BISMARCK, ND – It's a big home series for the University of Mary women's basketball team as they host Concordia University, St. Paul on Friday, February 16, at 5:30 pm at the McDowell Activity Center. UMary then takes on the University of Minnesota Duluth on Saturday, February 17, at 3:30 pm.
 
Both games look to have huge implications on seeding for the Northern Sun tournament. UMary is currently 17-9 overall and 13-5 in the NSIC. The Marauders sit in a three-way tie for second place with Northern State University and Southwest Minnesota State University. CSP and UMD are currently 13-6 in the Northern Sun and trail UMary by 0.5 games.
 
If the Marauders were to win both games, it would put UMary in a great position to finish in the top four in the conference standings. The top four teams in the NSIC receive a bye in the conference championships and advance to the quarterfinals of the tournament at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, SD. Teams that finish five through eight would host a home playoff game against teams that finished nine through twelve.
 
SENIOR DAY
The Marauders host senior night on Saturday, February 17, at halftime of the UMary men's basketball game (5:30 pm start). Cadee Ryckman, Mariah McKeever, Lexie Schneider and Megan Zander will be honored for their accomplishments on and off the court at the University of Mary.
 
FOLLOW LIVE

• Voice of the Marauders Jesse Rostvedt broadcasts all Marauders home games and Northern Sun contests on Fox Sports 710 and online at https://foxsports710.iheart.com/
• Free video streaming of Marauders home and all Northern Sun games is available at https://nsicnetwork.com/goumary and at www.GoUMary.com/coverage
• Live stats for games are available online at www.GoUMary.com/coverage

 
STAT LEADERS

• Lexie Schneider leads UMary and the NSIC in scoring, averaging 20.1 ppg. She also leads the team and conference in rebounding with 9.1 rpg. Schneider is shooting 53.9% from the field and 81.1% from the free-throw line. Schneider ranks first in the NSIC in field goal percentage, 4^th in free-throw percentage, 11^th in assists per game, 12^th in blocks per game, 15^th in minutes per game and 24^th in steals per game.
• Megan Zander leads the team in three-pointers made with 47. Zander is second on the team in scoring, averaging 12.5 ppg and is second on the team in rebounding (5.8 rpg). Zander ranks 19^th in the NSIC in scoring, 16^th in rebounding, 4^th in 3-pointers made per game, 23^rd in assists per game, 21^st in blocks per game and 17^th in minutes per game.
• Mariah McKeever is shooting a team-best 42.7% from behind the arc. She is third on the team in scoring, averaging 12.2 ppg. McKeever ranks 21^st in the NSIC in scoring, 7^th in 3-pointers made per game, 21^st in assists per game, 23^rd in steals per game and 19^th in minutes per game.
• Addison Rozell leads UMary in blocks (31). She ranks 7^th in the conference in blocks per game (1.2 bpg).

 
NCAA RANKINGS
Lexie Schneider ranks among the NCAA Division II leaders in several categories:

• 1^st in free throws made (162)
• 1^st in free throws attempted (201)
• Tied for 4^th in field goals made (180)
• 8^th in scoring (20.1 ppg)
• Tied for 10^th in double-doubles (11)
• 11^th in total rebounds (236)

LAST WEEK
The Marauders fell 58-45 to St. Cloud State University on the road last Thursday. UMary then returned home in dominant fashion, defeating the Minnesota State University Moorhead 87-54.
 
Bergan Kinnebrew led the Marauders against MSUM in scoring with a career-high 18 points, one of five Marauders in double figures for points. The freshman was nearly perfect, hitting 5-of-6 shots overall – including 2-of-3 behind the arc – and sank six of eight free throw attempts.
 
Ashton Kinnebrew, Bergan's older sister, also came off the bench and added 11 points, downing three treys. Overall, the Marauders bench scored 36 points.
 
Reigning NSIC Player of the Week Lexie Schneider added 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists in just 20 minutes, Mariah McKeever posted 14 points – 11 in the first half – and had five rebounds and three steals. Megan Zander nearly had a double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds. She also had four assists and two steals.
 
THE CLIMB
Senior forward Lexie Schneider is leaving her mark on the Marauders program. The native of Appleton, WI, has scored 1,480 points to rank 9th all-time in scoring at UMary. The All-NSIC performer passed Gabbie Bohl (1,444 points in 2016-19)… Next on the list is Sarah Leer (1,618 points in 2000-04)… Schneider is 4th in rebounds with 875. She passed Hannah Larson (872 in 2013-17) last week… Schneider is 4th in steals in the NCAA era with 123… She currently ranks 7th in blocks with 69.
 
TOP 10 ALL TIME SCORERS IN MARAUDERS HISTORY:

1. Brittney Dietz-1,836 (2012-16)
2. Jessica Zundel-1,824 (2001-05)
3. Betsy Emerson-1,798 (1982-86)
4. Cassie Askvig-1,777 (2016-20)
5. Dawn Schaeffer-1,748 (1979-83)
6. Patti Mercer-1,707 (1983-87)
7. Lisa Maus-1,678 (1996-2000)
8. Sarah Leer-1,618 (2000-04)
9. Lexie Schneider- 1,480 (2018-current)
10. Gabbie Bohl-1,444 (2016-19)

 
 
OPPO RESEARCH – GOLDEN BEARS
CSP (17-7, 13-6 Northern Sun) is led by senior guard Ally Gietzel, who leads the team in scoring with 17.2 ppg and rebounding (6.8 rpg). Gietzel ranks 5^th in the NSIC in scoring and 7^th in rebounding. Junior center Lindsey Becher is second on the team in scoring (12.8 ppg) and rebounding (6.1 rpg). Freshman Lauren Wilson averages 12.7 ppg and 5.1 rebounds per game.
 
LAST TIME THEY MEET
UMary defeated CSP earlier this season 60-57 on the road. Lexie Schneider scored 19 points, and Megan Zander recorded 17 points in the Marauders victory.
 
OPPO RESEARCH – BULLDOGS
UMD (8-13, 8-8 NSIC) is led by senior guard Taya Hakamaki, who leads the Bulldogs in scoring with 12.1 ppg. Senior guard Taytum Rhoades leads the team in assists (4.6 apg) and averages 11 ppg and 4.9 rpg. Rhoades is second in the NSIC in assists per game. Senior forward Ella Gilbertson leads UMS in rebounding with 6.1 rpg and averages 9.6 ppg.  
 
LAST TIME THEY MET
UMary took down UMD 77-66 on the road earlier this season. Lexie Schneider scored 31 points on 10-of-15 shooting, while Maraih McKeever scored 18 points in the Marauders victory.  
 
SCHNEIDER EARNS NSIC POTW HONORS FOR 5th TIME
Schneider is the fourth women's basketball player to earn five NSIC Player of the Week honors in one season in the past 20 years. This is the eighth time in her career that Schneider was named NSIC Player of the Week. She has earned the most Northern Sun weekly citations in program history.
 
Schneider joins Michelle Bruns (Southwest Minnesota State University  - 2004-05 - 5 Times), Miranda Ristau (Northern State University - 2016-17 - 5 Times & 2017-18 - 6 Times) and Shaunteva Ashley (Augustana - 2014-15 - 7 Times) as only women's basketball players to earn NSIC Women's Player of the Week five or more times in a season in the past 20 years.
 
NORTHERN SUN HISTORY

• In the Northern State game, Lexie Schneider cracked 1,000 career points in NSIC games, the 30^th player in league history to do. She joins three other Marauders who accomplished this feat – Gabbie Bohl, Cassie Askvig and Brittney Dietz
• Earlier in the year she became the 24^th player to register 500 rebounds in NSIC play, joining teammates Bohl, Askvig and Hannah Larson
• Schneider is only the 11th player in NSIC history with 1,000 points and 500 rebounds in league games, joining former Marauders Bohl and Askvig in that rare club
• With four NSIC games remaining the Appleton, WI, native is 21^st all-time in points scored (1,057) in NSIC games and 13^th all-time in rebounds (583)

 
COACHING HISTORY
Head coach Rick Neumann passed Fred Fridley for second all-time in program wins. Neumann earned his 171^st win at Concordia-St. Paul to surpass Fridley, who amassed 170 wins during his UMary tenure. Roger Haug is the all-time leader in wins with 234. Neumann has the most NSIC wins in school history, with 129.
 
1K MILESTONE FOR MCKEEVER
Maraiah McKeever became the 3^rd UMary women's basketball player to crack 1,000 career points when she reached the milestone in the Marauders win at Minot State University. After scoring 875 points in four years at MSU Moorhead, McKeever has scored 132 in ten games this season at UMary. Lexie Schneider and Megan Zander reached 1,000 career points earlier this season. 
 
1,000 POINTS FOR SCHNEIDER, ZANDER
Two Marauders went over 1,000 points in their collegiate careers opening weekend… Lexi Schneider cracked 1,000 career points in the second game of the season. In her fifth season playing for the Marauders the All-Northern Sun forward has scored 1,023 in 102 games, an average of 10.2 ppg. Schneider is the 22nd UMary player to reach quadruple digits for their career… Megan Zander cracked 1,000 points in the season opener. The Mandan native scored 383 points at the University of North Dakota over two seasons before transferring to UMary. In her third season with the Marauders, Zander has scored 636 points in 48 games at UMary.
 
LAST YEAR
The Marauders finished the 2022-23 season 14-13 overall and 12-10 in the NSIC (3rd NSIC North, 6th overall)… The Marauders won an opening game in the NSIC tournament for a second straight season to advance to the conference quarterfinals.
 
MARAUDERS PROJECTED TO PLACE THIRD IN NSIC PRESEASON COACHES POLL
A veteran University of Mary squad is picked to finish third overall in the 2023-24 Northern Sun Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll. Featuring a lineup that includes a trio of All-NSIC performers and five players who have started in the league, the Marauders earned 162 points in the coaches' poll. Minnesota State earned all but one first place ballot and accumulated 196 points in the poll. Defending league champion Minnesota Duluth was second with 165 points, just ahead of UMary in the 15-team league.
 
ZANDER NAMED MARAUDERS PLAYER TO WATCH IN 2023-24
All-conference guard Megan Zander is the Marauders NSIC Player to Watch. Zander earned 2022-23 1st team All-NSIC honors after leading the Marauders in scoring at 14.7 ppg in her second season at UMary. The senior from Mandan, ND, hauled down 5.4 rebounds, connected for 37 treys and shot 87.8% at the free throw line. She reached double digits in points in 22 games, scored 20+ points five times and had a pair of double doubles.
 
SCHNEIDER BACK TO CENTER ATTACK
After missing last year with an injury, 2022 All-NSIC center Lexie Schneider returns to the court. In 2021-22 Schneider averaged a team-leading 14.2 points per game and shot 54% from the floor. She also had seven double doubles and averaged 8.3 rebounds per game. The 2-time NSIC North Player of the Week led the league in shooting, was second in rebounding and 12th in scoring.
 
SCHNEIDER NAMED 1ST NSIC PLAYER OF THE WEEK OF 2023-24 SEASON
An impressive start out of the gate earned University of Mary forward Lexie Schneider the first Northern Sun Women's Basketball Player of the Week honor awarded for the 2023-24 season. After missing last year to injury, Schneider has led the Marauders in scoring in each of their first five games. At the Central Region Classic last weekend, the senior from Appleton, WI, averaged 22 points and 12 rebounds as the Marauders went 1-1. She had 18 points and 15 rebounds in a 75-73 overtime win against the University of Central Oklahoma. Schnieder followed with 26 points and nine rebounds in a narrow 74-66 loss to Classic host Northeastern State University. Schneider opened the season with 23 points in an 81-67 win over #19 Angelo State at the D2SSA Women's Basketball Tip Off. She eclipsed 1,000 career points in game two against #16 MSU Billings while scoring 23 points. In a game three loss to #24 Texas Woman's she scored 20 points. Over the course of the first five games of the season Schneider has scored 20 or more points four times. She averages 22.0 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game while shooting 53.7% from the floor and 88.4% at the free throw line. The 2021-22 All-Northern Sun performer has now captured NSIC Player of the Week honors three times in her career.
 
WELCOME ABOARD, MATEY
Mariah McKeever joins the Marauders as a graduate transfer after the guard earned NSIC 2nd team honors last season at MSU Moorhead. She averaged 15.5 ppg and 6.8 rpg in 2022-23.
 
WELCOME BACK

• A 2-year starter at guard, Ryleigh Wacha is back for her junior season. Wacha averaged 8.7 ppg and 4.8 rpg and was second in assists with 59 last year.
• Addison Rozell started at forward last season. The junior averaged 8.6 ppg and 5.5 rpg while leading the squad with 21 blocks.
• Junior Moriku Hakim was a key reserve last season in the post. She averaged 9.0 ppg and 4.8 rpg and shot a stellar 54.5% from the field.
• Zoe Velde returns for her junior year at guard. She played all 27 games last year, including a handful of starts. She averaged 2.7 ppg and 2.8 RPG and was 3rd in steals (28) and 4th in assists (61).
• Additional returners include senior G Cadee Ryckman, junior G Ellie Hasz and C Cassie Erickson

 
NEW
In addition to Mariah McKeever, other newcomers include junior G Ashton Kinnebrew and freshmen G Chloe Pfau, G Bergan Kinnebrew, G Anna Lenzen, G Emily Jaenke and C Allison Undlin.
 
NSIC CHANGEUP
With the departure of Upper Iowa University, the NSIC is now a 15-team league. The NSIC regular season championship will be based on the 22-game schedule. Each team will play eight teams twice and another six teams once. An NSIC Champion will be awarded to the team with the highest win percentage in the 22 games played. The 12-team NSIC Women's Basketball Tournament Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Championships are set to take place March 2-5 at the Sanford Health Pentagon in Sioux Falls, SD. The top four seeds will receive a first-round bye. First round games will be played on campus on Wednesday, February 28.
 
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