MONDAY NIGHT NSIC SEMIFINALS
The University of Mary women's basketball team will face the University of Minnesota Duluth for the right to compete in the Northern Sun Women's Basketball Championship game. Game time is 7 pm between the #2 seed Marauders and the #6 seed Bulldogs in the NSIC semifinal game at The Pentagon in Sioux Falls, SD.
 
The Marauders-Bulldogs winner will face the winner between #1 Minnesota State University and #5 Southwest Minnesota State University in the NSIC Championship Game on Tuesday, March 5, at 7 pm.
 
RECORDS
UMary is 21-10 overall after finishing 2^nd in the NSIC (16-6)… The Bulldogs are 19-9 overall and finished tied for 6^th in the NSIC (14-8).
 
LAST TIME OUT
The #2 Marauders downed #7 St. Cloud State 75-61 in the NSIC quarterfinals as Megan Zander tied her career-best with 28 points. Lexis Schneider had a double double with 21 points and 13 rebounds and Bergan Kinnebrew came of the bench to match her career high with 17 points… The #6 Bulldogs opened the NSIC tournament with a 73-69 home win over Sioux Falls before upsetting #3 Concordia-St. Paul 66-57 on Sunday in the quarterfinals.
 
NOTABLE TAKES

• The Marauders only previous appearance in the NSIC semifinals was in 2012
• This is the Marauders first semifinal appearance at The Pentagon in Sioux Falls, SD
• The 21 wins is the most for UMary since winning 22 in 2019-20, the most for the Marauders in the NCAA era (2006-07 and on)

 
LIVE AUDIO
UMary fans can listen to Voice of the Marauders Jesse Rostvedt call all the action live on Fox Sports 710.
 
LIVE STREAM
All rounds of the NSIC Women's Basketball Tournament played at the Sanford Pentagon will air exclusively live on Midco Sports and Midco Sports Plus (Pay Per View).  Midco subscribers can view games either on Midco Sports channel 622 or stream via Midco Sports Plus. Fans that do not have Midco Sports must subscribe to Midco Sports Plus to view contests (available via web browser, via Android or IOS app or on Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Roku). A monthly subscription will give fans full access to all 14 NSIC tournament games played at the Sanford Pentagon. Fans would also have access to all Midco Sports Plus content during the duration of their subscription. Subscriptions are for 30 days from the date of registration and can be cancelled at any time. Midco Sports Plus is a standalone product and fans do not need to have any other Midco services.
 
A monthly subscription to Midco Sports Plus is $9.99 per month, plus applicable taxes. Subscriptions will automatically renew until canceled. An annual subscription is $79.99 per year.
 
(Please note the NSIC quarterfinals, semifinals and championship games ARE NOT available on the NSIC Network)
 
LIVE STATS
Live stats for games are available online at www.GoUMary.com/coverage
 
TICKETS
Tickets are on sale now for the 2024 NSIC Men's and Women's Basketball Tournament scheduled for March 2-5 at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, as the league celebrates its 25th tournament. Fans can purchase their tickets by visiting https://www.ticketmaster.com/ or by going to the Sanford Pentagon box office.
 
HISTORY IN THE NSIC TOURNAMENT

• UMary has an overall record of 8-12 in the NSIC Tournament
• Overall record of 7-5 in the opening round (5-1 at home, 1-4 on the road, 1-0 neutral)
• 1-5 quarterfinals
• 0-2 Semifinals

 2008      W 80-78 v Bemidji State (opening round at home)
               L 70-58 v Wayne State (semifinals at St. Paul, MN)
2012      W 76-67 v Winona State (opening round at home)
               L 78-67 v Augustana (semifinals in Rochester, MN)
2013      W 84-62 v Upper Iowa (opening round at home)
               L 78-67 v Augustana (quarterfinals at home)
2014      W 72-66 v Winona State (opening round at home)
               L 95-71 v Minnesota State (quarterfinals at Sioux Falls, SD)
2015      L 62-67 at Winona State (opening round)
2016      L 69-78 at Wayne State College (opening round)
2017      L 59-64 at Winona State (opening round)
2018      L 50-60 at Sioux Falls (opening round)
2019      L 54-52 v Wayne State (opening round at home)
2020      W 84-74 v Southwest Minnesota State (opening round at home)
               L 59-81 v Minnesota State (quarterfinals at Sioux Falls, SD)
2021      No tournament – COVID
2022      W 62-55 at Sioux Falls (opening round)
               L 60-87 v Minnesota Duluth (quarterfinals in Sioux Falls, SD)
2023      W 79-72 v Wayne State College (opening round game moved to Sioux Falls, SD)
               L 66-81 v Minnesota State (quarterfinals in Sioux Falls, SD)
2024      W 75-61 v St. Cloud State (quarterfinals in Sioux Falls, SD)
 
OPPO RESEARCH – MINNESOTA DULUTH BULLDOGS
Three-time defending NSIC champion Minnesota Duluth (19-9 overall, 14-8) tied for 6^th place in the Northern Sun. The Bulldogs are led by All-NSIC players Taytum Rhoades (1^st team guard) and Ella Gilbertson (2^nd team guard/forward). Rhoades averaged 11.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game. Gilbertson chips in 10.8 ppg and 6.1 rpg. Taya Hakamaki leads UMD in scoring at 12.1 ppg but is out of the lineup.
 
LAST TIME THEY MEET
The Marauders swept the Bulldogs this season, winning 77-66 at UMD January 5 before claiming an 80-69 home win February 17 on Senior Day at Lexie Schneider scored 31 points and Mariah McKeever added 18.
 
ZANDER HITS 1,000 AT UMARY
Megan Zander hit 1,000 career points at UMary during her 28 point performance in the Marauders NSIC tournament win over St. Cloud State. She has 1,020 points at UMary in three seasons, the 23^rd player in program history to reach that total and the second this season (Lexi Schneider). Zander cracked 1,000 career collegiate points earlier this season after scoring 383 at the University of North Dakota to start her career for a total of 1,403.
 
STAT LEADERS

• Lexie Schneider leads UMary and the NSIC in scoring, averaging 20.4 ppg. She also leads the team and conference in rebounding with 9.3 rpg. Schneider is shooting 54.7% from the field and 81.4% from the free-throw line. Schneider ranks first in the NSIC in field goal percentage, 6th in free-throw percentage, 12th in assists per game, 10th in blocks per game, 12th in minutes per game and 23rd in steals per game.
• Megan Zander leads the team in three-pointers made with 56. Zander is second on the team in scoring, averaging 13.6 ppg and is second on the team in rebounding (5.6 rpg). Zander ranks 16th in the NSIC in scoring, 15th in rebounding, 6th in 3-pointers made per game, 21st in assists per game, 13th in blocks per game, 21st in steals per game and 14th in minutes per game.
• Mariah McKeever is shooting a team-best 38.3% from behind the arc. She is third on the team in scoring, averaging 11.9 ppg. McKeever ranks 23rd in the NSIC in scoring, 3rd in free-throw percentage, 9th in 3-pointers made per game, 25th in assists per game and 17th in minutes per game.
• Addison Rozell leads UMary in blocks (37). She ranks 7th in the conference in blocks per game (1.2 bpg) and is fifth in total blocks.

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

• 2nd in free throws made (193)
• 3rd in free throws attempted (237)
• 4th in field goals made (220)
• 6th in scoring (20.4 ppg)
• 8th in double-doubles (15)
• 15th in total rebounds (289)
• 37^th in rebounds/game (9.3)

 
SCNEIDER NAMED NSIC PLAYER OF THE YEAR
After an outstanding regular season campaign, Lexie Schneider is the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference's Player of the Year for her tremendous efforts during the 2023-24 season. Schneider is the second UMary student-athlete to win this honor, joining Cassie Askvig, who won in 2019.
 
Schneider leads the NSIC in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage. The Appleton, WI, native averaged 20.4 points per game, 9.2 rebounds per game and shot 54.2% from the field. She is also 7th in the NSIC in free throw percentage (.808) and blocked shots (1.1 bpg) and 15th in assists (2.5 apg) in league games. Additionally 12 of her 14 double doubles came in NSIC contests.
 
Just the third women's basketball player to earn six NSIC Player of the Week honors in one season in the past 20 years, Schneider is only the seventh player in NSIC history to lead the league in both scoring and rebounding. She finished her NSIC career with 1,146 points and 633 rebounds, just the 11th player to ever reach both 1,000 points and 500 rebounds in NSIC games, which was also accomplished by former UMary teammates Gabbie Bohl and Cassie Askvig.
 
Schneider is 9th all-time in scoring (1,569 points) at UMary and 4th in rebounding (915).
 
SCHNEIDER, ZANDER AND MCKEEVER NAMED TO ALL-NSIC TEAM
The NSIC named Lexie Schneider (1st team), Megan Zander (1st team) and Mariah McKeever (2nd team) to the Northern Sun All-Conference team for 2023-24.
 
Schneider (2022, 2024) and Zander (2023, 2024) join Linda Murray (2012, 2014), Gabbie Bohl (2018, 2019), Cassie Askvig (2019, 2020) and Lauren Rotunda (2020, 2021) as the only Marauders to ever earn two first-team All-NSIC selections, all of whom were coached by UMary Head Coach Rick Neumann.
 
Schneider leads the NSIC in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage. The Appleton, WI, native averaged 20.4 points per game, 9.2 rebounds per game and shot 54.2% from the field. She is also 7th in the NSIC in free throw percentage (.808) and blocked shots (1.1 bpg) and 15th in assists (2.5 apg) in league games. Additionally 12 of her 15 double doubles came in NSIC contests. She is just the third women's basketball player to earn six NSIC Player of the Week honors in one season in the past 20 years and is only the seventh player in NSIC history to lead the league in both scoring and rebounding. She finished her NSIC career with 1,146 points and 633 rebounds, just the 11th player to ever reach both 1,000 points and 500 rebounds in NSIC games, which was also accomplished by former UMary teammates Gabbie Bohl and Cassie Askvig.
 
Zander earned her first-team selection by averaging 13.1 points per game and 5.9 rebounds per game. Zander knocked down the most threes on the team (53). The Mandan, ND, native impacted the game in several ways as she ranked 16th in the NSIC in scoring, 15th in rebounding, 6th in 3-pointers made per game, 21st in assists per game, 13th in blocks per game and 21st in steals per game. She has scored over 1,000 points in her collegiate career and is eight points shy of scoring 1,000 points at UMary alone in her three seasons with the Marauders.
 
McKeever was named to the second-team All-NSIC after posting 12.1 ppg and leading UMary in three-point percentage (41.1%) and free-throw percentage (84.4%). McKeever ranks 23rd in the NSIC in scoring, 3rd in free-throw percentage, 9th in 3-pointers made per game, 25th in assists per game and 17th in minutes per game. In her first season at UMary as a graduate transfer, McKeever was a 2nd team All-NSIC selection in 2022-23 for MSU Moorhead and cacked the 1,000 point barrier earlier in the season.
 
SCHNEIDER OWNS SIX NSIC POTW HONORS FOR 2023-24, NINE IN CAREER
For the sixth time this season, Lexie Schneider earned Northern Sun Women's Basketball Player of the Week honors after leading the University of Mary women's basketball team to a weekend sweep and earning the second seed in the 2024 NSIC Championships.
 
Schneider is just the third women's basketball player to earn five NSIC Player of the Week honors in one season in the past 20 years. This is the ninth 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.
 
THE CLIMB
Senior forward Lexie Schneider is leaving her mark on the Marauders program. The native of Appleton, WI, has scored 1,590 points to rank 9th all-time in scoring at UMary. Next on the list is Sarah Leer (1,618 points in 2000-04)… Schneider is 4th in rebounds with 928. She is also 4th in steals in the NCAA era with 129 and is tied for 5th in blocks with 76.
 
TOP 10 ALL TIME SCORERS IN MARAUDERS HISTORY:
Brittney Dietz-1,836 (2012-16)
Jessica Zundel-1,824 (2001-05)
Betsy Emerson-1,798 (1982-86)
Cassie Askvig-1,777 (2016-20)
Dawn Schaeffer-1,748 (1979-83)
Patti Mercer-1,707 (1983-87)
Lisa Maus-1,678 (1996-2000)
Sarah Leer-1,618 (2000-04)
Lexie Schneider- 1,590 (2018-current)
Gabbie Bohl-1,444 (2016-19)
 
NORTHERN SUN HISTORY

• In the Northern State away game February 1, Lexie Schneider cracked 1,000 career points in NSIC games, the 30th 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 24th 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

 
COACHING HISTORY
Head coach Rick Neumann passed Fred Fridley for second all-time in program wins this season. Neumann earned his 171st 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 133. For his career Neumann is 182-156 all-time at UMary overall and 133-119 in NSIC play.
 
1K MILESTONE FOR MCKEEVER
Maraiah McKeever became the 3rd 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 332 in 30 games this season at UMary and now has 1,232 in her career. 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 1,590 in 130 games, an average of 12.0 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 1,020 points in 74 games at UMary for 1,403 points.
 
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.
 
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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