NSIC Player of the Week
#40 Anika Whiting
F, 6-2, Jr.,
Ashland, Wis.
Ashland HS
Concordia-St. Paul
Whiting helped lead the Golden Bears to a pair of crucial NSIC South wins over No. 11 Wayne State and Augustana by averaging 21.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.0 steals on the weekend. She hit 17 of her 31 shots from the floor (54.8%) and 9 of 10 from the free throw line (90.0%). Whiting cruised to a double-double against WSC on Friday with 25 points and 11 boards before filling the stat sheet with 18 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals on Saturday in the thrilling win over Augustana. She is currently seventh in the NSIC in scoring and 20th in rebounding. This marks the second time this season that Whiting has been named NSIC Player of the Week (12/16/13).
2013-14 NSIC Women’s Basketball Notes
AUGUSTANA - #15 Riley Nordgaard (G, 5-10, So., Canby, Minn. / Canby HS) had a solid weekend for the Vikings, averaging a double-double for the two games. On Friday, the Canby, Minn. native scored six points and pulled down nine rebounds in a loss to Minnesota. The sophomore scored 20 points and grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds in a heartbreaking loss to Concordia-St. Paul on Saturday. The Vikings were beaten on a last-second shot by Jordyn Dudley. For the weekend, Nordgaard averaged 13 points, 12 rebounds, 3.5 steals, and 2.5 assists.
BEMIDJI STATE - #42 Kate Warmack (C, 6-2, Sr., East Grand Forks, Minn. / East Grand Forks HS) averaged 14.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game in a 1-1 home weekend. She shot 45 percent from the field and hit on 10-of-12 (83.3%) from the free throw line. In a win against MSU Moorhead Friday, Warmack totaled 12 points and 13 rebounds for her eighth double-double of the season, which is third most in the league in 2013-14. She also added six blocks, which tied a career-high and ranks second in the NSIC this season.
The Bemidji State women’s basketball team went 1-1 Jan. 17-18 to move to 8-8 overall and 4-8 in NSIC play. BSU defeated MSU Moorhead 64-53 Friday before falling to the NSIC North leaders, Northern State, 69-55. The Beavers begin a four-game road trip Jan. 24-25 at U-Mary and Minot State. Bemidji State snapped a five-game losing streak to the Marauders last season on the road with a 76-73 last-second victory to improve to 3-11 all-time against U-Mary. BSU is 4-5 all-time against Minot State, which includes a season sweep of the fellow Beavers last season (81-70 road win).
CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL - Anika Whiting (F, 6’2”, Jr., Ashland, Wis. / HS) helped lead the Golden Bears to two crucial NSIC South wins over Wayne State and Augustana by averaging 21.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.0 steals on the weekend. She hit 17 of her 31 shots from the floor (54.8%) and 9 of 10 from the free throw line (90.0%). Whiting cruised to a double-double against WSC on Friday with 25 points and 11 boards before filling the stat sheet with 18 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals on Saturday in the thrilling win over Augustana. She is currently seventh in the NSIC in scoring and 20th in rebounding.
Concordia-St. Paul (13-6, 8-4 NSIC) picked up two huge wins over NSIC South opponents #11 Wayne State and Augustana at home. The Golden Bears outscored the Wildcats 41-18 in the second half of a 69-50 win as they knocked off WSC for the second time this year, handing them their only two losses on the season. Concordia went into the break trailing 32-28 but quickly turned the tide in their favor with a 16-3 run to open the second half. The Golden Bears shot 46.2% from the floor and held the Wildcats to an icy 14.3% in the second half as they cruised to a 19 point victory. Saturday’s game against Augustana was a thriller as the Vikings tied the game late to send the game to overtime, but some last second heroics capped by a buzzer-beating three from Jordyn Dudley gave CU an 81-79 overtime win. Concordia outshot Augustana by a margin of 42.6% to 34.7% and picked up 17 assists compared to just eight for the Vikings in what proved to be the difference.
UNIVERSITY OF MARY - Behind hot shooting, the University of Mary picked up its second consecutive weekend sweep, extending their winning streak to four with wins over St. Cloud State and Minnesota Duluth. The wins move U-Mary ahead of both teams and into sole possession of third place in the North Division. As a team the Marauders shot 55 percent from the field on the weekend and 50 percent from deep. It was a team effort both nights that led to wins as U-Mary had five players in double figures each night. Behind their best shooting performance of the season, U-Mary led by as many as 19 on its way to an 86-80 win over St. Cloud State University. Going 16-of-30 in the first half, the Marauders went 16-for-26 in the second, finishing the game shooting 57.1 percent. Linda Murray (F, 6-2, Sr., Fresno, Calif. / Edison HS / Merced CC) struggled at times from the field (10-of-21), but finished with 22 points for her seventh 20-point performance of the season. With the entire starting line-up scoring in double figures, U-Mary handled Minnesota Duluth by a score of 86-75. McKenzie Foster (G, 5-10, Sr., Big Timber, Mont., Sweet Grass County HS) scored a team-high 18 points on 4-of-7 shooting from deep, while also adding a team-high nine rebounds. The Marauders had their best free throw shooting performance of the season connecting on 85 percent of their attempts (22-of-26), including a 15-of-16 performance in the final six minutes to seal the victory. With the conclusion of their four game home stand this weekend, as Bemidji State and Minnesota Crookston come to town, the Marauders will be hosting their Alumni Weekend.
MINNESOTA CROOKSTON - Katrina Moenkedick (So., F, Perham, Minn.) - Moenkedick had a crucial part in the University of Minnesota Crookston’s weekend against Northern State University and Minnesota State University Moorhead. Moenkedick averaged 14 points and 8.5 rebounds on the weekend. The sophomore had 14 points and nine rebounds on 6-of-15 shooting from the field in a 69-60 loss to Northern State University. Against MSU Moorhead, Moenkedick had 14 points and eight boards on 6-of-12 shooting from the field in a 65-63 victory over the Dragons in a crucial victory for the Golden Eagles. Moenkedick shot 44.4 percent on the weekend for Minnesota Crookston.
MINNESOTA DULUTH - The long road trip through North Dakota did not treat the University of Minnesota Duluth well as the Bulldogs dropped a pair of NSIC North division match-ups, against Minot State University and the University of Mary. Friday night’s game saw Minot’s pair of sisters out-duel the Bulldogs’, but junior guard Jessica Newman had 17 points and five rebounds, both team highs, while senior forward Katrina Newman added 15. UMD struggled to get second chances on the night as Minot State hauled in 29 defensive rebounds. Saturday, the Bulldogs found themselves in back-and-forth battle but saw its shooting cool off in the second half while U-Mary remained hot. UMD shot just 31.0 percent on the night, but senior center Hannah Rutten fell just short of a double-double with 18 points and nine rebounds. Junior guard Danielle Flood led the Bulldog offense with 19 points on the night. UMD returns to Romano Gym for a two-week home-stand this weekend beginning with MSU-Moorhead Friday night.
MINNESOTA STATE - The No. 22 Minnesota State women’s basketball team split this past weekend as it downed Augustana 82-64 Friday evening in Taylor Center before falling 89-82 to Wayne State, snapping its program-best 24 game home winning streak. With the split, the Mavericks fall to 11-5 overall with a mark of 8-4 on the circuit. Senior Ali Wilkinson (Blue Mounds, Wis.) recorded her third straight double-double on Friday even and following the weekend is currently averaging 18.8 points and 8.9 rebounds per contest.
Senior forward Ali Wilkinson (Blue Mounds, Wis.) led the Mavericks past the Augustana Vikings with a 15 point 13 rebound effort, giving the Mavericks an 82-64 win. Wilkinson finished with 20 points and eight rebounds in MSU’s loss to No. 11 Wayne State, as they fell 89-82 on Saturday evening. On the weekend, the 6-0 forward averaged 17.5 points and 10.5 rebounds, connecting on 41% of her shots from the field.
MSU MOORHEAD - Morgan Zabel (F, 5-10, Sr., Northfield, Minn. / Northfield HS) had a solid week for the MSUM women who dropped a pair of games on the road. She averaged 16.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game. Zabel had 15 points and five rebounds in a loss at Bemidji State on Friday, and followed with 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists in a two-point loss at Minnesota Crookston. Zabel is now at 923 career points with 10 regular-season games left. Zabel leads MSUM at 14.4 points per game this season.
MINOT STATE - Minot State split a pair of NSIC North Division games at home this weekend, defeating Minnesota Duluth Friday 84-66 and falling 86-73 to St. Cloud State Saturday. The loss Saturday gave SCSU the season sweep over the Beavers for the second year and halted MISU’s four-game winning streak. The Beavers, however, stayed in second place in the NSIC North, two games behind Northern State. Minot State’s #40 Carly Boag (F, 6-2, Sr., Tamworth, Australia / Abbotsleigh) had another solid weekend averaging 26.5 points and 7.5 rebounds to finish the weekend with exactly 1,500 career points. She is third all-time in MISU history and continues on a pace to become the all-time leading scorer by season’s end. #22 Katie Hardy (F, 6-0, Jr., Fairview, N.D. / Fairview) had one of her best games of the year Saturday in the loss to SCSU, scoring 18 points and pulling down eight rebounds. She averaged 15 points and 7.5 rebounds on the weekend. MISU will finish a four-game home stand with two more NSIC North games Friday and Saturday taking on Minnesota Crookston and Bemidji State.
NORTHERN STATE - Northern State extended their win streak this weekend to nine games, currently the longest active streak in the NSIC, with wins over Minnesota Crookston and Bemidji State. The Wolves continue to lead the North as they are 10-2 in the NSIC and 14-2 overall. NSU scored 69 points in each game and continued to rebounded will with 41 and 45 each night. As the season goes on the Wolves continue to improve their shooting percentage from both the floor and the free throw line. Northern also saw a career high 25 points in junior Rachel Krogman against the Golden Eagles. The Wolves led all but two minutes of the games and played well across the board.
#41 Rachel Krogman (F, 6-1, Jr., Elkton, S.D./Elkton-Lake Benton HS) scored a career high 25 points this past weekend in Northern State’s 69-60 victory over Minnesota Crookston. Krogman connected for a double-double in each game pulling down 13 against the Golden Eagles and another 12 against the Beavers. After a tough two games a weekend ago Rachel was back averaging 21.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2 steals in the match-ups. Krogman shot 56.6 percent from the floor and was 9-12 from the free-throw line in 67 minutes of play.
SIOUX FALLS - The Cougars recorded their first weekend sweep since starting conference play in November. USF avenged losses earlier this season to Upper Iowa and Winona State, beating the Peacocks 70-56 and the Warriors 63-53. The Cougars opened up the two-game home stand with a victory over Upper Iowa ¬¬ thanks to stingy defense and an efficient offensive effort. On defense, the Cougars held Upper Iowa to just 27.3% shooting including 33.3% from behind the arc. On the other end of the court, USF shot 40% from the field including a first half field goal percentage of 47.1%.The Cougars started out the game with a 9-2 run with help from Taylor Varsho who played a role in seven of those nine points. Upper Iowa continued to fight and a three-point shot by Sam Thrapp gave the Peacocks their first lead of the game with a score of 10-9. USF then powered forward and took control of the game with a 28-4 run of their own. The run was capped off when Teagan Molden made a pass to Taylor Varsho and Varsho hit a shot from downtown to give the Cougars a 37-14 lead. USF’s offense got rolling early in the second half as they scored the first eight points of the half. Jaicee Ulmer played a big role in that run as she hit two three-point shots during that stretch. The Peacocks cut the Cougars lead down to 13 points with a Laura TerHark three-point shot, but that was too little too late as the field goal came with just over one-minute left in the game. On Saturday, the Cougars used a dominating performance inside the paint as they defeated Winona State 63-53 at the Stewart Center. The Cougars scored 24 points in the paint compared to only eight for the Warriors. The Cougars started out the game with a 9-3 run that was capped off when Taylor Varsho took a Marie Malloy pass and finished with two points in the paint. With under 10:29 left in the first half, the Warriors Connor Nagle hit back-to-back three point shots to give WSU a 19-13 lead over the Cougars. USF then answered back with three-straight Taylor Varsho three-point shots to give the Cougars a 26-25 lead with just over four minutes left in the first half. USF jumped out of the gate in the second half as they started out with an 13-1 run to give the Cougars a 46-32 lead. The run was finished off with back-to-back three point shots by Jaicee Ulmer and Laura Johnson. Winona State then cut the Cougars lead down to six points with just over four minutes left in the game when Connor Nagle hit a shot from downtown. The Cougars kept the Warriors from getting any closer as they scored seven straight points which ended with Bailey Bouman hitting a three-point shot with just under 40 seconds left to give USF a 13 point lead. Taylor Varsho (G, 5-7, So., Chili, Wisc./Marshfield HS) was critical in the Cougars two victories as she averaged 20.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.0 steals and 0.5 blocks. Varsho was clutch from behind the arc as she hit seven three-point shots and shot 43.8% from downtown. The Cougars will take to the road this weekend as they face Augustana College and Wayne State. The Cougars fell to both teams earlier this season by an average of 7 points.
SMSU - Ellen Degler (6-0, F, Sr., Chanhassen, Minn. / Chaska) averaged 25.5 minutes, 13.5 points and 3.5 rebounds as the senior forward led Southwest Minnesota State to its first conference victory in 19 tries. The 65-61 victory over Winona State at the R/A Facility on Friday snapped SMSU’s 12 game losing streak this season and an 18 game conference losing streak dating back to last season. Degler made 1 of 2 free throws with seven seconds remaining in regulation to bump SMSU’s lead to four and seal the victory. Degler finished the game on Friday with a team-high 15 points and four rebounds. On Saturday, Degler finished with 12 points on 4 of 6 shooting, including a perfect 4 of 4 from the foul line to record her fifth straight game in which she scored double-digits. She finished the weekend shooting 52.9 percent (9 of 17) from the field and made 9 of 10 free throws. Degler is shooting 56.6 percent from the field in 10 games this season and has bumped her scoring average output to 8.5 per game.
ST. CLOUD STATE - The St. Cloud State women’s basketball team traveled to Bismarck, N.D. to take on the University of Mary on Friday evening. The Huskies fell to the Marauders with a final score of 80-86. Jessica Benson (Grand Meadow) reached a milestone on Friday as she surpassed the 1,000-career point mark. Benson led all players against the Marauders as she went nine of 19 from the field and made five of five shots from the line to finish with 23 points. Benson reached 1,002 career points on Friday and became just the 28th player in St. Cloud State women’s basketball history to reach 1,000 points. Benson joined teammate Sam Price(Eau Claire, Wis.) who reached 1,000 points earlier this season (12/14/13). Benson grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds to secure her tenth double-double of the season. On Saturday, the Huskies matched up against the Beavers of Minot State University in the Minot State Dome. The Huskies defeated the Beavers 86-73 in final scoring on Saturday to finish with a weekend split. Karissa LeCaptain had a career night as she finished with a season and career-high 13 points and seven rebounds. LeCaptain shot six of eight from the field. Sam Price (Eau Claire, Wis.) led the Huskies with 15 points. Jessica Benson (Grand Meadow) and Rachael Moen (Savage) each finished with 14. Benson and Price each grabbed four steals on the night. Benson pulled down a team-high eight rebounds. Benson currently leads the Huskies averaging 17 points per game and 10.9 rebounds per game. She reached 1,000 career points in just her third year of competition. The Huskies improve to 10-6 overall and 6-6 in the NSIC. Minot State falls to 12-4 overall and 8-4 in conference action. St. Cloud State will return to action on Jan. 24 and 25 as they host Northern State University (14-2 overall, 10-2 NSIC) and Minnesota State University Moorhead (9-7 overall, 5-7 NSIC) in Halenbeck Hall next weekend.
UPPER IOWA - The Peacock women’s basketball team (5-11, 4-8 NSIC) split their two games over the weekend with a loss to Sioux Falls on Friday night (70-56) and an overtime win over Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday evening (78-71). Whitney Kieffer averaged 17.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game while handing out 2.5 assists. Carly Pagel added 10.5 points and 5 rebounds per contest including 17 points against the Mustangs on Saturday. Sam Thrapp also averaged double figures with 13 points and 4.5 assists in the two tilts. The Peacocks will be at home this Friday and Saturday as they welcome Concordia University, St. Paul and Minnesota State Unversity, Mankato to Fayette.
WAYNE STATE - Jordan Spencer, a 5-11 junior forward from Omaha, Neb. (Millard West HS/UNO), averaged 18.5 points, 5.0 rebounds 3.0 assists and 2.0 blocks per game as the #11 Wildcats split NSIC road games over the weekend. Spencer accounted for 11 points, four rebounds and three assists in Friday’s 69-50 setback at Concordia-St. Paul, but rebounded with a 26-point effort Saturday in an 89-82 win at #22 Minnesota State. In the win over Minnesota State, she was 9 of 14 from the field and 8 for 11 at the free throw line in recording her seventh game this season with 20 points or more. For the weekend, Spencer shot 46.4 percent from the field (13 of 28) and was 11 for 14 (78.6%) at the free throw line.
Sophomore guard Addy Roller averaged 15.0 points per game over the weekend, highlighted by a season-high 22 points in Saturday’s win at Minnesota State. Roller was 6 for 9 from the field, (3 of 4 from the 3-point line) and a perfect 7 of 7 at the free throw line in the win.
WINONA STATE - Kelsey Andrist, G, Sr., 5-9, Menomonie, Wis. (Menomonie) averaged 11.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in a pair of road games for Winona State last weekend. Andrist began the weekend with six points and two rebounds at Southwest Minnesota State before breaking out against Sioux Falls, scoring 17 points while grabbing seven rebounds and handing out five assists. Andrist went 7-of-11 from the floor against USF while also knocking down three shots from behind the 3-pointl line. The senior also collected a steal in both games.
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)
12/16/13 - Anika Whiting - CU
12/23/13 - Kate Warmack - BSU
1/6/14 - Katrina Moenkedick - UMC
1/13/14 - Sadie Stotesbery - NSU
1/20/14 - Anika Whiting - CU (2)