Huskies roll into home series against Mary, Minot

ST. CLOUD, MINN. - The St. Cloud State University women's basketball team can seemingly not be stopped. The Huskies have won five consecutive games and boast an overall record of 5-1 with a 3-0 mark in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) play. This weekend, St. Cloud State will put its perfect conference record to the test, as the team hosts Mary and Minot State in the final home series of the 2021 calendar year.

The Huskies final home series before the new year should be highly entertaining, as games against the Marauders and Beavers are always quality battles. In the past 10 meetings, St. Cloud State has posted 7-3 records against both Mary and Minot State while averaging roughly 69.5 points against both teams. Additionally, the Huskies are riding a three-game win streak against the Marauders and have won five straight against the Beavers.

In addition to the games, several giveaways and promotions will occur in Halenbeck Hall this weekend. The first 25 students in attendance for Friday's tip against Mary will receive a FREE Dog Pound T-shirt, while the first 100 fans at Saturday's game will receive FREE St. Cloud State athletic bracelets. Additionally, fans are invited to participate in the Huskies Ugly Sweater Contest during Saturday's game against Minot State.

Tip off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Friday and 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. Live stats, video and a radio stream will be available for both contests, and score updates will be made to the team's official Twitter account (@SCSUHUSKIES_WBB).

Here are the five things to know before this weekend's NSIC match ups:

23 - For the first time since 2006-07, the Huskies were ranked in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II top-25 poll. After receiving votes the last two weeks, St. Cloud State cracked the national poll, coming in at #23. It marks the first time the Huskies have been ranked in the weekly poll since the 2006-07 season, when they opened the year as the #22.

49.7 - St. Cloud State is well known for its defensive play, having been a top-2 defensive team in the NSIC for the past three seasons. However, the Huskies defense has been next level to open 2021-22, as they are holding teams to an average of 49.7 points per game through six games this season. That average currently ranks fifth in the nation in scoring defense and is the lowest average in the NSIC this year.

11.0 - St. Cloud State's scoring defense isn't the only mind-boggling number on the stat sheets. The Huskies aren't exactly turning the ball over a whole heck of a lot this season. In fact, St. Cloud State averages roughly 11.0 turnovers per game while forcing its opponents to commit 16.2. Yes, you read that right. The Huskies have committed just 66 turnovers through six games, while their opponents have wracked up 97 total.

16/15 - Then there's St. Cloud State's block and steal numbers. The Huskies have tallied 28 blocks and 56 steals as a team this season, while opponents have managed just eight blocks and 34 steals against them. Nikki Kilboten (Eau Claire, Wis. / Eau Claire) has dominated the block charts, leading the way with 16 for St. Cloud State, while Brehna Evans (De Pere, Wis. / West De Pere) continues to impress on the defensive side of the ball, thanks to her team-leading 15 steals.

3 - The Huskies' well-balanced offense has once again been a topic of focus to start the 2021-22 season. While three different student-athletes are averaging double-digit points for St. Cloud State through six games, none of them rank in the top-10 in the NSIC in scoring. In fact, Kilboten and Evans rank the highest amongst the Huskies top scorers, coming in at No. 16 thanks to their 12.7 points per game average. Fifth year senior Tori Wortz (Hutchinson, Minn. / Hutchinson) is also averaging double-digit points for St. Cloud State this season, as she is averaging 11.2 points per game entering the weekend.