THIS WEEKEND
One week after facing the top two projected teams in the Northern Sun North division, the University of Mary women's basketball team takes on the top two projected teams in the NSIC South when the Marauders visit Wayne State College and #23 Augustana on Dec. 8-9. The weekend opens against the Wildcats in Wayne, NE, on Friday. Tipoff from Rice Auditorium is 6 pm. On Saturday the Marauders visit the Vikings in Sioux Falls, SD, at the Sioux Falls Arena. Game time is 4 pm.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Playing at home, the Marauders faced a pair of teams receiving national recognition. UMary opened with a 64-54 loss to MSU Moorhead, who is currently earning votes in the national poll. The weekend closed with a 72-61 loss to #16 Northern State University.
 
THE RECORD
The Marauders are 4-5 overall and 0-3 in the NSIC.
 
FAST BREAK

• The game against #23 Augustana will the third contest against a nationally-ranked ream this season for the Marauders. UMary earlier played #11 Washburn and #16 Northern State.
• The Marauders three-game home win streak was snapped by the Dragons
• UMary is in the midst of playing 6-of-8 games at home. After returning from visiting WSC and Augie, the Marauders host Minot State on Dec. 19 and Minnesota State University and St. Cloud State on December 30-31.
• When the Wolves scored 72 points against the Marauders, it was only the third time in nine games UMary has allowed over 69 points in a game
• After opening with three games against NSIC North division colleagues, the Marauders face their first South division foes with the visit to Wayne State and Augie

 
OPPO RESEARCH – WAYNE STATE COLLEGE
Wayne State College is 8-3 overall and 2-1 in the Northern Sun this season, with a 3-1 mark at home. In the last nine seasons the Wildcats are 114-13 at home in Rice Auditorium… The three losses for WSC were to #13 Azusa Pacific, #23 Augustana and Nebraska-Kearney, three teams with a combined record of 26-1… Head coach Chris Kielmeier is one win shy of 400 career victories, including his time at Howard Payne (8 seasons)… Sr. C Paige Ballinger is averaging 12.3 ppg and 5.8 rpg. The school's all-time blocks leader is eight points shy of becoming the 16^th Wildcats player to score 1,200 career points… Sr. F Maggie Schulte is 18 points shy of 1,200. She averages 11.1 ppg and 7.3 rpg… WSC is third in the NSIC in scoring margin (+17.1).
 
HISTORY LESSON Dating back to 2006 when UMary joined the Northern Sun, the Marauders have lost 14 out of the 19 meetings with the Wildcats… WSC has won the last five meetings with the Mary... The Marauders last win came in 2013 when the Blue & Orange won in Wayne, NE, 57-54.
LAST MEETING UMary committed 30 turnovers and was outscored by 13 points in the second half as visiting Wayne State Wildcats defeated the Marauders 63-47 on Dec. 9, 2017.  Fr. F Gabbie Bohl led the Marauders with 13 points and fellow freshman Cassie Askvig poured in 11 points and hauled down nine rebounds. UMary turnovers turned into 28 points for the Wildcats, who were led in scoring by Anna Martensen and Maggie Lowe with 12 points each.
 
OPPO RESEARCH – AUGUSTANA UNIVERSITY
#23 Augustana is 7-0 overall and 3-0 in the NSIC… Vikings are off to their best start since 2012-13 (9-0)… Augie leads the NSIC in seven statistical categories, including scoring, assists and turnovers forced… Four players average double digits in scoring: Shelby Selland (13.3), Logan O'Farrell (13.0), Paige Peterson (12.7) and Presley O'Farrell (12.7)… The Vikings starting lineup features three seniors and two juniors… Dave Krauth is in his 29^th season as head coach of the Vikings and is 582-254.
 
HISTORY LESSON The Marauders are 3-13 against the Vikings… Mary won the first two meetings in the NCAA era but AU has had the Marauders number, winning 12 out of the last 13 meet ups.
LAST MEETING UMary lost 88-54 to visiting Augustana on Dec. 2, 2017. Lynsey Prosser and Naomi Rust led the Vikings with 17 points. Mary redshirt-freshman forward Gabbie Bohl lead the Marauders with 13 points and six. UMary led 15-11 after the first quarter but a 25-7 Augie run in the second led the Vikings to a 41-31 halftime advantage. The Vikings scored 22 points off 21 Marauder turnovers.
 
DEEEE-FENSE
The Marauders allow just 58.8 points/game, fifth in the NSIC. Teams are making just 37 percent of their shots against UMary.
 
PICKPOCKET
UMary averages 8.0 steals/game, the sixth best total in the NSIC. Lauren Rotunda is the leader in thievery with 2.4 steals/game, second in the league.
 
REJECTION
The Marauders are sixth in the NSIC in blocked shots. Gabbie Bohl has 10 in eight games and Cassie Askvig owns seven.
 
DOWNTOWN
Averaging 7.8 treys/game, the Marauders are fourth in the NSIC. Sr. G Dani Williams leads UMary with 2.8 made treys/game, second in the NSIC. Cassie Askvig is 8^th in the league (2.1) and Jordyn Jossart is 12^th (1.6).
 
MAC ATTACK
The Marauders are 3-2 at home in five games at the McDowell Activity Center
 
FOUR SCORE
Four Marauders average double digits in points. Gabbie Bohl (17.0 ppg) leads the way, followed by Cassie Askvig (14.3 ppg), Lauren Rotunda (12.1 ppg) and Dani Williams (10.9 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 second in the NSIC in scoring (17.0 points per game), 10^th in field goal percentage (.542) and 14^th in rebounding (6.9 rpg).
 
THREE FOR THREE
While her uniform number may be coincidental, senior guard Dani Williams is the Marauders leading 3-point shooter. She is shooting 45.8 percent from behind the arc and has knocked down 22 treys this season. Williams is second in the NSIC in 3-pointers per game at 2.8 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 (8.9 rpg is 8^th in the NSIC) and is second on the squad in scoring (14.3 ppg), blocks (5) and 3-pointers (14) and third in assists (2.4/game). She is shooting 46.7 percent from the floor and 41 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 12.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.4 steals while shooting .456 from the floor and .720 at the free throw line. Rotunda had her third double double with 11 points and 11 rebounds against MSU Moorhead.
 
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