Aberdeen, S.D. – Northern State women's basketball heads south this weekend for cross-divisional play. The Wolves will take on NSIC South top-ranked Sioux Falls at 5:30 p.m. Friday. Then travel to Marshall, Minn. to face Southwest Minnesota State in a 4 p.m. tip-off on Saturday. 
 
ABOUT THE NORTHERN STATE WOLVES

• The Wolves sit fifth in the NSIC North Division and ninth in the NSIC overall standings as they enter the weekend sporting a 12-10 overall record and 8-8 conference record
• NSU is looking to regain momentum in the last part of the regular season after splitting home games last weekend falling to Concordia-St. Paul (54-62) and defeating Minnesota State (71-65)
• Northern State is averaging 64.7 points per game and holding opponents to an average of 64.5 points per game
• On the year, the Wolves are 11-1 when leading at half time and 6-4 when the final score is between ten and nineteen points
• Brianna Kusler leads the conference in both free throw percentage at 94.1 and in assist/turnover ratio at +2.3
• Lexi Wadsworth commands the top spot in scoring for NSU as she is averaging 13.9 points per game

 
ABOUT THE #15 COUGARS

• No. 15 Sioux Falls enters the weekend match-up 20-3 overall, 13-3 in conference play and 8-3 at home this season
• The Cougars took both games last weekend defeating Bemidji State (73-64) on Friday and Minnesota Crookston (77-59) on Saturday
• USF is leading the conference in scoring offense as they are averaging 78.1 points per game
• The Cougars also lead the NSIC in scoring margin, out-scoring their opponents by an average of 11.4 points per game
• Most of Sioux Falls scoring is coming from Kaely Hummel where she is averaging 18.0 points per game
• The Cougars are averaging 37.0 rebounds and 14.7 assists per game
• USF has made opponents pay for their turnovers this season averaging 19.2 points off turnovers with 7.9 steals per game
• Sioux Falls is led by head coach Travis Traphagen in his 12th season

 
LAST MEETING

• Northern State was unable to get the come from behind win last year as they dropped the game 73-66 to Sioux Falls at home
• Alayna Johnson led the team with 12 points, followed by Brianna Kusler and Jessi Marti both adding 11 points
• The Wolves are 0-1 under coach Krueger and 14-5 all-time against the Cougars

 
ABOUT THE MUSTANGS

• SMSU enters the weekend 11-10 overall, 6-10 in NSIC play and 3-5 at home this season
• The Mustangs sit 12th in the NSIC overall standings and seventh in the NSIC South division
• SMSU has been strong in the second quarter scoring 379 points of their total 1449 points on the year
• Meleah Reinhart leads the Mustangs in scoring, averaging 15.3 points per game
• SMSU is averaging 69.0 points per game while keeping opponents to 66.5 points per game
• The Mustangs are shooting 37.7% as a team, with Abuk Akoi leading the team shooting 51.1% from the floor
• Jenna Borchers is shooting 40.3% from beyond the arc for SMSU on the season making 48-of-119 attempts
• Southwest Minnesota State is led by Tom Webb in his fourth season at the head of the program

 
 
LAST MEETING

• Last season NSU took the win at home 56-51 against SMSU
• Lexi Wadsworth led the team with 14 points followed by Kusler contributing nine
• Kusler grabbed a team high 12 rebounds in the game
• The Wolves are 1-0 against the Mustangs under coach Krueger and 49-16 all-time when meeting up with SMSU