MANKATO, Minn. – Minnesota State women's basketball opens the new calendar year on the road with an NSIC matchup against St. Cloud State on Saturday, Jan. 3, inside Halenbeck Hall in St. Cloud, Minn. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m., as the Mavericks aim to secure a season sweep over the Huskies.

About the Mavericks
Minnesota State remains unbeaten on the season, improving to 13-0 overall and 7-0 in NSIC play. The Mavericks' continued dominance has kept them atop the NSIC standings and secured a No. 2 ranking in the WBCA Coaches Poll for the fifth consecutive week.

Under head coach Emilee Thiesse, Minnesota State closed out the 2025 calendar year with a pair of road victories, opening with a 94-49 win at Southwest Minnesota State before earning a 93-82 victory over Sioux Falls. The contest against the Cougars marked the Mavericks' closest game of the season, as USF applied consistent pressure and provided a strong challenge throughout.

The Mavericks' success is further reflected in their national statistical rankings. MSU ranks fifth in Division II in assists per game at 18.3 and fifth in field goal percentage at 47.9 percent. Minnesota State also leads the nation in scoring offense, averaging 98.4 points per game, and ranks first nationally in steals per game at 21.9, underscoring the team's efficiency and defensive intensity on both ends of the floor.

Senior guard Natalie Bremer was named the WBCA and D2CIDA National Player of the Week for the second time this season after leading Minnesota State in a pair of road wins over Southwest Minnesota State and Sioux Falls. Bremer averaged 26.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.0 steals, and 1.5 assists per game while shooting 64 percent from the field, earning additional NSIC Player of the Week recognition.

Bremer reached multiple career milestones during the week, scoring 20 points with seven steals against SMSU to move into third place on the Mavericks' all-time scoring list before erupting for 32 points against the Cougars. That performance pushed her career total to 1,956 points, surpassing Joey Batt (1,937) for second place in program history. Only Lisa Walters (2,072) stands ahead of Bremer on Minnesota State's all-time scoring chart.

Nationally, Bremer continues to rank among Division II's top performers. She leads the country in field goals made with 113 and ranks third nationally in total points with 283, while also placing sixth in points per game at 21.8. She adds a top-15 national ranking in free throw percentage, shooting 91.7 percent through the first 13 games.

Goodhue, Minn. native Elisabeth Gadient returned to the lineup last week and made an immediate impact, scoring 12 points against Sioux Falls in her first game back after missing two contests. Her return followed the Mavericks' Dec. 6 matchup against then-No. 24 Concordia-St. Paul. Gadient currently ranks as Minnesota State's third-leading scorer, totaling 133 points in just 11 games this season.

Mackenzie Schweim delivered a season-high 15-point performance while grabbing seven rebounds against Sioux Falls, providing a strong presence in the frontcourt. On the road against Southwest Minnesota State, the Mankato, Minn. native added 11 points after connecting on five field goals. Schweim has been a consistent offensive contributor for the Mavericks, reaching double figures in nine of the team's 13 games this season. She is shooting 45.3 percent from the field, 37.8 percent from three-point range, and 75.0 percent from the free-throw line.

Providing consistent production in the frontcourt, senior forward Ava Stier has totaled 111 points this season while averaging 8.5 points per game for MSU. Across last week's two contests, Stier recorded 21 points, 15 rebounds, and three steals. She turned in a balanced performance against Sioux Falls, finishing with nine points, 10 rebounds including two on the offensive glass, and one block.

Anchoring the Mavericks' perimeter defense, senior guard Hannah Herzig has started all 13 games this season and continues to rank among the nation's most disruptive defenders. She leads Minnesota State with 46 total steals and paces the NSIC at 3.5 steals per game, while also sitting atop the national leaderboard in total steals with a two-steal edge over Cal Poly Humboldt's Shade Satica. Herzig's impact was on full display in last week's win at Sioux Falls, where she paired five steals with five assists to influence both ends of the floor, consistently creating transition opportunities while facilitating the Mavericks' offense.

Depth has been a key factor in Minnesota State's success this season, with the Mavericks' bench consistently providing energy and scoring throughout games. MSU's reserves have accounted for 514 points on the year and are averaging 39.5 points per game, a total that ranks fourth nationally.

Freshman guard Haylee Stokes has emerged as a dependable option off the bench, contributing 116 points while averaging 8.9 points per game. Rhyan Holmgren has complemented that production by averaging 8.3 points and 3.0 rebounds per contest, giving the Mavericks steady output from their reserve unit.

About the Huskies
St. Cloud State enters the matchup with a 4-8 overall record and a 1-6 mark in NSIC play. The Huskies are 2-2 at home this season and currently on a two-game losing streak heading into the contest. SCSU dropped a closely contested 79-76 decision to Sioux Falls before falling 75-64 on the road against Southwest Minnesota State prior to the holiday break. The Huskies are led by head coach Lori Fish, who is in her 18th season guiding the women's basketball program.

Offensively, St. Cloud State averages 71.1 points per game while shooting 41.9 percent from the field, 32.1 percent from three-point range, and an efficient 77.1 percent at the free-throw line. The Huskies average 38.0 rebounds per game and distribute the ball well with 18.6 assists per contest. Defensively, SCSU records 8.8 steals and 2.8 blocks per game, while averaging 16.8 turnovers.

Senior guard Jada Eggebrecht leads the Huskies in scoring, averaging 13.8 points per game through 12 contests. She recorded a season-high four field goals against Minnesota State earlier this year and totaled 18 points across games against Sioux Falls and Southwest Minnesota State. Eggebrecht ranks 17th in the NSIC in total scoring with 165 points on the season.

Appleton, Wis. native Alana Zarneke has been another consistent offensive presence, averaging 13.0 points per game while adding 3.8 rebounds per contest. 

Off the bench, Abigail O'Reilly has emerged as a key contributor, appearing in all 12 games and ranking third on the team in scoring at 9.9 points per game. The 6-1 forward also averages 5.6 rebounds per game, placing her 24th in the NSIC in rebounding.

St. Cloud State holds a 65-48 advantage in the all-time series against Minnesota State, though the Mavericks have controlled the recent meetings, winning the last five matchups. Earlier this season, MSU opened NSIC play with a decisive 110-81 victory over the Huskies at the Taylor Center on Nov. 25. In the all-time series, Minnesota State averages 67.1 points per game against SCSU and holds a 14-29 record when playing in St. Cloud, Minn.