Mankato, Minn. - The Minnesota State women's basketball will head south this week to begin its regular season, as the Mavericks take on a pair of Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) opponents. MSU will take on Missouri Southern State on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., in Joplin, Mo., before the Mavericks end their road trip with a game against Missouri Western State, on Thursday at 6:00 p.m., in St. Joseph, Mo.

The Mavericks are coming off a 2014-2015 season where they earned an NCAA Tournament berth after posting a 21-10 overall record, with a 16-6 record in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference under now fourth-year coach Emilee Thiesse.

Concerning Missouri Southern State: The Lions enter the week with a 2-0 overall after defeating Oklahoma Baptist and Southwestern Oklahoma State at the MIAA/GAC challenge. MSSU took down OBU, 72-63, and SWOS by the score of 71-68. The Lions are coached by Ronda Hubbard who is in her third season as head coach. 

Last season the Lions posted a 20-7 overall record including a 14-5 record in the MIAA. MSSU's 2014-15 season ended after being ousted by Central Missouri in the quarterfinals of the MIAA Tournament last season.

Wednesday's matchup will mark as the first ever meeting between the Mavericks and Lions.

MSSU comes into the game averaging 71.5 points while giving up 65.5 points a game to its opponents. The Lions are shooting 39% (47-122) from the floor and 37% (15-41) from three-point territory. Their opponents are averaging a 42% field-goal percentage and 33% from beyond the arc. Also through two games, MSSU owns a +4.5 rebounding average and a + 0.6 assist/turnover ratio.

The Lions return their top returning scorer and rebounder from a year ago in Sharese Jones, as she averaged 13.7 points and 7.3 rebounds a contest last season. Jones, who was a Second-Team All-MIAA selection last season, has started this season right where she left off, as she is averaging 23.5 points and 7.5 rebounds through two games this season. 

The Lions have one other player averaging double digits in points through two games in junior Deb Holcomb, who is averaging 16 points a game is shooting 50% from the field. Senior guard Tami Morice is third on the team with six points a contest, while sophomore forward Bri Shavers ranks second on the team with 6.5 rebounds a game.  

Concerning Missouri Western State: The Griffons enter the week owners of a 2-0 overall record after defeating Southwest Minnesota State and Upper Iowa at the SMSU Classic last weekend. MWSU defeated the Mustangs 93-61 and the Peacocks the next day, 89-80.

The Griffons are receiving votes in the WBCA Preseason Coaches Poll and are slated to finish fifth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll. MWSU is coached by Rob Edmisson who is beginning his fourth season at the helm. Thursday's matchup will be the second all-time meeting between the Mavericks and Griffons. Back in 2001, MSU defeated MWSU, 85-61.

Last season, the Griffons recorded a 15-12 overall record, including a 9-10 record in the MIAA. MWSU concluded its 2014-15 season with a loss to Emporia State, 77-60, in the quarterfinals of the MIAA tournament.

The Griffons return four starters from last season's team, including the MIAA's leading scorer from a year ago in senior LaQuinta Jefferson, as she averaged 20.2 points a contest and shot 48% from the field. MWSU also returns senior Sarafina Handy who averaged 2.7 made three pointers a game last season and shot 42% from beyond the arc.

Through two games this season, MWSU is shooting 52% (68-130)from the field, including 41% (13-32) from three-point territory. The Griffons are also averaging 31.5 boards and 19 assists a game and own a -5.5 rebounding margin and a 1.1 assist/turnover ratio.

Individually through two games, the Griffons have two players averaging 20 points a game in sophomore forward Julia Torres-Alves and Handy. Torres-Alves also leads MWSU with 8.5 rebounds a contest, while the Griffons have two other players averaging double-digits in points. Senior forward Miliakere Koyamainavure is averaging 13 points and a team-leading six assists a game, while Dwanisha Tate is averaging 10.5 points a contest.

Preseason Prognosis: In the NSIC Preseason Coaches Poll, the Mavericks were picked to finish fourth in the NSIC South Division and sixth overall in the NSIC. Three teams from the NSIC South Division are predicted to finish in the top of the NSIC. Winona State is picked to finish first after receiving eight first-place votes, while Wayne State comes in second after receiving five first-place votes and Sioux Falls received three first-place votes to finish third in the conference.

NSIC Player to Watch: Sammie Delzotto, a junior guard from Eagan, Minn., was named an NSIC Player to Watch for the Mavericks this season. Delzotto started in all 31 games during her second year for the Mavericks. She logged 27.8 minutes a game last season and averaged 12.1 points and 4.7 rebounds. Delzotto also shot efficient from everywhere on the floor last season, as she shot 42% (135-325) from the field, 36% (38-106) from three-point range and 81% (67-83) from the charity stripe. The junior also collected 66 assists and 37 steals last season for the Mavericks.

Minnesota State History: The 2015-16 season will mark the 50th season in Minnesota State's women's basketball program history, dating back to 1966. During that span MSU has totaled an all-time record of 679-567 (.545).

Walking the Sidelines: Head coach Emilee Thiesse will begin her fourth season at MSU. In her three years here, she has amassed a 70-22 (.778) overall record, including two NCAA Tournament appearances in the 2012-13 and 2014-15 seasons. In NSIC games, she owns a 52-14 (.788) career record.

Home Sweet Home: The Mavericks posted a 13-1 overall record at Taylor Center last season. Under coach Emilee Thiesse, the Mavericks have tallied an outstanding 40-2 (.952) overall record at Taylor Center in the last three years.

From the Charity Stripe: Last season Minnesota State posted a .775 percentage from the free-throw line which marked as a program best in the teams 49 year span. Four Mavericks last season shot better than 80% from the line, including returnees Sammie Delzotto and Britney Scherber.

Top Returners: Seniors McKenzie Hoelmenn and Anna Leloux and juniors Sammie Delzotto and Britney Scherber. These four have combined to play in 217 games while in a Maverick uniform during their career.

Hoelmenn, a product of Lakeville, Minn., averaged 4.4 points and 4.2 rebounds a game last season. The senior center shot 40% (55-139) from the floor and notched 25 assists and 14 steals in 31 games.
Leloux, a native of Parker, S.D., started in 10 games last season and played in a total of 30. Shot 40% (32-81) from the field last season and averaged 2.7 points and 2.9 rebounds a game.

Delzotto is the MSU's returning leading scorer from a year ago, as she averaged 12.1 points a game. The junior guard also averaged 4.7 boards and 2.1 assists last season. The Eagan, Minn. native also shot 42% (135-325) from the floor, 36% (38-106) from three and 81% (67-83) from the charity stripe.

Scherber returns as the Mavericks second leading scorer from a year ago. The Bloomington, Minn. native averaged 7.4 points, along with shooting 80% (49-61) from the free throw line and 35% (32-91) from the beyond the arc last season.

New Faces: This years 2015-16 squad will have seven new faces on the team with four new freshmen and three transfers. The freshmen include guard Monica Muth and forwards Ana Boever, Taylor Paulsrud and Ashley Reed. The three transfers are sophomore's Logan Anderson and Mackenzie Dahl and junior Karina Schroeder.