Mankato, Minn. --- Four straight road games is next on the docket for the Minnesota State women's basketball team in the next two weeks. This weekend the Mavericks will make their way up to North Dakota where they will take on U-Mary and Minot State. The week after that, MSU will have a much shorter roadtrip as it will be at Winona State and Upper Iowa. The Purple and Gold will take on U-Mary at 6:00 p.m., on Friday in Bismarck, N.D., before turning its attention to MISU on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.

Last Weekend: MSU lost both of its games this past weekend at Taylor Center to Northern State and MSU Moorhead. The Mavericks fell to NSU on Friday night, 74-61, and lost the next night to MSUM, 65-50.

On Friday night against NSU, the Mavericks and Wolves were all square at 50-50 after three quarters, before NSU outscored MSU in the final period 24-11. NSU scored the last 11 points in the game to give the Wolves a 74-61 win over the Mavericks. 

MSU concluded the game with a 37.0 field-goal percentage, while NSU finished slightly better with 41%. Both teams utilized the three ball in the game as the Mavericks connected on 11 three-pointers (11-25) in the loss, which is the second most this season and the Wolves drained nine three's of their own. Junior Sammie Delzotto [Eagan, Minn.] finished with a team-high 14 points and shot 4-of-9 from beyond the arc, while junior Britney Scherber  [Bloomington, Minn.] ended with 12 points, three assists and two rebounds. Sophomore Claire Ziegler [Mankato, Minn.] also tallied double-figures, as she chipped in 11 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

On Saturday the Dragons held onto the lead all 40 minutes and the Mavericks struggled shooting the ball all game as they finished with a 29.0 field-goal percentage, including 20% from three. The Dragons shot slightly better with a 35.0 field-goal percentage and converted on 11 three-pointers in the process.

Sophomore Claire Jordan [Green Bay, Wis.] led the way in the scoring column with 10 points, along with five rebounds, while freshman guard Monica Muth [Cambridge, Wis.] pulled down a new season-high 10 rebounds and also added six points and two assists. Ziegler finished right behind with nine rebounds of her own and six points.

Concerning U-Mary: The Marauders enter the week just shy of .500 as they own an 11-13 overall record and a 5-11 record in NSIC play. In Mary's most recent games last weekend, it fell both to Augustana and Wayne State on the road. The Marauders are coached by Rick Neumann, who is in his third season at the helm.

Friday's matchup will be the 11th all-time meeting between the Mavericks and Marauders. MSU has built a 9-1 overall record against U-Mary, as the Mavericks only lost to the Marauders coming in 2011. Last season MSU defeated U-Mary 85-64 at Taylor Center, as senior center McKenzie Hoelmenn [Lakeville, Minn.] recorded 13 points and nine rebounds in the win.

This season the Marauders are averaging 68 points per game, while their opponents are averaging 62.8 points on them. U-Mary is shooting just under 40% from the field, including 31% from beyond the arc. On the defensive side of things, the Marauders are making it tough on their opponents as teams are shooting just 34% from the field and 26% from three, both of which rank on top in the NSIC.

From the free throw line, U-Mary ranks last in the NSIC with 68% and sit second in the conference in rebounds per game just shy of 42 per game. The Marauders also rank fourth in the conference in blocks per game with 4.67 and fifth in steals with 7.92.

U-Mary has the NSIC's top scorer in senior forward Brittney Dietz. She is averaging 21.7 points per game which is third best in Division II. Dietz is shooting 40% from the field this season and has gotten to the free throw line 166 times, which is 40 plus times more than second place for most free throw attempts in the NSIC. Not only in scoring, but she ranks second in the NSIC in minutes per game with 35.7 and is also pulling down 6.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.

The Marauders have two other players averaging double-figures in junior Hannah Larson and sophomore Dani Williams. Larson is second on the team with 11.5 points per game and leads the team with 8.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game, along with 47 total blocks. Larson currently ranks third in the NSIC in rebounding and second in blocked shots. Williams is scoring 10.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists, to go along with a team-leading 47 made three-pointers this season.

Concerning Minot State: The Beavers enter the week with an 8-14 overall record and a 5-11 record in NSIC play. MISU has lost its last five games. The Beavers are coached by Sheila Green Gerding who is in her 21st season at the school, where she has won 346 career games coming into the season.

Saturday's game will be the fifth all-time meeting between the Mavericks and Beavers. MSU currently owns a perfect 4-0 all-time record against MISU, with the Mavericks most recent win coming last season at Taylor Center. MSU defeated MISU in Mankato last season, 75-61,  as junior Sammie Delzotto led the Mavericks with a team-high 16 points in the win.

This season, the Beavers are averaging 65 points a game and are giving up 72 points per contest to their opponents. MISU is shooting just shy of 40% from the field and 26% from beyond the arc, which ranks last in the NSIC. The Beavers opponents are shooting 44% on them, including 35% from three and average 8.6 made threes a game. MISU pulls down the least amount of rebounds per game in the NSIC with 34 and its opponents average a little more with 38.8 per game. Finally the Beavers hold the fourth best turnover margin the NSIC with 2.45, as they average 9.3 steals a game which ranks as third best in the conference.

Senior Savana Kingsbury leads the Beavers in scoring and rebounding with 12.3 points 7.8 rebounds per game. She also leads the team with 33 minutes per game and is shooting 52% from the field. Junior Alex Haley ranks second on the team with 9.9 points a contest, while senior Sarah Lester sits right behind with 9.8 points and 5.6 rebounds a game.

Leading Scorers: Through 20 games, the Mavericks have two players averaging 10 points or more in sophomore Claire Ziegler and junior Britney Scherber. Ziegler leads the team in scoring with 13.7 points a game, while Scherber sits second on the team with 13.5 points a contest. Ziegler currently ranks 17th in the NSIC in scoring and Scherber places right behind in 18th.

Rebounding Attack: Three Mavericks are averaging six or more rebounds a contest through 20 games this season. Sophomore Claire Ziegler leads the team with 8.5 rebounds a game and ranks fourth in the NSIC. Senior McKenzie Hoelmenn sits second on the team with 6.9 rebounds each game, which places her 11th in the NSIC. Rounding out the trio is junior Karina Schroeder [Lake Crystal, Minn.] as she is averaging 6.2 per contest.

Efficient Shooting: Sophomore forward Claire Ziegler currently places fourth in the NSIC in field-goal percentage as she is shooting 53% from the field

At the Charity Stripe: Junior point guard Britney Scherber is shooting 82% from the free-throw line, which ranks her 11th in the NSIC.