MANKATO, Minn. – No. 25 Minnesota State women's basketball (14-4, 11-1 NSIC) takes on a busy schedule over the next week. The Mavericks host two games against St. Cloud State (10-6, 7-5 NSIC) and MSU Moorhead (6-11, 6-6 NSIC) over the weekend, playing the Huskies on Friday, Jan. 26 at 5:30 p.m. and the Dragons on Saturday, Jan. 27 at 3:30 p.m. The following Tuesday, Minnesota State travels up to Duluth, Minn. to take on the Bulldogs (10-6, 7-5 NSIC). This will be the second matchup between MSU and UMD this season.
About the Mavericks
Still Rolling: The Mavericks continue their winning streak, extending it to 12 this past weekend against Minot State and UMary. Minnesota State took down the Beavers in Minot, 87-72. The team dominated the offensive glass, collecting 22 offensive rebounds and scoring 25 second chance points. The Mavericks had four players with 10 or more points and were led by Natalie Bremer, who finished with 21 points and six rebounds. MSU defeated the Marauders in a gritty win, 76-66. Senior Joey Batt scored 21 points and had four rebounds and three steals. There were 13 lead changes and 10 instances in which the score was tied. There were 53 personal fouls called and 68 free throws shot in the game.
Top Spot: Minnesota State enters the weekend in sole possession of the top spot in the NSIC. The Mavericks have won 12 straight games and have accumulated a 11-1 conference record. Northern State and Southwest Minnesota State are both 10-2, sitting right behind MSU in second place.
Back on the Board: The Mavericks reentered the WBCA NCAA Division II Top-25 Coaches' Poll this week, ranking 25th. This is the first time since the WBCA Preseason Poll that MSU has been in the Top 25. The team was ranked second in the Preseason Poll but fell out of the rankings after starting 2-4.
Batt to Ball: Senior guard Joey Batt has been one of the best players in the conference this season. After sitting out the first five games of the season due to injury, Batt is averaging 16.5 points per game on 46/40/80 shooting splits. Batt is also a premier defender, averaging nearly four steals per game, which leads the team. 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. She leads the NSIC in steals and is 13th in the country.
Destinee Is Calling: Destinee Bursch is another star for this Mavericks basketball team. Bursch is leading the team in scoring, averaging 14.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. Bursch was named the NSIC Player of the Week for her excellent performance against Bemidji State and Minnesota Crookston. The junior guard had 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. 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 308. Minnesota State has stolen the ball 153 more times than the next highest in the conference, Wayne State. The team also ranks second in the country in steals, averaging 17.1 steals per game and trails only Glenville State (19.4) in the category. MSU is currently third in NSIC turnover margin (12.7) and turnovers forced (28.2) Minnesota State scores 32 points per game off turnovers. Batt leads the team in steals, with 50 (3.8 per game). Hannah Herzig has 47 steals, averaging 2.6 per game. Bremer has 40 steals, Emily Herzberg has 34, Mackenzie Schweim has 29 and Bursch has 27. Overall, the Mavericks have eight players averaging one or more steal per game and four players averaging over two steals.
Team Stats: The Mavericks rank as the best offense in the NSIC, averaging 77.9 points per game with a win margin of 17.2 points. The team ranks 11th in scoring offense and 10th in scoring margin in the nation. Minnesota State is shooting 41% from the field, 25% from three and 73% from the free throw line as a team. The team grabs 42 rebounds and dishes out 14 assists per game. Minnesota State ranks eighth in offensive rebounds national and is second in rebounding in the NSIC. The Mavericks force, on average, 28 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 Huskies
St. Cloud State is 10-6 and is tied for sixth place in the NSIC with Minnesota Duluth, both with 7-5 conference records. The Huskies have won three-straight games against UMD, Wayne State and Augustana. The Huskies average 64 points per game, shooting 41/35/69 splits as a team. Their 35% three-point field goal percentage ranks second in the conference. The team grabs 35 rebounds and dishes out just under 15 assists per game. St. Cloud State turns the ball over 14 times per contest.
Jada Eggebrecht is the Huskies' leading scorer, averaging 13.3 points per game, shooting 44% from the field, 40% from deep and 85% from the charity stripe. Ashley Sawicki averages 9.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. Morgan Draheim scores 8.5 points per game, while also averaging 2.4 assists and 1.7 steals per game.
The Huskies are coached by Lori Fish, who is in the midst of her 16th season on the St. Cloud State sideline. Fish has coached for 31 seasons and has a 244-163 record as head coach of the Huskies. St. Cloud State leads the all-time series against the Mavericks, 65-44, and are 6-4 in its last 10 matchups against MSU.
About the Dragons
MSU Moorhead is currently tied for seventh in the NSIC with Minnesota Crookston, boasting a 6-6 conference record and a 6-11 overall record. After winning three of their first four games of the new year, the Dragons dropped their last two games, including an overtime loss to Concordia-St. Paul. The team scores, on average, 62 points per game, shooting 37% from the field, 29% from three-point range and 71% from the free throw line. MSU Moorhead records 41 rebounds and 12 assists per game. The Dragons average 14 turnovers per game.
The team is led by Natalie Jens, who leads the team in scoring, passing and forcing turnovers. The junior is averaging 15.6 points, 4.1 assists and 2.2 steals per game. Terryn Johnson scores 10.2 points per game and averages nearly eight rebounds per game.
The Dragons are coached by Kara Nelson. Nelson has been the coach of the MSU Moorhead women's basketball program for 24 years and has amassed a 399-241 coaching record. The Mavericks hold the all-time series lead against the Dragons, 28-18, winning six of the last 10 matchups between the two teams.
About the Bulldogs
Minnesota Duluth is currently tied with St. Cloud State for sixth place in the conference, with a 7-5 NSIC record. Since starting the 2023-24 season 7-1, the Bulldogs have struggled, going 3-5 since then, most recently losing in overtime to Northern State. The team averages 67 points per game, shooting a league-leading 44% from the field, 33% from three and 74% from the free throw line. UMD averages 34 rebounds and 13 assists per game, turning the ball over 15 times per contest.
The Bulldogs have three players averaging over 10 points per game. Taya Hakamaki leads the team, averaging 13.1 points on 46/36/90 shooting splits. Hakamaki also leads UMD in steals per game, averaging 1.6. Taytum Rhoades averages 11.6 points, five rebounds, four assists and 1.5 blocks per contest. Madelyn Granica scores, on average, just under 11 points per game.
Minnesota Duluth is coached by Mandy Pearson. The ninth-year head coach has found lots of success with UMD, taking the Bulldogs to four-consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, including last year's appearance in the National Championship game. UMD has won nine-straight against Minnesota State, handing the Mavericks a 75-64 loss at the Taylor Center earlier this season. However, since MSU lost to Minnesota Duluth, the Mavericks have won 12-straight games. Minnesota Duluth leads the all-time series, 41-32.
