
Photo by: Mari Jordan, Ninety2 Creative
St. Cloud State Women’s Basketball Opens 2024 With Conference Road Trip
1/4/2024 6:39:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Huskies travel to play USF Friday, SMSU Saturday
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – St. Cloud State Women's Basketball (7-3 overall, 4-2 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) resumes its season after a 19-day break from action. The Huskies travel to play Sioux Falls (4-7, 2-5 NSIC) on Friday and Southwest Minnesota State (7-6, 5-2 NSIC) on Saturday. Tipoff for Friday's game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT at the Stewart Center in Sioux Falls, S.D. and Saturday's game is slated for a 5:30 p.m. CT start at the R/A Facility in Marshall, Minn.
FOLLOW THE HUSKIES
The games will be streamed live for free on the NSIC Network (Friday's Stream / Saturday's Stream) and broadcasted on The Varsity Network. Steve Linzmeier, the Voice of St. Cloud State Basketball, can be heard on the audio broadcast. Live stats will be provided by the host institutions (USF / SMSU). Links to each coverage option can be found on the St. Cloud State Women's Basketball schedule page.
LAST TIME OUT
St. Cloud State closed out 2023 on Saturday, December 16 when it hosted Bemidji State. The Beavers jumped out to a 15-7 lead just under six minutes into the game. Freshman forward Paige Lambe (Verona, Wis.) drop-stepped her defender in the paint to create space and knocked down a fall-away jump shot to start a run for the Huskies. Sophomore guard Jada Eggebrecht (Phillips, Wis.) blew by her defender with a behind-the-back dribble and made a floater while getting fouled. Eggebrecht converted the and-one opportunity at the free throw line, capping off a 7-1 run for St. Cloud State, bringing them within two points. The second quarter bounced back-and-forth with four lead changes in the period. The Huskies led 27-26 going into halftime after sophomore forward Ashley Sawicki (Waunakee, Wis.) knocked down a free throw with 23 seconds remaining.
SCSU struggled offensively in the first half, shooting 29% from the field and 11% from beyond the arc. Despite the offensive struggles, the Huskies made 10 of their 13 free throw attempts in the half to give them a lead. The Beavers shot 44% from the field and 28% from three-point range but turned the ball over seven times.
The third quarter was tightly contested, but St. Cloud State ended the period on a 9-3 run to give them a 46-39 lead heading into the final frame. The Huskies found their offensive groove in the third quarter outscoring the Beavers 19-13, making 61% of their shots. BSU cut the lead to five points early in the fourth quarter, but senior guard Morgan Draheim (Hortonville, Wis.) started a game-sealing run by finishing a layup off an assist by senior guard Tori Peschel (Sauk Centre, Minn.). Eggebrecht drilled a jumper, pushing the lead to nine for St. Cloud State. Peschel dropped another dime, throwing a shovel pass to a cutting Sawicki on a fast break. Senior Dru Henning (Mukwonago, Wis.) dropped the curtains on Bemidji State, cashing in on a three pointer off an assist by Draheim to give the Huskies a 14-point lead. During the 9-0 run, SCSU's defense kept the Beavers scoreless for over five minutes. The Huskies would put the game away at the free throw line by making three of their four attempts in the final 40 seconds as they closed out 2023 with a 60-52 victory.
Sawicki recorded her second double-double of the season scoring 12 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. She blocked a shot for her third consecutive game and currently ranks 5th in the NSIC in blocks per game with 1.7. Sawicki has also grabbed six or more rebounds in five of her past six games as she is sixth in the conference with 7.5 rebounds per game.
Eggebrecht also scored 12 points for the Huskies and recorded a career-high four steals. She also grabbed three rebounds and blocked one shot. The sophomore is leading the team in points per game with an average of 12.8 and has scored in double digits in eight of her 10 games.
Lambe put together her second-best scoring output of the season, scoring eight points on 4-of-7 shooting. The freshman also grabbed a career-high four rebounds and blocked a career-high four shots. Like Sawicki, Lambe has been a force defensively for the Huskies as she is blocking 1.6 shots per game ranking her 6th in the NSIC.
Highlights from the game can be found on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
SERIES HISTORY
In the teams' 15 all-time meetings, Sioux Falls holds an 8-7 advantage over St. Cloud State. The Huskies won last year's lone meeting 61-42. After tightly contested first quarter that saw the Huskies lead 15-14, St. Cloud State started to take control of the game outscoring the Cougars 13-7 in the second quarter. The Huskies defense blanketed Sioux Falls, holding them to just to 25% shooting from the field. SCSU led 28-21 early in the second half, but the Cougars went on a 10-2 run to take a one-point lead with 6:23 left in the third. The Huskies then went on an 11-2 run to take a 42-33 lead heading into the fourth quarter. The final frame would be all Huskies as they opened the quarter on an 8-1 to essentially put the game away. St. Cloud State outscored Sioux Falls 19-9 to close the game and walked away with a 19-point victory.
Dru Henning scored 10 points for St. Cloud State and grabbed 3 rebounds and cashed two three-pointers. Tori Peschel had a solid all-around game, scoring five points, snatching eight rebounds, dishing out four assists, and blocking one shot.
The Huskies hold a 42-17 advantage over Southwest Minnesota State in their 59 all-time meetings. The two teams played twice last year. The Huskies opened up the first game by going a 10-2 run with Jada Eggebrecht contributing five of the 10 points. St. Cloud State held a 16-15 lead after the Mustangs ended the quarter on 13-6 run.
The Huskies held a 36-27 lead going into halftime after they outscored the Mustangs 20-12 in the second quarter. St. Cloud State looked like they were going to break the game open after scoring 14 points in the paint, but the Mustangs came out of halftime and outscored the Huskies 21-10 in the third quarter to take a two-point lead heading into the fourth. The final quarter saw the two teams battle back and forth, however both teams went scoreless in the final 45 seconds of the game, sending it into overtime.
In the extra five minutes of play, the Huskies defense came to life and blanked SMSU, holding them scoreless in overtime to earn a 70-59 victory. The Mustangs missed all of their six attempts and were forced into three turnovers by St. Cloud State's defense.
Eggebrecht scored 12 points while recording a steal in 29 minutes of play. Peschel played 39 of a possible 45 minutes and scored four points, cleaned up the glass with 12 rebounds, and dished out three assists. Then-junior Makenna Vanzant (Farmington, Ark.) did a little bit of everything for SCSU, scoring six points, grabbing six rebounds, distributing five assists, and registering three steals.
The second matchup between the programs came in the quarterfinals of the NSIC Tournament. Like the first matchup, it was a tightly contested game from the start. Halfway through the second quarter Eggebrecht capped off a 12-0 run by the Huskies knocking down a jumper with 4:07 left in the quarter. SMSU would close out the half on a 13-6 run to cut the lead to five points heading into the break. Despite giving up 24 points in the third, St. Cloud State held a 55-52 lead going into the fourth quarter, but momentum had begun to swing in favor of the Mustangs. The two teams went back and forth and a layup by Peschel gave the Huskies a 62-59 lead with 7:46 left in the game. The Mustangs caught fire after that closing the game on a 17-6 run to end the Huskies season. SMSU outscored St. Cloud State 24-13 in the 4th quarter and shot 60% from the field.
Eggebrecht scored a game-high 19 points to lead the Huskies offensive attack. Henning scored 11 points and grabbed three rebounds. Peschel stuffed the stat sheet with seven points, six rebounds, and five assists.
SCOUTING SIOUX FALLS
Sioux Falls heads into this matchup with St. Cloud State with a record of 4-7 and have lost three of their past four games. The Cougars currently sit in 11th place in the NSIC.
Freshman forward Kami Wadsworth leads the Cougars offensive attack with 11.2 points per game. Wadsworth is second on the team in rebounding and assists with 3.9 rebounds per game and 1.4 assists per game. The Hayti, S.D. native has scored in double figures in all but three games.
Freshman guard Ayla Brown is the team's second leading scorer with 10.5 points per game. Brown also grabs 3.6 rebounds per game and dishes out a team-high 2.7 assists per game. Brown shoots 38% from the field and 35% from beyond the arc. The freshman guard has scored 11 or more points in three of the past four games including a career-high 16 points against Southwest Minnesota State.
Sophomore forward Riley Moreland is fourth on the team in points per game with 7.2 but leads the team in rebounds and blocks per game with 4.7 and 1.6 respectively. Moreland's 1.6 blocks per game put her in a tie for 6th place in the conference.
In last year's 19-point loss to the Huskies, Moreland was one of the lone bright spots as she scored a team-high 10 points, grabbed three rebounds, and blocked two shots in 15 minutes off the bench.
Travis Traphagen is in his 16th season with Sioux Falls. During his tenure, Traphagen has put together a 279-163 record. Traphagen has amassed six 20-win seasons with his latest in the 2019-2020 season. Prior to last season, Sioux Falls had registered a winning record in eight consecutive seasons under Traphagen, but an 8-20 record last season snapped that streak.
SCOUTING SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE
The Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State are riding high on a five-game winning streak with wins over Concordia-St. Paul, Minnesota Duluth, Sioux Falls, Augustana, and Martin Luther. Southwest currently sits in 5th place in the NSIC with a record of 7-6 and 5-2 in the conference.
Junior guard Bri Stoltzman is one of the conference's best players. She averages 18.9 points per game which is the third highest mark in the conference and highest mark among guards. Stoltzman also leads the team in rebounding and steals with 6.9 and 1.8 per game respectively. Her 1.8 steals per game are tied for the 6th highest mark in the conference. The Mankato, Minn. native shoots 47% from the field and 35% from beyond the arc. Stoltzman has scored in double digits in all but one game this season and has scored 15 or more points in five consecutive games including a 26-point outing against Concordia-St. Paul and a 31-point outing against Minnesota Duluth.
Senior guard Sam Wall is the team's second leading scorer at 11.6 points per game. Wall also averages 2.7 rebounds per game and 1.4 assists per game while shooting 36% from the field and 35% from three-point range. The Delhi, Iowa native has scored in double-figures the past four games including a 16-point outing against Minnesota Duluth.
Senior guard Hannah Parsley is fifth on the team in points per game with 8.1 on shooting splits of 45% from the field and 40% from three. Parsley is second on the team in rebounding with 4.9 per game and is tied with Stoltzman with 1.8 steals per game.
In both matchups last season, the Huskies had a hard time containing the trio of guards. The first matchup saw Wall lead the team with 19 points, five made threes, and four rebounds. Stoltzman fouled out, but still produced 17 points, six rebounds, four steals, two blocks, and two assists. Parsley also fouled out but had 10 points and four rebounds.
At the Pentagon, Wall again led the team with 19 points and had two rebounds and assists. Nine of Wall's 19 points came in the 4th quarter of the game. Stoltzman was red hot as she scored 16 points on six of eight shooting with six rebounds and two assists and steals. Parsley scored 13 points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds while registering two assists and one block and steal.
Tom Webb heads is his 8th season as the head coach of Southwest Minnesota State. Webb has produced a record of 84-108 during his tenure, including a 19-11 record last season. Last season's 19 victories were the most in program history in the past 20 seasons. In seven career matchups with St. Cloud State, Webb has a record of 1-6.
Webb and the Mustangs will take on Bemidji State on Friday hosting St. Cloud State on Saturday. SMSU is currently 5-2 at home this season.
SHINING STARS
Sophomore forward Ashley Sawicki (Waunakee, Wis.) was named to the NSIC Women's Basketball Shining 5 by the league office on Dec. 18 for her contributions throughout that week. Sawicki averaged 14.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game in a pair of wins. Against UMary, she nearly recorded a double-double, scoring a career-high 17 points and grabbing eight rebounds with two blocks in a win. Against Bemidji State, Sawicki tallied 12 points and 10 rebounds for her second double-double of the season in a home win. The honor is the first of Sawicki's career.
Sophomore guard Jada Eggebrecht (Phillips, Wis.) was named to the NSIC Women's Basketball Shining 5 by the league office on Nov. 27 for her contributions that weekend. Eggebrecht averaged 14.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals in 35 minutes per game while scoring a season-high 16-points against Northern Michigan. The honor is the first of Eggebrecht's career.
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Women's Basketball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
FOLLOW THE HUSKIES
The games will be streamed live for free on the NSIC Network (Friday's Stream / Saturday's Stream) and broadcasted on The Varsity Network. Steve Linzmeier, the Voice of St. Cloud State Basketball, can be heard on the audio broadcast. Live stats will be provided by the host institutions (USF / SMSU). Links to each coverage option can be found on the St. Cloud State Women's Basketball schedule page.
LAST TIME OUT
St. Cloud State closed out 2023 on Saturday, December 16 when it hosted Bemidji State. The Beavers jumped out to a 15-7 lead just under six minutes into the game. Freshman forward Paige Lambe (Verona, Wis.) drop-stepped her defender in the paint to create space and knocked down a fall-away jump shot to start a run for the Huskies. Sophomore guard Jada Eggebrecht (Phillips, Wis.) blew by her defender with a behind-the-back dribble and made a floater while getting fouled. Eggebrecht converted the and-one opportunity at the free throw line, capping off a 7-1 run for St. Cloud State, bringing them within two points. The second quarter bounced back-and-forth with four lead changes in the period. The Huskies led 27-26 going into halftime after sophomore forward Ashley Sawicki (Waunakee, Wis.) knocked down a free throw with 23 seconds remaining.
SCSU struggled offensively in the first half, shooting 29% from the field and 11% from beyond the arc. Despite the offensive struggles, the Huskies made 10 of their 13 free throw attempts in the half to give them a lead. The Beavers shot 44% from the field and 28% from three-point range but turned the ball over seven times.
The third quarter was tightly contested, but St. Cloud State ended the period on a 9-3 run to give them a 46-39 lead heading into the final frame. The Huskies found their offensive groove in the third quarter outscoring the Beavers 19-13, making 61% of their shots. BSU cut the lead to five points early in the fourth quarter, but senior guard Morgan Draheim (Hortonville, Wis.) started a game-sealing run by finishing a layup off an assist by senior guard Tori Peschel (Sauk Centre, Minn.). Eggebrecht drilled a jumper, pushing the lead to nine for St. Cloud State. Peschel dropped another dime, throwing a shovel pass to a cutting Sawicki on a fast break. Senior Dru Henning (Mukwonago, Wis.) dropped the curtains on Bemidji State, cashing in on a three pointer off an assist by Draheim to give the Huskies a 14-point lead. During the 9-0 run, SCSU's defense kept the Beavers scoreless for over five minutes. The Huskies would put the game away at the free throw line by making three of their four attempts in the final 40 seconds as they closed out 2023 with a 60-52 victory.
Sawicki recorded her second double-double of the season scoring 12 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. She blocked a shot for her third consecutive game and currently ranks 5th in the NSIC in blocks per game with 1.7. Sawicki has also grabbed six or more rebounds in five of her past six games as she is sixth in the conference with 7.5 rebounds per game.
Eggebrecht also scored 12 points for the Huskies and recorded a career-high four steals. She also grabbed three rebounds and blocked one shot. The sophomore is leading the team in points per game with an average of 12.8 and has scored in double digits in eight of her 10 games.
Lambe put together her second-best scoring output of the season, scoring eight points on 4-of-7 shooting. The freshman also grabbed a career-high four rebounds and blocked a career-high four shots. Like Sawicki, Lambe has been a force defensively for the Huskies as she is blocking 1.6 shots per game ranking her 6th in the NSIC.
Highlights from the game can be found on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
SERIES HISTORY
In the teams' 15 all-time meetings, Sioux Falls holds an 8-7 advantage over St. Cloud State. The Huskies won last year's lone meeting 61-42. After tightly contested first quarter that saw the Huskies lead 15-14, St. Cloud State started to take control of the game outscoring the Cougars 13-7 in the second quarter. The Huskies defense blanketed Sioux Falls, holding them to just to 25% shooting from the field. SCSU led 28-21 early in the second half, but the Cougars went on a 10-2 run to take a one-point lead with 6:23 left in the third. The Huskies then went on an 11-2 run to take a 42-33 lead heading into the fourth quarter. The final frame would be all Huskies as they opened the quarter on an 8-1 to essentially put the game away. St. Cloud State outscored Sioux Falls 19-9 to close the game and walked away with a 19-point victory.
Dru Henning scored 10 points for St. Cloud State and grabbed 3 rebounds and cashed two three-pointers. Tori Peschel had a solid all-around game, scoring five points, snatching eight rebounds, dishing out four assists, and blocking one shot.
The Huskies hold a 42-17 advantage over Southwest Minnesota State in their 59 all-time meetings. The two teams played twice last year. The Huskies opened up the first game by going a 10-2 run with Jada Eggebrecht contributing five of the 10 points. St. Cloud State held a 16-15 lead after the Mustangs ended the quarter on 13-6 run.
The Huskies held a 36-27 lead going into halftime after they outscored the Mustangs 20-12 in the second quarter. St. Cloud State looked like they were going to break the game open after scoring 14 points in the paint, but the Mustangs came out of halftime and outscored the Huskies 21-10 in the third quarter to take a two-point lead heading into the fourth. The final quarter saw the two teams battle back and forth, however both teams went scoreless in the final 45 seconds of the game, sending it into overtime.
In the extra five minutes of play, the Huskies defense came to life and blanked SMSU, holding them scoreless in overtime to earn a 70-59 victory. The Mustangs missed all of their six attempts and were forced into three turnovers by St. Cloud State's defense.
Eggebrecht scored 12 points while recording a steal in 29 minutes of play. Peschel played 39 of a possible 45 minutes and scored four points, cleaned up the glass with 12 rebounds, and dished out three assists. Then-junior Makenna Vanzant (Farmington, Ark.) did a little bit of everything for SCSU, scoring six points, grabbing six rebounds, distributing five assists, and registering three steals.
The second matchup between the programs came in the quarterfinals of the NSIC Tournament. Like the first matchup, it was a tightly contested game from the start. Halfway through the second quarter Eggebrecht capped off a 12-0 run by the Huskies knocking down a jumper with 4:07 left in the quarter. SMSU would close out the half on a 13-6 run to cut the lead to five points heading into the break. Despite giving up 24 points in the third, St. Cloud State held a 55-52 lead going into the fourth quarter, but momentum had begun to swing in favor of the Mustangs. The two teams went back and forth and a layup by Peschel gave the Huskies a 62-59 lead with 7:46 left in the game. The Mustangs caught fire after that closing the game on a 17-6 run to end the Huskies season. SMSU outscored St. Cloud State 24-13 in the 4th quarter and shot 60% from the field.
Eggebrecht scored a game-high 19 points to lead the Huskies offensive attack. Henning scored 11 points and grabbed three rebounds. Peschel stuffed the stat sheet with seven points, six rebounds, and five assists.
SCOUTING SIOUX FALLS
Sioux Falls heads into this matchup with St. Cloud State with a record of 4-7 and have lost three of their past four games. The Cougars currently sit in 11th place in the NSIC.
Freshman forward Kami Wadsworth leads the Cougars offensive attack with 11.2 points per game. Wadsworth is second on the team in rebounding and assists with 3.9 rebounds per game and 1.4 assists per game. The Hayti, S.D. native has scored in double figures in all but three games.
Freshman guard Ayla Brown is the team's second leading scorer with 10.5 points per game. Brown also grabs 3.6 rebounds per game and dishes out a team-high 2.7 assists per game. Brown shoots 38% from the field and 35% from beyond the arc. The freshman guard has scored 11 or more points in three of the past four games including a career-high 16 points against Southwest Minnesota State.
Sophomore forward Riley Moreland is fourth on the team in points per game with 7.2 but leads the team in rebounds and blocks per game with 4.7 and 1.6 respectively. Moreland's 1.6 blocks per game put her in a tie for 6th place in the conference.
In last year's 19-point loss to the Huskies, Moreland was one of the lone bright spots as she scored a team-high 10 points, grabbed three rebounds, and blocked two shots in 15 minutes off the bench.
Travis Traphagen is in his 16th season with Sioux Falls. During his tenure, Traphagen has put together a 279-163 record. Traphagen has amassed six 20-win seasons with his latest in the 2019-2020 season. Prior to last season, Sioux Falls had registered a winning record in eight consecutive seasons under Traphagen, but an 8-20 record last season snapped that streak.
SCOUTING SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE
The Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State are riding high on a five-game winning streak with wins over Concordia-St. Paul, Minnesota Duluth, Sioux Falls, Augustana, and Martin Luther. Southwest currently sits in 5th place in the NSIC with a record of 7-6 and 5-2 in the conference.
Junior guard Bri Stoltzman is one of the conference's best players. She averages 18.9 points per game which is the third highest mark in the conference and highest mark among guards. Stoltzman also leads the team in rebounding and steals with 6.9 and 1.8 per game respectively. Her 1.8 steals per game are tied for the 6th highest mark in the conference. The Mankato, Minn. native shoots 47% from the field and 35% from beyond the arc. Stoltzman has scored in double digits in all but one game this season and has scored 15 or more points in five consecutive games including a 26-point outing against Concordia-St. Paul and a 31-point outing against Minnesota Duluth.
Senior guard Sam Wall is the team's second leading scorer at 11.6 points per game. Wall also averages 2.7 rebounds per game and 1.4 assists per game while shooting 36% from the field and 35% from three-point range. The Delhi, Iowa native has scored in double-figures the past four games including a 16-point outing against Minnesota Duluth.
Senior guard Hannah Parsley is fifth on the team in points per game with 8.1 on shooting splits of 45% from the field and 40% from three. Parsley is second on the team in rebounding with 4.9 per game and is tied with Stoltzman with 1.8 steals per game.
In both matchups last season, the Huskies had a hard time containing the trio of guards. The first matchup saw Wall lead the team with 19 points, five made threes, and four rebounds. Stoltzman fouled out, but still produced 17 points, six rebounds, four steals, two blocks, and two assists. Parsley also fouled out but had 10 points and four rebounds.
At the Pentagon, Wall again led the team with 19 points and had two rebounds and assists. Nine of Wall's 19 points came in the 4th quarter of the game. Stoltzman was red hot as she scored 16 points on six of eight shooting with six rebounds and two assists and steals. Parsley scored 13 points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds while registering two assists and one block and steal.
Tom Webb heads is his 8th season as the head coach of Southwest Minnesota State. Webb has produced a record of 84-108 during his tenure, including a 19-11 record last season. Last season's 19 victories were the most in program history in the past 20 seasons. In seven career matchups with St. Cloud State, Webb has a record of 1-6.
Webb and the Mustangs will take on Bemidji State on Friday hosting St. Cloud State on Saturday. SMSU is currently 5-2 at home this season.
SHINING STARS
Sophomore forward Ashley Sawicki (Waunakee, Wis.) was named to the NSIC Women's Basketball Shining 5 by the league office on Dec. 18 for her contributions throughout that week. Sawicki averaged 14.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game in a pair of wins. Against UMary, she nearly recorded a double-double, scoring a career-high 17 points and grabbing eight rebounds with two blocks in a win. Against Bemidji State, Sawicki tallied 12 points and 10 rebounds for her second double-double of the season in a home win. The honor is the first of Sawicki's career.
Sophomore guard Jada Eggebrecht (Phillips, Wis.) was named to the NSIC Women's Basketball Shining 5 by the league office on Nov. 27 for her contributions that weekend. Eggebrecht averaged 14.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals in 35 minutes per game while scoring a season-high 16-points against Northern Michigan. The honor is the first of Eggebrecht's career.
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Women's Basketball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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