WINONA, Minn. - The Winona State University women's basketball team will host the University of Minnesota Duluth on Friday, January 14 as WSU enjoys a return to home court after spending last weekend on the road.
Winona State (7-7, 4-6 NSIC South) will take on the Bulldogs (10-4, 8-2 NSIC North) looking to win two in a row after dispatching Minnesota Crookston, 71-59 last Saturday, Jan. 8. Head coach Scott Ballard and his team are 2-2 when playing at home this season.
Read on for more regarding the Winona State women's basketball team as they host the University of Minnesota Duluth on Friday, January 14.
Who: Winona State University vs. University of Minnesota Duluth
What: The Warriors (7-7, 4-6 NSIC South) will face the Bulldogs (10-4, 8-2 NSIC North)
When: Friday, January 14 with a 7:30pm CST start.
Where: McCown Gymnasium, home of WNB Financial Court, on the campus of Winona State University.
Winona State - Minnesota Duluth WBB Notables:
Warriors looking to tame the Bulldogs:
Winona State will take on the top two teams in the NSIC North standings this weekend. SCSU is atop both the NSIC overall and NSIC North with a 9-1 conference record, and UMD is second in both categories at 8-2 in the NSIC.
WSU is looking to break a current four-game losing skid to UMD. The Warriors last defeated the Bulldogs on Jan. 13th, 2017. Last season, Minnesota Duluth had the upper hand and beat Winona State 68-47.
St. Cloud State, Minnesota Duluth, and Winona State have three of the top six defenses in the NSIC. SCSU leads the way, allowing just 54.4 points/game to their opponents. UMD is second and allows 56.7 ppg, while WSU is sixth in the NSIC allowing 64.5 ppg.
The Warriors are currently 7-7 overall and 4-6 in the NSIC. WSU split the weekend series on the road their last time out, falling to Bemidji State and defeating Minnesota Crookston.
Winona State has the second-best defense in the NSIC South, allowing a scoring average of just 64.5 points/game.
WSU is knocking down shots from the field at a .428 rate and are fourth in the conference with a 76.3% free throw percentage.
Taylor Hustad currently leads the Warriors with 11 points/game and with 7.3 rebounds/game, a mark that is seventh in the NSIC.
Emma Fee is coming off her second double-figure rebounding game of the season, where she dominated the glass for 10 boards at Minnesota Crookston. Fee is 13th in the league with 6.6 rebounds/game.
Caitlin Riley has shown her deep range for Winona State this season, averaging 2.2 three-pointers per game, a rate that is fifth in the NSIC. Riley has hit 31 of 87 three-point shots (.356)
Emily Kieck is currently 13th in the NSIC in the assist/turnover ratio category; she has 46 assists compared to 40 turnovers, and is 11th in the league in assists (3.3/game).
Winona State has had six different leading-scorers in their 14 games this season. Hustad (4), Fee (3), Riley (3), Kieck (2), Schimenz (1), and Hahn (1) have each led the Warriors in scoring.
Cailtin Riley has gone 16-40 (.400) from deep in the last four games and is averaging 14.75 points/game to lead the Warriors during that stretch.
About Minnesota Duluth:
UMD's head coach, Mandy Pearson, is a familiar face in Winona, having led Saint Mary's University to the top of the MIAC during her time leading the Cardinals between 2007 and 2015.
The Bulldogs are 10-4 on the season and 8-2 within the NSIC. Both marks are good for second overall and second in the NSIC North.
Both of UMD's conference losses have come against their traveling partner, St. Cloud State, each by two possessions or less.
Minnesota Duluth has the second-best scoring defense in the NSIC, allowing just 56.7 points/game. They score at a rate of 65.9 points/game for a scoring margin of 9.2.
The Bulldogs are the best shooting team in the league, knocking down shots from the field at 44.7%. They shoot 28.5% from beyond the arc and 78% from the free-throw line.
UMD attacks the offensive glass hard, averaging an NSIC-best 14.1 offensive rebounds/game.
Brooke Olson leads the Bulldogs and is second in the NSIC with 18.4 points/game at a .523 shooting percentage. Olson also leads the team with 5.6 rebounds/game.
Sarah Grow (8.7) and Maesyn Thiesen (8.1) are the other leading scorers form UMD. Thiesen leads the team with 30.4 minutes/game and with 4.9 assists/game.
Minnesota Duluth will travel to Upper Iowa for a contest on Saturday, Jan. 14 after taking on the Warriors Friday night.
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.
