The Beavers women’s basketball team returns to the friendly confines of the BSU Gymnasium this weekend to open its Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference home slate. Bemidji State (4-3, 0-3 NSIC) hosts Augustana University (7-1, 2-1 NSIC) at 6 p.m. Friday before welcoming Wayne State College (5-3, 2-1 NSIC) at 4 p.m. Saturday.

The Beavers trail the Vikings in the series, 2-12, while meeting for the 15th time Friday. Augustana won the previous three matchups, as the last Bemidji State win came Jan. 8, 2011, 79-78, in Bemidji.
The Wildcats hold a 29-13 series lead against the Beavers, first meeting Feb. 6, 1993. WSC is on a seven-game win streak in the series, including the most recent matchup, 76-50, Feb. 25, 2015 in the NSIC Tournament.

Scouting Augustana

The Vikings enter BSU Gymnasium with a 7-1 mark overall and 2-1 record in NSIC action. Augie won both games in its home-conference opening weekend against Minnesota State, 96-93 in double overtime, and versus Concordia-St. Paul, 76-69.

Augustana’s double overtime contest against Minnesota State was the first since pulling out a 93-83 win in overtime Jan. 30, 2015 at U-Mary. The Vikings won two overtime games during the 2014-15 season.
Senior Sophie Kenney scored a career-high 28 points in the double overtime win, 14 coming in the extra periods. She also chipped in six assists, four rebounds and one steal.

Augustana used strong second- and third-quarter performances against Concordia-St. Paul to erase a 23-14 deficit after the first period. The Vikings outscored the Golden Bears, 49-33, in the middle quarters while Logan O’Farrell put up a career-high 29 points in the win.

The Vikings average 80 points per game, second in the NSIC, while allowing 63.1 points. Augie shoots 39.3 percent (237-603) from the field, ranking 11th, while allowing opponents to 35.1 percent (175-499), ranking third.

Scouting Wayne State

The Wildcats enter the weekend with a 5-3 mark overall and 2-1 record in the NSIC. Wayne State split its NSIC home-games, falling to Concordia-St. Paul, 74-59, before taking down Minnesota State, 89-70.

WSC was outscored in the final three quarters after grabbing a 26-19 lead in the first against CSP.

Maggie Schulte led the team with 15 points. Anna Martensen and Paige Ballinger topped double-digit rebounds, grabbing 12 and 10, respectively.

The first quarter was the difference against the Mavericks, as the Wildcats won the opening period, 32-14. WSC outscored MSU 57-56 the rest of the way. Paige Ballinger led with 24 points while Sadie Murren followed with 23 and 13 assists.

The Wildcats average 75.5 points per game, fifth in the NSIC, while allowing 63.8 points. WSC is shooting 43.0 percent (208-484) from the field, ranking second, while allowing opponents to 37.1 percent (192-518), ranking ninth.