Women's Basketball | 2/3/2016 6:02:00 PM

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The Minnesota State University Moorhead women's basketball team hosts a conference homestand this weekend. The Dragons will host Wayne State at 6 p.m. on Friday and conclude with a 4 p.m. game against Augustana at 4 p.m. on Saturday.

The Dragons (15-4, 12-4 NSIC) are tied for first in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference's North Division with Northern State. Both teams are a game ahead of Minnesota Crookston and St. Cloud State.

The games will also be broadcast live on WDAY'z Xtra with Dragon broadcaster Steve d'Eustachio and Jared Bledsoe on the call.

MSUM will face Wayne State for a 36th time with the Wildcats leading the series 20-15. Wayne State won both meetings a year ago. MSUM will meet Augustana for a 22nd time and trails in the series 14-7.

About MSUM
MSUM rolled to double digit wins over Concordia-St. Paul and Minnesota State on the road last weekend. The Dragons have won seven of eight games since Jan. 8.

Junior Morgan Banasik averages 14.6 points per game to lead MSUM while senior Heather Strese averages 13.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.  Senior Savanna Handevidt averages 9.7 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, while junior guard Natalie Van Wyhe averages 2.9 assists per game and leads with 34 steals.

The Dragons score 69 points per game and shoot 39.9 percent from the field.  They outrebound their foes 41.7-36.5 and allow 60.6 points per game on defense.

Karla Nelson is in her 16th season as MSUM head coach with a record of 272-175 at the school.

About Wayne State
The Wildcats enter the week at 13-8 overall and 10-6 in the NSIC. They swept at home last weekend, beating Minot State, 80-60 on Friday and Mary, 70-54 on Saturday.  Wayne is 2-7 on the road this season.

Paige Ballinger averages 15.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game for the Wildcats, while Maggie Schulte averages 14.1 points per game. Sadie Murren averages 5.2 assists per game, while Anna Martensen leads at 6.7 rebounds.

Wayne State averages 72.1 points per game and shoots 42.9 percent from the field. The Wildcats outrebound their foes, 72.1-63.9.

Chris Kielsmeier is in his eighth season as Wayne State's head coach with a record of 185-54.

About Augustana
The Vikings (17-5, 11-5 NSIC) have won three in a row entering the week and will face Northern State prior to facing MSUM.

Nicole Kerkhoff and Logan O'Farrell each average 11.5 points per game to lead Augie, while Sophie Kenney averages 10.5 points and 4.7 assists per game. Kerkhoff averages 6.7 rebounds per game while O'Farrell leads with 55 steals.

Augustana averages 76 points per game and allows 65.2. The Vikings shoot 38.8 percent from the field, including 29.8 percent from three-point range, and outrebound their foes 43.3-43.0.

Dave Krauth is in his 27th season at Augustana with a head coaching record of 547-243 at the school.

MSUM Notes
—MSUM is ranked 13th in the nation at 30.0 defensive rebounds per game, which also leads the NSIC.
 —The Dragons are 32nd in all of Division II in fewest turnovers per game at 14.26 and also 32nd in three-pointers per game (7.8).
—Senior guard Morgan Banasik leads the NSIC in minutes played per game (36.21), which is 25th nationally.
— Sophomore Drew Sannes is tied for seventh in MSUM school history at 76 blocks.
— Senior forward Heather Strese and junior guard Morgan Banasik lead the team with 15 double-figure scoring games apiece.