BEMIDJI, Minn. - The Winona State University women's basketball team travels Bemidji State University on Friday, January 7 in the first Warrior road trip of 2022.
The Warriors (6-6, 3-5 NSIC) will take on the Beavers (7-5, 5-3 NSIC) for the first time in over two years and looking to claim their first win over a Northern Division foe. Head coach
Scott Ballard and Winona State outlasted Upper Iowa 61-55 on Sunday, Jan. 2 to start 2022 off with a win.
Read on for more regarding the Winona State women's basketball team as they travel to BSU on Friday, Jan. 7.
Who: Winona State University vs. Bemidji State University
What: The Warriors (6-6, 3-5 NSIC) will face the Beavers (7-5, 5-3 NSIC)
When: Friday, Jan. 7 with a 7:30 pm CST start.
Where: Bemidji State University, BSU Gymnasium
Winona State - Bemidji State WBB Notables:
Up North Road Trip!
Winona State will play their first North Division foe in Bemidji State in the matchup with the Beavers on Friday.
Winona State enjoys a 14-3 record over Bemidji State in their last 17 meetings, including the most recent in 2020 when WSU defeated BSU 76-67 in Winona.
Bemidji State is 5-1 at home this season, with their only loss being to Minnesota Duluth, 61-59. The Beavers have won four of their home contests by 15 or more points.
Due to the Covid-altered NSIC schedule in 2020-21, Winona State and Bemidji State have not faced each other in 720 days in women's basketball. The two teams last met on Jan. 18, 2020, a 76-67 Warrior win in Winona.
On two different occasions since 2014, Winona State has held BSU to less than 35 points in a game; WSU beat BSU 62-31 on Jan. 3, 2014, and defeated the Beavers 47-33 on Dec. 31, 2017. Both standout defensive efforts occurred in Bemidji.
Emily Kieck's 26-point effort most recently against UIU included a 6-for-6 streak at the foul line. She was one of three Warriors who made all their free throws in the game, with Caitlin Riley and Mattie Schimenz both going 2-for-2 as well.
Although quiet in the scoring column vs. Upper Iowa, Taylor Hustad tied a season-high assist mark (4) in the game and hauled in nine rebounds, her second-highest rebound mark of the year.
Emily Kieck is currently 14th in the NSIC in the assist/turnover ratio category; she has 37 assists compared to 30 turnovers and is 13th in the league in total assists.
'Bout those Bemidji State Beavers:
The Beavers are 7-5 overall and 5-3 within the NSIC, good for third in the NSIC North Division.
Two of their three conference losses have come by a single possession, losing to Minnesota Duluth, 61-59, and UMary, 70-67.
Bemidji State most recently defeated Minnesota Crookston by a score of 70-48 to improve their home record to 5-1.
BSU has the third-best defense in the NSIC, allowing just 61.9 points/game to their opponents this season. They average 69.1 points/game for a margin of +7.2.
The Beavers have enjoyed shooting from beyond the arc this season, leading the league with 8.6 three-point field goals made per game at a second-best rate of 36.7%.
Rachael Heittola leads BSU with 16.6 points/game, a mark that is fifth-best in the NSIC. Trinity Yoder is the only other Beaver to average double-figures at 10.6 ppg.
Heittola also leads Bemidji State in rebounds (7.3/game), free throws (4/game), and field goal attempts (10.6/game).
Yoder leads BSU in assists (5.2/game) and steals (1.9/game). Both are top-10 in the NSIC for their respective categories.
The Beavers will host Upper Iowa on Saturday after hosting 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.
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
