Aberdeen, S.D. – The Northern State women's basketball team returns home to Wachs Arena to begin a four game home stand, when they face Southwest Minnesota State and Sioux Falls this weekend. Friday nights game against the Mustangs will tip-off at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday's game against the Cougars is scheduled for a 6 p.m. tip-off.

GAME & FAN INFORMATION

• The live stream, live stats, radio broadcast, tickets, and game notes are available at the links above

NORTHERN STATE STORYLINES

• Northern State enters the weekend 7-7 (4-5 NSIC), the Wolves are tied for ninth overall in the conference and are fifth place in the north division
• Last weekend Northern picked up a 64-53 road victory at Wayne State, which snapped a four game losing streak for NSU
• Northern State is averaging 65.4 points, 40.2 rebounds, 9.9 assists, 14.6 turnovers, 6.6 steals, and 4.3 blocks per game
• The Wolves are shooting the ball 39.5 percent from the field, 25.0 percent from 3-point range, and 75.0 percent from the free throw line
• Northern State ranks 14^th nationally with 213 made free throws this season, and have made 20 or more free throws in a game five times this season (including a season high 27 against Wayne State last weekend)
• The Wolves rank first in the NSIC and 44^th nationally with a 6.5 rebound margin, NSU recorded a plus 18 advantage on the boards against Wayne State and notched their seventh game of 40 or more rebounds this season
• After a 24 point performance against Wayne State, Lexi Roe is only three points shy of becoming the 35^th member of the 1000 point club, she would also become the 25^th player in program history to record 1000 career points and 500 career rebounds
• Roe also enters the weekend tied for ninth all-time in program history for career 3-point baskets made, and knocked down her 100^th career 3-pointer this past weekend against the Wildcats
• Kailee Oliverson leads a trio of Wolves who average double figures in scoring with 14.3 points per game, while shooting 40.7 percent on the season
• Rianna Fillipi adds 11.8 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, while leading the team in assists (4.9) and steals (2.5)
• Fillipi is one of only two players in the NSIC to average 11.0+ points, 4.0+ rebounds, 4.0+ assists, and 2.0+ steals on the season

SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE STORYLINES

• Southwest Minnesota State enters this weekend 8-5 (5-4 NSIC), the Mustangs are seventh overall in the conference and are fourth place in the south division
• Last weekend Southwest snapped a three game losing streak when they defeated UMary 70-57
• SMSU is averaging 69.8 points, 39.5 rebounds, 12.2 assists, 15.4 turnovers, 6.7 steals, and 3.5 blocks per game
• Southwest Minnesota State is third in the NSIC in 3-pointers made per game, averaging 7.5 per game; Sam Wall leads the team averaging two made threes per game while shooting 49.1 percent from deep
• The Mustangs are shooting the ball 39.5 percent from the field, 31.3 percent from 3-point range, and 78.3 percent from the free throw line
• Meleah Reinhart is the team leader in points per game (13.8) and steals per game (1.3)
• Abuk Akoi adds 9.3 points per game, and leads the team in rebounds (5.2), assists (2.4), and blocks (2.2)
• Sadie Stelter is the only other Mustang player to average double digits in points with 12.1 per game and adds 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game

LOOKING BACK TO 2020

• Northern State and Southwest Minnesota State last met on February 8^th, 2020, in Marshall, Minnesota, when the Mustangs earned a 74-49 victory
• Northern leads the all-time series 49-17 and have won 12 of the previous 14 match-ups

SIOUX FALLS STORYLINES

• Sioux Falls enters the weekend with a record of 11-5 (6-3 NSIC), the Cougars are tied for fourth overall in the conference and are second place in the south division
• Last weekend USF extended their winning streak to three games, defeating UMary 74-58, along with a 78-46 non-conference victory on Monday over Mount Marty
• Sioux Falls is averaging 72.0 points, 38.1 rebounds, 14.4 assists, 16.4 turnovers, 10.5 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game
• The Cougars are shooting the ball 42.7 percent from the field, 34.4 percent from 3-point range, and 78.4 percent from the free throw line
• Sioux Falls has the second best scoring margin in the NSIC at 11.3, they average 72.0 points compared to their opponents 60.8 points per game
• Megan Fannin is the only player averaging double figures in scoring with 15.3 points per game, while she is shooting the ball 40.7 percent from the field and 41.5 percent from 3-point range
• Dallie Hoskinson leads USF with 7.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 2.5 steals per game, while also adding 9.1 points per game
• Madison Birnbaum adds 7.0 points per game for the Cougars while leading the team with 2.3 blocks per game

LOOKING BACK TO 2020

• Northern State and Sioux Falls last met on February 7^th, 2020, in Sioux Falls, when the #15 Cougars earned a 65-61 come from behind victory
• Northern leads the all-time series 14-6, however the Cougars have won the last two meetings