MARSHALL, Minn. - The Winona State University women's basketball team travels to Marshall, Minn. for the first of two NSIC road games on the docket this weekend, with tonight's contest scheduled for 7:30 pm against Southwest Minnesota State University.
Winona State (4-3, 1-2 NSIC) will take on SMSU (5-2, 2-1 NSIC) with the Warriors looking to move back to .500 in NSIC play. Head coach
Scott Ballard and WSU are coming off a home contest in which they put up a solid effort against unbeaten Minnesota State – Mankato but ultimately fell, 76-67.
Read on for more regarding the Winona State women's basketball team as they face the SMSU Mustangs on Friday, Dec. 10 in Marshall, Minn.
Who: Winona State University women's basketball at Southwest Minnesota State University
What: The Warriors (4-3, 1-2 NSIC South) will battle SMSU (5-2, 2-1 NSIC South)
When: Friday, Dec 10, with a 7:30 pm CST start.
Where: Recreation / Athletics (R/A) Facility, on the campus of Southwest Minnesota State University.
Warriors - Mustangs Notables:
Winona State enjoys a 19-2 record over SMSU in the last 21 contests, including the last 12 straight.
Covid protocols canceled the Winona State, SMSU series in 2020-21. The last time the two teams faced off was Feb. 15, 2020.
Only 7 Warriors have ever played against SMSU;
Emma Fee,
Emily Kieck,
Taylor Hustad,
Caitlin Riley,
Ava Sergio Shea Deschant &
Alex Dornfeld were on the team in the last meeting, a 86-63 Warrior win.
At 1-2 in the NSIC South, Winona State will have the opportunity to climb the standings ladder vs. Southwest Minnesota State, as the Mustangs sit just above them in the South at 2-1.
Winona State is looking to break a three-game skid this evening, while SMSU is coming off a 72-58 win over Augustana at home on Dec. 4.
WSU had enjoyed an overall healthy start to the season, with the same five starters taking the floor each game;
Taylor Hustad,
Emma Fee,
Caitlin Riley,
Emily Kieck and
Lauren Fech have all started all seven games so far.
Taylor Hustad leads Winona State in minutes played (200:02), rebounds (48) and steals (10).
Emma Fee is 34-of-61 on the season from the floor, shooting an impressive .557 clip. She is 6-of-7 from the foul line as well.
Ava Sergio leads WSU in blocked shots with seven so far.
Winona State is scoring 62.3 points per game while holding opponents to a 40.1% shooting percentage from the floor. The Warriors have forced 99 turnovers this season.
As a team, the Warriors have blocked 17 shots this year, while only suffering four blocked shots themselves.
The Mustangs are 5-2 overall with a 2-1 NSIC record, most recently defeating Augustana at home by a score of 72-58.
SMSU opened their season playing four nonconference games, winning three of them all by double figures.
The Mustangs lone conference loss came in overtime at Wayne State, where they lost 65-69.
Meleah Reinhart leads the team with 17 points/game, 5.5 rebounds per game, and 1.5 steals/game.
Sadie Stelter (13.4) and Jenna Borchers (11.1) also average double-figure points. Stelter leads SMSU with 2.4 assists/game and Borchers leads the Mustangs with 28.6 minutes per game.
As a team, SMSU has the second-best defensive field goal percentage in the NSIC, holding opponents to a mark of 23.5% shooting.
The Mustangs lead the conference in free-throw percentage, knocking down 82.4% of shots from the charity stripe.
Southwest Minnesota State has a +6.7 scoring margin, averaging 70.4 pts/game and allowing 63.7 pts/game.
SMSU is 2-1 at home this season, and 1-0 at home within the NSIC. The Mustangs will host both Winona State and Upper Iowa this weekend.
For the most up to date news in Warrior Athletics, please visit:
www.WINONASTATEWARRIORS.com and
@WinonaStateATH.
About Winona State University Athletics:
The Winona State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, as an integral part of the educational mission of the institution, is committed to offering opportunities to experience academic and athletic excellence for our student-athletes through two simple words:
Graduate Champions.
Fourteen Warrior programs compete at the NCAA Division II level within the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). Winona State University competes as an affiliate member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) in the sport of women's gymnastics
