MANKATO, Minn. --- The Minnesota State women's basketball team (0-0, 0-0 NSIC) will open up the 2019-20 season with a pair of nonconference games at home. Thursday, the Mavericks will host the Northern Michigan Wildcats with tip-off scheduled for 6:00 p.m. The following Monday, Minnesota State will welcome the Michigan Tech Huskies to Taylor Center with tip-off scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
Mavericks at a Glance: Minnesota State (0-0, 0-0 NSIC), enters the season coming off a 91-74 exhibition victory over UW-Eau Claire last week. In that game, all 16 Mavericks that saw action scored at least one field goal.
Scouting Northern Michigan: Northern Michigan is located in Marquette, Mich., and is currently 1-1 (0-0 GLIAC) on the season. The Wildcats are members of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). Northern Michigan is led by head coach Troy Mattson who is in his 14th season with the program.
As a team this season, the Wildcats net 50.5 points per game in comparison to their opponents' 49.0. Northern Michigan also snatches 30.5 rebounds and dishes out 8.0 assists per contest.
The Wildcats are led by junior guard Lexi Smith who is averaging 9.5 points per game. Senior forward Jessica Schultz is the second leading scorer for the team averaging 8.5 points per game.
Thursday's game will mark the fourth all-time meeting between these two programs, the most recent of which was a 71-51 win for the Wildcats last season.
Scouting Michigan Tech: Michigan Tech is located in Houghton, Mich., and is currently 1-1 (0-0 GLIAC) on the season. The Huskies are members of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). Michigan Tech is led by head coach Sam Hoyt who is in her second season as the leader of the program.
As a team this season, the Huskies net 72.0 points per game in comparison to their opponents' 69.0. Michigan Tech also snatches 31.0 rebounds and dishes out 8.5 assists per contest.
The Huskies are led by senior forward Abbie Botz and junior guard Cassidy Trotter who both average 14.0 points per game. Botz also leads the team in rebounds with 7.0 per game.
Monday's game will mark the 10th all-time meeting between these two programs, the most recent of which was an 72-68 win in overtime for the Mavericks last season.
Looking Ahead: Minnesota State will remain home for a Monday night game against Bethany Lutheran College Nov. 25, with tip-off scheduled for 6:00 p.m. before wrapping up its nonconference schedule with a road trip to Kenosha, Wis., Saturday Nov. 30, to take on the UW-Parkside Rangers with tip-off at 1:00 p.m.
