THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
• The No. 7 seed Southwest Minnesota State University women's basketball team (28-4), advanced to the championship at the NCAA Central Region Tournament in Pittsburg, Kan., on Monday, March 16, facing the No. 1 seed Pittsburg State (31-3), starting at 7 p.m. at the John Lance Arena on the campus of Pittsburg State.
• SMSU is making its second appearance in the NCAA Central Region championship and first since the 2002 season.
• SMSU is making its third appearance in the NCAA tournament in program history and first since 2002.
GAME COVERAGE
• All tournament 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 VERSUS CENTRAL REGION FIELD
• PSU and SMSU meet for the third time with PSU winning both games.
• The two teams last met during the 2014-15 season with SMSU suffering a 92-73 loss in Marshall, Minn.
• PSU also defeated SMSU, 97-51, in Pittsburg during the 2012-13 season.
SMSU NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
• The NCAA tournament appearance for the Mustangs is the third in program history and the first since 2002.
• SMSU is now 4-2 all-time in the NCAA tournament, losing in the first round in 2001, before advancing to the region championship game in 2002 and winning twice this weekend.
MUSTANGS SET SCHOOL RECORD FOR WINS
•SMSU's win versus MSU Moorhead (Mar. 1, 2025) was its 26th of the season setting a school record for victories in a season surpassing the previous mark of 25 set by the 2000-01 squad.
SMSU HEAD COACH TOM WEBB
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Tom Webb is in his ninth season as head coach at SMSU with a 124-118 record, including 91-95 in NSIC play.
• Webb is 215-241 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.
MUSTANGS BY THE NUMBERS
• On the season, SMSU has four players averaging double figures in scoring, and five averaging over six points per game.
Bri Stoltzman leads the way at 21.7 ppg while leading the team in field goals made, assists, and steals.
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Audrey Swanson ranks second on the team averaging 15.9 ppg and leads the team in rebounding with 9.5 rpg. She has also recorded 16 double-doubles.
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Peyton Blandin ranks third averaging 14.7 ppg, leads the Mustangs with 73 3-pointers and scored a career-high 27 points versus Wayne State on Nov. 26.
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Natalie Nielsen averages 10.8 ppg and 7.3 rpg and leads the SMSU defense with 1.5 bpg. Nielsen scored a career-high 28 points with eight rebounds versus then-No. 12 Minnesota State on Dec. 13. Nielsen pulled down a career-high 17 rebounds versus Wayne State on Feb. 11.
• True freshman
Nicole Maenke is fifth on SMSU with 6.3 ppg and ranks second on the team with 44 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 47 percent from the field, 35 percent from 3-point range, 79 percent from the free throw line, and is plus-7.3 in rebound margin. The Mustangs average 83 points per game with a plus-16.0 scoring margin.
