For Immediate Release
Monday, Dec. 2, 2013
NSIC Media Relations
Full PDF Release
NSIC Player of the Week
#44 Jordan Spencer
F, 5-11, Jr.,
Omaha, Neb.
Millard West HS
Wayne State
Spencer started the week with a career-high 30 points to help beat then No.11 Augustana and ended the week being named Most Valuable Player of the North Star Invitational in Alaska to lead the 8-0 Wildcats to a 4-0 record during the week. Spencer averaged 22.3 points and 9.0 rebounds per game with two double-doubles, shooting 66.7 percent from the field and 61.8 percent at the free throw stripe. Spencer opened the week Monday evening with a career-high 30 points and 11 rebounds to lead Wayne State in a 70-65 win over #11 Augustana. On Thanksgiving Day, Spencer accounted for 23 points and 13 rebounds in a 98-67 win over Lees-McRae (NC) in the Wildcats’ opener at the North Star Invitational. Spencer then closed out the North Star Invitational with a 26 point performance against host Alaska, going 9 for 12 from the field to clinch Most Valuable Player honors at the three-day, North Star Invitational. For the week, Spencer made 34 of 51 shots from the field for 66.7 percent in the four games for the Wildcats.
2013-14 NSIC Women’s Basketball Notes
AUGUSTANA - Katie Meister (F, 6-0, Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D. / Roosevelt HS) provided a huge spark off the bench for Augustana this past week, averaging 16.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.5 steals in just 23.5 minutes, while shooting 68.1% from the field in two games for Vikings. The Sioux Falls, S.D. native first had a career night in a 70-65 loss to Wayne State on Monday, recording career-highs in points (18), rebounds (12), assists (three), steals (two), blocks (two) against Wildcats. It was also the first collegiate double-double of Meister’s career. The senior also shot an impressive eight for 12, including one of two from beyond the arc, in the game. Against Midland, Meister notched 15 points on seven-of-10 shooting, five rebounds, one block, and one steal in just 19 minutes of action in an 86-68 win.
No. 10 Augustana started the week with a tough matchup against Wayne State on Monday. Despite being down by 14 points in the first half, the Vikings would go on a 23-8 run after a Riley Nordgaard layup to close out the first half with the lead 34-32. The Vikings and Wildcats played back in forth the whole second half and Augustana just came up short on an Emily Schulte game-tying three with 12 seconds remaining in the game. The Wildcats would hit their free throws and win 70-65. Augustana would bounce back on Saturday against the Warriors of Midland. The Vikings came out a little sluggish but really got rolling on the play of Riley Nordgaard, Sophie Kenney, and Meister en route to an 86-68 win over the Warriors. Nordgaard had a career-high 20 points, and Kenney messed around and almost got a triple-double with career highs in points (eight), rebounds (eight), and assists (seven). Meister again provided big-time production off the bench with points and five rebounds on seven-of-10 shooting.
BEMIDJI STATE - #42 Kate Warmack (C, 6-2, Sr., East Grand Forks, Minn. / East Grand Forks HS) recorded a career-high 33 points on 12-of-14 (85.7%) shooting from the field and a perfect 9-for-9 performance from the three throw line, while she added 11 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season in the NSIC opener at Minnesota Crookston. She also posted a season-high four blocks with one steal and one assist in 35 minutes of play. The Beavers lost 104-84. The 33 points is the best performance in the NSIC this season, while her 12 field goals made and four blocks are tied for the top spot in the league in 2013-14. Warmack’s four double-double is tied for first in the conference this season.
The Bemidji State women’s basketball team (4-1, 0-1 NSIC) fell 104-84 at University of Minnesota Crookston Nov. 30 in the NSIC opener. The Golden Eagles knocked down eight 3-pointers in the first half, en route to netting 12 in the game, while BSU failed to make a shot from downtown in the first half and totaled just two in the contest. BSU hosts St. Cloud State University and University of Minnesota Duluth Dec. 6-7 for an NSIC weekend. The Beavers are 14-33 all-time against SCSU and have lost seven of the last eight meetings. Bemidji State owns a 29-61 all-time mark against UMD and have lost the last 10 games versus the Bulldogs.
CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL - Rachel Hansen (G, 6’0”, Sr., Eagan, Minn. / Minnehaha Academy) averaged a double-double for the week with 18.0 points, 10.0 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game. She shot 44.0% from the floor and 37.5% from three while hitting 84.6% of her free throws. On Wednesday in the win over NMU, Hansen scored a team-high 21 points to go along with 11 assists and six rebounds. It was the second consecutive game that Hansen picked up a double-double and second in a row with 20+ points. She continued her solid play in the loss to MSU on Saturday with 15 points, nine assists, five rebounds, two blocks and two steals while hitting 5-10 shots.
The 14th-ranked Concordia University Golden Bears (5-3, 0-1 NSIC) finished up their non-conference slate on a high note with a 75-60 win against Northern Michigan on Wednesday, handing the Wildcats their first loss of the season. The Golden Bears forced 23 turnovers and held NMU to just 33.9% shooting for the game. CU then opened NSIC play on Saturday afternoon with an 87-63 loss to the Minnesota State Mavericks. MSU used a 20-0 run midway through the first half to run away from Concordia. The Mavericks shot 45.5% (30-66) from the field and 42.9% from beyond the arc (12-28) while outrebounding the Golden Bears 48-31.
UNIVERSITY OF MARY - #42 Brittney Dietz (F, 5-10, So., Beach, N.D. / Beach HS) was sensational in U-Mary’s conference opener against Minot State scoring a game-high 24 points. Dietz, who played all 40 minutes, showed little sign of fatigue scoring 15 points in the second half including going 3-for-3 from deep. For the game the sophomore from Beach, N.D. Was 8-for-14 from the field and 5-for-6 from beyond the arc. Dietz also added three steals, two assists and two rebounds.
A slow start doomed the University of Mary women’s basketball team as they fell 79-72 to Minot State in both team’s conference opener. Trailing by 17 at half, U-Mary started the second half with a furious 16-3 run to close the gap to four. U-Mary had the ball with 1:50 left to play and a chance to take its first lead. However, a costly turnover gave the ball back to the Beavers, which eventually led to a lay-up with 1:16 remaining. Missed field goals on each of their ensuing two possessions forced the Marauders to play the foul game. Minot State went 4-for-4 from the line in the final minute to seal the victory.
MINNESOTA CROOKSTON - Alexa Thielman (So., G, Buffalo, Minn.) scored a career-high 30 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including shooting an unblemished 6-of-6 from beyond the arc to help the Golden Eagles past Bemidji State 104-84. UMC fell to BSU twice last year and the Beavers came in with a 4-0 mark. Thielman was one rebound away from a double-double with nine boards on the game. She was 10-of-11 from the charity stripe. The six three-pointers ties UMC’s individual mark. The Golden Eagles hit 13 treys to pick up their first win in a conference opener since the 2008-09 season.
MINNESOTA DULUTH - UMD had just one game on the docket last week and saw St. Cloud State pull away in the final seconds to knock off the Bulldogs 81-73. Senior forward Katrina Newman paced UMD with 18 points. Last week’s NSIC Player of the Week Hannah Rutten just missed a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds. The Bulldogs shot 38.9 percent from the floor including 45.9 percent in the second half as they tried to return from a halftime deficit.
MINNESOTA STATE - The No. 17 Minnesota State women’s basketball team opened conference play with a convincing 87-63 win over No. 14 Concordia-St. Paul. The Mavericks would net nine three pointers in the opening half to take the momentum into intermission. MSU connected on 46% of its shots from the field, 43% from behind the arc and 71% from the charity stripe in the contest while holding the Gold Bears to 33% from the field and 13% from behind the arc. With the win the Mavericks improve to 4-1 on the season and 1-0 on the circuit. The Mavericks were led by senior Ali Wilkinson (Blue Mounds, Wis.) who tallied 16 points and hauled in six rebounds. Wilkinson connected on 5-of-9 (55%) of her shots from the field, 1-of-2 (50%) from behind the arc and 5-of-7 (71%) from the charity stripe. The 6-0 forward would also dish-out three assists and post three steals. On the season Wilkinson is averaging 17.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per contest.
MSU MOORHEAD - Megan Strese (F, 6-0, Sr., Evansville, Minn. / Brandon HS) had a solid week for MSUM in helping them to a 1-1 mark. Strese averaged 18.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and shot 68 percent from the field for the week. Strese had an outstanding game against Northern State on Saturday, going a perfect 11-of-11 from the field and scoring a season-high 23 points for the Dragons in a 96-88 loss. Strese had her first double-double of the season in an 83-53 win over Valley City State on Nov. 25. The senior is averaging 14.2 points and 6.8 rebounds so far this season.
Sophomore guard Meghan Roehrich is emerging as an offensive threat off the bench for MSUM. She has scored in double figures in four straight games, including scoring 10 points in an 83-53 rout of Valley City State on Nov. 25. She added 11 points during a loss to Northern State on Saturday. Roehrich is third on the team in scoring at 11.4 points per game.
MINOT STATE - #24 Alisha Jones (G, 5-7, Sr., Killeen, Texas / Ellison / Temple Junior College) scored a team-high 20-points and added three rebounds, three assists and two steals in 37 minutes to propel Minot State to a 79-70 win over the University of Mary Saturday in the NSIC opener. Jones was 10 for 11 at the free throw line, scoring seven of the Beavers’ final 17 points to fend off the Marauders.
Minot State University raced out to a 26-5 first-half lead and then held off the University of Mary 79-72 to run its record to 5-0 overall and 1-0 for the second-straight season. Minot State led by 17 at the half before U-Mary stormed back to cut the lead to just one midway though the second half. But MISU’s #24 Alisha Jones (G, 5-7, Sr., Killeen, Texas / Ellison / Temple Junior College), #40 Carly Boag (F, 6-2, Sr., Tamworth, Australia / Abbotsleigh) and #50 Christina Boag (F, 6-2, Jr., Tamworth, Australia / Abbotsleigh) combined for 15 of the Beavers final 17 points to counter everything the Marauders threw at them. Jones finished with 20 points, including 10 of 11 free throws, and added three assists and three rebounds. Carly Boag scored 19 points and finished with five rebounds and four steals, while Christina Boag added 14 points, four rebounds and four assists. Minot State ends a seven-straight home stand this weekend with Northern State and Minnesota State-Moorhead.
NORTHERN STATE - Northern State University tabbed two wins last week against Mayville State University and MSU Moorhead. The Wolves are now 5-0 overall and 1-0 in the NSIC. In the 81-58 victory with the Comets, NSU held the visitors to shooting 28.8% from the floor, while forcing a total of 16 team turnovers. The 16 MSU turnovers resulted in 14 Northern points in the game. The Wolves gave up a season low four turnovers, with no play recording more than one. Solid play in the paint resulted in 42 team points and 19 offensive rebounds. It was a night of statistics for the Wolves, beginning with junior Rachel Krogman matching her career high of 23 points. Krogman also recorded her third double-double of the season with 11 total rebounds. Junior Megan Mutchler also scored a season high 18 points going a perfect 4-4 from the free throw line and a stellar 7-9 from the floor. Redshirt sophomore Mykenzie Spaulding scored a season high seven points in just a few minutes on the court averaging just about a point a minute. Both Alison Kusler and Sadie Stotesbery led the team with four assists, in the team’s 21 total. The win led the Wolves into the conference season on a positive note. Win number two of the week resulted in a season high of 96 points by the Wolves, to the Dragons 88, led by junior Megan Mutchler setting a career high with 24. Mutchler also racked up ten rebounds in the win for her first double-double of the season.The Wolves led a majority of the game shooting a season high 52.5% from the floor. Four other Wolves were in double digit points including Rachel Krogman, 21, Alison Kusler, 17, Paige Waytashek, 14, and Devon Brecke, 10. Waytashek led the team with five total assits in the game. As a team, the Wolves scored 19 points off of 15 MSUM turnovers. Brecke led NSU from the free-throw line going a perfect 6-6, as the team shot 74.4% on the night scoring 32 points. Strong post play led to a total of 36 team points in the paint.. The women will be on the road again next weekend as they take on opponents to the North. The Wolves will match-up against Minot State Friday (12/6) beginning at 6 p.m. and U-Mary Saturday (12/7) beginning at 4 p.m. from Minot and Bismarck. The NSIC home opener for the Wolves will be December 13th and 14th with Minnesota Crookston and Bemidji State.
#34 Megan Mutchler (F, 6-1, Jr., Newell, S.D./Newell HS) scored a career high 24 points against MSU Moorhead. Mutchler also took to the glass in the game with ten rebounds, recording her first double-double of the season. Earlier in the week, Megan connected for 18 points and nine rebounds against the visiting NAIA Mayville Comets. Mucthler’s two high scoring games helped the lead the Wolves to two victories on the week and a perfect 5-0 record. She shot a stellar 69.6% from the floor and was 10-12 from the free-throw line in the two games. Finally she blocked a total of 4 shots, three of which came in the win against the Dragons.
SIOUX FALLS - The USF women’s basketball team wrapped up the weekend with two victories by a combined 27 points. On Tuesday night the Cougars were led by Laura Johnson (Sr., F, 6-0, Cedar Falls, Iowa/Cedar Falls HS) who scored 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in an 88-71 victory over Nebraska Kearney. The Cougars trailed at the half 42-33, but rebounded in the second half by shooting over 57% from behind the arc when they had just shot 9% in the first half. USF came out of the break as they opened up with a 20-4 run which was capped off by a Sam Knecht (Fr., F, 6-2, Aberdeen, S.D./Aberdeen Central) jump shot. Knecht dropped a career-high 16 points for the Cougars, but was unable to finish the game as she fouled out with six minutes left. Six Laura Johnson points in the final two minutes of the game sealed the Lopers fate as the Cougars finished with an 88-71 victory. On Saturday, the Cougars opened up league play with a 70-60 victory over Southwest Minnesota State. The Cougars outscored SMSU in the paint, 42-18. Senior forward Laura Johnson led all players with 19 points on 7-for-13 shooting, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. She also collected a game-high 10 rebounds for her third double-double in the Cougars’ first five contests. The Cedar Falls native led a trio of Cougars in double digits, as Sam Knecht finished with 14-and-8 and Ulmer added 13 off the bench. After heading into the break with a tie at 27 points, the two squads split the first eight points to keep things level at 31-31 with 16:34 on the clock. The Cougars led 39-38 after the first media timeout and continued to pour in the points from close range, while the Mustangs went nearly seven minutes without scoring a bucket. Johnson’s three at the 7:53 mark ended the Cougars’ run of 12 straight points in the paint and opened up a 12-point lead for USF at 54-42. The Mustangs responded with a three to end their cold streak, but the Cougars muscled their way to a 7-0 run that saw Bailey Bouman’s layup give USF its largest advantage at 61-45 and put the game out of reach. The Cougars shot 42.9 percent from the floor (27-for-63) and went 11-for-18 (61.1%) from the line. They out-rebounded SMSU 48-33, including an 18-11 edge on the offensive glass and committed 15 turnovers to 14 for the Mustangs. This weekend the Cougars will face NSIC foes Wayne State and Augustana at the Stewart Center. Friday’s game against Wayne State is scheduled for 6 p.m. while Saturday the Cougars will tip off against the Vikings at 4 p.m.
SMSU - Alison Nagel (F, 6-3, Sr., Fort Dodge, Iowa / St. Edmond) hit 6 of 13 shots from the field in Southwest Minnesota State’s 70-60 loss to Sioux Falls on Saturday to open up the 22-game Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference schedule. The senior forward finished with 17 points in the game, while also snaring nine boards. The senior is averaging 17.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game to lead SMSU in both categories. Nagel is shooting 49.2 percent this season on 29 of 59 shooting, including her 52.4 percent 3-point shooting (11 of 21) and not forgetting that she is a perfect 16 of 16 from the free throw line. Nagel will need to continue her hot start this weekend when the Mustangs host No. 11 Augustana and Wayne State - two NSIC perennial powerhouses.
ST. CLOUD STATE - SCSU took the court at Halenbeck Hall for a 7 p.m. tipoff vs. Dakota State University on Tuesday, Nov. 26. The Huskies grabbed their fourth straight win to improve to 4-0 after defeating the Lady T’s 88-63. The Huskies took control in the final twenty minutes, led by senior guard Sam Price (Eau Claire, Wis.) shooting six of seven from behind the arc and hitting five of six free throws to tie her career high of 25 points. Jessica Benson (Grand Meadow) grabbed her third double-double of the season, finishing with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Benson also dished out five assists. SCSU took the court again on Saturday, Nov. 30 to take on the University of Minnesota Duluth in their Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) opener. The Huskies defeated the Bulldogs 81-73 to improve to 5-0 overall and 1-0 in the NSIC. Jessica Benson (Grand Meadow) led the way, finishing with 17 points on six of 11 shooting. Benson grabbed 11 rebounds securing her fourth double-double in a row this season. Benson also had a team-high three steals. Through five games, she leads the Huskies in four categories: points (17.6), rebounds (10.2), steals (2.2) and blocks (.8). Rachael Moen (Savage) finished with 15 points, shooting a perfect eight of eight at the line. Moen dished out a team-high six assists. Lexy Petermann (Fond du Lac, Wis.) added 14 points on six of eight shooting. Sam Price (Eau Claire, Wis.) andCarley Jeffery (Cambridge, Wis.) each added 12 points. Price grabbed seven rebounds and Jeffery pulled down nine. The Huskies return to action as they travel to Bemidji State and Minnesota Crookston on Dec. 6 and 7.
UPPER IOWA - Lauren Buck (F, 5-11, Jr., Anamosa, Iowa) notched her first collegiate double-double this past Saturday with 14 points and 11 rebounds versus Winona State University. The junior added a pair of assists while leading the Peacocks to a win over the Warriors in the teams’ NSIC opener. For the season, Buck is averaging 10.6 points and 10 rebounds per game while shooting 50% from the floor.
Upper Iowa combined balanced scoring with pressure defense to defend Dorman Gym against the visiting Warriors. The Peacocks held their opponent under 60 points for the second time this season and saw four players reach double figures in the scoring column to post the 66-58 victory to open NSIC play.
The Peacock defense took control early and held the Warriors to just two points through the first seven minutes of the game. In fact, WSU’s 2-1 lead was the only time in the game that the visitors led. The Peacocks calmly stepped to the free throw line over the final three and a half minutes though preserving their lead and the win thanks to 12-for-14 shooting at the charity stripe.
Sam Thrapp added 18 points, while Whitney Kieffer netted 14 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals. Carly Pagel was the fourth and final Peacock in double figures with 10 points and 3 rebounds.
The Peacocks will head to Minnesota State University, Mankato and Concordia University, St. Paul this Friday and Saturday, Dec. 6-7. UIU will face the #17 Mavericks in Mankato, Minn. at 6 p.m. and the Golden Bears in St. Paul, Minn. at 4 p.m.
WAYNE STATE - Jordan Spencer (F, 5-11, Jr., Millard West HS) started the week with a career-high 30 points to help beat then No.11 Augustana and ended the week being named Most Valuable Player of the North Star Invitational in Alaska to lead the 8-0 Wildcats to a 4-0 record during the week. In four games, Spencer averaged 22.3 points and 9.0 rebounds per game with two double-doubles, shooting 66.7 percent from the field and 61.8 percent at the free throw stripe. Spencer opened the week Monday evening with a career-high 30 points and 11 rebounds to lead Wayne State in a 70-65 win over #11 Augustana. On Thanksgiving Day, Spencer accounted for 23 points and 13 rebounds in a 98-67 win over Lees-McRae of North Carolina in the Wildcats’ opener at the North Star Invitational in Fairbanks, Alaska. Spencer then closed out the North Star Invitational with a 26 point performance against host Alaska, going 9 for 12 from the field to clinch Most Valuable Player honors at the three-day, North Star Invitational. For the week, Spencer made 34 of 51 shots from the field for 66.7 percent and was 21 for 34 at the free throw line (61.8%) in the four games for the Wildcats, now 8-0 on the season.
WINONA STATE - Tara Roelofs, Fr., G, 5-9, Vernon Center, Minn. (Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial) averaged 13 points per game as the Warriors beat Viterbo before falling to Upper Iowa Saturday. Roelofs was consistent on the week, scoring 14 points against Viterbo and adding a team-high 12 against Upper Iowa. She was 6-of-12 from the floor against the V-Hawks while also making four shots from behind the 3-point line. Roelofs also added three rebounds, four steals, two assists and a block for the Warriors.
Past NSIC Players of the Week
11/11/13 - Jordan Spencer - WSC
11/18/13 - Carly Boag - MISU
11/25/13 - Hannah Rutten - UMD
12/2/13 - Jordan Spencer - WSC (2)