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THE OPENING TIP: The University of Minnesota Duluth opens the 2017-18 campaign in Kenosha, Wis. on Saturday afternoon. The Bulldogs, who finished last season 14-14 and 11-11 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, will face off against the University of Wisconsin-Parkside at 1:00 p.m.
SCOUTING REPORT ON WISCONSIN PARKSIDE: The Rangers finished last season 10-17 overall and 8-10 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) while holding a 7-6 record at home in DeSimone Gym.Â
This season, UWP dropped its first five games before pulling out a 65-59 victory over Trinity Christian College on its home court. The Rangers competed in the Disney Tip-Off Classic to open the season and lost all three games by a combined 77 points including losses to No. 16 Azusa Pacific and NSIC rival Wayne State.
Wisconsin-Parkside is coached by Jacob Yorg, who is in his fourth season patrolling the bench. Opponents have hit 44 percent of their shots this season with 41 percent dopping from downtown. Ali Bettencourt is the squad's leading scorer. The junior is dropping 14.2 points and 4.2 rebounds a game. Hayley Maystead paces the Rangers on the boards with 7.5 and is second in scoring with 12.8.
THE SERIES: UMD is 4-0 lifetime against Wisconsin-Parkside. The two teams will matchup for the first time in 18 years. The last time they met was in 1994-95.
HOW THEY RANK: Here is how UMD and UWP stack up in their respective standings last year and in the National Basketball Coaches Association (NABC) poll.
TEAMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â CONFÂ Â Â Â Â Â NABC
UMD            9th               NR
UWP            12th              NR
THE BROADCAST: The games this weekend will be carried live through a video stream and is available for a fee at:
www.glvcsn.com/parkside/
Live stats can also be used at:Â
www.sidearmstats.com/uwp/wbball/
SEASON OPENERS: UMD is 0-2 to start seasons under coach Pearson. The Bulldogs haven't fared well in season openers as it won it last opener back in 2013 when they upended Missouri S&T in the Missouri S&T Tournament.
LAST TIME OUT: The Bulldogs finished up a pair of exhibition matches against the University of Wisconsin-Superior and Bethel University. The Yellowjackets made a late run in the second half but UMD was able to hold off UWS 49-44. The Royals gave the Bulldogs everything they could muster for roughly three quarters before UMD put the pedal down in the fourth and pulled away to win 70-55 at Romano.
CONFERENCE COACHES CORNER: On Oct. 25, the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference 2017-18 Preseason Coaches Poll picked UMD to finish in eighth in the conference and fourth in the North Division. The Bulldogs, which finished third in the division and ninth overall a season ago, received 132 points in the poll.
Minnesota State Moorhead, who claimed the preseason favorite in the North Division, topped out in the overall poll with 213 points sightly topping division rival Northern State with 209. Augustana, who was picked to finish first in the south, was picked to finish third overall in the NSIC. MSUM received 10 first-place votes while NSU got four and Augustana gathered collected the last two.Â
The Dragons' senior forward Drew Sannes was named the North Division Preseason Player of the Year. The Wildcats' senior forward Paige Ballinger was named the South Division Preseason Player of the Year.
FOUR NEW FACES IN THE STARTING FIVE: UMD will replace four of its starters as Taylor Meyer, Kenzie Kane, Jenna Orr and Allyson Harris each played their final collegiate games in 2026-17. Sammy Kozlowski is the only starter returning. The Bulldogs started Katie Stark, Ann SImonet, and Emma Boehm is both exhibition games. Sarah Grow and Ayo Porte each split a start.
NEW DOGS ON THE BLOCK: The Bulldogs bring in five newcomers this season after losing seven letterwinners from last season. UMD hopes to have found its next low post dominator in Sarah Grow (Circle Pines, Minn.). The Bulldogs bring in a pair of guards who had a bunch of success scoring in bunches. Maizie Deihl (New Prague, Minn.) and Ann Simonet (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) each reached the 1,000-point threshold in their careers for their respective high schools. Payton Kahl (Stoughton, Wis,) and Jordyn Thomas (Hermantown, Minn.) are athletic wing players that can play the tweener between guard and forward.
2016-17 ACCOLADES: Sophomore guard Sammy Kozlowski is the only returnee who gained recognition from the NSIC. Kozlowski was named to the All-NSIC Second Team and All-Defensive team. Taylor Meyer, who graduated as the 16 leading scorer in program history, also was tabbed with second team honors.
THE COACH: Third-year head coach Mandy Pearson, following a 14-14 (11-11 NSIC) second season, will look to continue to stamp her mark on the University of Minnesota Duluth women's basketball program.
The Bulldogs doubled their win total from Pearson's first season at the helm, displaying definite signs of a program headed in the right direction. Pearson will look to continue to take steps forward in the 2017-18 season and vault UMD further up the NSIC standings.
Pearson proved her ability to turn a program around while leading the NCAA Division III Cardinals since the 2007 season. Saint Mary's quickly moved up the ranks in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference under her guidance, securing its first playoff bid since 2005 during the 2011-12 campaign. A year later, the Cardinals posted a 22-5 record, second-best in program history, advanced to the MIAC Tournament semifinals, and earned a victory over UMD's Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference rival Winona State University. Pearson was named the MIAC Coach of the Year for the first time in 2012-13, repeating that feat a year later, and also earned the SMU Staff Recogntion Award following that season.
Her last two years with the Cardinals, Pearson's squads posted a 42-13 combined record including a 24-4 mark--best in program history--in 2013-14. The team found itself ranked in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association/USA Today Sports NCAA III Top 25 Coaches' Poll and d3hoops.com polls for the first time ever, as high as no. 12. In her nine seasons as the SMU bench boss, Pearson produced one d3hoops.com All-American selection in Courtney Euerle (an honorable mention in 2013-14), who also earned MIAC Player of the Year honors and was the only player from the entire conference to earn All-America recognition that season. Pearson also produced two All-NCAA III West Region Team members, nine All-MIAC award selections, seven all-conference honorable mentions, four All-MIAC Defensive Team selections, and four MIAC All-First Year Team picks.
Before joining Saint Mary's, Pearson served as an assistant with NCAA III Hamline University during the 2005-07 seasons after wrapping up a four-year playing career at another MIAC school, Concordia College of Moorhead. Pearson earned three All-MIAC selections during her playing career and was named a First Team All-American during her senior season in 2004-05. She was the first Cobber to achieve 1,000 points and 500 assists in her career. She also played softball for Concordia-Moorhead, earning All-MIAC citation on the diamond as well in her senior campaign. She earned a Bachelor of Artsin psychology from Concordia with minors in sociology, health and coaching. While coaching at Saint Mary's, she earned her Master of Arts degree in human development in 2013.
Over the last five years, Pearson has spoken at several camps and clinics, including the Minnesota State High School League Association Clinic in 2011. She also polished her own coaching acumen at the Nike Championship Basketball Clinic, the University of Wisconsin Green Bay, Northern State University, and Final Four Coaching Clinics.
ON TAP: The Bulldogs continue their road swing up to the Michigan upper peninsula on Nov. 20 to face off against Michigan Technological University. That Monday night showdown will tip off at 5:00 p.m. central.
