Women's Basketball | 12/2/2015 5:20:00 PM

Live Stats (Minot)
Live Stats (Mary)
Live Video/Audio
The Minnesota State University Moorhead women's basketball team resumes Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play on this week with a pair of road contests. The Dragons will face Minot State at 6 p.m. on Friday in Minot, N.D., and then wrap up the weekend on Saturday at the University of Mary in Bismarck, N.D. (4 p.m. tipoff).

For the first time this season, MSUM is receiving votes in the WBCA/Division II poll. The Dragons received 14 points in the latest poll released on Tuesday.

Steve d'Eustachio will broadcast this week's games online at msumdragons.com.

MSUM will face Minot State for a 22nd time and holds a 16-5 series lead, while the Dragons and Mary will meet for a 36th time, with MSUM leading that series, 22-13.

About MSUM
MSUM is 4-0 on the season after earning a 66-59 NSIC win over Northern State on Nov. 24.  Junior guard Morgan Banasik led the way with 18 points while senior forward Heather Strese added 14.

Banasik leads MSUM at 17.3 points per game, and also leads with 13 assists and 11 steals. Strese averages 16.3 points per game and leads at 8.5 rebounds. Senior forward Savanna Handevidt averages 10.3 points per game while sophomore forward Drew Sannes averages 9.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.  MSUM is averaging 79.0 points per game as a team. The Dragons are shooting 43.4 percent from the field, 33.8 percent from three-point range and 74.5 percent from the free-throw line.

MSUM is allowing 69.0 points per game and is outrebounding its opponents, 39.5-37.5.

Karla Nelson is in her 16th season as MSUM head coach with a record of 261-171 at the school.

About Minot State
The Beavers are 3-3 overall and 0-0 in the NSIC. In their last action on Nov. 21-22, they recorded wins over Lake Superior State (67-46) and Northern Michigan (59-51).

Senior Savana Kingsbury leads Minot at 11.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Redshirt freshman Kari Clements averages 11.0 points per game while junior Alex Haley averages 10.0. Senior Amanda Sansaver and Haley lead with 16 assists each. Minot State averages 73.0 points per game and shoots 42.3 percent from the field, including 32.1 percent from three.

On defense the Beavers allow 72.0 points per game. They outrebound their opponents by a slight 35.0-34.8 margin.

Sheila Green Gerding is in her 21st season as Minot's head coach with a record of 337-225 at the school.

About Mary
The Marauders, who will face Northern State on Friday prior to facing MSUM, enter the weekend on a five-game winning streak. They beat BYU-Hawaii, 53-45 and Chaminade, 88-55 in Hawaii on Nov. 26 and 27, respectively.

Brittney Dietz leads Mary at 21.4 points per game, which also leads the NSIC. Dani Williams averages 8.1 points per game while Hannah Larson leads at 7.6 rebounds per game. Larson also leads with 23 assists and 16 blocks through seven games. Mary scores 73.1 points per game and is shooting 42.8 percent from the field.

The Marauders allow an NSIC-best 48.9 points per game, and teams are shooting just 30 percent against them this season. Mary outrebounds its foes 45.9-32.7.

Rick Neumann is in his fourth season as Mary's head coach with a record of 51-42 at the school.

MSUM Notes
—With two road wins this weekend, MSUM would improve to 6-0, which is the first time the Dragons have reached that mark since 2009-10.
—Junior guard Morgan Banasik leads the NSIC in steals per game (2.8) and is fourth in the NSIC in scoring at 17.3 points per game.
—Sophomore forward Drew Sannes shares the NSIC lead at 2.3 blocks per game. She is also tied for fourth with teammate Heather Strese at 5.8 defensive rebounds per game.
 —Junior forward Heather Strese is second in the NSIC in three-point percentage (.538), third in the NSIC in rebounding (8.5) and fifth in the league in scoring (16.3).
—The Dragons are third in the NSIC in scoring at 79.0 points per game.