Independent file photo SMSU’s Erin Baxter drives past a MSU Mankato defender during their game on Dec. 7, 2018. The Mustangs will face the Mavericks and Concordia-St. Paul this weekend.

MARSHALL — The Southwest Minnesota State University women’s basketball team (5-1, 0-1 NSIC) returns to Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play with its first true road conference weekend of the season.

•SMSU will face Minnesota State (3-1) on Friday at the Taylor Center in Mankato, with tip-off set for at 5:30 p.m.

•On Saturday, SMSU will take on Concordia-St. Paul (3-3) in St. Paul, at 3:30 p.m. inside the Gangelhoff Center.

•Both teams have yet to open conference play, while MSU was chosen fifth overall and third in the South in the NSIC Preseason Poll while CSP was chosen 10th overall and seventh in the south.

Broadcast info

•Both games will be broadcast on 105.1 FM KARL with Ryan Rohlik providing play-by-play.

•Live stats, radio broadcast and video can be found at SMSUmustangs. com.

SMSU quick hits

•The 2019-20 season is the 51st of women’s collegiate basketball at SMSU and has amassed 599 all-time victories, and is just one-game shy of 600 victories.

•This is the best six-game start for the Mustangs since the 2008-09 season when they started the season 5-1. If SMSU wins on Friday, it will be the best start after seven games since the 2004-05 season when the team was 7-0.

•Last weekend, SMSU won its first back-to-back true road games for the first time since the 2011-12 season.

•Junior guard Meleah Reinhart is leading the Mustangs in scoring with 17.7 ppg and has made 31 of 34 from the free throw line. She is the only Mustangs to record a twenty-point game. Reinhart earned her second last Saturday with 26 points versus Western Oregon.

•Senior forward Caleigh Rodning leads the team in rebounding with 7.5 rpg. Rodning ranks 11th in team history with 629 rebounds and is sixth in team history in rebound average (7.4).

•Sophomore guard Jenna Borchers has connected on a team-high 15 3-pointers.

•SMSU is averaging 74 ppg, while opponents are averaging 62 ppg.

•SMSU is shooting 37 percent from the field, 32 percent from the 3-point line, and 82 percent the free-throw line and has a plus-3.3 rebounding margin.

Series history vs.

Minnesota State

•This is the 60th meeting in series history, dating back to the 1970-71 season.

•SMSU trails the all-time series 40-19 and trail 24-7 in games played in Mankato.

•SMSU snapped a 23-game losing streak a season ago with the first ever season sweep over MSU.

•SMSU earned a 74-73 victory to snap the streak on Dec. 7, 2018, in Marshall, and then traveled to Mankato on Jan. 12, 2019, to earn an 88-73 victory for the season sweep.

•The last time SMSU earned three consecutive victories over MSU was four consecutive victories from the 1979-80 season to 1981-92.

Scouting

Minnesota State

•Minnesota State is 3-1 on the season and will face SMSU in its conference opener.

•The Mavericks finished 14-13 overall last season and 11-11 in NSIC play.

•Junior forward Tayla Stuttley leads the team in scoring at 13.8 ppg.

•Junior forward Rachel Schumski is averaging a team-high 5.0 rpg and ranks fourth on the team with 9.0 ppg.

•Emilee Thiesse is in her eighth season as head coach and holds a 125-82 overall record.

•MSU is shooting 44 percent from the field, 35 percent from 3-point range and 65 percent from the free throw line.

•MSU is averaging 87.3 points per game, while opponents average 70.8 points per game.

Series history vs.

Concordia-St. Paul

•This is the 56th meeting in series history, dating back to the 1974-75 season.

•SMSU trails the all-time series 40-16 and is 8-23 for games played in St. Paul.

•CSP has a 15-game winning streak over SMSU which started on Feb. 10, 2012.

•SMSU’s last victory came on Dec. 10, 2011, with a 60-55 victory in Marshall.

Scouting

Concordia-St. Paul

•Concordia-St. Paul is 3-3 on the season after earning a 86-73 victory over Jamestown on Saturday.

•CSP will open NSIC play on Friday versus Sioux Falls.

•The Golden Bears finished the 2018-19 season 21-7 after calling to Bemidji State in the first round of the NSIC tournament.

•Sophomore guard Meghan DuBois had connected on seven 3-pointers and leads the team in scoring with 14.0 ppg.

•Junior guard Danielle Schaub is averaging 13.0 and has a team-high 17 point 3-pointers.

•Amanda Johnson is in her fourth season as head coach and holds an overall 41-38 record.

•CSP is shooting 41 percent from the field, 38 percent from 3-point range and 67 percent from the free throw line.

•CSP is averaging 67 points per game, while opponents average 68 points per game.

— Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications