WINONA, Minn. – The Winona State University women's basketball team opens a two-game interdivisional road trip on Friday evening at the University of Minnesota Crookston and concludes the weekend Saturday afternoon at Bemdiji State. Tipoff against the Golden Eagles is set for 5:30 p.m. Friday with the finale against the Beavers slated for 3:30 p.m.
Winona State (7-7, 5-5 NSIC) suffered back-to-back losses for the first time this season last weekend at Wayne State and Augustana. The Warriors currently sit fifth in the NSIC South (4-4). WSU has 10 games remaining on its schedule following this weekend, including six inside McCown Gymnasium in Winona.
The Warriors dropped a back-and-forth affair at Wayne State last Friday, 59-58, before suffering a 75-65 setback in a season sweep at (RV) Augustana. Kayla Schaefer had a team-best 18 points at Wayne and Julia Silloway led the way against Augie with 10 points.
Schaefer (10.7 ppg) and fellow senior Rachel Novotny (11.1) lead the Warriors' scoring attack this season. Novotney also leads the team in rebounding (7.3). Sophomore Taylor Hustad is second on the team controlling the glass (5.1). Allie Pickrain is averaging 9.9 ppg, followed by Gabie Doud (9.8) and Emily Kieck (8.4) to round on the Warriors' balanced scoring attack.
Winona State currently ranks in the bottom half of the NSIC in scoring offense (62.6 ppg), but the Warrior defense is fifth overall (58.3). WSU has limited opponents to a 36.9 clip in field goal shooting and just 27.8% from downtown – both which rank third in the league. Offensively, WSU has struggled from downtown this season (28.5%), but did knock down its second-most three-pointers (9) of the year in its loss at Augie last weekend.
Following this road trip, the Warriors return home to face Southwest Minnesota State and Sioux Falls on January 25-26.
Scouting Crookston
The Golden Eagles (9-7, 4-6 NSIC) also carry a two-game skid into Friday's tilt against the Warriors. Crookston is 5-2 at home this season. The Golden Eagles were swept on the road last weekend by Northern State and Minnesota Moorhead – falling at NSU by one point, 60-59.
Crookston is eighth in the NSIC in scoring offense (68.0 ppg) and ranks 12th in scoring defense (68.6). The Golden Eagles are not only the best free throw shooting team in the conference (76.9%), but have attempted the third-most free throws (308) this season. Winona State will look to exploit its advantage on the glass against Crookston.
Isieoma Odor leads the Golden Eagles and ranks second in the league in scoring (17.9 ppg) on 50% shooting from the field. She has also pulled down a team-best 9.4 rebounds/game. Caitlin Michaelis averages 13.1 ppg on 36% shooting from downtown, while Kylie Post (9.3) and Abby Guidinger (8.3) round out the scoring leaders.
Winona State leads the all-time series, 19-14, including wins in four straight meetings. WSU won a 74-73 contest at Crookston last season.
Scouting Bemidji State
The Beavers (2-12, 0-10 NSIC) will host Upper Iowa on Friday before welcoming WSU to town. Either Bemidji or Upper Iowa will walk away from that tilt with its first conference win of the season. The Beavers enter the weekend on a 12-game losing streak.
Bemidji State's 58.3 ppg offensively rank second-to-last only behind Upper Iowa this season. The Beavers are shooting just 37% from the field this year while ranking last in three-point shooting (27%). Bemidji has also pulled down the fewest rebounds in the league on both the offensive and defensive side of the court.
Boorklyn Bachmann (9.6 ppg) and Maria Appicelli (9.5) lead the Bemidji scoring attack while Taylor Bray is averaging 8.8 ppg on 58.8% shooting.
The Beavers lead the all-time series, 43-36, but the Warriors have won eight straight and 11 of the last 12 matchups.
