Last weekend U-Mary (1-0) opened the season with a 90-73 win over South Dakota Mines (0-2).  Named to the NSIC All-Freshmen Team in 2012-13, Brittney Dietz started 2013-14 where she left off finishing with a career-high 26 points to go with 10 rebounds for her first career double-double. Dietz was 7-for-10 from the field and 3-for-4 from beyond the arc. U-Mary's shooters were in mid-season form as they connected on 51 percent of their shots form the field and 53 percent (9-for-17) from three-point land. Key to their success shooting the ball was their 32-22 edge in scoring from the paint.
 
Last weekend's highlights can be found at http://bit.ly/1e8CbfY.
 
This weekend the University of Mary women's basketball team is in California as they take on a pair of NAIA schools. U-Mary will take on #1 Vanguard University on Friday at 7:30 p.m. and finish the weekend on Saturday with Biola University at 5 p.m.

California Dreamin': The Marauders have four players hailing from the Golden State that will get a chance to play in their home-state as U-Mary makes an early season trip to California for the second year in a row. 

Game Coverage: Both games will have live video and live stats provided by the host schools. The coverage for the game against Vanguard on Friday can be found at http://bit.ly/1e8AQWm.  Saturday's game coverage against Biola can be found at http://bit.ly/1e8AVJB.
 
Vanguard: Reaching the NAIA national quarterfinals last season, Vanguard was selected No. 1 in the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll for the 2013-14 season The Lions are led by returning first team NAIA All-American Nicole Ballestro.  A 5-8 guard, Ballestro averages 21 points, five rebounds and five assists. Vanguard is off to a 2-0 start so far this season and is averaging 97 points, while outscoring opponents by an average of 41 points.
 
Biola:  Playing in the same conference as Vangaurd, Biola finished 16-17 overall and 4-10 in conference play last season. The Eagles are slatted to finish 5th this season in the GSAC. Biola is led by 6-2 center Adjiat Adams. Named first team All-GSAC and third team All-American last season, Adams averaged 16.5 points and 9.3 points. Biola has struggled so far this season losing all five of their games. On average, the Eagles have been outscored 71 to 60 so far this season.
 
U-Mary started the season off strong with a route over South Dakota Mines. U-Mary shot a blistering 51 percent from the field and an even more impressive 53 percent from beyond the arc.  The Marauders also held a distinctive advantage in rebounding 44-21. U-Mary was able to force 18 turnovers against SDSMT, but the Marauders struggled to take care of the ball themselves committing 17.
 
Projected Starting Line-up:
 
#13 Lindsey Sand
#24 McKenzie Foster
#42 Brittney Dietz
#23 Hannah Larson
#34 Linda Murray
 
Social Media: All stories posted on goumary.com about the women's basketball and all other general news will be posted on U-Mary's Facebook at "Marauder Athletics" and on Twitter @umarysports. You can also give the women's basketball team a follow on their official team Twitter account @UMaryWomenBball.
 
Up Next: The Marauders will be idle next weekend. U-Mary will be in action next on the road as they open conference play against in-state foe Minot State University on November 30.