The University of Minnesota Duluth women's basketball team heads on the road to face the only other undefeated Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) #2 Minnesota State University Mankato and St. Cloud State University this weekend. First up is the Mavericks tomorrow at 7:30 p.m., with the Huskies following on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.
 
RECEIVING VOTES: For two weeks in a row the Bulldogs are receiving votes in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Top 25 Poll. 
 
10-0 NSIC START: Through ten matches, UMD currently sits atop the North Division as the only undefeated team with victories against Bemidji State (74-63), Minnesota Crookston (76-54), MSU Moorhead (73-69), Northern State (69-63), Jamestown (82-36), Minot State (83-69), UMary (80-65), Bemidji State (78-50), Sioux Falls (57-42), and SMSU (69-65). The only other undefeated team is #2 Minnesota State Mankato who is the favorite to win the NSIC South Division.
 
NSIC LEADERS: The team holds fourth in the conference for scoring offense (73.8 avg/g), second in scoring margin (12.7), first in scoring defense (61.1 avg/g), fourth in field goal percentage (44.6%), second in opponent field goal percentage (38.9%), third in free throw percentage (78.1%), third in turnover margin (3.07), second in assist/turnover ratio (1.13), third in blocked shots (3.64 avg/g), and fifth in assists (14.5).
 
FIRST NSIC PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  Claire Bjorge earned both her career's first NSIC North Division Player of the Week award and the team's first of the 2025-26 season. Bjorge earned the selection after scoring a career high and team-leading 25 points in the victory over the University of Minnesota Crookston (76-54). In that effort, she shot an impressive 66.7% (10-15) from the field. Throughout the week, she averaged 21 points and seven rebounds in two conference wins. In the second matchup, she added another 17 points in the 73-69 win over Minnesota State University Moorhead.
 
HEAD COACH MANDY PEARSON'S 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.
 
LAST MATCH: The Bulldogs earned their 10th straight NSIC victory after firing ahead in the final minutes to topple Southwest Minnesota State University 69-65.
 
Leading the victory for the Bulldogs was Grace Counts with a multi-season high performance with 19 points, three rebounds, and two assists. She marked season highs, including points (19) and field goals made (7). Following close behind was Ashley Fritz with season-highs in points (16) and field goals made (6).
 
Entering the first quarter, SMSU enjoyed a 6-2 score two minutes in as Lexi Karge's pair of free throws was the only scoring for the Bulldogs. The next five minutes saw UMD turn the tables on a 13-4 scoring run between the efforts of Claire Bjorge, Myra Moorjani, Fritz, and Maria Counts to lead 15-10. With two minutes remaining, the two teams deadlocked with an identical six points for a score of 21-16 in the second quarter.
 
The second quarter had SMSU open with an 8-2 scoring run to get ahead of UMD 24-23 with 7:54 to go. A three-pointer from Fritz would start a 14-point scoring run with help from Lexi Karlen, Moorjani, and Counts to outpace the Mustangs 11 points to go into halftime at 37-35.
 
Coming out of halftime, Vanessa Bickford was the first Bulldog to the net two minutes in, starting a 9-3 run to lead the Mustangs 46-38. The final five minutes saw both teams score an identical seven points to close the third quarter at 53-45.
 
The first score again didn't come until almost two minutes in as SMSU started a 10-6 scoring run to get back within four points of UMD. With the score at 59-55, the Mustangs found room to double the Bulldogs' four points from Fritz and Moorjani to tie the game at 63-63 with 2:29 left. UMD shut down SMSU in the final minutes with two three-pointers between Fritz and Counts to overcome a lone layup for a final score of 69-65.
 
Overall, the team scored 46.6% (27-58) from the field, 35.3% (6-17) beyond the arc, and 60% (9-15) from the free throw line. The Bulldogs dominated in points in the paint with 40 to the Mustangs' 28, with the UMD bench accounting for 38 points to SMSU's 10. The Bulldogs also owned the advantage in total rebounds with 33 to the Mustangs' 27, with Fritz leading individually with six.

MORE ON THE MAVERICKS: Overall, the Bulldogs and Mavericks are the last two undefeated teams in NSIC action. However the Mavericks are on an unbeaten overall record of 16-0 that helped lift them into the #2 spot in the WBCA Top 25 poll. MSU has dealt UMD its last two losses, but before then, the Bulldogs owned a nine-game win streak.

Natalie Bremer leads MSU with two WBCA and D2CIDA National Player of the Week selections so far this season. She is currently averaging 21.8 points, 2.7 steals, and 4.3 rebounds per game. She is currently shooting 52.3% (137-262) from the field, 44.2% (19-43) from the three-point line, and 90.2% (55-61) from the free-throw line.

LAST TIME OUT AGAINST MSU: UMD struggled out of the gate to put some points together. A pair of three point shots from Drew Johnston would highlight the Bulldogs scoring effort throughout the first quarter, but UMD still found themselves falling behind 25-20 by the end of the period.
 
MSU kept adding to that lead, building a 37-26 advantage before UMD collected a string of five unanswered points, highlighted by a bucket from Johanna Miller, to narrow its deficit to 37-31. The Mavericks responded and expanded its lead, leaving the Bulldogs trailing 47-34 heading into halftime.
 
UMD's deficit continued to grow after halftime, and the Bulldogs faced a 65-46 disadvantage heading to the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs played well near the basket throughout the period, scoring 10 of their 12 points in the paint.
 
UMD narrowed its deficit to 70-55 before going on another 5-0 run, finished off by a Brynn Olson jumper, to shrink the deficit to 70-60 with 3:45 to go in the contest. MSU responded yet again and outscored the Bulldogs the rest of the way, ending the game with a final score of 82-64. UMD took advantage of five MSU turnovers in the quarter, scoring six points off of takeaways.
 
The Bulldogs got a 27-point showing from the bench and had three players score in double figures, led by Lexi Karlen, who had a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Myra Moorjani added 12 points and four assists and Claire Bjorge helped out with 11 points, eight rebounds, two steals and two blocks.
 
Led by Karlen's seven offensive rebounds, UMD did a great job crashing the offensive glass, pulling down 14 boards that resulted in 11 second chance points.
 
The Bulldog defense also caused its share of mistakes in the contest, forcing 14 MSU turnovers. Those takeaways turned into 12 points on the other end of the floor. Lexi Karge and Bjorge led the way individually for the Bulldogs with two steals each.
 
MORE ON THE HUSKIES: Overall, the Bulldogs hold a narrow advantage since 2013 with a 14-13 record, splitting the last four games. 
The Huskies are led by Jada Eggebrecht, who is averaging 13.5 points, 1.9 assists, 1.1 steals, and 2.4 rebounds per game. She is currently averaging 41.6% (74-178) from the field, 34.4% (21-61) beyond the arc, and 94.4% (34-36) from the free throw line.
 
LAST TIME OUT AGAINST SCSU: UMD opened the afternoon keeping it close in the first quarter, collecting a last minute three pointer to enter the second frame at just a 14-11 deficit.
 
SCSU added to their lead in the second, building a 19-13 advantage before the Bulldogs went on a 6-0 run, highlighted by a bucket from Grace Counts, to tie the game at 19. The Huskies then took back control, putting the Bulldogs at a 37-26 disadvantage heading into halftime.
 
The Bulldogs' deficit continued to grow after halftime, and the Bulldogs faced a 60-46 disadvantage heading to the fourth quarter. UMD played well near the basket, scoring 14 of its 20 points in the paint.
 
SCSU continued to widen its lead in the fourth, constructing a 62-46 advantage before UMD collected five unanswered points, finished off by Vanessa Bickford's three, to shrink the deficit to 62-51 with 8:25 to go in the contest. The Huskies responded and outscored the Bulldogs the rest of the way, ending the game with a final score of 79-66. UMD took advantage of its opportunities in the post, scoring 12 of its 20 points in the paint.
 
The Bulldogs had three players score in double figures, led by Maria Counts, who had 18 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Myra Moorjani tacked on a double-double with 13 points and a team high 10 rebounds and Johanna Miller chipped in as well with 11 points.

Led by four offensive rebounds from Grace Counts, UMD did a great job crashing the offensive glass, pulling down 15 boards that resulted in eight second chance points and winning the overall rebounding advantage 39-38.
 
The Bulldogs excelled in disrupting SCSU shots in the contest, coming away with five blocks. Lexi Karge led the way individually for the Bulldogs with one rejection.
 
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).