MANKATO, Minn. – Minnesota State women's basketball (1-1) will travel to Kenosha, Wis. for a non-conference game against the Rangers of UW-Parkside (2-0). The Mavericks will take on Parkside on Saturday, November 16 at 1 p.m. at DeSimone Gymnasium.
 
About the Mavericks
Region Crossover Challenge Review: The Mavericks went 1-1 last weekend down in St. Joseph at the Regional Crossover Challenge. MSU defeated the Emporia State Hornets 99-74. Destinee Bursch and Natalie Bremer combined for 43 points and 16 rebounds in the win over ESU and the Mavericks forced 29 turnovers in the win. MSU fell short to Northwest Missouri State in game two, 85-67. The Bearcats shot the lights out from beyond the arc and the Mavericks were in foul trouble the entire game. MSU head coach Emilee Thiesse noted that the loss was a "valuable learning experience early in the season about what it takes to compete as a team."
 
Team Stats: MSU averaged 83 points, 45.5 rebounds, 12.5 assists and 13.5 steals per game through its first two games this season. The team shot 41% from the field, 22.2% from three-point range and 63% from the charity stripe in those games. The Mavericks also scored 22.5 points off 43 turnovers forced through two games.
 
Team Leaders: Bremer, Bursch and Ava Stier are the three Maverick players averaging 10 points per game or higher. Bremer leads the team with a 20.5 point per game average after two 20-point performances at the Region Crossover Challenge. Bursch has a points per game average of 16 through two games and Stier boasts an average of 12 points per game. Those two also lead the team in rebounds with 12 and 11 boards grabbed by Bursch and Siter, respectively. Junior point guard Hannah Herzig is averaging four assists per game and is tied with Bremer with seven steals through the Mavericks' first two games.
 
Newcomer Updates: The Mavericks welcomed seven new players to the floor last weekend. Of new Mavericks, freshman Rhyan Holmgren led the group in scoring as she averaged 6.5 points per game, three rebounds and two steals per game. The St. Peter, Minn. native scored eight points in the team's opener against Emporia State. New Maverick via the transfer portal, Adeline Kent put up four and four rebounds against the Hornets and scored five points against Northwest Missouri State. Freshman Elisabeth Gadient also posted five points in her first game as a Maverick.
 
Elite Coaching: The Mavericks women's basketball program is led by head coach Emilee Thiesse, who enters her 13^th year in Mankato. Thiesse has an all-time record of 228-116 and an NSIC record of 169-85. Minnesota State has won 76 percent of its games in the Taylor Center under Coach Thiesse. She has led the Mavericks to six 20-win seasons and five NCAA Tournament appearances. Last season, Thiesse was named NSIC Coach of the Year for the first time in her career. She is 18 wins away from becoming the winningest coach in program history.
 
 
About the Rangers
UW-Parkside is 2-0 to start its season in the GLIAC. In a pair of games in St. Louis, Mo., the Rangers took down Maryville, 75-60, and Missouri-St. Louis, 71-62. In the team's opener against the Saints, the Rangers had three players score 15 points or more. Sheridan Flauger nearly had a triple-double as she scored 21 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Peighton Nelson scored 22 in Parkside's second game against the Tritons.
 
The Rangers have averaged 73 points, 52.5 rebounds, 13.5 assists, four steals and six blocks per game in its pair of wins this season. Parkside has shot 39.7% from the field, 29.2% from beyond the arc and 74.4% from the free throw line. The team has turned the ball over 15 times per game.
 
Nelson and Flauger are the Rangers' two leading scorers. Nelson has a 19-point-per-game average and Flauger averaged 17 points per game through two. Flauger is the team's leading passer and three-point threat, with 11 assists and six made three-pointers, whereas Nelson leads the team in field goal percentage with a 57.1 percent clip. Cassidy Arni has scored 30 points in the team's two games, as she holds a 15-point per-game mark. Arni is also the team's leading rebounder, with 16 total on the season and an eight-per-game average.
 
UW-Parkside is led by seventh-year head coach Jen Conely. Conely has led the Rangers to an 88-76 record in her six seasons at the helm of the program.
 
Minnesota State has never lost to UW-Parkside in its nine matchups with the Rangers going back to 1988. Last season, the Mavericks routed the Rangers 98-68 at the Taylor Center.