MANKATO, Minn. – The Minnesota State Mavericks (6-7-1, 2-7-1 WCHA) are set to host the top-ranked Wisconsin Badgers (17-1, 11-1 WCHA) this weekend at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center. The puck drops at 3:02 p.m. on Friday and 2:02 p.m. on Saturday in what promises to be an exciting WCHA matchup.

Last Time Out:
The Mavericks are coming off a momentum-building sweep at Dartmouth. Friday's game featured goals from Ava Guillemette, Whitney Tuttle, Claire Vekich and Jamie Nelson, with Guillemette notching her first goal of the season. Saturday's thriller saw Taylor Otremba score her ninth goal of the season, Alexis Paddington added another, and Jenessa Gazdik netted her first career game-winner in overtime with just 42 seconds remaining.

Goaltender Hailey Hansen was a standout, recording 53 saves on 55 shots across the series. She posted an impressive .963 save percentage and secured her second career shutout. Hansen was named WCHA Goaltender of the Week for the second straight week.

Taking on Wisconsin:
The Mavericks face a formidable opponent in Wisconsin, led by Casey O'Brien, who has accumulated 11 goals and 29 assists for a total of 40 points this season. Between the pipes, Ava McNaughton has been stellar, boasting a .952 save percentage.

The Badgers are on a four-game win streak with recent sweeps over Maine and St. Thomas. Wisconsin outscored Maine 15-1 over Thanksgiving weekend on the road.

Historically, MSU has struggled against Wisconsin, holding a 3-105-3 record in the all-time series. Their last encounter was last season, where the Badgers claimed a decisive 7-2 victory.

With a strong performance last weekend, the Mavericks will look to build on their success as they take on one of the toughest teams in the WCHA.