What’s Up This Weekend: The Minnesota State Mavericks (11-12, 8-11 NSIC) head north to face the Bulldogs of Minnesota Duluth on Friday at 6 p.m. MSU will play the Beavers of Bemidji State Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m.

Scouting the Bulldogs: Minnesota Duluth (12-10, 10-8 NSIC) is coming off a 78-65 win over Minnesota, Crookston last Saturday. UMD has won three of its past four games and sits with a 8-3 record at home. The Bulldogs last two losses have been by two points against MSU Moorhead and Northern State. UMD is averaging 66 points a game shooting 41 percent from the field and 31 percent from downtown. UMD is shooting 71 percent from the free throw line this season and averaging 38 rebounds per game. Junior Lindsay Miller leads the team in offense averaging 14.4 points per game and has collected 48 steals this season. Senior Kelsey Hewitt is shooting nearly 50 percent (115-of-232) from the floor, while averaging 13.4 points per game. Hewitt leads the team in boards with 7.3 boards per game. Minnesota Duluth is coached by Annette Wiles, who is in her third year with the Bulldogs.

Inside The Series: In a rivalry that started 39 years ago, the Mavericks are 24-25 in the 49 games against the Bulldogs. Minnesota State currently owns a seven game winning streak over UMD.  The streak happens to be the longest in the series and dates back to 2007. Minnesota State beat the Bulldogs 49-29 back in January. MSU junior Jennie Noreen led the game in scoring and steals with 16 points and seven steals against UMD. Minnesota Duluth’s Lindsay Miller scored 26 points when the two teams met a year ago. The largest victory between the two teams was in 2007 when MSU punished UMD 91-57, then beat the Bulldogs 90-57 the following year.

Scouting the Beavers: Bemidji State (5-17, 2-16 NSIC) comes into the weekend on a ten game losing streak. BSU is shooting 38 percent from the field and averaging 63 points per game. The Beavers are shooting 29 percent from beyond the arc, while averaging 35 rebounds, nine steals, 13 assists this season. Four of its five wins have been at home, including a 79-78 victory over Augustana. Four of the Bemidji State players average more than eight points a game, including Senior Colleen McKay who is averaging 9.4 points per game. Freshman Ellie Wessling pulls in 5.7 boards a game and is shooting 46 percent. Mike Curfman is in his six year as head coach of the Beavers

Inside The Series: In a series that dates back to 1976, Minnesota State holds a 22-13 record against BSU. The Mavericks beat BSU earlier this season 77-73 in the Taylor Center in January. In the game, sophomore Ali Wilkinson had a double-double of 16 points with 10 rebounds and added seven steals. The Beavers beat the Mavericks twice last season, 80-72 and 61-59. MSU owns the greatest margin of victory of 106-54, which happened in 2008 when Minnesota State won the National Championship. The longest winning streak was from 1979-86 when the Mavericks dominated the Beavers in 12 straight games.

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