MANKATO, Minn. – Minnesota State women's basketball (12-4, 9-1 NSIC) will be traveling travels to Minot State (5-14, 2-8 NSIC) to take on the Beavers and to the University of Mary (11-7, 7-3 NSIC) to take on the Beavers and Marauders this week. The Mavericks play Minot State on Friday, Jan. 19 at 5:30 p.m. and UMary on Saturday, Jan. 20 at 3:30 p.m. MSU is currently on a 10 game win streak and has not lost since November 21.

About the Mavericks

A Dominant Weekend: Minnesota State had a great weekend traveling to Bemidji State and Minnesota Crookston. The Mavericks defeated the Beavers on Friday, 79-51. Destinee Bursch had 20-point-10-rebound double-double against Bemidji State to lead the Mavericks. The next night, Minnesota State got collected another win, this time against the Golden Eagles, 100-49. The Mavericks held Minnesota Crookston to just four points in the second quarter and forced 42 Golden Eagle turnovers. Bursch had notched her second consecutive 20-point game, going for 25 and six assists.

Still on Top: The Mavericks continue to sit atop the NSIC standings, boasting a 9-1 conference record. and has won 10-straight games. Minnesota State is a half-game ahead of Southwest Minnesota State, who holds a 9-2 NSIC record. The Mustangs have won nine-straight games. The Mavericks defeated SWMSU SMSU in December at the Taylor Center. Minnesota State and Southwest Minnesota State match up once more this season, with the Mavericks traveling to Marshall, Minn. on Feb. 2.

Key Batt: Mavericks' star guard, Joey Batt, has had an excellent 2023-24 campaign thus far. Since returning from an injury that sidelined her for the first five games, Minnesota State is 10-1, winning its games by an average of 24.7 points per game. The New Ulm, Minn. native is averaging 16.7 points per game on 49/38/80 shooting splits. Batt is also a premier defender, averaging over four steals per game, which leads the team. She also tops the team in field goal percentage, three-point shooting percentage, points per game, steals and minutes per game. Batt earned NSIC Player of the Week honors for her showing against Augustana and Wayne State. In those games, she averaged 23.5 points, six steals and four assists while shooting 66% from the field.

It Must Be Destinee: Destinee Bursch is another star for this Mavericks basketball team. Bursch is leading the team in scoring, averaging 15 points and 3.2 assists per game. The junior guard just had an excellent weekend for the Mavericks, with a 20-point double-double against Bemidji State and a 25-point game in a dominant win against Minnesota Crookston. In the game Against the Beavers, the Chaska, Minn. native crossed the 1,000-career-point threshold, becoming the 25th player in program history to do so. Bursch was named the NSIC Player of the Week for her excellent performance last weekend, her first time earning such honors.

Like Candy from a Baby: The Mavericks lead the NSIC in steals with a team total of 277. Minnesota State has stolen the ball 142 more times than the next highest in the conference, Wayne State. The team also ranks second in the country in steals, averaging 17.3 steals per game and trails only Glenville State (19.3) in the category. MSU is currently third in NSIC turnover margin (12.8) and fourth in turnovers forced, forcing (28.6) turnovers per contest. Minnesota State scores 32 points per game off turnovers.
Batt leads the team in steals, with 45 (4.1 per game). Hannah Herzig has 41 steals, averaging 2.6 per game. Natalie Bremer has 35 steals, Emily Herzberg has 30, Mackenzie Schweim has 27 and Bursch has 26. Overall, the Mavericks have nine players averaging one or more steal per game.

Team Stats: The Mavericks rank as the best offense in the NSIC, averaging 77.4 points per game with a win margin of 17.8 points. Minnesota State is shooting 41% from the field, 25% from three and 72% from the free throw line as a team. The team grabs 42 rebounds and dishes out 14 assists per game. The Mavericks force, on average, 29 turnovers per game while turning the ball over just under 16 times. MSU doesn't get too many blocks, averages 1.7 per game.

Recent Milestones: Mavericks head coach Emilee Thiesse reached the 200-win plateau against Sioux Falls on Dec. 1. She is the second head coach in program history to reach this milestone. Coach Thiesse's teams have made the NCAA Tournament four times (2012-13, 2014-15, 2021-22 and 2022-23). She has a record of 154-84 against NSIC opponents. During the game against Wayne State, Batt hopped two spots to become the fourth leading scorer in Minnesota State women's basketball history, with 1,584. She now sits behind Ali Wilkinson, who scored 1,634 points in her career. Batt also became the Mavericks' all-time steals leader against Winona State. Against Bemidji State, Bursch became the 25th player in program history to reach 1,000 points after scoring a layup in the second quarter.

About the Beavers
Minot State is currently 13th in the NSIC with a 2-8 conference record and a 5-14 overall record this season. The Beavers have lost six of their last eight games, most recently losing to SMSU 80-42. Minot State averages 57.6 points per game, shooting 37% from the field, 28% from three and 67% from the free throw line. The Beavers grab 31 rebounds and pass out 12 assists each game. The team turns the ball over 15 times per game and averages eight steals and two blocks per game.

Sydney Gustavsson is the Beavers' leading scorer, averaging 11.5 points per game on 39/26/70 shooting splits. Gustavsson also averages 1.6 steals per game. Lorelei McIver is the team's leading rebounder, averaging 4.5 boards per game.

Minot State is coached by Mike Brandt, who is in his third year as head coach of the Beavers. Brandt has amassed a 20-34 record occupying the Minot State sideline. Minnesota State leads the all-time series lead 9-2, and has won eight of the last 10 matchups against the Beavers.

About the Marauders
UMary is currently tied for fourth place in the NSIC, boasting a 7-3 conference record, alongside Concordia-St. Paul. The Marauders have won eight of their last 10 games. Last weekend, UMary fell to Augustana, 68-62, and defeated the Wildcats of Wayne State College, 73-40. The Marauders average 68 points per game, with a 41% field goal percentage, a 33% three-point shooting percentage and a 74% free throw percentage. UMary averages 39 rebounds and 13 assists per contest. The team turns the ball over 15.5 times per game and averages eight steals. The Marauders lead the NSIC in blocked shots, averaging 4.5 per game.

Lexie Schneider is the leading scorer, passer and rebounder for the Marauders. Schneider is averaging 21 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. Schneider has earned NSIC Player of the Week honors three times so far this season. Mariah McKeever and Megan Zander are both major contributors as well, averaging 13 and 12 points per game this season, respectively. McKeever is shooting 54% from three-point range this season.

UMary is led on the sidelines by Rick Neumann, the Marauders' head coach who is in the midst of his 12th season as head coach. Neumann has accumulated a 171-152 record with UMary. The Mavericks are 16-4 against the Marauders, winning the last five matchups.