Mankato, Minn.-- The Mavericks (10-7, 7-6 NSIC) are coming off a weekend sweep over Bemidji State and Minnesota Duluth. MSU welcomes Winona State to the Taylor Center Friday as tip-off is slated for 6 p.m. Minnesota State continues play on Saturday against Upper Iowa University at 4 p.m. inside the Taylor Center.

Promotions and More:  Friday night's game is sponsored by Charter and the first 250 fans will receive a promotional item from Charter.

Scoutin’ the Warriors: Winona State (12-5, 8-5 NSIC) is coming off a weekend sweep after losing to #6 Wanye State 52-76 and Augustana 67-81 last weekend. The Warriors are averaging 72.5 points per game this season, while shooting a league leading 47 percent from the floor. WSU is shooting 38 percent from beyond the arc and a league leading 79 percent from the free throw line. Winona State has lost four of its last six games. Junior forward Michelle McDonald leads the Warriors as she averages 16 points per game and 7.7  boards per game, while shooting 61 percent on the season.   Senior forward Natalie Gigler averages 13.3 points and is shooting 54 percent from the floor this season. Katie Wolff is leading the team in playing time with 31.6 minutes per game and averaging 11.8 points per game. Scott Ballard Ballard is the head coach of the Warriors.

MSU/ Winona State History: In a series that dates back  to 1969, MSU owns a 28-13 edge in the all-time series with Winona State. The Warriors beat the Mavericks 61-69 in Winona, Minn., earlier this season. Winona State beat Minnesota State last season in a 59-60 thriller in the NSIC Hoopsfest. Winona State also claimed a 77-64 win in Winona last year. The Warriors have claimed seven of the last ten meetings. MSU put together a 16-game winning streak over the span of nine years from 1979-1998. The greatest margin of victory was when Minnesota State won by 52 points in 1980, with the final being 106-54.

Scoutin’ the Peacocks: Upper Iowa (1-16, 1-12 NSIC) comes into the weekend on an eight-game losing streak. UIU’s only win this season came against Southwest Minnesota State on Dec. 18. The Peacocks are shooting 38 percent on the season and 30 percent from beyond the arc. Besides averaging turning the ball over 20 times a game,  UIU is getting beat by an average of 21 points per game. The Peacocks are yet to make more than 26 field goals in a game this season. With four players averaging more than eight points per game, junior guard Lana Otting leads the offense averaging 10.4 points per game and is shooting 40 percent from three-point range. Junior  Heidi McKean averages 6.3 boards per game. Carol Russel is in her first year as head coach of the Peacocks.

MSU/UIU History: Minnesota State owns a 7-0 record against the Peacocks, including a 72-44 win in Lafayette, Iowa this season. The series dates back to 1979, as the Mavericks beat UIU 79-55. Last season MSU toppled the Peacocks 97-64 as UIU failed to earn a NSIC win.

Where We Call Home: The Minnesota State women’s basketball team has called the friendly confines of Bresnan Arena at Taylor Center home for 11 seasons now. MSU is off to a 8-2 this season at the Taylor Center. All-time the Mavericks are 91-59 (.606) at Taylor Center, including a 16-2 mark in the 2008-09 season. MSU has shot 42 percent from the floor this season at home and shoot 30.2 percent from downtown.

A Year Ago Today: Minnesota State was 10-8 and held a 5-6 record in the NSIC 52 weeks ago. MSU stood tied in ninth place with Northern State in the Conference. 

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Minnesota State's Ali Wilkinson and head coach Pam Gohl: