WINONA, Minn. – The Winona State University women's basketball team embarks on its first conference road trip of the season with stops at Minnesota State Mankato and Concordia University, St. Paul this weekend. The Warriors and Mavericks tip at 5:30 p.m. on Friday ahead of Saturday's meeting with the Golden Bears at 3:30 p.m.
The Warriors (4-3, 2-1 NSIC) are coming off a 61-56 home victory over Wayne State last Saturday. Senior Rachel Novotny netted a career-best 21 points for the second straight night while pulling down 11 rebounds for her first double-double of the year to lead WSU. Novotny averaged 21 points and 10 rebounds last weekend. The forward is averaging 19 points and 8.6 rebounds over her last three outings.
Sophomore Allie Pickrain is second on the team this season in scoring (12.1 ppg) and has a team-best 15 assists. Senior Kayla Schaefer is averaging 10.1 ppg. Taylor Hustad has provided a strong start to her sophomore season and ranks third on the team in rebounds/game (5.9). Her 20 total offensive rebounds rank second on the team behind Novotny (21).
Junior Gabie Doud has missed the Warriors' last five games due to injury.
Winona State ranks fifth in the NSIC in scoring defense (59.1 ppg) and fourth in rebounding defense (33.3). The Warriors' 13.9 offensive rebounds/game rank third in the league.
Scouting Minnesota State
The Mavericks (4-3, 1-2 NSIC) were swept on the road last weekend at Southwest Minnesota State and Sioux Falls. Mankato is 3-0 at home this season. MSU leads the all-time series over the Warriors, 31-19. The teams split their 2017-18 series, but Winona State has won four of the last six meetings.
Mankato ranks third in the NSIC in scoring offense (76.9 ppg) but is 14th in scoring defense (66.4 ppg). The Mavericks have the second-best three-point shooting team in the league (38.5%) while ranking fifth in overall field goal percentage (43.1%).
The Mavericks deploy a balanced scoring attack led by Taylor Drost (9.7 ppg). Rachel Shumski is shooting 53 percent from the field while averaging 9.4 ppg to go along with a team-best 6.4 rebounds/game. Monica Muth ranks fifth in the league with 3.7 assists/game.
Scouting Concordia
The Golden Bears (5-3, 1-2 NSIC) host Upper Iowa Friday before welcoming the Warriors to St. Paul on Saturday afternoon. CSP is 3-0 at home this season. CSP leads the all-time series with Winona State, 29-20. The teams split the 2017-18 series, but the Warriors have won three of the last four and eight of the last 10 matchups.
The Golden Bears rank sixth in the conference in field goal shooting (41.8%), but have struggled from downtown this season (29.9%). CSP is seventh in the NSIC in scoring offense (68.6 ppg) and is allowing the 12th-most points on defense (65.6 ppg).
Lindsay Dorr leads the team and ranks second in the league in scoring (19.8 ppg) followed by Anna Schmitt (15.9 ppg) who ranks sixth in the NSIC. Dorr is averaging a double-double this year with the third-most rebounds/game in the conference (10.5).
