Wednesday, January 8
St. Paul, MN
5:30 P.M.
St. Cloud State
at
#24 Concordia-St. Paul
St. Cloud State Women’s Basketball Takes Two-Game Winning Streak to St. Paul and Duluth
1/7/2025 3:05:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Huskies travel to Concordia-St. Paul and Minnesota Duluth
St. Cloud, Minn.- St. Cloud State Women's Basketball (8-5, 5-3 NSIC) take their two-game winning streak to the road as they travel to #24 Concordia-St. Paul on Wednesday, January 8 and then Minnesota Duluth on Saturday, January 11. Wednesday's game is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. while Saturday's game is set for 1:00 p.m.
Follow the Huskies
Live State will be provided by Concordia-St. Paul on Wednesday and then by Minnesota Duluth on Saturday. Both games will be streamed live for free on the NSIC Network and broadcasted on the Varsity Network. Steve Linzmeier, the Voice of St. Cloud State Basketball, can be heard on the audio broadcast for both games.
Last Time Out
St. Cloud State opened up 2025 by hosting Augustana and Wayne State.
Friday's game against the Vikings saw Augustana hold a modest five-point lead at the 6:07 mark of the first quarter as they led 11-6. The Vikings steadily held that lead for most of the quarter, but a three-pointer by Jada Eggebrecht with seven seconds left set the score at 19-20. That three-pointer by Eggebrecht sparked the Huskies offense as back-to-back three-pointers by Rachel Kottke and Alana Zarneke gave SCSU a nine-point lead with 3:58 left in the half. The offense continued to hum late the rest of the half as a 30-point quarter by the Huskies gave them a 49-40 lead going into the break. The second quarter saw St. Cloud State make six three-pointers in the frame and that hot shooting continued into the second half. While the offense continued to click, the defense ramped up as the Vikings made their first field goal of the half at the 5:47 mark of the third quarter as SCSU led by 15 points. From that first inaugural bucket, the Vikings had new life as they ramped up their defensive intensity as a 10-3 run brought them within 10 points. Despite the new energy, St. Cloud State responded with a 7-2 run to end the quarter as Kylan Gerads finished a layup with eight seconds left to put St. Cloud State back up by 15 points. The Vikings never came within 10 points for the fourth quarter as the Huskies picked up their first win of 2025 with an 81-70 win against Augustana. St. Cloud State made a season-high 14 threes on an efficient 41.2%. Alana Zarneke had a career evening as she scored a career-high 23 points while tying her career-high in three-pointers made with five. She also made a career-high nine field goals (9/19 shooting), while shooting 45.5% from three (5/11). In addition, she totaled three steals and assists along with two rebounds. Paige Lambe nearly notched a double-double with 11 points and eight rebounds while blocking a career-high five shots. Lambe started her third game of the year and shot 50% (5/10) from the field while also nabbing a steal. She scored in double-digits for the second straight game and fourth time on the year.
Saturday's game against Wayne State started with both teams thriving on the defensive end as the Huskies held a 3-2 lead at the 5:39 mark of the quarter after a three by Reagan Briggs. The offense started to come around for both teams as 19 points were scored in the final 3:42 of the quarter. Wayne State led 14-10 after Maya Fitzpatrick made a buzzer beating layup. The second quarter flashed similarities to the opening frame as it was a defensive battle. The Wildcats did not make their first field goal until the 4:37 mark of the quarter as the Huskies held a narrow one-point lead. Following their initial bucket, SCSU started to grow their lead as a jumper by Halle Vande Hey and a three-pointer by Alana Zarneke gave them a six-point lead. The Wildcats seized momentum at the end of the half as they closed the quarter on a 7-3 run. Despite the late run, St. Cloud State led 26-24 at halftime. Coming out of the break, St. Cloud State started to take control of the game as an 8-2 gave them an early 34-26 lead. SCSU continued to ballon their lead as Kylan Gerads capped off an 11-0 with a layup to give St. Cloud State a 47-29 lead. The Wildcats started to cut into the lead, but Kristi Kottke ended the quarter on a 5-0 run as SCSU led 54-37 going into the final frame. St. Cloud State outscored the Wildcats 28-13 in the third quarter. Wayne State would not go away quietly as a 10-2 run forced a Huskies timeout at the 6:47 mark as WSC was back within single digits. The Huskies worked the lead back up to double-digits as they led 64-54 with 2:24 left in the game. From that point, Wayne State made a ferocious comeback as they ramped up their defensive pressure and used a 6-0 run to now only trail by four points with 41 seconds remaining. St. Cloud State would call a timeout as they would drain clock before Jada Eggebrecht was fouled with 27 seconds left. Eggebrecht shooting 96.2% from the line this season was automatic and gave St. Cloud State a six point lead. The Wildcats called a timeout of their own and quickly finished a layup to trail 62-66 with 22 seconds remaining. Following a timeout, the Huskies again drained clock before a WSC foul. Briggs split a pair of free throws with 14 seconds remaining before the Wildcats drained a three with seven seconds left. After the make, Zarneke would be fouled with one second remaining as SCSU led 67-65. She would split the pair of free throws, making the second attempt. Needing a three pointer and to go the full length of the court, the Wildcats inbounded but were unable to get a shot up as St. Cloud State held off the Wildcats in a 68-65 victory. Kristi Kottke had a career game as she scored 12 points on a perfect 5/5 shooting while making both of her three-point attempts. Kottke also tallied three rebounds and an assist and steal. The points, field goals made, and three-pointers made were all career highs. Kylan Gerads notched her first career double-double as she scored 10 point and grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds. This was the third straight game that Gerads has scored in double-figures.
Shining 5
Following the Huskies undefeated weekend, Paige Lambe was named to the NSIC Shining Five as announced by the league office on Monday. Friday's win against the Vikings saw Lambe nearly notch a double-double with 11 points and eight rebounds. She also blocked a career-high five shots while shooting 5/10 from the field and nabbing a steal. In the Huskies win on Saturday against Wayne State, Lambe was once again a defensive force as she blocked three shots. She also scored 12 points and grabbed six rebounds while shooting 5/11 from the field. For the week, Lambe averaged 11.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.0 blocks while shooting 47.6% from the field. Her eight total blocks led the conference for the week.
St. Cloud State Statistical Leaders (total-average)
St. Cloud State Team Stats (NSIC Ranking)
Series History
Wednesday's game against Concordia-St. Paul will be the 39th all-time meeting between the programs with the series tied 19-19. The teams faced off twice last year with the Golden Bears taking both matchups.
The first meeting at Halenbeck Hall saw the Huskies get off to a slow start as the Golden Bears opened the game with a 13-2 lead. St. Cloud State slowly started to find its offense as Dru Henning knocked down a jump shot out of an out-of-bounds play. Henning then drained a three-pointer with three seconds left in the quarter to cut the deficit to six points. The Huskies continued to battle as Jada Eggebrecht sank a jump shot and then buried a three-pointer on the wing. SCSU took the lead at the 4:44 mark of the second quarter after Jasmine Litt converted on an and-one to give the Huskies a one-point lead. Litt expanded that lead to three points after she calmly made two free throws. CSP retook the lead going into halftime, closing the half on an 8-0 run to lead 33-28 at the break.
St. Cloud State's defense allowed the Golden Bears offense to shot 50% from the field for the half, but the Huskies were able to keep pace by forcing four turnovers and turning those into six points. St. Cloud shot 37% from the field in the first half.
CSP came out of halftime and built an 11-point lead after going on an 8-2 run. The Huskies would counter with a 7-0 run of their own to bring them within four points. The rest of the quarter bounced back-and-forth and SCSU trailed 46-42 going into the fourth quarter after Morgan Draheim cashed a three-pointer out of an out-of-bounds set. The 4th quarter saw the Bears build up an eight-point lead, but the Huskies quickly broke into the lead with a 6-0 run to force a CSP timeout with 6:23 left in the game. St. Cloud State ran out of gas as the Golden Bears ended the game on an 11-4 run while making seven of their eight free throw attempts to capture a 64-55 victory.
The second game in St. Paul saw the Huskies get off to a fast start, opening the game on a 13-2 run, including a 10-0 run that lasted nearly five minutes. Jasmine Litt got the Huskies going, scoring 11 of the Huskies first 13 points. CSP used a 5-0 run to halt the Huskies momentum, but St. Cloud State still found themselves leading 14-7 at the end of the first quarter. The Bears carried their newly found momentum in the second quarter, using an 11-2 to open the quarter and take an 18-16 lead with 7:44 left in the half. SCSU responded to the adversity with an 11-0 run of its own to take a 27-18 lead. Litt continued her hot shooting, finishing a layup and knocking in a three-pointer during the run. CSP battled to cut the lead down to three points with 2:34 left in the half, but Alana Zarneke drained two jump shots to push the Huskies lead back up to seven points, giving them a 31-24 advantage going into halftime.
St. Cloud State was firing on all cylinders, shooting 46% from the field in the half and 50% from three-point range. Defensively, the Huskies were stout, forcing the Bears into six turnovers and holding them to 33% from the field.
CSP burst out of the third quarter gates with a 9-2 run, tying the game at 33. The Huskies did not put any points on the scoreboard until the 5:45 mark and did not make a field goal until the 4:48 mark. Despite the early quarter offensive struggles, SCSU used a 10-0 to take a 47-38 lead late in the quarter. Litt and Dru Henning each cashed a three-pointer during the run. CSP made a three-pointer of its own to stop the run, but St. Cloud State went into the fourth quarter holding a 47-41 lead. The Bears got off to another fast start during the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, cutting their deficit to a single point after a 7-2 run. Ashley Sawicki was fouled and made both free throws to give the Huskies some breathing room at the 6:21 mark of the fourth quarter. Those free throws, however, ultimately ended up being the last points the Huskies scored in the game. CSP closed the game on a 9-0 run to beat St. Cloud State 57-51.
Saturday's game against Minnesota Duluth will be the 94th matchup between the programs with the Huskies leading 51-42 in the series. St. Cloud State has lost four of the past five games against the Bulldogs, but split there two matchups a season ago.
Halfway through the first quarter of the game at Halenbeck Hall, Minnesota Duluth held a modest 8-5 lead over the Huskies. SCSU took a seven-point lead after Jada Eggebrecht drilled back-to-back three-pointers in what was a 10-0 run for the Huskies. St. Cloud State held a 20-12 lead at the end of the quarter after Ashley Sawicki cashed her first three-pointer of the season to beat the buzzer. Throughout the second quarter, St. Cloud State held a comfortable lead, outscoring the Bulldogs 11-9 to go into halftime holding a 31-21 advantage.
The Huskies defense stepped up in the first half, holding UMD to 31% from the field and 25% from three-point range while forcing nine turnovers. SCSU was solid offensively, shooting 46% from the field and 44% from beyond the arc.
The Bulldogs came out of the break with a quick 6-0 run to cut the St. Cloud State lead down to four points. After the slow offensive start, the Huskies found their footing again as Alana Zarneke and Makenna Vanzant nailed back-to-back three-pointers to cap off an 8-0 run for St. Cloud State. The Huskies led 43-34 going into the fourth quarter after Tori Peschel put back an offensive rebound with two seconds left to beat the buzzer. SCSU continued their momentum in the fourth quarter, opening the period on a 9-2 run that was capped off by an and-one layup from Peschel to push the lead to 16 points. St. Cloud State went on to beat the 2022-23 National Runner-Ups, 64-47 to snap its three-game losing streak.
The first five minutes of the first quarter in Duluth bounced back-and-forth with neither team able to gain much separation. The Bulldogs used a 9-3 to take a 15-9 lead after knocking down two three-pointers and converting an and-one. UMD led by 4+ for the final minutes of the quarter, but Jada Eggebrecht drained a three-pointer with 40 seconds, bringing the Huskies within one to end the first quarter.
Duluth grew its lead back up to four points early in the second quarter, but a 5-0 Huskies run gave them a 21-20 lead. Dru Henning cashed a three-pointer on the wing and Ashley Sawicki finished a layup in the paint during that SCSU run. For the remainder of the half, the teams traded blows with neither team grew its lead bigger than a single possession. The second quarter saw eight lead changes and UMD held on to a 32-30 halftime lead.
Both teams were evenly matched in the first half, each shooting nearly 41% from the field. SCSU knocked down three three-pointers to the Bulldogs' two, but UMD converted on six of its seven free throw attempts, while the Huskies made one of their two free throw attempts.
Duluth built a six-point lead halfway through the third quarter, blanking the Huskies until Henning cashed a three with 4:46 left in the quarter to bring SCSU within three points. Similarly to the first half, the teams battled back-and-forth, but the Huskies tied the game at 39 after Sawicki finished a layup, her sixth consecutive point. Makenna Vanzant was fouled with two seconds left in the quarter and made both of her free throw attempts to tie the game at 43 heading into the fourth quarter.
In the final frame, Duluth slowly built up a seven-point lead with 6:43 remaining in the game after an 11-4 run. Late in the game, SCSU cut into that lead and Sawicki made two free throws with 2:30 left in the game to bring the Huskies within three-points. The Bulldogs had opportunities to put the game away while the Huskies had opportunities to potentially take the lead, but the scoring halted for the next two minutes. With 30 seconds left, Taytum Rhoades was fouled and split her pair of free throws to keep the door open for St. Cloud State. The Huskies opted for the quick two as they trailed by four points. On the ensuing inbounds play, Sawicki finished a quick layup to bring the Huskies within two with 25 seconds left. St. Cloud State fouled Rhoades again and she split the free throws again, making the Huskies deficit three.
SCSU called a timeout to draw up a potentially game-tying three. Morgan Draheim and Henning worked a pick and pop and Henning freed up off the screen. Draheim found her and Henning buried a deep three, tying the game at 62 and silencing the UMD crowd with 15 seconds left. The Bulldogs called a timeout of their own to draw up a play to potentially win the game. Minnesota Duluth worked a pick and roll of its own between Rhoades and Ella Gilbertson. The Huskies hedged hard on Rhoades, but she delivered a beautiful pass to Gilbertson on the roll who finished a layup with .01 seconds remaining, giving UMD a 64-62 lead.
SCSU was put in an impossible position, needing go the full length of the court with next to no time remaining. On the inbound, Draheim stopped on a dime to set a screen for Henning, who was running the baseline as the inbounder. Lexi Karge ran into her, and she drew a foul to send her to the free throw line with the opportunity to tie the game. Draheim made the first free throw but missed the second free throw and the Huskies fell 64-63.
Scouting Concordia-St. Paul
The Concordia-St. Paul Golden Bears come into this matchup as the number 24 ranked team in Division II via the January 7 Women's Basketball Coaches Association poll. CSP is second in the NSIC with a 13-2 record and a 7-2 mark in conference play. The two conference losses for the Golden Bears have come against Minnesota State, who is first in the conference, and Northern State. CSP came into this season projected to finish third in the NSIC after going 20-8 with a 16-6 conference record. Following a top-four finish in the conference last season, the Golden Bears received a bye to the quarterfinal round of the NISC Tournament at the Stanford Pentagon. CSP faced off against Minnesota Duluth where they were defeated 57-66 as their season came to a close. The offseason saw the Golden Bears lose First Team All-Conference performer Ally Gietzel who averaged 15.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists.
This season, Lydia Haack leads the team in scoring with a 15.7 per game average while shooting 42.5% from the field and 36.6% from three. She also averages 5.7 rebounds and team-highs of 4.7 assists and 1.5 steals. Two-time First Team All-Conference performer Lindsey Becher returns to the Golden Bears. She is nearly averaging a double-double with 13.5 points and 8.3 rebounds. Becher is shooting 45.9% from the field while totaling 2.5 blocks per game, the second highest mark in the conference.
Head Coach Amanda Johnson enters her 10th season with the Golden Bears in the 2024-25 season. During her tenure, Johnson has totaled a 141-95 record with a 106-75 mark in conference play.
Concordia-St. Paul Statistical Leaders (total-average)
Concordia-St. Paul Team Stats (NSIC Ranking)
Scouting Minnesota Duluth
The Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs come into this game holding a 5-9 record with a 3-6 mark in conference play. The Bulldogs have lost three of their past four games with losses to Winona State, Concordia-St. Paul, and Northern State. UMD snapped their three-game losing streak after beating MSU Moorhead 74-50 last Saturday. Duluth came into this season projected to finish 8th in the conference after going 19-10 with a 14-8 record in conference play. The Bulldogs qualified for the NSIC Tournament where they beat Sioux Falls in the opening round and then defeated Concordia-St. Paul in the quarterfinals. UMD's season came to a close following their 75-83 loss to UMary in the semifinals. The offseason saw the Bulldogs lose their two All-Conference performers in Taytum Rhoades and Ella Gilbertson who made First-Team and Second-Team respectively.
Through 14 games, Myra Moorjani is the team's leading scorer with a 12.6 per game average while shooting 33.1% from the field and 34.8% from three. Moorjani is also averaging 4.6 rebounds and a team-high 4.1 assists per game. Two other Bulldogs average double-digit points in Claire Bjorge and Johanna Miller. They are averaging 10.7 and 10.4 points respectively. Bjorge is also averaging 3.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists while Miller is grabbing 6.3 boards per game.
Head Coach Mandy Pearson enters her 10th season with the Bulldogs ahead of the 2024-25 season. Pearson has tallied a 175-78 record in her tenure with a 132-53 mark in conference play. Pearson has guided the Bulldogs to the postseason every year of her tenure and while reaching the NCAA Tournament in five of the seasons.
Minnesota Duluth Statistical Leaders (total-average)
Minnesota Duluth Team Stats (NSIC Ranking)
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
Live State will be provided by Concordia-St. Paul on Wednesday and then by Minnesota Duluth on Saturday. Both games will be streamed live for free on the NSIC Network and broadcasted on the Varsity Network. Steve Linzmeier, the Voice of St. Cloud State Basketball, can be heard on the audio broadcast for both games.
Last Time Out
St. Cloud State opened up 2025 by hosting Augustana and Wayne State.
Friday's game against the Vikings saw Augustana hold a modest five-point lead at the 6:07 mark of the first quarter as they led 11-6. The Vikings steadily held that lead for most of the quarter, but a three-pointer by Jada Eggebrecht with seven seconds left set the score at 19-20. That three-pointer by Eggebrecht sparked the Huskies offense as back-to-back three-pointers by Rachel Kottke and Alana Zarneke gave SCSU a nine-point lead with 3:58 left in the half. The offense continued to hum late the rest of the half as a 30-point quarter by the Huskies gave them a 49-40 lead going into the break. The second quarter saw St. Cloud State make six three-pointers in the frame and that hot shooting continued into the second half. While the offense continued to click, the defense ramped up as the Vikings made their first field goal of the half at the 5:47 mark of the third quarter as SCSU led by 15 points. From that first inaugural bucket, the Vikings had new life as they ramped up their defensive intensity as a 10-3 run brought them within 10 points. Despite the new energy, St. Cloud State responded with a 7-2 run to end the quarter as Kylan Gerads finished a layup with eight seconds left to put St. Cloud State back up by 15 points. The Vikings never came within 10 points for the fourth quarter as the Huskies picked up their first win of 2025 with an 81-70 win against Augustana. St. Cloud State made a season-high 14 threes on an efficient 41.2%. Alana Zarneke had a career evening as she scored a career-high 23 points while tying her career-high in three-pointers made with five. She also made a career-high nine field goals (9/19 shooting), while shooting 45.5% from three (5/11). In addition, she totaled three steals and assists along with two rebounds. Paige Lambe nearly notched a double-double with 11 points and eight rebounds while blocking a career-high five shots. Lambe started her third game of the year and shot 50% (5/10) from the field while also nabbing a steal. She scored in double-digits for the second straight game and fourth time on the year.
Saturday's game against Wayne State started with both teams thriving on the defensive end as the Huskies held a 3-2 lead at the 5:39 mark of the quarter after a three by Reagan Briggs. The offense started to come around for both teams as 19 points were scored in the final 3:42 of the quarter. Wayne State led 14-10 after Maya Fitzpatrick made a buzzer beating layup. The second quarter flashed similarities to the opening frame as it was a defensive battle. The Wildcats did not make their first field goal until the 4:37 mark of the quarter as the Huskies held a narrow one-point lead. Following their initial bucket, SCSU started to grow their lead as a jumper by Halle Vande Hey and a three-pointer by Alana Zarneke gave them a six-point lead. The Wildcats seized momentum at the end of the half as they closed the quarter on a 7-3 run. Despite the late run, St. Cloud State led 26-24 at halftime. Coming out of the break, St. Cloud State started to take control of the game as an 8-2 gave them an early 34-26 lead. SCSU continued to ballon their lead as Kylan Gerads capped off an 11-0 with a layup to give St. Cloud State a 47-29 lead. The Wildcats started to cut into the lead, but Kristi Kottke ended the quarter on a 5-0 run as SCSU led 54-37 going into the final frame. St. Cloud State outscored the Wildcats 28-13 in the third quarter. Wayne State would not go away quietly as a 10-2 run forced a Huskies timeout at the 6:47 mark as WSC was back within single digits. The Huskies worked the lead back up to double-digits as they led 64-54 with 2:24 left in the game. From that point, Wayne State made a ferocious comeback as they ramped up their defensive pressure and used a 6-0 run to now only trail by four points with 41 seconds remaining. St. Cloud State would call a timeout as they would drain clock before Jada Eggebrecht was fouled with 27 seconds left. Eggebrecht shooting 96.2% from the line this season was automatic and gave St. Cloud State a six point lead. The Wildcats called a timeout of their own and quickly finished a layup to trail 62-66 with 22 seconds remaining. Following a timeout, the Huskies again drained clock before a WSC foul. Briggs split a pair of free throws with 14 seconds remaining before the Wildcats drained a three with seven seconds left. After the make, Zarneke would be fouled with one second remaining as SCSU led 67-65. She would split the pair of free throws, making the second attempt. Needing a three pointer and to go the full length of the court, the Wildcats inbounded but were unable to get a shot up as St. Cloud State held off the Wildcats in a 68-65 victory. Kristi Kottke had a career game as she scored 12 points on a perfect 5/5 shooting while making both of her three-point attempts. Kottke also tallied three rebounds and an assist and steal. The points, field goals made, and three-pointers made were all career highs. Kylan Gerads notched her first career double-double as she scored 10 point and grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds. This was the third straight game that Gerads has scored in double-figures.
Shining 5
Following the Huskies undefeated weekend, Paige Lambe was named to the NSIC Shining Five as announced by the league office on Monday. Friday's win against the Vikings saw Lambe nearly notch a double-double with 11 points and eight rebounds. She also blocked a career-high five shots while shooting 5/10 from the field and nabbing a steal. In the Huskies win on Saturday against Wayne State, Lambe was once again a defensive force as she blocked three shots. She also scored 12 points and grabbed six rebounds while shooting 5/11 from the field. For the week, Lambe averaged 11.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.0 blocks while shooting 47.6% from the field. Her eight total blocks led the conference for the week.
St. Cloud State Statistical Leaders (total-average)
- Points- Jada Eggebrecht (185-14.2)
- Rebounds- Abigail O'Reilly (65-5.9)
- Offensive rebounds- Abigail O'Reilly (33-3.0)
- Assists- Alyssa Stamer (49-3.8)
- Steals- Alana Zarneke (22-1.7)
- Blocks- Paige Lambe (15-1.2)
- Stocks- Alana Zarneke (33-2.5)
- Field goals made- Jada Eggebrecht (69-5.3)
- Three-point field goals made- Jada Eggebrecht/Alana Zarneke (22-1.7)
- Free throw makes- Abigail O'Reilly (30-2.7)
- Minutes- Jada Eggebrecht (416-32.0)
St. Cloud State Team Stats (NSIC Ranking)
- 67.0 points per game (9th) | 65.8 points per game allowed (6th) | 1.2 scoring margin (7th)
- 41.5 field goal percentage (5th) | 33.3 three-point percentage (5th) | 70.6 free throw percentage (8th)
- 43.3 opponent field goal percentage (14th) | 34.1 opponent three-point percentage (12th)
- 37.5 rebounds per game (9th) | 12.7 offensive rebounds per game (2nd)
- 33.7 opponent rebounds per game (2nd) | 3.8 rebounding margin (7th)
- 15.3 turnovers per game (8th) | 16.7 turnovers forced per game (4th) | 1.38 turnover margin (3rd)
- 3.54 blocks per game (8th)
- 8.46 steals per game (4th)
- 16.69 assists per game (1st)
- 6.4 three-point field goals made per game (8th)
Series History
Wednesday's game against Concordia-St. Paul will be the 39th all-time meeting between the programs with the series tied 19-19. The teams faced off twice last year with the Golden Bears taking both matchups.
The first meeting at Halenbeck Hall saw the Huskies get off to a slow start as the Golden Bears opened the game with a 13-2 lead. St. Cloud State slowly started to find its offense as Dru Henning knocked down a jump shot out of an out-of-bounds play. Henning then drained a three-pointer with three seconds left in the quarter to cut the deficit to six points. The Huskies continued to battle as Jada Eggebrecht sank a jump shot and then buried a three-pointer on the wing. SCSU took the lead at the 4:44 mark of the second quarter after Jasmine Litt converted on an and-one to give the Huskies a one-point lead. Litt expanded that lead to three points after she calmly made two free throws. CSP retook the lead going into halftime, closing the half on an 8-0 run to lead 33-28 at the break.
St. Cloud State's defense allowed the Golden Bears offense to shot 50% from the field for the half, but the Huskies were able to keep pace by forcing four turnovers and turning those into six points. St. Cloud shot 37% from the field in the first half.
CSP came out of halftime and built an 11-point lead after going on an 8-2 run. The Huskies would counter with a 7-0 run of their own to bring them within four points. The rest of the quarter bounced back-and-forth and SCSU trailed 46-42 going into the fourth quarter after Morgan Draheim cashed a three-pointer out of an out-of-bounds set. The 4th quarter saw the Bears build up an eight-point lead, but the Huskies quickly broke into the lead with a 6-0 run to force a CSP timeout with 6:23 left in the game. St. Cloud State ran out of gas as the Golden Bears ended the game on an 11-4 run while making seven of their eight free throw attempts to capture a 64-55 victory.
The second game in St. Paul saw the Huskies get off to a fast start, opening the game on a 13-2 run, including a 10-0 run that lasted nearly five minutes. Jasmine Litt got the Huskies going, scoring 11 of the Huskies first 13 points. CSP used a 5-0 run to halt the Huskies momentum, but St. Cloud State still found themselves leading 14-7 at the end of the first quarter. The Bears carried their newly found momentum in the second quarter, using an 11-2 to open the quarter and take an 18-16 lead with 7:44 left in the half. SCSU responded to the adversity with an 11-0 run of its own to take a 27-18 lead. Litt continued her hot shooting, finishing a layup and knocking in a three-pointer during the run. CSP battled to cut the lead down to three points with 2:34 left in the half, but Alana Zarneke drained two jump shots to push the Huskies lead back up to seven points, giving them a 31-24 advantage going into halftime.
St. Cloud State was firing on all cylinders, shooting 46% from the field in the half and 50% from three-point range. Defensively, the Huskies were stout, forcing the Bears into six turnovers and holding them to 33% from the field.
CSP burst out of the third quarter gates with a 9-2 run, tying the game at 33. The Huskies did not put any points on the scoreboard until the 5:45 mark and did not make a field goal until the 4:48 mark. Despite the early quarter offensive struggles, SCSU used a 10-0 to take a 47-38 lead late in the quarter. Litt and Dru Henning each cashed a three-pointer during the run. CSP made a three-pointer of its own to stop the run, but St. Cloud State went into the fourth quarter holding a 47-41 lead. The Bears got off to another fast start during the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, cutting their deficit to a single point after a 7-2 run. Ashley Sawicki was fouled and made both free throws to give the Huskies some breathing room at the 6:21 mark of the fourth quarter. Those free throws, however, ultimately ended up being the last points the Huskies scored in the game. CSP closed the game on a 9-0 run to beat St. Cloud State 57-51.
Saturday's game against Minnesota Duluth will be the 94th matchup between the programs with the Huskies leading 51-42 in the series. St. Cloud State has lost four of the past five games against the Bulldogs, but split there two matchups a season ago.
Halfway through the first quarter of the game at Halenbeck Hall, Minnesota Duluth held a modest 8-5 lead over the Huskies. SCSU took a seven-point lead after Jada Eggebrecht drilled back-to-back three-pointers in what was a 10-0 run for the Huskies. St. Cloud State held a 20-12 lead at the end of the quarter after Ashley Sawicki cashed her first three-pointer of the season to beat the buzzer. Throughout the second quarter, St. Cloud State held a comfortable lead, outscoring the Bulldogs 11-9 to go into halftime holding a 31-21 advantage.
The Huskies defense stepped up in the first half, holding UMD to 31% from the field and 25% from three-point range while forcing nine turnovers. SCSU was solid offensively, shooting 46% from the field and 44% from beyond the arc.
The Bulldogs came out of the break with a quick 6-0 run to cut the St. Cloud State lead down to four points. After the slow offensive start, the Huskies found their footing again as Alana Zarneke and Makenna Vanzant nailed back-to-back three-pointers to cap off an 8-0 run for St. Cloud State. The Huskies led 43-34 going into the fourth quarter after Tori Peschel put back an offensive rebound with two seconds left to beat the buzzer. SCSU continued their momentum in the fourth quarter, opening the period on a 9-2 run that was capped off by an and-one layup from Peschel to push the lead to 16 points. St. Cloud State went on to beat the 2022-23 National Runner-Ups, 64-47 to snap its three-game losing streak.
The first five minutes of the first quarter in Duluth bounced back-and-forth with neither team able to gain much separation. The Bulldogs used a 9-3 to take a 15-9 lead after knocking down two three-pointers and converting an and-one. UMD led by 4+ for the final minutes of the quarter, but Jada Eggebrecht drained a three-pointer with 40 seconds, bringing the Huskies within one to end the first quarter.
Duluth grew its lead back up to four points early in the second quarter, but a 5-0 Huskies run gave them a 21-20 lead. Dru Henning cashed a three-pointer on the wing and Ashley Sawicki finished a layup in the paint during that SCSU run. For the remainder of the half, the teams traded blows with neither team grew its lead bigger than a single possession. The second quarter saw eight lead changes and UMD held on to a 32-30 halftime lead.
Both teams were evenly matched in the first half, each shooting nearly 41% from the field. SCSU knocked down three three-pointers to the Bulldogs' two, but UMD converted on six of its seven free throw attempts, while the Huskies made one of their two free throw attempts.
Duluth built a six-point lead halfway through the third quarter, blanking the Huskies until Henning cashed a three with 4:46 left in the quarter to bring SCSU within three points. Similarly to the first half, the teams battled back-and-forth, but the Huskies tied the game at 39 after Sawicki finished a layup, her sixth consecutive point. Makenna Vanzant was fouled with two seconds left in the quarter and made both of her free throw attempts to tie the game at 43 heading into the fourth quarter.
In the final frame, Duluth slowly built up a seven-point lead with 6:43 remaining in the game after an 11-4 run. Late in the game, SCSU cut into that lead and Sawicki made two free throws with 2:30 left in the game to bring the Huskies within three-points. The Bulldogs had opportunities to put the game away while the Huskies had opportunities to potentially take the lead, but the scoring halted for the next two minutes. With 30 seconds left, Taytum Rhoades was fouled and split her pair of free throws to keep the door open for St. Cloud State. The Huskies opted for the quick two as they trailed by four points. On the ensuing inbounds play, Sawicki finished a quick layup to bring the Huskies within two with 25 seconds left. St. Cloud State fouled Rhoades again and she split the free throws again, making the Huskies deficit three.
SCSU called a timeout to draw up a potentially game-tying three. Morgan Draheim and Henning worked a pick and pop and Henning freed up off the screen. Draheim found her and Henning buried a deep three, tying the game at 62 and silencing the UMD crowd with 15 seconds left. The Bulldogs called a timeout of their own to draw up a play to potentially win the game. Minnesota Duluth worked a pick and roll of its own between Rhoades and Ella Gilbertson. The Huskies hedged hard on Rhoades, but she delivered a beautiful pass to Gilbertson on the roll who finished a layup with .01 seconds remaining, giving UMD a 64-62 lead.
SCSU was put in an impossible position, needing go the full length of the court with next to no time remaining. On the inbound, Draheim stopped on a dime to set a screen for Henning, who was running the baseline as the inbounder. Lexi Karge ran into her, and she drew a foul to send her to the free throw line with the opportunity to tie the game. Draheim made the first free throw but missed the second free throw and the Huskies fell 64-63.
Scouting Concordia-St. Paul
The Concordia-St. Paul Golden Bears come into this matchup as the number 24 ranked team in Division II via the January 7 Women's Basketball Coaches Association poll. CSP is second in the NSIC with a 13-2 record and a 7-2 mark in conference play. The two conference losses for the Golden Bears have come against Minnesota State, who is first in the conference, and Northern State. CSP came into this season projected to finish third in the NSIC after going 20-8 with a 16-6 conference record. Following a top-four finish in the conference last season, the Golden Bears received a bye to the quarterfinal round of the NISC Tournament at the Stanford Pentagon. CSP faced off against Minnesota Duluth where they were defeated 57-66 as their season came to a close. The offseason saw the Golden Bears lose First Team All-Conference performer Ally Gietzel who averaged 15.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists.
This season, Lydia Haack leads the team in scoring with a 15.7 per game average while shooting 42.5% from the field and 36.6% from three. She also averages 5.7 rebounds and team-highs of 4.7 assists and 1.5 steals. Two-time First Team All-Conference performer Lindsey Becher returns to the Golden Bears. She is nearly averaging a double-double with 13.5 points and 8.3 rebounds. Becher is shooting 45.9% from the field while totaling 2.5 blocks per game, the second highest mark in the conference.
Head Coach Amanda Johnson enters her 10th season with the Golden Bears in the 2024-25 season. During her tenure, Johnson has totaled a 141-95 record with a 106-75 mark in conference play.
Concordia-St. Paul Statistical Leaders (total-average)
- Points- Lydia Haack (236-15.7)
- Rebounds- Lindsey Becher (125-8.3)
- Offensive rebounds- Megan Gamble (44-2.9)
- Assists- Lydia Haack (70-4.7)
- Steals- Lydia Haack (23-1.5)
- Blocks- Lindsey Becher (37-2.5)
- Stocks- Lindsey Becher (54-3.6)
- Field goals made- Lindsey Becher (84-5.6)
- Three-point field goals made- Leah Dengerud (28-1.9)
- Free throw makes- Lydia Haack (57-3.8)
- Minutes- Lydia Haack (440-29.3)
Concordia-St. Paul Team Stats (NSIC Ranking)
- 74.4 points per game (3rd) | 61.3 points per game allowed (1st) | 13.1 scoring margin (3rd)
- 42.3 field goal percentage (4th) | 35.3 three-point percentage (2nd) | 78.4 free throw percentage (1st )
- 36.3 opponent field goal percentage (1st) | 29.3 opponent three-point percentage (4th)
- 41.7 rebounds per game (3rd) | 11.5 offensive rebounds per game (6th)
- 36.7 opponent rebounds per game (7th) | 5.0 rebounding margin (4th)
- 14.7 turnovers per game (4th) | 16.7 turnovers forced per game (3rd) | 1.93 turnover margin (2nd)
- 5.07 blocks per game (2nd)
- 9.40 steals per game (2nd)
- 16.20 assists per game (2nd)
- 7.5 three-point field goals made per game (7th)
Scouting Minnesota Duluth
The Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs come into this game holding a 5-9 record with a 3-6 mark in conference play. The Bulldogs have lost three of their past four games with losses to Winona State, Concordia-St. Paul, and Northern State. UMD snapped their three-game losing streak after beating MSU Moorhead 74-50 last Saturday. Duluth came into this season projected to finish 8th in the conference after going 19-10 with a 14-8 record in conference play. The Bulldogs qualified for the NSIC Tournament where they beat Sioux Falls in the opening round and then defeated Concordia-St. Paul in the quarterfinals. UMD's season came to a close following their 75-83 loss to UMary in the semifinals. The offseason saw the Bulldogs lose their two All-Conference performers in Taytum Rhoades and Ella Gilbertson who made First-Team and Second-Team respectively.
Through 14 games, Myra Moorjani is the team's leading scorer with a 12.6 per game average while shooting 33.1% from the field and 34.8% from three. Moorjani is also averaging 4.6 rebounds and a team-high 4.1 assists per game. Two other Bulldogs average double-digit points in Claire Bjorge and Johanna Miller. They are averaging 10.7 and 10.4 points respectively. Bjorge is also averaging 3.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists while Miller is grabbing 6.3 boards per game.
Head Coach Mandy Pearson enters her 10th season with the Bulldogs ahead of the 2024-25 season. Pearson has tallied a 175-78 record in her tenure with a 132-53 mark in conference play. Pearson has guided the Bulldogs to the postseason every year of her tenure and while reaching the NCAA Tournament in five of the seasons.
Minnesota Duluth Statistical Leaders (total-average)
- Points- Myra Moorjani (177-12.6)
- Rebounds- Lexie Karge (90-6.4)
- Offensive rebounds- Lexie Karlen (40-2.9)
- Assists- Myra Moorjani (58-4.1)
- Steals- Claire Bjorge (17-1.2)
- Blocks- Lexi Karge (15-1.1)
- Stocks- Lexie Karge (23-1.6)
- Field goals made- Johanna Miller (62-4.4)
- Three-point field goals made- Claire Bjorge (24-1.7)
- Free throw makes- Myra Moorjani (36-2.6)
- Minutes- Myra Moorjani (471-33.6)
Minnesota Duluth Team Stats (NSIC Ranking)
- 64.5 points per game (11th) | 71.1 points per game allowed (11th) | -6.6 scoring margin (13th)
- 40.2 field goal percentage (9th) | 32.3 three-point percentage (7th) | 68.4 free throw percentage (13th)
- 41.9 opponent field goal percentage (11th) | 34.4 opponent three-point percentage (14th)
- 38.1 rebounds per game (8th) | 10.9 offensive rebounds per game (8th)
- 36.4 opponent rebounds per game (11th) | 1.7 rebounding margin (9th)
- 14.1 turnovers per game (1st) | 10.6 turnovers forced per game (15th) | -3.50 turnover margin (15th)
- 3.71 blocks per game (5th)
- 4.14 steals per game (15th)
- 14.43 assists per game (8th)
- 6.2 three-point field goals made per game (10th)
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.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballSCSU Winter Athletics Press Conference Women's Basketball
Wednesday, November 27
SCSU Winter Athletics Press Conference - Women's Basketball
Tuesday, December 12
Women's Basketball Championship Feature
Friday, August 25
Coach Fish 300 Wins
Friday, August 25
