Aberdeen, S.D. – The Northern State women's basketball team heads to Emporia, Kansas for the Emporia State Thanksgiving Classic. On Friday they face off against East Central University, tip-off is schedulded for 5:30 p.m. On Saturday, they will play the host team Emporia State, tip-off is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. For the games this weekend, live video will be available to watch for a fee each day. For Saturday's game you can listen to the game from 107.1 fm.
 
Quick Hits on the Wolves:
                • The Northern State University Wolves enter the Thanksgiving Classic with a record of 2-1 defeating Presentation College last week.
                • The Wolves defeated Presentation College last week by a final of 63-53, Alayna Johnson led all scorers with a career high 19 points and six rebounds in the game.
                • Through the first three games, NSU is averaging 76.0 points, 38.0 rebounds, 16.7 assists, 14.3 turnovers, 3.6 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game.
                • They are shooting 45.8 percent from the floor, 40.7 percent from the 3-point line, and 74.3 percent from the foul line.
                • Northern is averaging 6.0 rebounds and 10.0 points per game more than their opponents are.
                • Sara Tvedt Lexi Wadsworth are leading the team averaging 13.7 points per game, with Tvedt shooting 52.2 percent from the floor and Wadsworth shooting 44.0 percent from the floor.
                • Brooke Luitjens is third on the team averaging 12.0 points per game, dishing out a team leading 12 assists.
                • Northern entered the 2018-19 season returning 11 student-athletes from a season ago, with six newcomers.
                • Just two starters returned in Brianna Kusler and Jessi Marti, who were both out last week.

About East Central:
                • East Central enters the weekend with a 1-1 record in the early part of the season, dropping to Central Oklahoma in the last game.
                • East Central as a team is averaging 56.0 points per game, allowing 49.0 points per game, and shooting 36.9 percent from the field. Averaging 37.0 rebounds per game, 11.0 assists, and 9.0 steals per game.
                • They are allowing teams to shoot 30.2 percent from the field and 17.6 percent from behind the arc.
                • Lakin Preisner is leading the team with 12.0 points per game and 8.0 rebounds per game, second on the team in scoring is Tia Williams averaging 9.5 points per game.
                • Madison Nickens leads the Tigers with 41.7 percent from the field and second on the team in 3-pt percentage shooting 4-9 (44.4 percent).
                • Matt Cole is in his fifth year as head coach of the Tigers, with a career record of 50-60.
                • The Wolves have never matched-up with East Central in program history.
                • The Hornets enter the Thanksgiving Classic with a record of 3-1, losing to Cameron last time out.

About Emporia State:
                • Emporia State as a team is averaging 80.2 points, allowing 63.5 points, shooting 42.8 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from behind the arc.
                • On the defensive side, they are allowing opponents to shoot 37.8 percent from the field, 29.7 percent from the 3-pt line, and out-rebounding the opponents 42.8-33.8.
                • Jessica Wayne is leading the team in scoring, averaging 16.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 13 steals. Second on the team in scoring is Emily Miller scoring 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and shooting 45.7 percent from the 3-pt line.
                •Tianna Moala is leading the team with 13 blocks on the season and Trya Jones is averaging a team high 7.8 points per game.
 
Last Match-up:
                • The Wolves lost the only match-up with Emporia State in the Central Regional in 2016 by a final of 68-74.
                • Wolves shot 46.8 percent from the field, scored 44 points in the paint, six bench points, six second chance points.