MANKATO, Minn. – The Minnesota State women's basketball team (2-1) will host Northwestern (MN) Eagles (1-2) from St. Paul on Wednesday, November 20 at 6 p.m. in the Taylor Center. This will be the Mavericks' first game at home in 2024-25 and the first matchup between the Mavericks and the Eagles.
 
About the Mavericks
Weekend Recap: The Mavericks traveled to Kenosha, Wis. after a 1-1 start at the Central Region Crossover to take on the Rangers of UW-Parkside. It was a tied game headed into the fourth quarter, but MSU was able to outlast Parkside with a seven-point win, 82-75. Natalie Bremer recorded her first double-double of the season as she scored 23 points and grabbed 10 boards in the win. She also had three steals and shot 50% in the game with two three-pointers. Bremer earned her third career NSIC Player of the Week honor for her performance against Parkside. In limited minutes due to foul trouble, Destinee Bursch scored 16 points in just 17 minutes.
 
Team Stats: In three games, Minnesota State has averaged 82.7 points per game while shooting 40.5% from the field, 25% from three and 64.2% from the charity stripe. The team has grabbed 43.7 rebounds per game, dished out 11 assists per game while recording 13 steals and 1.3 blocks per game, as well.
 
True Scorers: Minnesota State's two leading scorers are Bremer and Bursch. Bremer holds a 21.3 point per game average with a 45.3% field goal percentage. She has made two of her seven three-point attempts so far and is 14-20 from the free throw line. Bursch has averaged 16 points while shooting 47.1% from the field, 25% from deep and 78.9% at the free throw line.
 
Rounding Out the Starters: The Mavericks' three other starters have been solid contributors as well. Ava Stier has averaged 9.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game this season. She scored 14 points in the loss to Northwest Missouri State and nearly had a double-double in the team's first game against Emporia State, as Stier ended with 10 points and eight rebounds. Mackenzie Schweim holds a nine-point-per-game average and leads the team with four three-point makes on the season. She hit 3-8 from beyond the arc against UW-Parkside and scored 12 points. Hannah Herzig at point guard has been very balanced, as she has averaged 5.3 points, 2.7 assists and three steals per game this season. Herzig has two seven-point performances this season and one seven-assist game.
 
All That Came From Pressure: Minnesota State creates a lot of havoc on the defensive end with its full-court press. The team leads the NSIC in steals with 39, a 13-per-game average. MSU has scored 19.3 points per game off turnovers. Six Maverick players are currently averaging at least one steal per game. Bremer leads the team with 10 total steals and a 3.3 per-game average. Herzig had nine steals and a three-per-game average.
 
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 Eagles
UNW has won one of three to start the season with a 1-2 record. After the Eagles defeated Buena Vista 62-59 on the road, the team lost both of its next two games, first against Hamline and then at home against Luther College. Northwestern lost to the Pipers 59-54 and lost to the Norse 83-59.
 
The Eagles have averaged 58.3 points, 33.7 rebounds, 13 assists, eight steals and 1.7 blocks per game this season. The team is shooting 32.6% from the field, 24.4% from three and 72.1% from the free throw line.
 
UNW has three players averaging 10 or more points per game. Ella Falk is the team's leading scorer and has averaged 13.7 points and seven rebounds per game with a 53.3% field goal percentage. Jasmine Sondrol is averaging 12.7 points per game with a 46.2% three-point field goal percentage. Sondrol is also averaging one block per contest. Lexi Hagen is also averaging 12.7 points per game for the Eagles.
 
Northwestern's coach is Aaron Kahl, who has been with UNW for 15 seasons. Kahl has led the Eagles to a 237-145 record.