THE OPENING TIP: The University of Minnesota Duluth embarks on its first Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference South Division road trip with Minnesota State University Mankato and Concordia University, St. Paul awaiting the Bulldogs this weekend. The Mavericks get the crack at UMD on Friday, Jan. 18 (5:30 p.m.) at the Taylor Center in Mankato, Minn. The Golden Bears 

SCOUTING REPORT ON MINNESOTA STATE: The Mavericks are 5-9 overall and 2-8 in the NSIC. They have struggled as of late, losing the last five games. 

Minnesota State has one of the most prolific offenses. It is averaging 73.9 points per game, which is third in the NSIC and 58th in the country. The Mavericks are shooting 41.8 percent from the floor and 36.8 percent from behind the arc. They have the 22nd best three-point shooting percentage in the nation. That mark is second in the conference. Minnesota State also gets to the glass as it ranks second in the NSIC and 36th in Division II with 42.2 rebounds per game. It also is second in offensive boards in the NSIC. 

Taylor Drost is the leading scorer racking up 11.1 points per game with three 20-plus point games this season. Shumski, Rachel Shumski (9.4 points) and Monica Muth (9.3) are next in line for the Mavericks. Three players have at least 5.0 rebounds per game. Brooke Tonsfeldt is leading the squad with 6.9 rebounds per game. Muth is the leading passer with 2.9 assists per game.

SCOUTING REPORT ON CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL: The Golden Bears are 11-4 overall and 7-3 in the NSIC. They have won seven of the last eight games heading into the weekend and are undefeated at home (8-0).

Concordia-St. Paul is right around the NSIC average in most statistical categories. It is scoring 68.5 points per game and giving up 61.3 points per game. The Golden Bears are shooting 41.8 percent for the season which is fourth in the NSIC. They are also fourth in rebounds per game (40.7) and third in blocks shots per game (4.1). Concordia-St. Paul has the tenacity to shoot from inside the arc (5.9 threes, 12th in the NSIC) and it also struggles at the free throw line (65.5, 14th in the NSIC).

The Golden Bears have a pair of players who are in scoring in double figures this season. Lindsay Dorr, the reigning NSIC South Division Player of the Week, is leading the team with 17.7 points and Anna Schmitt is behind her with 14.3 points per game. Dorr, who has six double-doubles, also has 10.4 rebounds a game, which is second in the NSIC. Schmitt is averaging 3.2 assists per game. 

THE SERIES: UMD and Minnesota State have played 63 times between the two and the Bulldogs lead the all-time matchup 33-30. UMD won the lone regular season meeting at Romano last season 68-55 but the Mavericks got the final laugh as they abruptly ended the Bulldogs season in the first round of the NSIC Tournament. Minnesota State shocked UMD 65-59 at Romano to end the Bulldogs' season.

UMD and Concordia-St. Paul will play in the 44th meeting this Saturday with the Bulldogs leading the series 23-20. The Golden Bears have had recent success against UMD going 9-4 in the last 13 games. The Bulldogs are winless in their last six games at the Gangelhoff Center. The last victory on the road for UMD came on March 6, 2010 in the NSIC Tournament semifinals. Concordia-St. Paul lost 61-44 at Romano last season.

HOW THEY RANK: Here is how UMD and its opponents stack up with their records, in the NSIC standings and in the WBCA Coaches Poll.

LAST TIME OUT: UMD won its fourth- and fifth-straight NSIC home games this season with victories over the University of Mary and Minot State University at Romano Gymnasium last weekend. The Bulldogs got 26 points and eight steals from senior guard Sammy Kozlowski and 18 points from sophomore guard Ann Simonet to knock off the Marauders 78-71. Senior forward Emma Boehm tallied a game high 15 points as the Bulldogs swept the season series over the Beavers with a 79-51 win.

UMD'S OWN CONFERENCE POW: On two instances the Bulldogs have had a player named to the NSIC Player of the Week for the North Division this season. Sophomore forward Sarah Grow was bestowed with the honor on Dec. 17, 2018 with wins over the University and Sioux Falls and Southwest Minnesota State University. Grow averaged a double-double registering 14.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, 4.0 blocks over that weekend. Senior guard Sammy Kozlowski was named this past Monday in the weekend sweep over the University of Mary and Minot State University. Kozlowski averaged 17.5 points, 5.5 steals, 5.5 assists and 4.5 rebounds this weekend.

GOOD START: The Bulldogs are off to a 8-2 NSIC start, the best start in conference play in 16 years. The 2002-03 Bulldogs started 10-2 in the conference. That team finished 25-5 with the NSIC postseason title and a berth to the NCAA North Central Region Tournament.

1K FOR KOZLOWSKI: Senior guard Sammy Kozlowski reached 1,000 points for her collegiate career in the Dec. 19 game against Michigan Tech. She became the 21st Bulldog to accomplish the feat when she sunk a free-throw-line jumper in the third quarter. Taylor Meyer is last UMD player to amass 1,000 points as she reached the mark in the 2016-17 season.

CRASH THE GLASS: Sophomore forward Sarah Grow led the team in rebounds last year as a true freshman as is leading the way again through 13 games this season. Grow is collecting 6.8 rebounds per game. She is 13th in the NSIC in rebounding.

GET THAT OUTTA HERE: Sophomore forward Sarah Grow is among the conference leaders in blocked shots. Grow averages 2.3 blocks per game and has at least two blocks in nine games this season.

PAINT PROTECTOR: Sophomore forward Sarah Grow is one of the best at protecting the basket. She is 24th in the NCAA with 2.3 blocks per game. She tallied a career high six blocks in the season opener against Northern Michigan. 

PICKPOCKET: Senior guard Sammy Kozlowski is ranked first in the conference in steals with 3.1 per contest. She is ranked 16th in the nation on a per game basis. She has 40 steals in 13 games.

YOINK: Senior guard Sammy Kozlowski swiped a collegiate best eight steals in Friday's contest against the University of Mary. Her eight steals are tied for 15th for most in a game this season at the Division II level. Kozlowski has recorded a steal in every game this season. In fact, she has at least a steal in the last 22 games dating back to Jan. 20, 2018.

DE-FENSE: UMD is allowing 54.6 points per game this season. That is the best figure in the NSIC and only 10 other teams in the NCAA are holding opponents to a fewer points per game. Bowie State leads the nation at 48.1 points per game.

DENY THE THREE: Opposing teams are shooting 26.4 percent from behind the arc. That percentage clip is 24th-best in the nation. Teams, this season, have shot 20 percent or lower on four occasions.

PRESSURE COOKER: The Bulldogs force 18.1 turnovers per game this season. That average is the third highest in the NSIC. They have forced at least 20 turnovers six times already this season.

PRESSURE COOKER II: UMD has forced at least 13 turnovers in every game this year. It has forced 63 turnovers in the last three games including a season-high 23 against the University of Mary last Friday.

NO WASTED POSSESSIONS: UMD has 12.1 turnovers per game. It ranks as one of the best teams in the country in not spoiling scoring opportunities. Seven other DII schools including three NSIC squads give the ball away less.

POSSESSIONS APLENTY: Stellar defense and taking care of the ball have poised the Bulldogs with one of the better turnover margins in the nation. They are 21st in the nation with a plus 6.0 turnover differential.

A NEAR SHUTOUT: UMD held SMSU to two points in the entire second quarter on Saturday. It would have marked to first time the Bulldogs held a team to no points in any quarter since the NCAA switched to the 10-minute quarter format in 2015-16. The Mustangs didn't attempt a shot four minutes into the quarter as they finished 1-for-8 with six turnovers.

KEEP THEM UNDER 50: When holding opponents under 50 points, UMD has won its past 21 games. They are 6-0 this season when accomplishing that mark. The last loss to a team when holding them under 50 points came on Jan. 22, 2010 against Minnesota State University.

BACK-TO-BACK NIGHTS UNDER 40: SMSU and USF didn't crack the 40-point mark against the daunted UMD defense. It was the first time the Bulldogs held consecutive opponents to under 40 points since Dec. 3 & 6, 1997. Northland College (Wis.) and the University of St. Francis (Ill.) were UMD victims on those dates.

SLOW OUT OF THE GATE: The first quarter has been the Bulldogs weakest. UMD has scored 174 total points in first quarters this season, the lowest of any quarter. and 31 fewer than the next.  It is the only quarter with a negative scoring margin (-13). Opponents have only trailed five times so far after the opening 10 minutes.

SECOND QUARTER TAKEOVER: Despite the slow first quarter, UMD is has taken a lead into the half eight times this season. It is 8-0 in those games when leading at the half. It is plus-40 this season in the second quarter of games this season, the best plus-minus differential in any quarter. 

FINISH STRONG: UMD is 21-2 when going to the fourth with a lead dating back to the 2017-18 season. The Bulldogs are undefeated this season (8-0).

ON TAP: UMD will be back home at Romano Gymnasium on Jan. 25-26 to take on the last of the NSIC North Division teams, Minnesota State University Moorhead and Northern State University, who have yet to play the Bulldogs this season.