THE OPENING TIP: The University of Minnesota Duluth and Minnesota State University Moorhead will square off for the third time this season in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference/Sanford Health Championship on Tuesday, March 5 at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. The Bulldogs (22-6) and the Dragons (26-5) take the court at 5:00 p.m. to decide the conference postseason champion.

SCOUTING REPORT ON MSU MOORHEAD: The Dragons are 25-6 overall and 19-3 in the NSIC. They claimed the NSIC regular season title and they are receiving votes in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association poll. MSU Moorhead advanced to the finals by beating Upper Iowa at home 92-67, winning 72-67 over Winona State in the quarterfinals and defeating Sioux Falls 77-64 in the semifinals.

The Dragons are sixth in the NSIC in scoring with 63.3 points per game. They are third in the NSIC in scoring defense, allowing 59.3 points per game. MSU Moorhead is fourth in the NSIC in rebounding (40.9), eighth in assists (13.6), ninth in blocks (2.8), and 11th in steals (5.8).

Megan Hintz is averaging 19.0 points and 7.3 rebounds during the NSIC Tournament. Hintz tied her career high with 28 points in their semifinal win on Monday. She is averaging a double-double on the season with 15.6 points and 10.1 rebounds. Kiley Borowicz is second in scoring for the Dragons with 14.5 points. She has reached double figures in 13 of the last 14 outings. Jacky Volkert runs the MSU Moorhead offense. She leads the NSIC with 4.8 assists per game and is the Dragons all-time leader in assists.  Volkert is averaging 12.8 points per game. The senior led the Dragons back in the quarterfinal with 10 points, nine assists and four steals.

THE SERIES: UMD and MSU Moorhead are set to play in the 89th meeting, the Bulldogs most-played rivalry. UMD leads the all-time series 53-35. This matchup will be the rubber match between the two clubs as they have split the regular season each of the past three seasons. The Bulldogs won at home 69-53 over the Dragons and MSUM returned the favor at its place, winning 72-56 in Moorhead.

HOW THEY RANK: Here is how UMD and MSUM stack up with their records, in the NSIC standings, in the WBCA Coaches Poll and in the NCAA II Regional Rankings.
 

TEAM	RECORD	NSIC	WBCA	NCAA
UMD	22-6	16-4 (2nd/N)	NR	5th
MSUM	26-5	17-3 (1st/N)	RV	3rd

HOW THE DOGS GOT HERE: UMD won its first-round home game against Southwest Minnesota State 87-57. The Bulldogs held off Augustana 80-72 in the NSIC Quarterfinals and defeated St. Cloud State 68-50 in the semifinals.

LAST TIME OUT: UMD came away with a 68-50 win over St. Cloud State in the NSIC Semifinals on Monday. The Bulldogs defense shut down the Huskies as they never trailed in the ball game. UMD allowed 14 points in the first half, the fewest points in the opening half since giving up 12 points to Winona State back on Feb. 15, 2014. SCSU shot 29 percent for the game, the eighth time this season UMD has held teams under 30 percent from the floor. Sophomore guard Ann Simonet compiled a game-high 13 points -- all in the first half -- with seven rebounds and a pair of steals. Freshman forward Brooke Olson tallied 10 points off the bench to go with six boards. Junior forward Katie Stark notched a career-high 12 rebounds in the win.
IN THE NSIC TOURNAMENT: UMD is 20-10 all-time in the NSIC Tournament. It has won the conference tournament four times (2000, 2001, 2003, and 2004) in six tries. Tuesday will be Bulldogs' seventh trip to the finals. UMD last made the championship round in 2010, losing to Wayne State 77-66. The Bulldogs have not played the Dragons in the NSIC postseason.

OUT FRONT: The Bulldogs are especially dangerous when leading this season. They have not lost a game in which they have led at the half (21-0) or entering the lead in the fourth quarter (21-0) this season.

NEW HEIGHTS: The 22 wins this season under head coach Mandy Pearson is the most under her tenure. It also the most for the program since a 25-win season in 2002-03.

20-20: The Bulldogs posted their first 20-win season since Annette Wiles led UMD to a 20-11 record in her second season as coach in 2009-10.

20-20 II: UMD has 18 20-win seasons in its 43 years of recorded history. However, it has recorded just two 20-win season in the last 14 years.

WINNING!: UMD has 18 wins in the NSIC this season, the most conference wins in program history. The Bulldogs eclipsed their 16-win total from the 1999-2000 season, the most by any UMD team before this season. The Bulldogs went 16-2 and captured their then-ninth NSIC championship that season.

KEEP ROLLIN': The latest stretch of basketball has been the best in a while by the Bulldogs. The last time UMD had 12 wins in the last 13 games dates back to the 2004-05 season when the Bulldogs took 12 of 13 during the middle of the season.

LAY-UPS: Before the NSIC Quarterfinal against Augustana, the Bulldogs won their last 10 games by a margin of 15 points or more. They have 16 of their 22 wins this season by 15 points or more.

SURVEY SAYS: UMD was ranked fifth in the second installment of the NCAA Division II Central Region Rankings, released Wednesday. The winner of the NSIC Tournament and the champions of the MIAA and the GAC get automatic bids to the tournament, leaving five at-large bids following postseason tournament play. The NCAA Basketball Selection Show will be streamed online on Sunday, March 10 at 9 p.m. on NCAA.com.
    

CENTRAL REGION RANKINGS	IN-REGION	OVERALL
1. Southwestern Oklahoma State (GAC)	25-1	25-1
2. Fort Hays State (MIAA)	22-1	22-1
3. MSU Moorhead (NSIC)	21-5	21-5
4. Central Missouri (MIAA)	20-5	18-4
5. Minnesota Duluth (NSIC)	19-6	19-6
6. Emporia State (MIAA)	18-5	18-6
7. Concordia-St. Paul (NSIC)	19-6	19-6
8. Lindenwood (MIAA)	19-5	19-5
9. Pittsburg State (MIAA)	17-6	16-5
10. Washburn (MIAA)	17-8	15-8

AGAINST THE TOP 25: The victory over No. 24 MSU Moorhead on Jan. 25 was the first time in five attempts the Bulldogs came out with a victory against a ranked opponent. The Dragon were also the last team UMD beat before that handing the then-No. 15 team a 71-59 loss on Jan. 20, 2017.

SAVING THEIR BEST FOR LAST: Seniors Emma Boehm and Sammy Kozlowski have shined in the NSIC Tournament with career marks in scoring. Kozlowski scored 27 points in the quarterfinal win over Augustana and Boehm dropped 22 points in the first round victory against Southwest Minnesota State.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: One of the four major conference awards was bestowed upon senior guard Sammy Kozlowski. Kozlowski was named the NSIC Defensive Player of the Year on Thursday. She lead the league's top-ranked defense with a league-leading 63 steals for 2.7 steals per game in league play. 

ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS: Senior guard Sammy Kozlowski was also named to the NSIC All-Conference First Team for the first time in her lucrative career. She is a three-time all-conference pick after being selected to the second team the last two seasons. Sophomore forward Sarah Grow was named to the NSIC All-Conference Second Team and freshman forward Brooke Olson was named to the NSIC All-Freshmen Team.

NORTH DIVISION PLAYER OF THE WEEK ACCOLADES: On three instances this season the Bulldogs have had a player named the NSIC North Division Player of the Week. Sophomore forward Sarah Grow was bestowed with the honor on Dec. 17, 2018. Senior guard Sammy Kozlowski was rewarded with the citation twice (Jan. 14 and 28).

SAM I AM: Senior guard Sammy Kozlowski is approaching the top-5 in three statistical Bulldog categories -- three-point field goals, assists and steals. 
 

Three-Pointers
Kozlowski: 129 (6th)	Jaime Bell: 133 (5th)
Assists
Kozlowski: 426 (6th)	Sue Fiero: 428 (5th)
Steals
Kozlowski: 245 (4th)	Denise Holm: 260 (3rd)

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.

CLIMBING THE SCORING RANKS: Senior guard Sammy Kozlowski has 1,248 career points which ranks her 11th on the Bulldogs' all-time scoring list. She needs 34 points to overtake Carmen Kuntz (1,281) for 10th among most points as a Bulldog.

MASTER THIEF: Senior guard Sammy Kozlowski ranks 10th among active Division II players in total steals with her 245 career takeaways.

MASTER THIEF II: Senior guard Sammy Kozlowski is ranked first in the conference in steals with 2.7 per contest. She is ranked 25th in the nation on a per game basis. 

GET THAT OUTTA HERE: Sophomore forward Sarah Grow is first in the conference in blocked shots. Grow averages 2.4 blocks per game and has at least two blocks in 19 games this season.

PAINT PROTECTOR: Sophomore forward Sarah Grow is one of the best at protecting the basket. She is 22nd in the NCAA with 2.4 blocks per game. She tallied a career-high six blocks in the season opener against Northern Michigan. 

MILESTONE REJECTION: Sophomore forward Sarah Grow recently amassed 100 blocks for her career. She is up to 116 blocks for her career. Julie Coughlin holds the UMD record with 160 career rejections. Grow's 69 blocks this season are 13 short of the program record set by Jayne Mackley  in 1978-79.

BURYING TREYS: Senior forward Emma Boehm leads the NSIC in three-point field-goal percentage. On the season, Boehm is 34-for-67 from outside the arc. She is hitting her outside jumpers at a 50.7 percent clip. Cassie Askvig (Mary) is next at 45.3 percent.

... AT RECORD PACE: Senior forward Emma Boehm is on pace to break the single-season three-point percentage mark in program history. Boehm, who has recorded the UMD's fourth-best three-point percentage during her freshman campaign, is ahead of Sarah Belanger's 47.4 percentage from the 1992-93 season.

DE-FENSE: UMD is allowing 54.9 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 48.5 points per game.

DE-FENSE II: The Bulldogs are 19-1 this season when allowing fewer than 60 points this season. They have won their last 11 games when holding opponents under 60 points. 

NO EASY BUCKETS: UMD is holding teams, on the season, to a combined 36.9 percent shooting clip. That is third in the NSIC and 48th overall in the NCAA. Eight teams have shot under 30 percent this season against the Bulldogs. It is the lowest shooting percentage allowed by UMD in seven seasons.

DENY THE THREE: Opposing teams are shooting 28.4 percent from behind the arc. That percentage clip is 50th-best in the nation and second in the NSIC. Teams, this season, have shot 20 percent or lower on six occasions and only once has an opponent shot above 50 percent.

FROM DOWNTOWN: The Bulldogs have the second-best shooting percentage in the NSIC for three-point range and the 41st best overall in Division II. UMD is 166-for-475 for 35.4 percent.

BLOCK IT OR TAKE IT AWAY: UMD is second in the conference in blocks per game and second in steals per game. The Bulldogs average 4.2 blocks per game and 9.6 steals per game. Nationally, they are 42th in blocks and 49th in steals.

PRESSURE COOKER: The Bulldogs force 17.6 turnovers per game this season. That is the second highest in the NSIC. They have forced at least 20 turnovers 11 times this season.

PRESSURE COOKER II: UMD has forced at least 11 turnovers in every game this year expect for Feb. 16 outing against MSU Moorhead. It created a season-high 25 times against Wayne State.

NO WASTED POSSESSIONS: UMD has 11.4 turnovers per game. It ranks as one of the best teams in the country in not spoiling scoring opportunities. Four other DII schools 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 15th in the nation with a plus 5.96 turnover differential and have turned the ball over 319 times, the sixth fewest in the NCAA.

SHARING THE BALL: Four players register over 1.5 assists per game. UMD is first in the NSIC with 16.3 assists per game. The Bulldogs are one of two teams in the NSIC -- Augustana being the other -- to have two players dish out at least three assists per game. 

BALL CONTROL: UMD has the third best assist-to-turnover ratio in the nation. The 1.43 A/TO ratio is No. 1 in the NSIC  while Ashland has the top ratio at 1.49.

BALL CONTROL II: Sophomore guard Ann Simonet is second in the NSIC with an assist-to-turnover ration of 2.40. Simonet has 84 assists and only 35 turnovers. 

ON TAP: The winner of the NSIC Championship game will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and one of the eight spots in the central region. The Women's Basketball Selection Show will be held on Sunday, March 10 at 9:00 p.m.