 
• Ranks third in the NSIC in blocks per game. 
• Scored a career-high 28 points on 11 of 15 shooting with eight rebounds and two blocks at No. 12 Minnesota State on Dec. 13. 

BRI STOLTZMAN NOTES  
• Has played in 15 games with 15 starts, missing one game due to injury. 
• Leads SMSU averaging 17.1 ppg and 4.2 assists per game.  
• Also averages 6.1 rpg and 1.7 spg. 
• Named NSIC Player of the Week three times this season (Nov. 25, Dec. 23, Jan. 13) 
• Recorded a season-high 28 points on 10-of-13 shooting versus Washburn (Kan.) on Nov. 8. 
• 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). 

AUDREY SWANSON NOTES 
• Has started every game and is averaging 14.1 ppg , 8.9 rpg, and 1.7 apg. 
• Scored a career-high 23 points with eight rebounds vs. Chadron State (Neb.) on Nov. 20. 
• Has secured seven double-doubles this season. 
• Recorded her first double-double, scoring 12 points and grabbing a career-high 16 rebounds on Nov. 9 versus Central Oklahoma. 

MADDIE THORFINNSON NOTES 
• Has started every game and is averaging 4.1 ppg and 3.3 rpg. 
• Scored a career-high 12 points with three 3-pointers and a pair of rebounds versus Concordia-St. Paul on Dec. 7. 

CHRISTINA WAGNER NOTES  
• Has played in three games. 
• Added 10 points, 15 rebounds, and four blocks in limited playing time last season. 

ELIZABETH WAGNER NOTES  
• Has not played this season. 
• Averaged 3.6 ppg and 4.0 rpg with a team-high 15 blocks last season. 
• Scored a career-high 13 points vs. Martin Luther (1/2/24). 

WORKING OVERTIME 
• SMSU is 13-30 all-time in overtime games and did not play one last season. SMSU was 1-1 in 2022-23 defeating MSU Moorhead 82-75 and suffering a loss to St. Cloud State 70-59.  
• SMSU is 4-4 all-time in double OT games. 

HOME AND AWAY      
• SMSU is 7-1 at home this season after finishing 11-5 at home in 2023-24 and 11-4 in 2022-23. 
• The Mustangs are 5-1 in road games this season after recording a 7-6 mark in road games in 2023-24. 
• SMSU is 2-0 in neutral site games this season after finishing 1-1 in neutral site contests in 2023-24. 
• The following is a final statistical comparison of the Mustang team averages for home and away games in 2024-25: 
    W-L    FG%    3-FG%    FT%    REB    PTS    TO 
Home    7-1    46.9    34.9    78.9    45.5    87.1    11.5      
Away    5-1    49.9    39.9    78.4    41.0    85.2    16.8 
Neutral 2-0    48.7    31.0    73.5    41.5    77.5    21.0 

SMSU ALL-TIME IN THE NSIC  
• The 2024-25 campaign marks the 46th season SMSU has competed in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. 
• SMSU has an all-time record of 302-428 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 
• SMSU is in its 56th season of women's basketball in 2024-25. 
• SMSU has played 1,402 games compiling an all-time record of 673-719. 
• SMSU has recorded 31 winning seasons, including the last five seasons. The 2019-20 squad that finished 16-12 was the program's first winning season since 2009-10. 

NORTHERN STATE NOTES   
• 2024-25 Record: 10-6 overall, 7-3 NSIC 
• Head Coach: Paula Krueger, 7th season, 90-86 
• MSUM is 10-6 on the season and last played on Jan. 11 earning an 94-48 victory over Augustana. 
• Madelyn Bragg leads NSU in scoring averaging 14.1 points, while also recording 7.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. Braggs is shooting 44.0 percent from the field, and 27.3 percent from beyond the arc. 
• Michaela Jewett leads the team in rebounds averaging 8.3 per game while averaging 11.5 ppg. 
• Rianna Fillipi ranks third on the team averaging 11.4 points per game. Fillipi leads NSU with 5.4 assists per game.  
• NSU is shooting 45 percent from the field, 30 percent from 3-point range, and 71 percent from the free throw line and is plus-8.3 in rebound margin. The Wolves average 72 points per game with a plus-7.8 scoring margin. 

 UMARY NOTES   
• 2024-25 Record: 9-5 overall, 6-4 NSIC 
• Head Coach: Rick Neumann, 13th season, 192-162 
• UMary is 9-5 on the season and last played on Jan. 11 earning a 53-51 victory over Wayne State. 
• Bergan Kinnebrew leads UMary in scoring averaging 14.6 points, while also recording 4.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. Kinnebrew is shooting 38.8 percent from the field, and 36.4 percent from beyond the arc. 
• Emily Jaenke ranks second on the team averaging 9.1 points per game, while also recording 1.6 rpg.  
• Chloe Pfau ranks third on the team averaging 8.4 points per game, while also recording 3.6 rpg. 
• UMary is shooting 37 percent from the field, 31 percent from 3-point range, and 68 percent from the free throw line and is plus-2.7 in rebound margin. The Marauders average 66 points per game with a plus-4.4 scoring margin. 

SMSU ALL-TIME INSIDE THE R/A FACILITY  
•The 2024-25 season marks the 29th year the R/A Facility has served as the home arena for SMSU women's basketball.  
•SMSU has an all-time record of 200-171 (.539) in 371 games with 15 winning seasons.