The University of Minnesota Duluth women's basketball team will host their second Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) match against the University of Minnesota Crookston tomorrow inside Romano Gymnasium. A trip to Minnesota State University Moorhead seals off this week with the tipoff set for 5:30 p.m. Saturday inside Nemzek Fieldhouse.

NSIC LEADERS: Myra Moorjani moved to third in free throw percentage (.929) and fifth in three-point field goal percentage (.385).

The team holds fourth in the conference for field goal percentage (43.5%), second in three-point field goal percentage (36.5%), first in free throw percentage (84.8%), second in assist/turnover ratio (1.10), second in blocked shots (4.40 avg/g), and fourth in assists (15.6 avg/g).

HEAD COACH MANDY PEARSON 11TH SEASON: Since taking over the program in 2015, she has led the team to five NCAA II Tournament births, three of which happened back-to-back, with one going all the way to the Championship in the 2022-23 season. Pearson has an overall record of 185-96 with 140-67 in conference play and three NSIC regular-season champion finishes.

SIX AND BULLDOG: The Bulldogs shattered the No. 15 (WBCA) ranked Northern Michigan Wildcats in a stunning 85-70 victory on their home court. 

Entering the matchup, the Wildcats were on an unbeaten six-game win streak to start the season. That is, until the Bulldogs came to town. In another double-digit point game for four UMD athletes, Claire Bjorge led the way with 20 points, with Myra Moorjani and Lexi Karge following one point behind. Grace Counts put up an 11-point game for the top four UMD scorers to combine for 69 points of 85 total. Karge also led the Bulldogs with eight rebounds to keep the ball out of the Wildcats' hands.

In all, UMD shot 56.9% in field goals, 56.3% from beyond the arc, and 85.7% from the free throw line. Overall, the team combined for season highs in points, field goals made, and free throws made.

MORE ON THE GOLDEN EAGLES: Since 2013 the Bulldogs have only lost two games to the Golden Eagles for a 21-2 record. The last time UMD lost was in 2019 in a narrow 61-66 loss on the road. 

The Golden Eagles' top scorer is Emma Miller, who earned the NSIC North Division Player of the Week in the second week. She has scored a total of 124 points while shooting 39.1% from the field and has six steals, 36 rebounds, and 26 assists to start the year.

LAST TIME OUT AGAINST UMC: After falling behind 13-11, UMD went on a 10-0 run with 5:41 left in the first quarter to take a 21-13 lead. The Bulldogs lost some of that lead, but still entered the quarter break with a 23-17 advantage. UMD capitalized on five Crookston turnovers in the period, turning them into six points on the other end of the floor.

UMC fought back to tie the game at 31-31 before UMD went on an 11-0 run starting at the 3:58 mark in the second period, highlighted by a bucket from Miller, to take a 42-31 lead. The Golden Eagles cut into that lead, but the Bulldogs still enjoyed a 42-33 advantage heading into halftime. UMD dominated in the paint, scoring 14 of its 19 points close to the basket.

After intermission, the Bulldogs held on to their advantage and owned a 58-50 lead heading into the fourth quarter. UMD played well near the basket, scoring 10 of its 16 points in the paint.

UMD kept its lead intact before going on a 14-0 run, finished off by Bickford's three, to grow the lead to 74-53 with 4:34 to go in the contest. The Golden Eagles narrowed the margin somewhat before the game was over, but the Bulldogs still cruised the rest of the way for the 77-60 win. UMD fired away from deep in the quarter, knocking down four shots to account for 12 of its 19 points.

The Bulldogs had four players score in double figures, led by Lexi Karge, who had a career high 22 points and six rebounds. Johanna Miller added a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds and Vanessa Bickford helped out with 13 points off of the bench.

UMD grabbed 44 rebounds in Friday's game compared to UMC's 30, led by Miller's 12 boards. The Bulldogs also cleaned up the offensive glass, turning 12 rebounds into 11 second chance points. The Bulldog defense held the Golden Eagles' shooters to only 37.1% from the field.

The Bulldogs also kept Nicole Hernandez to 1-of-13 shooting and three points in the game. The Golden Eagles did not get many second opportunities on the offensive end, as they grabbed only eight offensive rebounds and scored four second chance points while UMD pulled down 32 defensive rebounds.

A LOOK AT THE DRAGONS: MSUM keeps the offense spread out with both Abby John (66 total points) and Terryn Johnson (60 points) leading the scoring effort. John won the NSIC North Division Player of the Week this week after averaging 19.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.0 steals in two MSUM victories. This included a double-double against Minnesota Crookston (17 points, 10 rebounds).

LAST TIME OUT AGAINST MSUM: After falling behind 3-0 to open the night, UMD went on a 7-0 run with 6:55 left in the first quarter, culminating in a bucket from Karge, to take a 7-3 lead. The Bulldogs lost some of that lead, but still entered the quarter break with a 12-10 advantage. UMD relied on its three-point shooting in the period, knocking down two shots to account for six of its 12 points.

MSUM fought back to tie the game at 12-12 in the second quarter before the Bulldogs collected five unanswered points starting at the 8:21 mark in the second period, highlighted by a three from Counts, to take a 17-12 lead. The Dragons then answered back to take a 25-24 lead heading into halftime.

UMD came out of halftime rallying and had constructed a 34-32 lead before going on a 10-0 run, punctuated by a three from Johnston, to expand its lead further to 44-32 with 3:19 to go in the third. Before the conclusion of the third period, the Dragons had cut into that lead by four, but the Bulldogs still entered the fourth quarter with a 49-41 edge. UMD took advantage of five Dragon turnovers in the quarter, scoring 10 points off of takeaways.

The Bulldogs would get out-scored 20-12 throughout a majority of the fourth quarter as MSUM came back to tie the game at 61-61 with 0:36 left to go. As time winded down, Maria Counts went on to hit the game winning layup with 11 seconds to go as the Bulldog defense was able to shut down MSUM on their final possession. UMD fired away from deep in the quarter, knocking down two shots to account for six of its 14 points.

The Bulldogs had two players score in double figures, led by Lexi Karge, who had 17 points and eight rebounds. Maria Counts added 10 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals and Johanna Miller added eight points.

The UMD offense made hay from deep, pouring in eight threes on 19 attempts. Drew Johnston set a pair of new career highs tonight, hitting three shots from behind the arc for the Bulldogs to tally new career highs in points (9) and 3FG made (3).

NSIC REVIVES NORTH/SOUTH DIVISION: With the reformation of the North and South Divisions, the University of Minnesota Duluth women's basketball team has been selected to finish third in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) North Division, with Lexi Karge selected as the Player to Watch for the Bulldogs.

In the NSIC's annual preseason poll, UMD has been selected to finish third in the North Division, receiving 37 points. They fall behind the University of Mary in second (42 points) and Minnesota State University Moorhead in first (43 points). Overall, the team ranks middle of the pack in eighth with 139 points to fall one point behind MSUM, University of Mary in sixth (152), St. Cloud State University in fifth (155), and Southwestern Minnesota State University in fourth (172). Concordia University St. Paul splits second with the University of Sioux Falls (202), with Minnesota State University Mankato out ahead (215). 

The North Division has seen the Bulldogs finish first in the last four seasons from 2019-2023. The season prior, they managed a second-place finish. The conference spent the last two seasons with a single division structure where the maroon and gold settled for a combined 22-22 record in NSIC competition.

Senior forward Lexi Karge has been tapped as the NSIC's Bulldog Player to Watch after averaging a team-second high 11 points per game last season. She was also second on the team in average of rebounds per game (6.1), blocked shots (21), field goals made (126), and free throws made (41).