BISMARCK, ND - The University of Mary Women's Basketball team returns home January 6-7 for the first games of the new year. The Marauders open the 2023 part of the schedule Friday at 5:30 pm against Southwest Minnesota State University and then will host the University of Sioux Falls Saturday at 3:30 pm in the McDowell Activity Center. 

LAST TIME OUT
The Marauders split their last road series of 2022 last weekend. On Friday, December 30, UMary dominated Bemidji State in an 84-52 victory. UMary would then fall to Minnesota Crookston 78-64, who won their third game in a row on Saturday, December 31. Megan Zander, Megan Voit, and Moriku Hakim all had standout weekends with double-digit scoring performances through both games. 

The Marauders enter 2023 currently 6-5 overall and sitting third in the NSIC north division with a 5-3 record in Northern Sun competition. 

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Megan Zander now stands 7th in scoring in the NSIC with 15.6 points per game. The senior from Mandan, ND helped lead the Marauders to their 84-52 win over Bemidji State with 21 points and sparking a huge second-half effort. Zander also put up 15 points in the New Year's Eve loss to Minnesota Crookston. 

Megan Voit is the reigning NDPF UMary Female Athlete of the Week. The senior from Sauk Rapids, MN scored 16 points Friday against Bemidji State and 13 against Crookston on Saturday. Voit has made 30 of 74 treys this season for a 0.405 three-point shooting percentage, the third-best mark in the Northern Sun. 

Moriku Hakim is coming off a big weekend after a brief injury from the December 10 game against Minnesota Duluth. Hakim made 14 points in Friday's win and jumpstarted UMary's offense in the first half against Bemidji State. The sophomore from Fargo, ND also grabbed a team-high six rebounds. Hakim also had 11 points and five boards Saturday against Crookston. 

Ryleigh Wacha enters the weekend averaging 8.2 points per game and a team second-high 5.1 rebounds per game. Wacha has also been a defensive standout thus far with 0.9 blocks per game and 1.3 steals per game. 

Reese Wishart has contributed 8.1 points per game and has played a big role in crucial games in the first half of the season. 

Addison Rozell has started every game in the post for the Marauders thus far, averaging 7.6 points per game and 4.3 rebounds per game. 

Carly Kottsick plays a key role pacing the Marauders offense, averaging 2.9 assists per game. 

OFFENSE
The Marauders currently have the fifth-highest average in the NSIC of 68.4 points per game. This mark is 3.9 points higher than their average of 64.5 points allowed by opponents on the season. 

ABOUT THE OPPOSITION
Southwest Minnesota State enters the weekend 9-4 overall and 6-2 in the NSIC, having won two games in a row. The Mustangs currently sit third in the NSIC south division standings thanks to the third-highest-scoring offense in the NSIC with 77.1 points per game. Four total SMSU players average double-digit points per game with Hannah Parsley (13.2), Bri Stoltzman (12.7), Jenna Borchers (12.6), and Sam Wall (12.5). 

UMary is 7-6 historically against SMSU, with the Mustangs defeating the Marauders 70-57 in their most recent matchup last season in Marshall, MN. 

The University of Sioux Falls enters the weekend 4-10 overall and 1-7 in the NSIC, having lost their last four games. The Cougars will play Minot State University Friday night ahead of their Saturday matchup with the Marauders. Brecli Honner currently stands as the top scorer for the Cougars averaging 10.5 points per game. 

UMary holds a 6-5 historical record over Sioux Falls. The Marauders last encounter with the Cougars came in the first round of the 2021-22 NSIC postseason with UMary defeating USF 62-55 on the Cougars home court. That matchup was the first road victory in the NSIC postseason in program history. 

SPECIAL THANKS TO
The January 6-7 University of Mary Men's and Women's Basketball games will be sponsored by Centennial Collision and Paint. Complimentary tickets for each of this weekend's four games are available for fans to claim while they last at Centennial Collision and Paint's Bismarck location. 

Centennial Collision and Paint is located at 3513 French St in the northeast area of Bismarck. 

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 153-138. 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

TICKETS
Game tickets for Marauders athletics are available online at www.UMaryTickets.com and at the gate for all UMary athletics. 

• Adults | $10 + fees online and $15 (CASH ONLY) at the gate
• Seniors (65+) and youth 13-18 | $5 + fees online and $10 (CASH ONLY) at the gate
• Children 12 and under accompanied by an adult | Free
• Children 12 and under with no adult present| $5
• UMary students and faculty and staff with their MCard and youth 12 and younger are admitted free

 
Please note that ticket sales at the gate are CASH ONLY purchases. Fans receive a discounted rate on tickets when purchased online at www.umarytickets.com than at the gate. Fans are also able to purchase tickets using credit and debit cards when ordering online while sales at the ticket booth are cash only.

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