Independent file photo SMSU’s Sam Wall looks to drive past a MSU Mankato defender during their game on Saturday. The Mustangs will face Minot State and U-Mary this weekend.

MARSHALL — The Southwest Minnesota State University women’s basketball team (7-8, 2-8 NSIC) returns to the road to face Minot State and UMary in a weekend series.

•SMSU will face Minot State (3-11, 0-10 NSIC) on Friday night with a 5:30 p.m. tip-off in Minot, N.D., and will take on UMary (12-7, 6-4 NSIC NSIC) on Saturday with tip-off slated for 3:30 p.m. in Bismarck, N.D.

•SMSU picked up its second conference victory on Saturday with a 78-56 victory over Minnesota State. SMSU went 1-1 on the weekend after a 79-62 loss to Concordia-St. Paul last Friday in a weekend homestand.

•This is the first meeting between the two teams this season.

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

•Junior guard Meleah Reinhart is leading the Mustangs in scoring with 15.9 ppg and has lead the Mustangs in scoring in eight games.

•Junior center Abuk Akoi leads the team in rebounding with 8.7 rpg. Akoi has lead the team in rebounding in seven games and earned her third double-double of the season with 14 rebounds and 10 points in the victory over Minnesota State last weekend.

•Akoi tied her own accolade of most blocks in a single-game (seven) versus Minnesota State.

•Sophomore guard Jenna Borchers has connected on a team-high 32 3-pointers and leads the team in assists with 31.

•Senior forward Caleigh Rodning has missed the last nine games with an injury.

•SMSU is averaging 68 ppg, while opponents are averaging 67 ppg.

•SMSU is shooting 36 percent from the field, 31 percent from the 3-point line, and 82 percent the free-throw line and has a plus-0.9 rebounding margin.

Series history

vs. Minot State

•This is the ninth meeting in series history, dating back to the 2011-12 season.

•Minot State leads the all-time series 5-3 and has won the last two games.

•SMSU’s last victory was a 52-41 victory in Minot on Feb. 3, 2017. The victory marked the first winning streak for the Mustangs with a two-game stretch after a 79-69 victory in Marshall on Dec. 12, 2015.

•SMSU head coach Tom Webb is 1-2 all-time versus Minot State.

Series history

vs. UMary

•This is the 17th meeting in series history, dating back to 2006.

•UMary leads the all-time series 11-5 and holds a 5-2 advantage in games played in Bismarck.

•SMSU snapped a six-game losing streak versus UMary on Feb. 3, 2018, with a 73-58 victory in Marshall.

•SMSU has won the last two consecutive games with a 64-62 victory in Marshall on Jan. 19, 2019.

•SMSU has never won three consecutive games.

•SMSU head coach Tom Webb is 2-1 all-time versus UMary.

Scouting Minot State

•Minot State is 3-11 overall and 0-10 NSIC.

•The Beavers enter the weekend in search of the first conference victory of the 2019-20 season.

•Senior guard Mariah Payne is scoring 17.3 ppg with a team-high 32-of-41 from the free throw line. Payne also leads with a team-high 31 3-pointers and with 47 assists.

•Junior guard Calli Delsman is averaging 7.3 rpg.

•Sophomore center Anna Counts has a team-high 19 blocks.

•Mark Graupe is in his third season as head coach and holds a 30-40 overall record.

•MISU is shooting 39 percent from the field, 30 percent from 3-point range and 75 percent from the free throw line.

•MISU is averaging 61 points per game, while opponents average 68 points per game. Minot State has a plus-3.2 rebounding margin.

Scouting UMary

•UMary is 12-7 overall, 6-4 NSIC, after splitting the weekend series versus Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State last weekend. UMary earned a 76-67 victory over UMD and fell 80-65 to SCSU.

•Senior forward Cassie Askvig leads the team in scoring at 21.1 ppg and is 85-of-102 from the free-throw line.

•Askvig was named NSIC North Division Player of the Week, announced on Jan. 13. Askvig averaged 34 points and 5.5 rebounds over the weekend.

•Sophomore forward Lexie Schneider is averaging 7.7 rpg and has 10 blocks.

•Junior guard Coral Gillette has a team-high 49 3-pointers.

•Rick Neumann is in his eighth season as head coach with a 118-104 overall record.

•UMary is shooting 45 percent from the field, 34 percent from 3-point range and 75 percent from the free throw line.

•UMary is averaging 74 points per game, while opponents average 62 points per game. UMary has a plus-4.6 rebounding margin.

— Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications