THIS WEEKEND
The University of Mary women's basketball team will celebrate the close of 2017 in front of their fans when the Marauders host the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs and the St. Cloud State University Huskies on Saturday and Sunday, December 30-31, at the McDowell Activity Center. The Marauders open with the Bulldogs on Saturday at 4 pm before taking on the Huskies at 2 pm on New Year's Eve.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Marauders claimed their first Northern Sun win of the season with a 70-45 home win over Minot State on December 19. Freshman Macy Williams hit 6-of-7 trey attempts and scored 20 points. Gabbie Bohl added 14 points.
 
THE RECORD
The Marauders are 5-7 overall and 1-5 in the NSIC.
 
FAST BREAK

• During their first six conference games the Marauders faced four of the top seven teams in the Northern Sun standings. #19 Northern State, #14 Augustana, Wayne State College and MSU Moorhead were the top four teams in the preseason poll. The four are a combined 19-5 in league play and 36-9 overall.
• The schedule doesn't get any easier this weekend when the Marauders host 5^th place Minnesota Duluth (7-2 overall, 4-1 NSIC) and 8^th place St. Cloud State (6-3, 3-2)
• When the Marauders take the floor against the Bulldogs it will be 11 days since UMary last played. UMD also have been idle since December 19. SCSU last played December 16.
• In the last 20 days the Marauders have played just once
• The last time the Marauders played back-to-back games was December 8-9
• UMary is in the midst of playing 6-of-8 and 8-of-11 games at home
• The Marauders have played three nationally-ranked teams this season; #23 Augustana, #11 Washburn and #16 Northern State (rankings at time of game)
• In UMary's 70-45 victory over Minot State, the 25-point margin was the largest for the Marauders in an NSIC game since defeating Concordia-St. Paul 81-52 on 2.17.12
• The Marauders have allowed 69 or fewer points in seven of 12 games, including 5-of-6 home games

 
OPPO RESEARCH – UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA DULUTH BULLDOGS
Minnesota Duluth is 7-2 overall and 4-1 in the Northern Sun… UMD has won six of their last seven games… After opening with four straight conference wins, UMD lost at SCSU 58-52… UMD allows 56.4 ppg, third-fewest in the NSIC and 20^th in NCAA Division II… held the opposition to fewer than 60 points in seven of nine games… rank ninth nationally in fewest turnovers/game… Sarah Grow blocks 2.0 shots/game and UMD is 4^th in the NSIC at 4.6 blocks… All-NSIC second team selection Sammy Kozlowski is the lone returning Bulldogs starter from last season. An NSIC Player of the Week selection this year, the junior averages 13.2 ppg, leads the NSIC in assists (5.8/game) and is second in steals (2.4/game)… Head coach Mandy Pearson is in her third season directing the Bulldogs.
 
HISTORY LESSON The Marauders are 9-7 against the Bulldogs during UMary's NCAA era… UMary holds a 5-2 edge in home games at the McDowell Activity Center… On the road at Romano Gym, the Marauders are 3-5 against the Bulldogs… UMary is 7-2 in the last nine games against UMD… The Marauders swept the Bulldogs in 2015-16 and split the UMD series last year with both teams protecting their home court.
LAST MEETING Homestanding UMary limited Minnesota Duluth to a .297 shooting percentage in a 65-51 win over the Bulldogs on February 11, 2017. Hannah Larson posted 17 points and 12 rebounds on Senior Day. Gabbie Bohl was 15-of-18 at the free throw line to score 17 points. She also had eight rebounds. Dani Williams added 10 points. Sammy Kozlowski led UMD with 19 points. Mary had a massive 46-25 advantage on the boards. At the free throw line the Marauders were a combined 28-of-35 while the Bulldogs finished 10-of-13.
 
OPPO RESEARCH – ST. CLOUD STATE UNIVERSITY HUSKIES
St. Cloud State is 6-3 overall and 3-2 in the Northern Sun… SCSU allows only 53.6 ppg, fewest in the NSIC and 11^th in NCAA Division II… The Huskies allow teams to make only 36.3 percent of their shots (5^th in NSIC)… SCSU is 3^rd in the NSIC in 3-point shooting (35 percent) and is tops in 3-point shooting defense (.234)… 3^rd in the NSIC in rebounding margin (+8.2)… Andrea Thomas leads SCSU in scoring at 12.9 ppg and in steals (2.0)… Tori Wortz checks in at 10.8 ppg… Brianna Johnson leads in rebounding at 6.6 rpg… Head coach Lori Fish won her 200^th career game in SCSU's win over UMD and is her 10^th year leading the Huskies.
 
HISTORY LESSON The Marauders are 8-9 against the Huskies during UMary's NCAA era… The Marauders are 4-4 at home against the Huskies… UMary is 4-4 on the road and 0-1 at neutral site games against SCSU… The two schools have split the last four seasons with the home teams going 4-4… The longest win streak for either team is three.
LAST MEETING Gabbie Bohl scored 28 points and Hannah Larson 25 in the Marauders 82-74 home loss to St. Cloud State University on February 10, 2017. Bohl had eight rebounds, made all eight free throws, hit 10-of-16 shots from the floor and added two blocks. Larson made all six free throws, hit both trey attempts and hit 7-of-11 shots from the floor with four rebounds and three blocks. Cassie Askvig scored 11 points and Dani Williams and Lauren Rotunda had seven assists. Betsy MacDonald led SCSU with 21 points. Chelsea Nooker added 17.
 
DEEEE-FENSE
The Marauders allow just 60.5 points/game, 6th in the NSIC. Teams are making just 37.2 percent of their shots against UMary. The 45 points allowed against Minot State was the fewest in a conference game for UMary since defeating Minnesota Duluth 54-44 on 1.23.16.
 
PICKPOCKET
UMary averages 7.8 steals/game, the sixth best total in the NSIC. Lauren Rotunda is the leader in thievery with 2.2 steals/game, third in the league.
 
REJECTION
The Marauders are sixth in the NSIC in blocked shots at 3.8/game. Gabbie Bohl leads UMary with 12 blocks and Cassie Askvig has 11.
 
DOWNTOWN
Averaging 7.3 treys/game, the Marauders are fourth in the NSIC. Sr. G Dani Williams leads UMary with 2.5 made treys/game, fourth in the NSIC. Cassie Askvig is 8th in the league (1.6) and Jordyn Jossart is 10th (1.5). Freshman Macy Williams posted the Marauders best effort of the season from behind the arc, making 6-of-7 against Minot State.
 
MAC ATTACK
The Marauders are 4-2 at home this season at the McDowell Activity Center
 
FOUR SCORE
Four Marauders nearly average double digits in points. Gabbie Bohl (18.3 ppg) leads the way, followed by Cassie Askvig (12.8 ppg), Lauren Rotunda (11.4 ppg). Dani Williams is at 9.5 ppg.
 
YOUNG
Dani Williams may almost feel out of place in the Marauders starting lineup as the senior guard is the only upperclassmen among the five starters. She is joined by sophomores Gabbie Bohl, Lauren Rotunda and Cassie Askvig and freshman Macy Williams.
 
POWER PLAY
The 2017 NSIC Freshman of the Year and an all-conference second team selection, sophomore post Gabbie Bohl is a dominant force in the middle for the Marauders. The Minot, ND, native is third in the NSIC in scoring (18.3 points per game), 7th in field goal percentage (.540), 17th in rebounding (6.5 rpg) and 11^th in blocks (1.1/game)… She just missed her career scoring mark when she posted 30 points at #23 Augustana, making 14-of-17 free throws in the game. Bohl had 21 points the day before at Wayne State… She has scored in double figures in all 11 games this season… Bohl has one double double (24 and 13 vs. Dickinson State) and missed two others by a single rebound.
 
THREE FOR THREE
While her uniform number may be coincidental, senior guard Dani Williams is the Marauders leading 3-point shooter. She is shooting 44.3 percent from behind the arc and has knocked down 27 treys this season. Williams is fourth in the NSIC in 3-pointers per game at 2.5 and is fifth in 3-point field goal percentage among players with at least ten attempts.
 
GROWTH
In her first season as a starter, Cassie Askvig is off to a tremendous start. The sophomore forward leads the team in rebounds (8.7 rpg is 5th in the NSIC) and blocks (11, 13^th in the NSIC)  and is second on the squad in scoring (12.8 ppg, 12^th in the NSIC), and 3-pointers (18) and third in assists (2.6/game). She is shooting 45.3 percent from the floor and 38.3 percent behind the arc. Askvig scored a career-high 25 points against MSU Moorhead.
 
SOUND ALL-AROUND
A member of the NSIC All-Freshman team last spring, sophomore Lauren Rotunda has taken another step forward this season. The Fargo, ND, native averages 11.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.2 steals while shooting .418 from the floor and .758 at the free throw line. Rotunda had her third double double with 11 points and 11 rebounds against MSU Moorhead.
 
LISTEN LIVE
University of Mary fans can listen to all Marauders conference games live on Fox Sports 710 as Rick Anthony, the Voice of the Marauders, brings you all the game action. You can also listen live online at www.foxsports710.com. Click the "Listen Live" link to stream the game in real time.
 
BACK AT THE MAC
After the Marauders take a road trip to Northern State and MSU Moorhead on Jan. 5-6, UMary hosts Concordia-St. Paul and Minnesota State at the McDowell Activity Center on Jan. 12-13.
 
#marauders#