Mankato, Minn. --- The Minnesota State women's basketball team will embark on a roadtrip to Southwest Minnesota State and Sioux Falls this weekend. The Mavericks will first take on SMSU on Friday at 6:00 p.m., in Marshall, Minn., before squaring off with USF on Saturday at 4:00 p.m., in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Last Time Out: MSU fell to Concordia-St. Paul on Tuesday night up in St. Paul, Minn. by the score of 73-64. With the loss, MSU's overall record falls to 5-11 overall and 4-8 in NSIC play.

MSU built a 22-16 advantage after one quarter thanks in part to shooting 53% from the field, including three made 3-pointers. Also, all nine MSU players that played in the quarter, scored in the first. 

Momentum swung in the second and third quarters for the Golden Bears, as they outscored the Mavericks, 41-23, to give CU a 57-45, lead heading into the fourth quarter. In the second and third quarters, MSU shot a combined 27% from the field, including 0-of-8 from beyond the arc. 

MSU was able to make things interesting in the final quarter, as it started the fourth on a 10-0 run that cut CU's lead down to two, 57-55, with 5:35 remaining in the game. Freshman guard Taylor Paulsrud [Rogers, Minn.] scored eight of her 12 points during the run, including two 3-pointers. However, MSU was never able to get any closer to CU's lead as the Golden Bears won the midweek contest, 73-64.

MSU finished the game with a 33% from the field and nailed five 3-pointers in the loss, while CU connected on 42% of its shots from the field and drained over 50% of its three-point attempts (9-17). The Mavericks were outrebounded by the Golden Bears, 47-35, while MSU's bench played a key role as it outscored CU's bench, 38-4.

Paulsrud led MSU with 12 points, while sophomore guard Madison Lee [Coon Rapids, Minn.] finished right behind with 11 points and a team-high six rebounds. Sophomore forward Claire Ziegler [Mankato, Minn.] added 10 points, five rebounds and three blocks, while junior forward Karina Schroeder [Lake Crystal, Minn.] came off the bench and recorded nine points and four rebounds.

Concerning Southwest Minnesota State: The Mustangs enter the week with a 3-15 overall record and 1-11 record in NSIC play, as they have lost seven straight conference games. SMSU is coached by Allison Kruger who is in her sixth season at the helm.

Friday's game will mark as the 44th all-time meeting between the Mavericks and Mustangs, as MSU has built a 29-14 all-time record against SMSU. The Mavericks have had the upperhand in the series lately as they have won the last 16 games against the Mustangs that dates back to 2005.

This season the Mustangs are averaging a conference worst, 58.7 points per game, while their opponents are scoring 75 points a game on them.  SMSU is also shooting 38% from the field and its opponents are connecting on 44% of its shots. From beyond the arc, the Mustangs are shooting 28% and from the free-throw line they hitting 68% of its attempts. 

The Mustangs pull down 34 rebounds a game and hold a conference worst, -5.7 rebounding margin. Finally, SMSU holds a -4.17 turnover margin, block 2.22 shots a game, dish out 11.39 assists a game and average 6.22 steals each game.

Senior forward Hope Bonlander leads the Mustangs in scoring with 13.1 points a game and also pulls down a team-leading 6.1 rebounds per game. Sophomore forward Lauren Hedlund sits second on the team in scoring and rebounding with 12.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game, respectively. Senior guard Anessa Rosch is third on the team in scoring with 9.7 point per game and owns a team-leading 24 made three-pointers.

Concerning Sioux Falls: The Cougars enter the week with a 14-4 overall record and an 8-4 record in NSIC play. In the most recent Women's Basketball Coaches Association Division II poll, USF falls right outside the top-25. The Cougars are receiving votes as they have lost three of their last five games. The Cougars are coached by Travis Traphagen, who is in his seventh season at the helm. 

Saturday's game will mark as the seventh all-time meeting between the Mavericks and Cougars, as MSU owns a 4-2 all-time record against USF. Last season the two teams split in the two games they played, as the Mavericks won the first meeting at Taylor Center, 78-72, before falling to the Cougars in Sioux Falls, 74-62.

The Cougars own an 8-1 record at home this season and rank third in the NSIC in scoring defense this season, as they hold their opponents to 60 points per game. In scoring offense, USF averages 73 points each game and shoots 42% from the field. From beyond the arc, the Cougars are shooting 33% and rank third in the NSIC in 3-point field-goals made per game with 8.1. At the free throw line the Cougars are shooting 71%. 

USF ranks in the middle of the pack in the NSIC in rebounding as they tally 40 rebounds a game and own the sixth best rebounding margin in the conference with +4.2. The Cougars own the second best assist/turnover ratio in the NSIC with +1.41, as they dish out the most assists in the conference with 17.61 per game and turn the ball over 12.4 times a game.

Senior guard Taylor Varsho not only leads the Cougars in scoring this season but ranks second in the NSIC in scoring as she averages 17.5 points per game. Varsho tops the conference in made 3-point field-goal with 59 this season and she is connecting on 36% of her attempts from beyond the arc. She also averages 4.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.0 steals a game for the Cougars.

USF has three other players averaging eight points or more in Alison Klostergaard, Sam Knecht and Teagan Molden. Klostergaard is second on the team with 9.9 points per game and owns a team-leading 6.5 boards a game. Knecht averages 9.4 points and 6.4 points a game and is shooting 53% from the field. Closing out the trio is Molden, who is averaging 8.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and is shooting 81% from the charity stripe.

NSIC Player of the Week: Sophomore forward Claire Ziegler [Mankato, Minn.] earned NSIC South Division Player of the Week honors for the second time this season, after averaging 24.5 ppg and 15 rebounds last weekend. 

"20-20" Performance: Digging deeper into sophomore Claire Ziegler's "20-20" performance against Bemidij State, she finished just three rebounds away from matching MSU's single-game record. Back in the 1978-79 season, Mary Manderfield notched 25 rebounds against Moorhead. Also this is the first "20-20" performance at MSU in at least the last 12 years.

Other Impressive Performances: Sophomore Claire Jordan [Green Bay, Wis.] set a new career-high 14 points against Bemidji State, while in that same game, junior Karina Schroeder set a new season-high with 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting.

Bench Production: Since the "New Year", the Mavericks bench has been averaging over 26 points a game, while their opponents bench are averaging just 14 points a contest. On Tuesday night against Concordia-St. Paul, MSU's bench outscored CU's bench, 38-4.

Leading Scorers: Through 16 games, the Mavericks have two players averaging 10 points or more in sophomore Claire Ziegler and junior Britney Scherber [Bloomington, Minn.]. Ziegler leads the team in scoring with 14.4 points a game, while Scherber sits second on the team with 13.6 points a contest. Ziegler currently ranks eighth in the NSIC in scoring and Scherber places in 15th.

Rebounding Attack: Three Mavericks are averaging six or more rebounds a contest through 15 games this season. Sophomore Claire Ziegler leads the team with 8.5 rebounds a game and ranks third in the NSIC. Senior McKenzie Hoelmenn [Lakeville, Minn.] sits second on the team with 8.1 rebounds each game, which places her sixth in the NSIC. Rounding out the trio is junior Karina Schroeder as she is averaging 6.1 per contest.

Efficient Shooting: Sophomore forward Claire Ziegler leads MSU with a 55% field-goal percentage which is a NSIC best.

At the Charity Stripe: Junior point guard Britney Scherber is shooting 83% from the free-throw line, which ranks her fifth in the NSIC.