WINONA, Minn. - The Winona State University women's basketball team, winners in three of their last four games, will take on a pair of NSIC opponents later this week to wrap up the 2023 portion of their NSIC schedule.  Winona State (3-6, 3-2 NSIC) will compete against Minnesota State (7-4, 4-1 NSIC) at home on Thursday, Dec. 14 before hitting the road for an away contest at the University of Minnesota Duluth (7-2, 4-1 NSIC) on Saturday, Dec 16.

The Warriors and Mavericks are scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off in McCown Gymnasium, home of WNB Financial Court on Thursday; UMD and WSU will tip off at 4 p.m. in Romano Gymnasium on Saturday. 

Fans attending the Winona State men's and women's doubleheader on Thursday are encouraged to take part in the Holiday Hoops Donation Drive.

Beginning at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday in designated collection stations in McCown Gymnasium, the public can donate items to benefit the Winona Community Warming Center.  Items needed include hand warmers, winter boots, paper towels, toilet paper, dish soap, cleaning supplies, sports bras, phone chargers, and basic toiletry items. In addition, the Winona Community Warming Center is actively recruiting volunteers. More information about volunteering can be found at this link.  WSU Athletics encourages Warrior Nation to take part in the Holiday Hoops Donation Drive to benefit those in need in our community.  

GAME & FAN INFORMATION

• Live stats & stream for the game are available at the links above and on the Winona State schedule page.  
• Thursday's home contest will take place in McCown Gymnasium, home of WNB Financial Court. 
• Saturday's game will be in Romano Gymnasium, on the campus of Minnesota Duluth. 

WINONA STATE STORYLINES 

• WSU is 3-6 on the year, 3-2 in NSIC play. 
• The Warriors have won two straight and three of their last four.
• WSU earned an NSIC road sweep with wins at Wayne State (61-43) and Augustana (53-44) last week.
• The Warriors are averaging 59.9 points/game and conceding 62.7 points per outing.
• Olivia Gamoke is leading Winona State in assists, with 16 on the year. 
• Alex Dornfeld is the top Warrior rebounder, averaging 6.0 rebounds/game
• Dornfeld and Vanessa Alexander have both had a 12-rebound game this season. 
• Kaitlyn Schrimpf has a team-best five steals on the year for head coach Ana Wurtz.
• Emma Carpenter leads WSU in scoring (10.0 ppg), three-point attempts (45), and minutes per game (31.6).
• On Saturday, WSU will see a former neighbor in the Bulldog's head coach Mandy Pearson.  Pearson was the head coach at Saint Mary's between 2007 and 2014.
• In playing Wayne State and UMD on successive weekends, Saturday's contest marks the second time in seven days that WSU will have faced a former Saint Mary's head coach, having played Brent Pollari and Wayne State last weekend. 
• Head coach Ana Wurtz is in her second season as head coach at Winona State. 

Minnesota State STORYLINES

• Minnesota State is 7-4 overall, 4-1 in the NSIC.
• MSU has won five straight contests heading into Thursday's game. 
• The Maverick's Joey Batt is the current NSIC WBB Player of the Week. 
• The Mavericks are averaging 77.5 ppg while holding their opponents to 63.5 ppg. 
• Minnesota State has reached or surpassed 90 points on three occasions this season. 
• The Mavericks had a three-game skid in November, losing to Southern Nazarene (73-56), Fort Hayes State (83-67) and UMD (75-64).
• In the last five games versus WSU, the Mavericks hold a 4-1 advantage. 
• Head coach Emilee Thiesse has been the head coach at MSU since 2012.

Minnesota Duluth STORYLINES 

• The Bulldogs are 7-2 overall and 4-1 in NSIC play. UMD will play Concordia, St. Paul on Thursday before hosting WSU on Saturday.  
• UMD saw a six-game winning streak snapped by Southwest Minnesota State on Dec. 9, losing 86-80 in Marshall. 
• Entering the weekend, UMD averages 70.0 points/game and allows an average of 60.9 ppg per contest.
• Taya Hakamaki averages 13.9 ppg to lead the Bulldogs.
• Taytum Rhoades is the top UMD rebounding force at 6.1 per game.
• In addition to Hakamaki, UMD has two other players who average double-digits; Rhoades (13.0) and Madelyn Granica (12.0).
• Rhoades leads the team in blocks with 19 on the year. 
• UMD has won seven of the last ten versus WSU.
• Head coach Mandy Pearson has been at UMD since 2015. 

WARRIOR NOTABLES

• Head coach Ana Wurtz, assistant coach Hannah McGlone, & assistant coach Emily Kieck are the only all-female coaching staff in the NSIC that also competed at their alma mater as student-athletes
• Dornfeld was the 2023-24 NSIC Warrior women's basketball player to watch for this season

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.

Media Contact: Pete Watkins, Director of Athletic Communications | Ph: 507.457.5577 | Email: pwatkins@winona.edu