For Immediate Release
Monday, Dec. 9, 2013
NSIC Media Relations
Full PDF Release
NSIC Player of the Week
#40 Hannah Rutten
F/C, 6-2, Sr.,
New York Mills, Minn.
New York Mills HS
Minnesota Duluth
Senior center Hannah Rutten posted a pair of double-doubles on the weekend, including a 22-point, 16-rebound performance on Saturday night to lift UMD to a 70-63 win over Bemidji State. Rutten averaged 20.0 ppg and 14.0 rpg on the weekend. She also added five steals, one blocked shot, and a pair of assists. This marks the second time this seaosn Rutten has been named NSIC Player of the Week (11/25/13).
2013-14 NSIC Women’s Basketball Notes
AUGUSTANA - #3 Shaunteva Ashley (G, 5-8, Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D. / Roosevelt HS) gave the Vikings great play from the point guard position in two road victories this past weekend. Ashley scored a game-high 21 points on 9 of 16 shooting, including two of five from beyond the arc in an 81-60 win over Southwest Minnesota State on Friday. The junior also dished out a season-high six assists, as well as recorded three steals in the win. On Saturday, the former Roosevelt High School standout helped guide Augustana to a 76-70 win over rival Sioux Falls. Ashley put up 18 points on 7 of 11 shooting, including three of four from the three-point line, five rebounds, and six assists in the hard-fought victory for the Vikings. For the weekend, she averaged 19.5 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2.5 steals. Ashley shot an outstanding 59.7 percent (16 of 27) in the two wins, including going 55.5 percent from three.
No. 10 Augustana got its first road and Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference wins of the season this past weekend, putting head coach Dave Krauth just one win away from 500 career victories. The Vikings got things rolling on Friday with an 81-60 win over the Mustangs on Friday. Augustana shot a season-high 47.7 percent from the field in the game. Shaunteva Ashley led the way for the Vikings, using a 21-6 run to end the first half with Ashely scoring all 14 of her first half points, including the Vikings’ final 10 points during the stretch. Augustana would use a 15-4 run in the second half to blow the contest open with 8:54 remaining to take a 71-52 lead over Southwest Minnesota State with just over four minutes remaining. Ashley finished with season highs in points (21) and assists (six). The Vikings defeated rival Sioux Falls in thrilling fashion on Saturday. Augustana was able to overcome the Cougars size with its swarming defense, getting a season-high 15 steals to secure a 76-70 victory. Emily Schulte led the Vikings with a game-high 20 points, her second 20-plus point game of the year. Augustana would lead by as many as 15 in the second half, but Sioux Falls was able to cut the lead to three on a Laura Johnson three pointer with a minute remaining in the contest. Schulte would seal the victory with a beautiful drive to the basket and a great bounce pass through two Cougars’ defenders in the paint to a wide open Gullickson, who converted the layup, putting the Vikings up 75-70 with 41 seconds left. The Vikings would stop Sioux Falls’ last attempt by Jaicee Ulmer with Ashley grabbing the rebound and making the one of two from the line, locking up the 76-70 win.
BEMIDJI STATE - #10 Morgan Lee (G, 5-7, Sr., Hayward, Wis. / Hayward HS) recorded a career-high 33 points in a 99-82 home victory versus St. Cloud State (picked to finish first in the NSIC North in preseason coaches’ poll) Friday, as she went 10-for-17 (58.8%) from the field, 4-for-6 (66.7%) from 3-point land and 9-of-11 (81.8%) from the charity stripe. She also added six rebounds, a game-high five assists, a team-best three steals and one block in 30 minutes of play. She totaled 12 points on an efficient 5-of-7 (71.4%) shooting from the field in a 70-63 loss to Minnesota Duluth (picked second in the NSIC North) Saturday. In a 1-1 NSIC home weekend, Lee averaged 22.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.0 steals per game, while she shot 62.5 percent from the field, 71.4 percent from 3-point land and 76.9 percent from the free throw line.
The Bemidji State women’s basketball posted a 1-1 record in an NSIC home weekend Dec. 6-7. BSU is 5-2 overall and 1-2 in NSIC play and now go on the road Dec. 13-14, as it travels to Minnesota State University Moorhead and Northern State University.
CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL - Rachel Hansen (G, 6’0”, Sr., Eagan, Minn. / Minnehaha Academy) continued her all-around solid play by averaging 14.0 points, 6.5 assists, 6.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals while shooting 61.1% from the floor in Concordia’s two wins over Winona State and Upper Iowa. Playing nearly every minute for CU (38.5 minutes per game on the weekend), Hansen proved to be the spark on both ends of the court. Hansen hit 5-7 shots in Friday’s win while hitting several big shots in the second half in the comeback win over the Warriors. On Saturday, she flirted with a triple-double as she scored 16 points, nine assists and six boards. She is now averaging 12.5 points, 6.2 assists and 5.4 rebounds on the year.
Concordia (7-3, 2-1 NSIC) swept Winona State and Upper Iowa to pick up their first two conference wins on the season. Friday was a tale of two halves as Winona State built a solid lead and dominated the glass and out-shot CU by a wide margin in the first half, but the Golden Bears returned the favor in the second half. Concordia took control on both ends in the second half and held off WSU in a 63-57 win. On Saturday, CU played mistake-free basketball as they only committed two turnovers while forcing 18 in an 80-63 win over Upper Iowa. Concordia built a double digit lead at the break and cruised to the victory while shooting 47.1% from the floor in the game.
UNIVERSITY OF MARY - #24 McKenzie Foster (F, 5-10, Sr., Big Timber, Mont. / Sweet Grass County HS) was near perfection this weekend scoring 35 points in two game this weekend leading U-Mary to wins over MSU Moorhead and Northern State. Shooting 11-for-13 overall from the field, Foster went 8-for-9 from three-point range.The senior also added six assists, four rebounds and three steals, while not committing a a single turnover. Foster helped will the Marauders to a win over the Dragons scoring 14 points in the second half on 4-for-4 shooting, including a 3-for-3 effort from beyond the arc. Foster had two steals and three assists in the half, one of which led to a key basket in the closing minutes. Hitting two threes and picking up a steal to lead U-Mary to a 12-0 run to start the game against the Wolves, Foster saved her best for the second half as again she put up 14 points, this time on 4-for-5 shooting overall and 3-for-4 from deep. With U-Mary leading 85-83 with 16 seconds, it found Foster on the inbound. Immediately fouled, the senior stepped up to the line and sealed a Marauders victory making both of her free throws.
Linda Murray was a force inside for U-Mary all weekend scoring 36 points and grabbing 24 rebounds. Against MSU Moorhead, Murray has a team-high 20 points on 8-for-12 shooting while grabbing game-high nine rebounds. Defensively Murray helped limit First Team All-NSIC performer Megan Strese to just 10 points on 4-for-12 shooting. Murray willed the Marauders to a victory the following night scoring 16 points and grabbing a career-high 15 rebounds. The 6-2 post recorded 11 points and eight rebounds in the first half as U-Mary took a 10-point lead into the half. Murray scored inside in the final two minutes of the game, which eventually helped seal an 87-83 win over Northern State.The the senior from Merced, Calif. finished with just two assists this weekend, but her presence alone set up numerous open looks for the Marauders as they went 19-for-39 from deep on the weekend.
MINNESOTA CROOKSTON - Alexa Thielman (So., G, Buffalo, Minn.) averaged 20.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and two assists in two losses this weekend to Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State. Thielman had 22 points, four boards and two assists in an 85-70 loss to St. Cloud State University Saturday. Friday against UMD, Thielman had 13 points, three boards and two assists.
The Golden Eagles will hit the road for the first time of the 2013-14 season as they head to Northern State University and Minnesota State University Moorhead. Minnesota Crookston has yet to play a road game at all this season as they opened the year with seven-consecutive home games. They will round out the 2013 calendar year on the road in conference play against the Wolves, Dragons and then Bemidji State University on Dec. 20. UMC is 4-3 (1-2 NSIC) heading into the weekend.
MINNESOTA DULUTH - UMD picked up a pair of conference wins over the weekend with one of the Bulldog seniors taking control of the game each night. Forward Katrina Newman had her best outing of the season on Friday night with 25 points and eight rebounds, lifting UMD to a dominant victory over Minnesota Crookston.
Senior center Hannah Rutten posted a pair of double-doubles on the weekend, including a 22-point, 16-rebound performance on Saturday night to lift UMD over Bemidji State. Rutten averaged 20.0 ppg and 14.0 rpg on the weekend, shooting 42.4 percent from the field while also adding five steals, one blocked shot, and a pair of assists. Sophomore forward Taylor Meyer also had an impressive weekend with a 22-point night against BSU, adding 13 rebounds, three blocks, three assists, and one steal on the weekend.
MINNESOTA STATE - No. 13 Minnesota State improved to 6-1 overall and 3-0 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action as it downed Upper Iowa 101-66 Friday evening and earned a 67-59 win over Winona State Saturday. Friday’s 101 points scored marks the second time the Mavericks have netted triple digits at home this season. On the season MSU is shooting 46% from the field, is averaging just under 90 points per game has forced its opponents to commit 147 turnovers to its 89, owning a +1.54 assist to turnover ratio.
Senior Ali Wilkinson (Blue Mounds, Wis.) averaged 23 points and 7.5 rebounds in the Mavericks’ pair of wins this past weekend. The 6-0 forward connected on 16-of-24 (67%) of her shots from the field, 12-of-14 (86%) of her free throws and a perfect 2-of-2 from behind the arc. Nine of Wilkinson’s 15 rebounds came on the offensive end of the court. On the season, Wilkinson is averaging 18.9 points and 7.6 rebounds per contest and has connected on 58% of her shots from the field.
MSU MOORHEAD - Meghan Roehrich (G, 5-10, So., Fargo, N.D. / Fargo South HS) had a solid week for the Dragons, who faced Mary and Minot State in NSIC road games. She scored a career-high 21 points in the Dragons’ 77-75 loss to Mary on Friday. Roehrich hit 5-of-10 from the field, including 4-of-6 three-pointers, and was 7-of-8 from the line. She also added three rebounds and two assists. A night later in a 72-58 loss to Minot State, Roehrich had 14 points and hit 4-of-5 three-pointers. For the week Roehrich averaged 17.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and shot 60 percent from the field (9-of-15), including a blistering 72.7 percent (8-of-11) from three-point range. Roehrich is second on the Dragon squad at 13.1 points per game and also is shooting 48.4 percent (15-of-31) from three-point range.
MINOT STATE - #40 Carly Boag (F, 6-2, Sr., Tamworth, Australia / Abbotsleigh) finished the weekend with a double-double average, scoring 41 points, pulling down 20 rebounds along with eight assists and five steals to help Minot State to a pair of home wins. Boag, who leads the NSIC in field-goal percentage, hit 18 of 28 shots on the weekend as the Beavers finished the week as the only undefeated team remaining in the NSIC North Division and just one of two undefeated teams on the season.
Minot State University jumped out to big halftime leads in both games this weekend before outlasting Northern State in overtime 75-68 Friday and running away from Minnesota State-Northern 72-58 Saturday. The wins leave the Beavers atop the NSIC North Division as the only undefeated team at 3-0 and extended Minot State’s win streak to start the season to seven games. Minot State also remained undefeated at home at 7-0 and are 100-33 over the past 10 seasons at the Minot State Dome. #40 Carly Boag (F, 6-2, Sr., Tamworth, Australia / Abbotsleigh) and #22 Katie Hardy (F, 6-0, Jr., Fairview, N.D. / Fairview) led the way offensively for Minot State as Boag averaged a double-double, netting 41 points and pulling down 20 rebounds. Hardy was consistent all weekend, scoring 29 points and finishing with 11 rebounds, while hitting 9 of 10 foul shots on the weekend. #21 Morgan Klose (G, 5-9, Jr. / Fairview, N.D. / Fairview) dished out a career-high eight assists against MSU-Moorhead Saturday. Minot State is on the road for the first time this season as the Beavers travel to St. Cloud State Friday and Minnesota Duluth Saturday.
NORTHERN STATE - The Northern State University women’s basketball team dropped two NSIC games on the weekend falling to 5-2 overall and 1-2 in the conference. Two close games brought the Wolves to overtime with Minot State University and a four point loss with University of Mary. Kusler led the Wolves on the night against the Beavers with 11 points and 14 rebounds, recording her first double-double of the season, while adding four assists. Alison continued to shot well from the free-throw line going a perfect 6-6 on the night. Paige Waytashek led the team in overall scoring with 15 points, 12 of which were from three point range. NSU held five players in double digit scores includingMegan Mutchler and Devon Brecke with 11 points alongside Kusler and Rachel Krogman with 14. Krogman was just shy of the double-double hitting the glass for nine rebounds and blocking a total of three Beaver shots. In game two, NSU was led by Rachel Krogman with 22 points and seven rebounds. Alison Kusler added 18 points in the game, while going 5-6 from the free throw line. All five starters for NSU recorded double-digit points on the night. Megan Mutchlertallied 14 points with six rebounds, while Devon Brecke added 13 points and nine rebounds. Freshman Paige Waytashek was 5-6 from the free-throw line scoring a total of 11 points in the game, six coming from three point range. Northern will return home next weekend as they take on Minnesota Crookston and Bemidji State with game times set for 6 p.m. and 5 p.m. respectively from Wachs Arena.
#32 Alison Kusler (G, 5-9, Sr. Aberdeen, S.D./Aberdeen Central HS) led the Wolves on the weekend scoring a total of 29 points. Kusler is fast approaching 1,000 career points as she has broken into the 900s after the weekend. She recorded her first double-double of the season in the Wolves overtime loss to Minot State. Alison pulled down a defense rebound with only eight second remaining in the game and broke away to tie up the game and bring the two teams to OT. She was also a perfect 6-6 from the free-throw line while adding 4 assists. Kusler continued to shine night two, scoring 18 points and going 5-6 from the free-throw line.
SIOUX FALLS - USF’s Laura Johnson (Sr., F, 6-0, Cedar Falls, Iowa/Cedar Falls HS) played a key role in the Cougars hard fought efforts against Wayne State and Augustana, averaging 14.0 points and 8.5 rebounds over the weekend. She also had a total of six steals and four assists in the two games. Johnson currently holds a points per game average of 15.9 points and 8.3 rebounds.
The Cougars entered the weekend looking to pull the upset as they faced No. 22 Wayne State and No. 10 Augustana. The Cougars came up just short in both attempts, falling to the Wildcats by nine points and the Vikings by six points. WSC maintained a comfortable lead for most of the game until the Cougars went on a 22-10 run to tie up the game with less than five minutes remaining in the half. It looked as though the game would head into the break as a tie, but Teagan Molden was fouled on a three point shot with less than one second left after Chrissy Strassburg forced a Wayne State turnover. Molden then hit two of the three free throws to give USF a 35-33 lead heading into the half. The Wildcats took control of the game in the second half as a Jordan Spencer layup helped WSC take a lead they would not give up in the final 16:30 of the second half. Spencer again looked to put away the Cougars with just over seven minutes left as she made another shot in the paint, giving the Wildcats an 11 point lead. However, USF continued to fight back as they answered back with ten straight points to get within one point of WSC, but two timely Millie Niggeling three-point shots helped the Wildcats keep the lead as they closed out the game. The Wildcats won by a final score of 79-70. On Saturday the Cougars faced crosstown rival Augustana College and fell by a score of 76-70. In a back and forth first half, no team led by more than six points and thanks to four made free-throws in the final 30 seconds of the half, USF took a 38-37 lead at the halfway point. After the break, the Vikings went on a 25-9 run to open up a 62-47 lead with just over nine minutes to play. Marie Malloy started to right the ship for USF with a three-ball and later picked Emily Schulte’s pocket for a fastbreak bucket that got the Cougars within seven at 65-58., and then Johnson showed off her feathery touch with a clutch three that cut the Viking lead to just three at 73-70 with a minute to play. However, Gullickson blitzed the lane moments later and Shaunteva Ashley hit one of two free throw attempts to create the final margin. USF shot 36.5 percent overall but struggled more from beyond the arc, connecting on just five of twenty-five attempts. The Cougars owned a significant edge in total rebounds (48-35) and were charged with season-high 23 turnovers.
SMSU - Alison Nagel (F, 6-3, Sr., Fort Dodge, Iowa / St. Edmond) averaged 17.0 points as the senior forward scored 17 points in Southwest Minnesota State’s losses to No. 10 Augustana and No. 22 Wayne State (Neb.) this weekend. Nagel scored a total of 34 points, while grabbing 11 total rebounds and six assists. She finished shooting 15 of 25 from the floor, including 4 of 8 from downtown. 17 seems to be the magic number for Nagel as the senior forward has scored exactly 17 points in each of the last three games and is averaging 17 points this season. On the young season, Nagel is shooting 52.4 percent (44 of 84) from the floor, including 51.7 percent (15-29) from behind the arc. Nagel is also averaging 6.6 rebounds per game with a season-high of 12 coming on Nov. 16 versus Cal State Monterey Bay.
ST. CLOUD STATE - The St. Cloud State University women’s basketball team traveled to Bemidji, Minn. to take on the Beavers of Bemidji State University in their first Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) road game of the year. The Huskies fell to BSU 82-99, marking their first loss of the season. Emma Konopasek finished with a career-high 17 points for the Huskies. Konopasek also pulled down a team-high 11 rebounds, marking her first collegiate double-double. Chelsea Nooker (Green Bay, Wis.) and Carley Jeffery (Cambridge, Wis.) also finished in double figures. Nooker went three of five from the field and a perfect five for five at the line to finish with 12 points. Jeffery knocked down all six free throw attempts and finished with 10 points. In Saturday’s action at Minnesota Crookston, the Huskies shot 64% in the final twenty minutes to edge the Golden Eagles in an 85-70 final score. St. Cloud State improved to 6-1 overall and 2-1 in the NSIC. Rachael Moen (Savage) led all players finishing with a career-high 21 points. Moen’s previous game-high (17) came on Nov. 23 against UW-Stout. She made three of six shots from behind the arc and a collective eight of 11 from the field. Moen also dished out three assists and grabbed two steals. Senior guard Sam Price (Eau Claire, Wis.) added 20 points in the Huskies victory. Price made 10 of 11 shots at the line and tied Moen with three assists. Jessica Benson (Grand Meadow) was the third Husky to score in double-figures. Benson finished with 12 points and 14 rebounds to record her fifth double-double of the season. The Huskies will return to action on Dec. 13 and 14 as they host Minot State and U-Mary in Halenbeck Hall.
UPPER IOWA - The Peacocks dropped a pair of NSIC games over the weekend at #13 Minnesota State and #21 Concordia-St. Paul. Upper Iowa was led by sophomore post Carly Pagel, who scored 12.5 points and pulled down 6 rebounds per game. Whitney Kieffer added 10.5 points, 7 rebounds and 2 steals per game. UIU shot 42.6% as a team over the weekend, but allowed 53.1% shooting to their opponents and averaged 22.5 turnovers per contest. Upper Iowa did win the rebounding battle with a 73-58 advantage on the glass. This weekend, the Peacocks will return home to face the Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State on Friday at 6 p.m. and the Cougars of Sioux Falls on Saturday at 4 p.m.
WAYNE STATE - Millie Niggeling, a 6-1 junior forward from Sioux City, Iowa (Heelan HS), averaged 16.5 points per game in just 18 minutes of playing time off the bench in two games, as the #22 Wildcats won a pair of NSIC road games over the weekend. Niggeling produced 14 points off the bench in just 15 minutes during Friday’s 79-71 win at Sioux Falls and she followed that with a career-high 19 points in 21 minutes on 8 of 11 shooting to help the Wildcats down Southwest Minnesota State 67-50 Saturday night in Marshall.
For the weekend, Niggeling shot 66.7 percent from the field (14 of 21) including 3 for 5 behind the 3-point line and was 2 of 4 at the free throw line.
WINONA STATE - Abby Busch, Sr., Fr., 5-10, Fairfax, Minn. (G-F-W) led the Winona State women’s basketball team by averaging 18.5 points and 8.5 rebounds against a pair of ranked teams last weekend. Busch began the weekend with 23 points and eight rebounds against Concordia-St. Paul before scoring 14 and grabbing nine boards against Minnesota State. Busch has scored at least 20 points in four of WSU’s first seven games this season. Busch was 12-of-26 from the floor (46.2 percent) and made 11 of 14 free throw attempts (78.6 percent). She also knocked down a pair of shots from behind the 3-point line against CU. The senior added four assists and two steals to her totals on the weekend.
Past NSIC Players of the Week
11/11/13 - Jordan Spencer - WSC
11/18/13 - Carly Boag - MISU
11/25/13 - Hannah Rutten - UMD
12/2/13 - Jordan Spencer - WSC (2)
12/9/13 - Hannah Rutten - UMD (2)