Women's Basketball | 1/27/2016 5:04:00 PM

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The Minnesota State University Moorhead women's basketball team continues its travels this week with a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference games. The Dragons will play at Concordia-St. Paul for a 6 p.m. game on Friday and then wrap up the weekend — and a stretch of four straight road games — at Minnesota State at 4 p.m. on Saturday.

The Dragons are in a three-way tie for second in the NSIC North Division with Minnesota Crookston and St. Cloud State (10-4 NSIC records). All three teams trail Northern State by one game.

The games will also be broadcast live online at msumdragons.com with Dragon broadcaster Steve d'Eustachio on the call.

MSUM will face Concordia for a 36th time with the Golden Bears holding a 20-15 series lead. The Dragons won the meeting in 2014-15. MSUM and Minnesota State will meet for a 40th time with the Mavericks leading the series 26-13. The Dragons are looking for their first win over Mankato since Jan. 3, 2010.

About MSUM
The Dragons (13-4, 10-4 NSIC) split on the road last weekend, losing to Minnesota Crookston, 71-60 on Friday before rebounding with a 75-67 win over Bemidji State on Saturday. Senior forward Heather Strese averaged 18.0 points and 8.0 rebounds for the Dragons to lead the way on the weekend.

Junior guard Morgan Banasik leads MSUM at 14.8 points per game, while senior forward Heather Strese averages 13.9 points and a team-best 7.5 rebounds per game. Senior Savanna Handevidt averages 9.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Junior Natalie Van Wyhe averages 2.6 assists per game while Banasik leads at 1.9 steals per game.

The Dragons score 68.8 points per game and shoot 40.2 percent from the field.  The Dragons allow 61.3 points per game and outrebound their opponents, 40.9-36.2

Karla Nelson is in her 16th season as MSUM head coach with a record of 270-175 at the school.

About Concordia-St. Paul
Concordia-St. Paul (9-11, 5-9 NSIC) has won four of its last five games, including a 78-70 win over Southwest Minnesota State last Saturday. Four Golden Bears average in double figures: Anna Schmitt (15.4), Lauren Shiffett (14.4), Mishayla Jones (11.8) and Caitlyn Russell (11.6). Kyrah Fredenburg leads Concordia and the NSIC at 10.8 rebounds per game. The Golden Bears shoot 41.7 percent from the field and average 74.2 points per game. They are being outrebounded 40.7-39.2 and are allowing 74.6 points per contest. Amanda Behnke is in her first season interim coach at Concordia with a record of 4-5.

About Minnesota State
The Mavericks, who face Northern State prior to facing MSUM, enter the week at 6-12 overall and 5-9 in the NSIC. They split on the road last weekend, beating Southwest Minnesota State, 88-77 on Jan. 22 and falling at Sioux Falls, 99-76 on Saturday. Claire Ziegler leads MSU at 14.2 points per game while Britney Scherber averages 13.9 points per game. Ziegler also leads in rebounding at 8.5 while Scherber leads at 41 assists. The Mavericks score 71.8 points per game and shoot 39.6 percent from the field. On defense they allow 77.3 points per game and outrebound those foes 41.8-40.6. Emilee Thiesse is in her fourth season as the MSU head coach with a record of 76-34.

MSUM Notes
—MSUM is ranked 32nd in all of Division II in fewest turnovers per game at 14.35.
—Senior guard Morgan Banasik leads the NSIC in minutes played per game (36.5), which is 18th nationally.
— Dragons are 16th in the nation in defensive rebounds per game (30.0), which is tied for best in the NSIC.
— Freshman guard Jacky Volkert scored a career-high 15 points at Minnesota Crookston last week.
— Sophomore forward Drew Sannes has scored in double figures in three straight games and is averaging 10.1 points per game in last six contests.