Women's Basketball | 11/10/2016 3:15:00 PM

Full Game Notes (pdf)
MOORHEAD, Minn. — The Minnesota State University Moorhead women's basketball team opens the 2016-17 season on Saturday in Overland, Park, Kan., when the Dragons will face Harding University. Game time is 2 p.m. central time.

Harding and MSUM will meet for the first time in women's basketball.

Dragons -2015-16 Recap
MSUM was ranked as high as seventh in the region and received votes in the WBCA Top 25 poll during a few weeks of the season on its way to a 21-6 overall record.

The Dragons won the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference North Division title for the first time, posting a 17-5 mark in league play. MSUM finished tied for second overall in the NSIC behind Winona State.
 
MSUM finished 11-2 at home this season, its best mark at Nemzek Fieldhouse since the Dragons went 13-1 in 2004-05. a

MSUM earned wins over two regional qualifiers during the regular-season: Northern State (66-59 on Nov. 24) and Sioux Falls (53-52 on Jan. 15).

Dragons - 2016-17 Outlook
MSUM graduated its top three scorers from a year ago, including All-NSIC selections Morgan Banasik (14.5) and Heather Strese (13.1). Savanna Handevidt (10.0 points and team-high 7.9 rebounds per game) also graduated.

Junior guard Cassidy Thorson is the top returning scorer for MSUM; she averaged 9.3 points per game and led the team with 52 three-pointers. Junior forward Drew Sannes also is back after averaging 8.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per game while also leading with 53 total blocks.

Senior Natalie Van Wyhe returns for her third year as the starting point guard. She led the Dragons with 81 assists a year ago and also shared the team lead with 45 steals.

Senior guard Jessica Hart, junior forward Shannon Galegher and sophomore guard Jacky Volkert also return with experience. Hart and Volkert appeared in all 27 games a year ago while Galegher appeared in 24. Sophomore forward Dierra Diegel, who sat out last season after transferring from Northern State, is back for her second year in the Dragon program.

MSUM welcomes a promising group of freshmen to the roster this season: guard Maddie Erickson, guard Kourtney Selensky, guard Alyson Brenna, guard/forward Morgan Ham, guard Gabie Johnson, forward/center Madi Green, forward Grace Swenson and forward Megan Hintz.

Karla Nelson is in her 17th season as the MSUM head coach with a record of 278-177 at the school.

About Harding
Harding went 17-10 overall and 15-7 in the Great American Conference in 2015-16 season.

The Bison return their top two scorers from last year, Sydney Layrock (19.3 ppg) and A'ndrea Haney (13.1 ppg). Layrock averaged 6.3 rebounds per game to lead the team while Haney led with 74 steals.
Harding averaged 71.6 points per game on offense and shot 39.7 percent from the field a year ago. Harding outrebounded its foes 38.4-37.7 last season and allowed 66.4 points per game.  

The Bison were selected as the preseason favorite in the GAC, edging Arkansas Tech for the top spot.

Tim Kirby is in his 12th season as Harding's head coach with a record of 210-107 at the school.