THE OPENING TIP: By the time the Bulldogs and the Wolves tip-off Friday in Romano Gymnasium it will have been an even three weeks since we last saw them in game action. Following what was supposed to be two straight road series, which resulted in two straight weekend cancelations,  the Bulldogs are back in Romano gym as they welcome the Northern State Wolves to town. Tip-off is scheduled for 6PM Friday, and 4PM Saturday. 

THE SCOUTING REPORT ON NORTHERN STATE: Northern State currently sits at 2-4 (1-3) in the NSIC.  The Wolves are averaging 63.5 points per game while surrendering an average of 65.7 points against per game, a scoring margin of -2.2. Two players to watch for Northern State are junior forward Lexi Wadsworth and freshman guard Rianna Fillipi. Wadsworth leads the Wolves in three very noticeable categories, points per game with 15.7, rebounds per game with 5.5, and minutes played averaging 31.2 per game. Fillippi checks in right behind Wadsworth in the aforementioned categories. Filippi is averaging 9.5 points per game, 4.2 rebounds per game, and 28 minutes per game which is second on Northern State in all categories. The Wolves are coached by Paula Krueger who is entering her third season at the helm of Northern State and 12th total in collegiate basketball. Krueger holds a 24-35 (.406) record at Northern State and 157-160 (.495) overall in her collegiate coaching career. 

THE SERIES:  UMD and Northern State met three times in the 2019-20 the Bulldogs swept the season series with wins in Duluth, Aberdeen, and Sioux Falls in the NSIC Tournament Quarterfinals. The Bulldogs are currently riding a five game winning streak against the Wolves dating back to the 2018-19 season. With that being said the series before the 2018-19 season swings the Wolves way. Dating back to the 2013-14 season Northern State leads the series 10-5. 

LAST TIME OUT: The last time we saw the UMD women was two weeks ago, when they swept Minot State with a pair of double digit wins, 83-65 and 72-57. It was a total team effort for the Bulldogs as four players finished with double digit point totals Friday, including sophomore guard Taytum Rhoades, who finished with a career high 19 points on 7-12 shooting from the field and 3-4 shooting from beyond the arc. Saturday was no different, as three UMD players recorded double figures in the point column. Junior forward Brooke Olson and senior forward Sarah Grow finished with 27 and 16 points respectively.

HOME SWEET HOME PART TWO: With their sweep of Minot State inside Romano Gymnasium on Jan. 8-9, the Bulldog women's team has extended their home winning streak to 24 games. The last time UMD surrendered a home loss was December 19, 2018.

HOW THEY RANK: Here is how the Bulldogs and Wolves match up before facing off this weekend in Duluth:
 

School	Record	Preseason Ranking	Scoring Offense	Scoring Defense
UMD	3-0	1ST NSIC North	74.3 (5th NSIC)	56.3 (2nd NSIC) (15th NCAA)
NSU	3-3	5TH NSIC North	63.5 (12th NSIC)	65.7 (6th NSIC)

THE BROADCAST: UMD fans can watch the Bulldogs and Wolves battle this weekend using the link here.

LIVE STATS: You can follow along with the action via live stats here.

DISHING OUT ASSISTS LEFT AND RIGHT: Picking up right where they left off last season, the UMD women's basketball team continues to spread the ball around and find open looks to support their offense. UMD is currently averaging 15 assists per game through three games. This ranks third within the NSIC, and 37^th in the NCAA. Two UMD players find themselves in the top ten for assists per game in the NSIC; junior guard Maesyn Thiesen sits seventh averaging 3.7 assists per game, and not far behind her, tied for ninth place, sits senior guard Ann Simonet with 3.3 assists per game. Additionally, the Bulldogs assist-to-turnover ratio sits first in the NSIC and 5^th in all of NCAA DII nationwide.


DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS: Defense is the key for UMD. The UMD women's basketball team has done a masterful job so far in a multitude of defensive categories and indicators through three games. The Bulldogs have held their opponents to only 56.3 points against, the second best mark in the NSIC and the 15^th best mark across all NCAA DII programs. Their scoring defense is one of the top marks in the country and has led them to a scoring margin of +18.0, which ranks third in the NSIC and 12^th nationally. Their defense of field goals has been lockdown to this point, holding teams to a 36.6 shooting percentage from the field. This slots them in at 4^th in the NSIC and 37^th best nationwide. If you think 36.6% is good, their perimeter defense is even better. UMD opponents are shooting just 26.8% from beyond the arc, good for 4^th in the NSIC and 32^nd in all of NCAA DII.

BROOKE OLSON AS ADVERTISED: The preseason Player of the Year selection in the NSIC North is living up to expectations through her first three games. Olson's 21.0 points per game are top in the NSIC and good for 20th-best in all of NCAA DII. Her 7.0 rebounds per game are good for 6^th in the NSIC and tied for first on the Bulldogs with teammate Sarah Grow. Her shooting from the field and the charity stripe has been superb. She is currently shooting 59.5% from the field, which is second best in the NSIC and 18^th in NCAA DII. Her 92.3% shooting from the line is good for 3^rd in the NSIC and 13^th in the NCAA. The last time Olson and UMD played against Minot State, she received Player of the Week honors for the week of January 11^th.

PUTTING THE BALL IN THE BASKET: Through three games, UMD is averaging 74.3 points per game that is the fifth best mark in the NSIC. The Bulldogs' patience from the field and beyond the arc is on display nightly. UMD has the highest field goal percentage in the NSIC and 8^th highest percentage nationwide at 47.7%. The Bulldogs' three point field goal percentage of 41.39% is 2^nd in the NSIC and also 7^th nationally.

NATIONAL EXPOSURE: UMD currently sits in the top ten of the most recent D2SIDA poll, holding down the eight spot. To view the whole poll in its entirety click here.

THE COACH: Mandy Pearson entering her sixth year at the helm of UMD women's basketball program and has turned her team into a perennial powerhouse. The Bulldogs qualified for their second straight NCAA DII women's basketball tournament appearance last year. After winning a NSIC tournament championship in 2018-19, Pearson acquired more hardware in the 2019-20 season by winning a North Division title and overall NSIC regular season championship, the first since 2002-03 season. It is also the first time that UMD has qualified for the DII tournament in consecutive years since the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons. Aside from team accolades, Pearson was named the NSIC Coach of the Year in 2019-20. This is the Bulldogs' first Coach of the Year award since the legendary Karen Stromme was honored with the award for the 1998-99 season.  Pearson sits just 13 wins away from 100 at UMD and sits just 10 wins away from 200 in her overall coaching career.

Pearson proved her ability to turn a program around while leading the NCAA Division III St. Mary's University Cardinals starting with the the 2007 season, providing stability to a program that posted a 7-18 record during the 2006-07 season and needed its third coach in as many seasons before she stepped into the role. Saint Mary's quickly moved up the ranks in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) 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.

During 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 2013-14 and in the top-25 from d3hoops.com in 2014-15. 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 Division 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 six 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 hit the road for the last time in the 2020-21 season as they head to Crookston to do battle with the Golden Eagles. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 PM on Friday and 1:30 PM on Saturday. 

FANS: UMD women's basketball will be hosting invited guests (student-athlete families/friends) of teams this weekend in Romano Gymnasium.