MANKATO, Minn. --- The No. 13 Minnesota State women's basketball team opened the circuit with a convincing 87-64 win over then No. 14 Concordia-St. Paul. The Mavericks continued their hot streak from behind the arc as they knocked down nine first-half three pointers and finished the contest 12-of-28 (43%) from behind the arc, MSU is connecting on 43% of its three point attempts so far this season. MSU will now turn its attention to Upper Iowa and Winona State.
The Mavericks were led by the senior trio of Ali Wilkinson (Blue Mounds, Wis.), Karlee Gengenbacher (Quincy, Ill.) and Alli Hoefer (Plymouth, Minn.), whom finished the contest with 16 points, 15 points and 13 points respectively. Junior Aubrey Davis (Bloomington, Minn.) led the Mavericks with seven rebounds, while freshman Tyra Johnson (Apple Valley, Minn.) handed-out three assists.
MSU limited CU to a bleak 21-of-63 (33%) showing from the field, while holding the Golden Bears to just two made three point attempts (13%) in the game.
Scouting the Peacocks: Upper Iowa enters this weekend with a 2-3 record in its first five games. The Peacocks earned wins over Ashford University (69-55) and Wartburg College (65-56). UIU won its Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference opener against Winona State, 66-58 last weekend.
The Peacocks are coached by Carol Russell, who is in her fourth season at the helm of the women's basketball program and is currently 8-58 in NSIC action.
Upper Iowa is led by junior Whitney Kieffer, who is averaging 15.8 points and four rebounds per game during the 2013-14 campaign. Kieffer is one of three Peacocks to average double-figures.
Scouting the Warriors: Winona State is under the direction of Scott Ballard, who coached his team to a 21-11 record a season ago. The Warriors only loss on the season came at the hands of Upper Iowa University in the circuit opener, where the Peacocks came away with the 66-58 victory.
Senior Abby Busch is currently leading the Winona State offensive attack, tallying 17 points and 8.2 rebounds per contest. Collectively, the Warriors are shooting 35% from the field and 25% from behind the arc.
Your Language is Offensive: The Mavericks will enter this weekend boasting the league's best offensive average, tallying 92.2 points per game and will face the league's two lowest-scoring teams in Upper Iowa and Winona State, who are averaging 65.5 and 61.3 points per game, respectively.
In the Polls: The Minnesota State University women's basketball team continued its ascent to No. 13 in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Top-25 Poll released Tuesday, the Mavericks finished the 2012-13 campaign ranked No. 17, which was a season-high.
No. 13 marks the highest WBCA ranking under second-year head coach Emilee Thiesse.
Week Pos. (1st Place Votes)
Preseason 23
Week 1 24
Week 2 17
Week 3 13
Opening the Circuit: Minnesota State is 4-2 all-time in its NSIC openers. The Mavericks defeated Southwest Minnesota State by scores of 74-63 and 74-62 in 2008-09 and 2009-10. MSU fell to Wayne State in its 2010-11 and 2011-12 conference openers by scores of 80-49 and 78-60, but last season opened league play with an 85-66 win over Concordia-St. Paul and this season tallied a 87-63 win over the Golden Bears to kick-off the circuit.
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