MANKATO, Minn. – After breaking its two-game losing streak with a huge win at home, Minnesota State (18-4, 14-2 NSIC) will host eighth-place Wayne State (10-10, 7-9 NSIC) and play sixth-place Sioux Falls (13-10, 9-7 NSIC) on the road this week. The first game against WSC will be on February 6 at 7:30 p.m., and the game against the Cougars will be on Saturday, February 8, at 5:30 p.m.
 
About the Mavericks
Last Week's Recap: MSU lost on the road to Concordia-St. Paul, 56-64, last Thursday. The team shot a season-low 28.2% from the field in its lowest scoring performance of the year. The Mavericks bounced back massively just two days later. Minnesota State dominated Winona State at home for its largest scoring output of the 2024-25 season, as the team won 105-49. Six players reached double figures and the squad shot 53.3% from the field and a season-high 11-21 from three (11-21 3P).
 
Team Stats: The Mavericks have the best scoring offense in Division II averaging 88.3 points per game while shooting the sixth-highest field goal percentage, making 46.3% of their shot attempts. MSU ranks 25^th in the country in assists, as 16.3 makes per game come from a pass. The team is second in the NSIC in rebounds per game (42.4 RPG) and is 12^th in the nation in offensive rebounds per contest (16.3 ORPG). Minnesota State on defense is fifth in DII in steals per game (16.2 SPG), sixth in turnover margin (9.14) and eighth in turnovers forced per game (25.9). The team averages 28 points per game off those takeaways. Nine Maverick players are averaging at least one steal per game.
 
Star Power: Minnesota State has two All-American caliber players on its roster. For starters, senior guard Destinee Bursch is having the best season of her illustrious career at MSU. She is averaging 17.1 points per game on 52.7% field goal shooting, both of which are the best marks of her career. Her field goal percentage ranks second in the conference. She is also the leading passer on the team, averaging 3.9 assists per game and is third in rebounds with a 4.2-per-game average. Bursch passed Rhonda House for the third-most career points in Maverick history in the team's win against St. Cloud State, with 1,726 points. The team's leading scorer, junior guard Natalie Bremer, is also having a fantastic season. She is averaging 19.8 points while making 49.1% of her shot attempts, good for the second-best and fourth-best in the NSIC. Bremer also leads the conference in steals, averaging 2.8 takeaways per contest. She has 11 20-point games and two 30-point games this season. Bremer ranks ninth in all-time career points with 1,447.  
 
Newcomer Updates: The team's third-leading scorer is freshman standout Elisabeth Gadient. The Goodhue, Minn. native is averaging 9.3 points on 45.1% shooting from the floor. Gadient has reached double figures in five of the last six games and has two 17-point performances this season. Fellow freshman Lucy Leininger is also having a solid rookie campaign for MSU. Leininger is a spark off the bench, as the Germantown, Wis. native is averaging 6.4 points, 1.8 steals and 1.9 rebounds per game. She just had one of her best games against Winona State as she ended with 13 points (6-8 FG), four assists and five steals, along with a plus/minus rating of plus-37, best of the day for Minnesota State. Transfer athlete, Adeline Kent, is averaging 5.9 points, 1.5 steals and 1.7 steals per game for the Mavericks in 2024-25. Kent is another major contributor for the team off the bench. She scored 11 points three times, against Bemidji State, MSU Moorhead and St. Cloud State. Kent leads the team in three-point percentage, as she has made 47.6% of her attempts from deep.
 
One Win Away: Minnesota State head coach Emilee Thiesse is closing in on the program record for wins. In 13 seasons, Thiesse holds an all-time record of 246-120 and an NSIC record of 183-87. 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 matched Mary Willerscheidt with 246 career wins as head coach of the program in the team's win over Winona State. Against Wayne State on Thursday, Coach Thiesse has the opportunity to pass Willerscheidt in all-time wins.
 
History Against Wildcats: The Mavericks have a chance to match Wayne State, as the Wildcats hold a 20-19 record against the team. Despite WSC holding the edge, Minnesota State has won the last eight matchups. A strong fourth quarter push from the Mavericks put them over the top in the two teams' previous matchup this season, as MSU won 85-68.
 
History Against Cougars: Minnesota State has also won its last eight games against Sioux Falls. The team holds a 13-11 record against the Cougars. In the previous game between the two teams, USF came up just short of upsetting the Mavericks at home, as MSU won 91-88. Minnesota State is an even 6-6 at the Stewart Center in Sioux Falls.
 
 
About the Wildcats
Wayne State is 10-10 overall and 7-9 in NSIC play this season. The team lost three games in a row before winning its latest game against Augustana, 72-68, on the road.
 
The Wildcats average 66.5 points per game on 39.6% shooting as a team. WSC makes 33.8% of its three-point attempts and 72.7% of its free throws. The team grabs 36.8 rebounds and dishes out 14.3 assists per contest. Wayne State turns it over 15.1 times per game and defensively averages 6.7 steals and 4.6 blocks each game.
 
Maya Fitzpatrick is the team's leading scorer averaging 13.1 points per contest as well as two steals and 1.2 blocks per game for the Wildcats. She scored 27 points in the win over Augustana last Saturday. Kylah vanDonkersgoed is the team's leading rebounder and second-leading scorer, averaging 12.4 points and 5.3 boards per game. In Wayne State's overtime win over Northern State in January, vanDonkersgoed scored 22 points and ended with seven rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block.
 
Seventh-year head coach Brent Pollari leads the Wildcats from the sidelines. Pollari has coached Wayne State to a 64-87 overall record.
 
About the Cougars
Before USF lost to No. 22 Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday, the Cougars had won seven of their last eight games. The team fell to SMSU 68-62 at home to fall to 13-10 on the season with a 9-7 conference record.
 
Sioux Falls is averaging 72.6 points per game while shooting 42.6% from the field, 36.8% from deep and 75.6% from the free throw line, all of which rank in the top five in the NSIC. The team's three-point percentage is higher than any other conference team. The Cougars average 36.8 rebounds, 14.1 assists, 7.5 steals and 1.9 blocks per contest. USF turns the ball over 14.5 times per game.
 
Kami Wadsworth is the motor that makes Sioux Falls go. The sophomore forward is averaging 17.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. She scored a season-high 27 points against the Mavericks back in December. She matched that point total again against St. Cloud State.
 
Long-time Cougar head coach Travis Traphagen has led USF to a 284-174 record in 17 seasons. Traphagen has led the Cougars to two NCAA Tournament appearances.