Women's Basketball | 2/6/2018 9:08:00 PM

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The Minnesota State University Moorhead women's basketball team continues on the road this weekend, starting Friday at Bemidji State, where the Century Trophy is on the line. The Dragons will play at Minnesota Crookston on Saturday as they look to extend a 13-game winning streak.

MSUM, which is receiving votes in the latest WBCA Division II poll, will meet Bemidji State for a 96th time and leads the all-time series 66-39. MSUM leads the all-time series with Minnesota Crookston 33-7.

The Dragons (19-3, 16-2 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) ran their winning streak to 13  games with road wins at Winona State (101-97, 4 OT) and Upper Iowa (64-35). Sophomore forward Megan Hintz averaged a double-double on the weekend to pace MSUM.  MSUM has clinched a home game for the first round of the NSIC tournament.

Junior guard Jacky Volkert leads MSUM at 13.9 points and 5.5 assists per game. She also has a team-best 26 steals. Sannes averages 13.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, while sophomore forward Megan Hintz is averaging 12.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.  Senior guard Cassidy Thorson is averaging 10.5 points per game and leads with 59 three-pointers.  

As a team MSUM scores 73.1 points per game and shoots 41.7 percent from the field.

On defense MSUM allows 61.0 points per game. MSUM outrebounds its foes 44.0-34.6 and lead the NSIC in rebound margin.

Karla Nelson is in her 18th season as the MSUM head coach with a record of 321-185.

About Bemidji State
The Beavers are 4-18 this season, with a 3-15 conference mark and have lost 12 games in a row. They are coming off an 87-50 loss to then-No. 7 Augustana. Their last conference win was Dec. 30, 2017, when they defeated Upper Iowa 60-52.

The top scorer for the Beavers is Brooklyn Bachmann, who is averaging 13.3 points per game, along with 4.9 rebounds. Sierra Senske is averaging 8.4 points per game, while Sydney Arrington is averaging 7.2 points per game.

Bemidji State averages 55.2 points per game and allows 68.0

The Beavers are led by Chelsea DeVille, who is in her third season as head coach.

About Minnesota Crookston
The Golden Eagles are 6-16 on the season, with a 6-12 conference mark. They are coming of a 67-60 loss to Wayne State last Saturday.  Their last conference win came on Jan. 27 when they beat Concordia St. Paul 75-60.

The top scorer for the Golden Eagles is Isleoma Odor, who is averaging 13.8 points per game. Micaela Noga is averaging 12.2 points per game, while Caitlin Michaelis is averaging 11.4 points per game. The top rebounder is Odor, who is averaging 7.5 rebounds per game. Emily Gruber is averaging 6.1 rebounds per game.

UMC scores 63.8 points per game and allows 68.8.

The Golden Eagles are led by head coach Mike Roysland, who is in his 11th season.

More on MSUM...
One For the Record Book
MSUM's 101-97, four-overtime win over Winona State on Friday, Feb. 2, was the longest game in Dragon women's basketball history. It was also the longest game in NSIC history and the only four overtime game in NCAA Division II this season. The Dragons set a record with 38 three-pointer attempts in the game. MSUM is 3-0 in overtime games this season.

Win Streak at 13
Here is a glimpse inside the Dragon women's 13-game winning streak, which started with a 64-61 overtime win over Northern State on Dec. 19.
—MSUM is scoring 74.6 points per game and shooting 42.4 percent from the field
—Dragons are allowing 61.4 points per game and teams are shooting 36.5 percent against them this season
—MSUM is outrebounding its opponents at 44.6-33.8.
—Four players are averaging in double figures — junior Jacky Volkert (15.2), senior Drew Sannes (14.2), sophomore Megan Hintz (13.2) and senior Cassidy Thorson (10.4).

In a Sharing Mood
Junior guard Jacky Volkert leads the NSIC at 5.5 assists per game, a total that is ranked 13th in the nation this season. Volkert is 14th in assist-to-turnover ratio.  The Arden Hills, Minn., native is now ninth in school history with 318 career assists. Volkert is 28 assists away from the single season record of 149 held by Dragon Hall of Famer Rosalie Hayenga. The all-time leader at MSUM is Krista Opheim who has 488.

Sannes Sets Record, Climbs Scoring List
Senior forward Drew Sannes surpassed 1,000 career points earlier this season, and on Jan. 26 in the 69-58 win over Sioux Falls, became MSUM's career leader in blocked shots. Sannes now has 215 blocked shots, which is four ahead of the previous record holder, Jessica Fesenmaier. Sannes is at 1,187 career points and is just 13 away from becoming just the 12th Dragon to surpass 1,200 points for her career.

Thorson Sets Three-Point Record, Closes in on 1,000
Senior guard Cassidy Thorson is the new three-point career record holder for Dragon women's basketball. She hit seven 3-pointers in the 86-84 overtime win over Wayne State on Jan. 13 to set the record. Thorson now has 20 8 three-pointers and is the only Dragon women's player ever to surpass 200 threes in her career.  She currently sits at 959 points, just 41 away from 1,000 for her career.

No Place Like Home
MSUM finished 12-1 at home in 2016-17, with the only loss coming to Minnesota Duluth on Jan. 20. Since the beginning of the 2014-15 season, MSUM is 42-8 (.840) at Nemzek Hall. In Karla Nelson's tenure, The Dragons are 169-68 at home.

National Rankings
MSUM is ranked in the top 50 nationally individually and team-wise:
Individuals
--sophomroe Megan Hintz is 12th in the nation in field-goal percentage (58.4)
--junior guard Jacky Volkert is 15th in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.20) and
17th in assists per game (5.5) --senior guard Cassidy Thorson is 35th in three-pointers per game (2.8), 30th in threes made (59), 14th in threes attempts (176)
--senior forward Drew Sannes is 29th nationally at 7.0 defensive rebounds per game while also being 48th in blocks per game (1.9).
Team Rankings
As a team, MSUM is ranked...
--6th in in defensive rebounds per game (32.0)
--6th in rebound margin (9.4)
--8th in turnovers per game (12.0)
--10th in assist to turnover ratio (1.35)
--12th in fewest turnovers (264)
--21st in rebounds per game (44.0)
--27th in free-throw percentage (76.9)
--30th in assists per game (16.2)