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THE OPENING TIP: The University of Minnesota Duluth competes on Monday and Wednesday in a pair of games against Great Lakes Intercollegiate Conference teams. The Bulldogs finish up their opening road trip first against Michigan Technological University at 5:00 p.m. central time before heading home to play Lake Superior State University in the Romano Gymnasium opener at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

SCOUTING REPORT ON MICHIGAN TECH: The Huskies have gotten off to a hot start to begin the 2017-18 season, winning their first four games away from home including a 66-53 upset victory over No. 19 MSU-Moorhead. 
MTU has held its opponents to 55 points on 34.3 from the field and 25 percent from three on the season. The Huskies defeated Minnesota-Crookston on Friday 68-52. They took an early lead in the opening quarter and never looked back as they shot over 50 percent in the first 20 minutes.
Lindsay Winter dropped 18 points for the Huskies vs. Minnesota-Crookston and was close to her team-leading season average of 18.5. Winter is also pulling down 9.5 boards a game to pace the Huskies. Kelli Guy is posting five assists per game. Elizabeth Kelliher leads the team with nine blocks and contributed three blocks to the Huskies' season high eight blocks last game.

SCOUTING REPORT ON LAKE SUPERIOR STATE: The Lakers lost their season opener at home to Malone University 80-68. LSSU, who finished 5-23 a season ago, has a new coach, Brandon Lokken, and a roster that features 14 underclassmen, nine of which are freshman.
The Lakers did shoot 51 percent from the field but allowed 13 three-pointers which dashed any hope of staying in the game. Courtney Jacobsen buried 18 points for LSSU and Tamara Novic also dropped 13 points and a team-high eight boards.

THE SERIES: UMD has a 30-21 lead in the all-time series against Michigan Tech. The Huskies have won the last three games including the Bulldogs' season home opener last season.
The Bulldogs trail in the all-time series to the Lakers 3-5. Wednesday will mark the ninth time the two teams have faced off and the third time in three seasons. UMD won 65-57 last season at LSSU.

HOW THEY RANK: Here is how UMD and their opponents stack up in their respective conference standings last year and in the National Basketball Coaches Association (NABC) poll.
TEAM        CONF        NABC
UMD             9th             NR
MTU             4th              NR
LSSU           15th            NR

THE BROADCAST: The game vs. Michigan Tech will be carried live through a video stream and is available at:
portal.stretchinternet.com/mtuv

Live stats can also be viewed on Monday at:
www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/wbkb/2017-18/boxscores/20171120_tzz8.xml

The game vs. Lake Superior State will be carried live through a video stream, in addition to live stats, and is available for free at:
portal.stretchinternet.com/umd

LAST TIME OUT: The Bulldogs opened the season on a high note blasting the University of Wisconsin-Parkside 73-49 in Kenosha, Wis. UMD had four players register double figures. Sammy Kozlowski and Ann Simonet each collected 14 points. Sarah Grow made a good first impression in her debut, gaining her first double-double of her career on 12 points and 13 rebounds. 
UMD led 45-37 in the half then shutdown the Rangers. The Bulldogs outscored UWP 31-14 in the last 20 minutes. The Rangers hit 5-of-41 shots in the second half for a miniscule 11 percent and 1-of-21 from behind the arc.

FOUR NEW FACES IN THE STARTING FIVE: UMD replaced four of its starters as Taylor Meyer, Kenzie Kane, Jenna Orr and Allyson Harris each played their final collegiate games in 2016-17. Sammy Kozlowski is the only starter returning. The Bulldogs started Katie Stark, Ann Simonet, Emma Boehm and Sarah Grow in the season opener.

NOT A BAD DEBUT, PUPS: Four of the five freshman scored in their first collegiate action against the Rangers. Ann Simonet led all freshmen with 14 and Sarah Grow followed up with 12. The first-year players combined for 30 of the team's 73 points (41 percent).

PURE SECOND HALF DOMINATION: The Rangers only scored 14 points in the second half as the Bulldogs blew the doors open and won by 24 points. That was the largest margin of victory since the 2015-16 season when UMD won 84-60 over Upper Iowa on Feb. 5.

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. 
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.

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 16th 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 Recognition 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 Arts in 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 will take the Thanksgiving break to rest up and prep for the start of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference schedule. After Wednesday's game, UMD will have eight days before traveling to play Bemidji State Friday, Dec. 1 at 6:00 p.m.