#13 Huskies open conference tournament with Northern State

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - It's postseason time for the St. Cloud State University women's basketball team. After earning a first round bye, the Huskies open their Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) / Sanford Health Tournament run on Saturday, as they face Northern State in the quarterfinal at 4:30 p.m. in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

St. Cloud State earned the first round bye after clinching its first NSIC regular season title since 1983-84, securing the No. 1 overall seed in the conference tournament thanks to its two-game sweep of Minnesota-Duluth during the regular season. That not only allowed the Huskies a first round bye, but also ensured they would have an extra off day if they beat the Wolves Saturday afternoon. The winner of Saturday's quarterfinal will face either Concordia-St. Paul or Bemidji State in the semifinal round on Monday, February 28, again with a 4:30 p.m. tip off.

Tickets for the NSIC / Sanford Health Tournament are $20 for adults and $10 for students, while children five and under are free. The cost covers admission to both games in a single session. Fans who can't make the trek to South Dakota can follow the Huskies online via live stats and video. The can also tune in to one of two radio broadcasts, either on the KVSC Sports Stream or the Varsity Network App. Score updates will be posted on the team's official Twitter page (@scsuhuskies_wbb).

Here are the five things to know before Saturday's tip off:

12 - St. Cloud State won its first NSIC Regular Season title since 1983-84 and first NSIC North Division title since the 2012-13 season with its win over Bemidji State last Saturday. The Huskies enter the NSIC / Sanford Health Tournament with an overall record of 21-3 and a 19-2 mark in NSIC play to earn the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament. St. Cloud State additionally closed the regular season with a pristine 12-0 record in Halenbeck Hall, which marks the first time they've ever been perfect at home in the Lori Fish era.

2 - The Huskies held steady in the second NCAA Central Region Rankings, which were released Wednesday afternoon. For the second straight week, St. Cloud State was ranked second in the regional rankings, the highest ranking for a team from the NSIC. The No. 1 ranking was held by Fort Hays State for the second straight weekend, who beat the Huskies in the first game of the season 58-51.

3 - Three St. Cloud State student-athletes and Lori Fish were recognized by the NSIC Thursday morning for their success during the 2021-22 regular season. Fifth year seniors Tori Wortz (Hutchinson, Minn. / Hutchinson) and Nikki Kilboten (Eau Claire, Wis. / Eau Claire North) were named First Team All-NSIC, while senior Brehna Evans (De Pere, Wis. / West De Pere) was named Second Team All-NSIC Wednesday morning. The Huskies also took home plenty of specialty awards. Fish was named the NSIC Coach of the Year, while Evans repeated as the conference's Defensive Player of the Year. Wortz was then named the NSIC Outstanding Senior of the Year Friday morning, rounding out the conference award season for St. Cloud State.

55.2 - The Huskies bread and butter all season has been their strong play on defense. St. Cloud State held its opponents to 55.2 points per game during the 2021-22 regular season and possessed the No. 1 ranked defense in the NSIC. The Huskies also ranked No. 11 in all of Division II in scoring defense entering the NSIC tournament.

2-0 - St. Cloud State will face a familiar opponent in Saturday's quarterfinal: Northern State. The Huskies swept the Wolves in their regular season series, beating Northern State 66-50 in Aberdeen, South Dakota before earning a 67-45 win at home on February 4. Fans may remember St. Cloud State's dominating defensive performance on February 4, as the Huskies held the Wolves to 0-11 shooting from three-point range in Halenbeck Hall. Wortz led the team in scoring in both games, averaging 19.5 points against Northern State this season.