GAME NOTES

THIS WEEK: Sporting a seven-game winning streak and receiving votes in the national Top 25 poll, the University of Mary makes its first road trip of 2012 after four home games last week. The Marauders open their weekend road trip against the Southwest Minnesota State University Mustangs on Friday, January 14. Tipoff is set for 6 PM. U-Mary finishes off its two game set to southern Minnesota against the Mavericks of Minnesota State University at 4 PM on Saturday, January 15.
 
THE RECORDS: In the midst of a seven-game winning streak, the Marauders are 11-3 overall and tied for second in the Northern Sun at 8-2... The Mustangs are 5-8 overall and are in a three-way tie for seventh in the NSIC at 4-5... The Mavericks are 10-3 overall and 6-3 in the NSIC to sit fourth.
 
LAST OUTINGS: U-Mary won four home games last week, including a 63-54 win over MSU Moorhead on Saturday and a 69-46 victory over Minnesota Crookston on Sunday... In their lone game of the weekend, Minnesota State earned a 65-58 win at travel partner Southwest Minnesota State. 
 
HISTORY / LAST MEETING
U-Mary vs. Southwest Minnesota State: U-Mary holds a 5-3 advantage in the all-time series with Southwest Minnesota State. The two teams first met on Feb. 21, 2006, in Marshall, MN, with U-Mary taking home a 79-62 win. The Marauders, 2-2 at home, won the first four matchups between the two schools but SMSU has claimed three of the last four... The Mustangs downed the homestanding Marauders 80-69 on 1.14.11 in the only meeting between the two teams last season. Leading by as many as 18 points, the Mustangs made 10 straight free throws in the final two minutes after the Marauders cut the deficit to seven. Amber Peterson led SMSU with 18 points and seven assists and Laura Kramer and Tori Fink each scored 16. Ali Collins led the Marauders with 20 points. Kayla Schmidt chipped in 11 and Rachel Zillmer 10.  
 
U-Mary vs. Minnesota State University: The Marauders are 1-5 all-time against the Mavericks in a series that started with a 71-66 Minnesota State victory in 1985. MSU won the first five meetings... The Marauders claimed their first win against the Mavericks in the only meeting between the two teams last season. U-Mary earned the 63-57 win on 1.15.11 as four players hit double digits in the game for the Marauders. Ali Collins and Lindsey Sand both scored 11 points and Cassandra Kelsch and McKenzie Foster each added 10. Four of Sand's points came in the final 19 seconds. Ali Wilkinson led MSU with 20 points and 16 rebounds.
 
ONE AND DONE: This weekend's matchup between the Marauders and the Mustangs and Mavericks is the only regular season meeting for U-Mary with SMSU and MSU.
 
SEVEN: The Marauders seven consecutive wins is the team's longest winning streak since posting eight straight victories during the 2004-05 season.
 
WHIRLWIND: The Marauders played two home games in December. The team just wrapped up four home games in the span of seven days to start off 2012.
 
SECOND: After 10 games conference games the Marauders are tied for second in the Northern Sun. U-Mary defeated first-place Wayne State earlier this season and lost to fellow 2nd place squad Augustana.
 
TOP 25 VOTES: For the second straight week the Marauders received four votes in the USA Today ESPN Division II Top 25 Women's Basketball Coaches' Poll. This is the first national recognition for U-Mary in a national poll since March 1, 2005, when the Marauders ranked fourth in the final NAIA Division II ratings of the 2004-05 season. U-Mary began the transition to NCAA Division II the following season.
 
ROAD WARRIORS: The Marauders have experienced tremendous success on the road this season, winning six of seven games. The Marauders road win total already equals last season's total of six road wins. U-Mary's road sweep of NSIC foes Minnesota Duluth and Bemidji State on December 16-17 was the Marauders first road sweep of conference foes since January 11-12, 2008.
 
FOUR SQUARE: The Marauders captured four games in seven days to open 2012. Defense keyed the sweep as U-Mary allowed just 52 points per game. Additionally, the Marauders limited teams to a stingy 29.3 per cent shooting percentage. Much of the dominance was in the paint as U-Mary held a 24-8 edge in blocks during the four games.   
 
DEFENSE: One of the top offensive teams in the Northern Sun is also one of the best defensive units. On the season, teams are shooting an anemic 33.9 per cent from the field against U-Mary. The Marauders also are allowing just 59.9 points per game. Eight times in 14 games the Marauders have held an opponent to 56 or fewer points.
 
HAAG IN CHARGE: SO F Kaitlyn Haag may be coming off the bench but she is front and center in the recent success of the Marauders. In her last six games Haag has been unstoppable while reaching double figures in each contest. During this stretch she is averaging 15.0 points per game and 7.8 rebounds while shooting 57.1 per cent from the field and 81.8 per cent at the free throw line. Haag picked up her first double double of her career with 16 points and 12 rebounds in a  win over MSU Moorhead 1.7.12.  
 
MAGNIFICENT MURRAY: JR F Linda Murray played a key role in the Marauders weekend sweep. The forward from Fresno, CA, averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and shot 54.5 per cent from the field. Murray posted 13 points and eight boards against MSU Moorhead and 16 points, nine rebounds and three blocks against Minnesota Crookston. For the year Murray is averaging 8.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game and has a team-high 24 blocks in 14 games.
 
POST PLAY: Marauders post players Kaitlyn Haag and Linda Murray dominated the paint for the Marauders in weekend wins over MSU Moorhead and Minnesota Crookston. The dynamic duo posted 59 of the Marauders 123 weekend points. They combined for 29 in a win over the Dragons and 30 against the Golden Eagles.
 
FOSTER OUR PEOPLE: SO F McKenzie Foster had a great start to 2012, hitting double figures twice and averaging 9.75 points over the past four games. She had 12 points on four treys against Upper Iowa and followed with 10 points and three treys against MSU Moorhead.
 
STAT STUFFER: JR G Ali Collins contributes all across the board for U-Mary. The Mandan, ND, native leads U-Mary in scoring (11.4 PPG), assists (3.5/game), steals (35) and free throw attempts (56). The dynamic guard also pulls down 4.6 rebounds per game. 
NATIONAL NOTE- TEAM: The Marauders rank in the top 50 nationally in several categories:
• 19th in field goal percentage defense (33.9)
• 20th in blocks per game (4.9)
• 22nd in rebounding margin (+7.6)
• 36th in winning percentage (78.6)
• 40th in three-pointers made per game (6.7)
• 50th in free throw percentage (72.9)
 
NATIONAL NOTE - INDIVIDUAL: Several Marauders are mentioned among the top 100 on the NCAA individual stat leader boards:
• Kayla Schmidt 57th in three point field goals made/game (2.4)
• Ali Collins is 74th in steals/game (2.5)
• Linda Murray is 61st in blocked shots/game (1.7)
 
BOARD GAMES: The Marauders are first in the NSIC in rebounds per game (44.6) and third in rebounding margin (+7.4/game). Through 14 games, U-Mary was out rebounded just once this season - a loss to Augustana.
 
WINDEX: Linda Murray is the Marauders leading glass cleaner this season. Her average of 7.4 rebounds per game is fifth in the NSIC. Teammate Kaitlyn Haag averages 6.8 rebounds and is 8th in the conference. Shaunna Knife is 19th in the conference with 5.8.
 
BLOCK PARTY: The Marauders average 4.93 blocks per game, second in the NSIC. Leading the way is Linda Murray with 1.71 blocks per game, fourth in the NSIC. Shaunna Knife is 9th with 1.29 blocks/game.
 
DOWNTOWN: The Marauders are averaging 6.9 treys made per game, second among schools in the NSIC. Leading the way is senior guard Kayla Schmidt, who is second in the Northern Sun with an average of 2.36 treys per game.
 
CRIME SCENE: U-Mary averages 9.43 steals per game, fourth in the NSIC. Ali Collins is the leader of the crime ring, averaging 2.5 steals/game, third among NSIC players. 
 
ALL IN: Twice this season all 12 Marauders have scored in a single game; a win over Minot State and a loss at Concordia University. The squad nearly accomplished that feat against Johnson and Wales when 11 of the 12 players who appeared in the game scored.
 
SHARING THE LOAD: Seven different Marauders have reached double digits in points this season. Ali Collins scored 10 or more points 10 times, Kayla Schmidt, Shaunna Knife, Linda Murray and Kaitlyn Haag six times apiece, Laura Petersen five times and McKenzie Foster three.
 
SHARING THE LOAD v2: Five Marauders have led the team in scoring, including Ali Collins five times, Linda Murray three times, Kaitlyn Haag and Kayla Schmidt two times apiece and Laura Petersen and Shaunna Knife once each. 
 
SHARING THE LOAD v3: Only one player averages double figures in scoring - Ali Collins at 11.4 PPG. Four players check in at over eight points per game: Kaitlyn Haag (9.6 PPG), Linda Murray (8.9), Kayla Schmidt (8.6) and Shaunna Knife (8.1). Right behind is Laura Petersen (7.6) and McKenzie Foster (6.0).
 
TAKING TURNS: Not once this season has the same U-Mary player led the team in scoring in consecutive games. In the last five games five different Marauders have paced the team in scoring.
 
MAC ATTACK: The Marauders have won 32-of-51 NSIC home games the last six seasons and are 46-25 overall (9-4 2006-07, 10-3 in 2007-08, 8-5 in 2008-09, 7-6 in 2009-10, 7-5 in 2010-11, 5-2 in 2011-12) in the McDowell Activity Center. Since Fred Fridley became head coach in the 2003-04 season, the Marauders are 83-27 at home, which includes a 15-0 mark in 2004 and 10-0 in 2006.