THIS WEEKEND
The University of Mary Women's Basketball team hit the road for Northern Sun competition in northern Minnesota this weekend after a two-week holiday break. The Marauders play Bemidji State University Friday at 3:00, and then Minnesota Crookston for a New Year's Eve matchup at 1:00.
LAST TIME OUT
The Marauders (5-4, 4-2 NSIC) last played Minot State University on Saturday, December 17 in place of this weekend's games when a snowstorm forced a schedule swap. UMary erased a 14-point deficit and rallied in the fourth quarter for a comeback 59-54 win on the road. The win, coupled with a 61-44 win on December 6, gives the Marauders their first season sweep over the Beavers since the shortened 2020-21 season.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Reese Wishart is on a roll entering this week as the reigning NDPF UMary Female Athlete of the week. She scored a team-high 17 points in 29 minutes to help propel the Marauders past the Beavers their last time out. Just a game before that performance, the senior from Buffalo, MN had a career-high 21 points on December 10 vs Minnesota Duluth.
Megan Zander remains a statistical standout for the Marauders. The guard from Mandan, ND has had a great start to her senior season averaging a team-high 15.1 points per game (top ten in the NSIC) while shooting 45.6% from the field. Zander also leads the Marauders with 5.4 rebounds per game.
Megan Voit averages 9.2 points per game and remains a threat from long-range. The senior from Sauk Rapids, MN has drained 24 of 59 three-pointers (40.7%). Voit also helped lead the Marauders to their last victory with a 15-point performance on 5-8 treys against Minot State.
Ryleigh Wacha has been a key provider this season for the Marauders both offensively and defensively. The sophomore from Fargo, ND currently averages 9.0 points per game, 5.2 rebounds per game, 1.3 steals per game, and 0.8 blocks per game.
Addison Rozell has started every game in the post this season for the Marauders. Rozell averages 7.8 points per game along with 4.8 rebounds per game.
Carly Kottsick has paced the Marauders offense through the early going of the season, averaging 3.0 assists per game.
ABOUT THE OPPOSITION
Bemidji State enters the weekend 3-7 overall and 0-6 in the Northern Sun. Like the Marauders, the Beavers are coming off a season that ended in a Pentagon appearance in the NSIC postseason. Trinity Yoder averages 15.0 points a game for the Beavers, a team-high and 11th overall in the Northern Sun. Sam Pogatchnik also averages 9.6 points per game and the team-best 7.4 rebounds per game.
Minnesota Crookston enters the weekend 4-8 overall with a 3-3 record in conference play. The Golden Eagles have a matchup with Minot State University Friday night before their Saturday matchup with UMary. Emma Miller leads the Golden Eagles offensively as the third-highest scorer in the NSIC with 208 total points, 17.3 per game. Miller is an effective three-point shooter with 26 treys out of 65 attempts (40.0%).
THE STAFF
Rick Neumann enters his tenth season at the helm of UMary Women's Basketball. Through the years, Neumann has enjoyed many successful years as the Marauders fourth-winningest coach in program history with a career record of 152-137. Neumann joined his alma mater as an assistant coach in 2003, taking over the head coaching role in the 2012-2013 season, and has coached numerous All-Conference and All-American players.
Reigning Summit League Player of the Year
Chloe Lamb enters her first season as the Marauders assistant coach. Lamb comes to UMary fresh after capping off a historic career at the University of South Dakota where she earned the 2022 Summit League Tournament MVP as the Coyotes won both Summit regular season and tournament titles. She is a four-time All-Summit League selection, earning 1st team honors in her last two seasons at USD.
Phydel Nwanze enters her first season as a Marauders assistant coach and graduate assistant. She played collegiately at St. Edwards University and earned a BA in kinesiology and exercise science.
DIAL INTO 710 AM FOX SPORTS
Listen to "Voice of the Marauders" Jesse Rostvedt call all Marauders Northern Sun games and select conference contests on 710 AM Fox Sports.
LIVE STATS AND WEBCASTS
Links to radio broadcasts, web streams, and live stats are found at www.GoUMary.com/coverage
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