LAST TIME OUT
- The Mustangs fall victim to the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs 69-65. SMSU fell to 8-7 on the season and 6-4 in the NSIC.
- The Mustangs were led by Kylan Gerads with 20 points, her fourth game of 20 or more this season, shooting 7-10 from the floor with six rebounds and two assists.
- Nicole Maenke added 13 points shooting 6-6 from the charity stripe. Maddie Thorfinnson tied her career- high with three 3-pointers and 12 points overall, and Elizabeth Wagner tied her career-high with eight rebounds, leading the team in that category.
- SMSU as a team shot 46 percent from the floor (21-46), 40 percent from beyond the arc (6-15) and 17-20 from the charity stripe. UMD, led by Grace Counts off the bench with 19 points, shot 47 percent from the field (27-58), 35 percent from 3-pointers (6-17), and 60 percent from the free throw line (9-15). The Bulldogs outrebounded the Mustangs 33-27 with 12 offensive boards compared to SMSU's four.
HEAD COACH TOM WEBB
- TOM WEBB is in his 10th season as head coach at SMSU with a 132-126 record, including 97-99 in NSIC play.
- Webb is 223-249 overall in his 18th season as head coach at the Division II level after compiling a record of 91-123 in eight seasons (2008-16) as head coach at Cameron University (Okla.).
- In 2024-25, SMSU advanced to the NSIC championship, and the NCAA Central Region Championship, the first time for Coach Webb at SMSU.
- The team finished with 28 victories a season ago, the most in a single season in program history.
- SMSU also recorded a second place finish in the NSIC last season posting a 19-3 league mark, the programs most conference wins in a season.
MORE ON MINOT STATE
- 2025-26 Record: 7-10 overall, 4-6 NSIC
- Head Coach: Ryan Clark, 2nd season (17-30)
- Sophomore guard Taryn Hamling leads the Beavers averaging 16.2 ppg, shooting 38 percent from 3-point range, and is fifth in the NSIC averaging 2.4 steals in the Beavers 10 conference games. Hamling transferred to MSU from North Dakota State in the offseason, and has five games of 20+ points.
- Junior guard Maya Aguilar, a Preseason 'Player to Watch' is second on the team in scoring, averaging 11.3 ppg, leading the Beavers in rebounds averaging 6.3 boards per game.
- Minot State are currently 11th in the overall NSIC standings with a 4-6 conference record.
The Beavers finished the 2024-25 season with a 10-20 record, holding a 9-13 record in NSIC play.
- MSU was picked to finish ninth in the annual NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll, and fourth in the NSIC North.
SERIES HISTORY
- SMSU will meet Minot State for the 16th time in school history with the Mustangs holding a 10-5 advantage.
- The Mustangs have won seven in a row against the Beavers dating back to 2019-20, and have won four of the last five matchups played in the R/A Facility.
- Tom Webb holds an 8-2 record against MSU as coach of the Mustangs.
MUSTANGS BY THE NUMBERS
- SMSU has four players averaging double figures in points, with Audrey Swanson leading the team averaging 16.4 ppg.
- Nicole Maenke with five 20+ point games is second on the team with 16.2 ppg, while sophomore Kylan Gerads has four games of 20+ points and averages 12.6 ppg.
- Natalie Nielsen averages both 11.9 ppg and 8.3 rpg with five double doubles on the season.
- Bynn Busse leads the Mustangs in steals with 17, and Maddie Thorfinnson leads the team in blocks with eight while shooting 34.7 percent from downtown.
- The Mustangs are shooting 43 percent from the field, 34 percent from 3-point shots, 79 percent from the free throw line and are +3.6 in the rebound margin. SMSU is averaging 71 ppg while opponents are averaging 70 ppg.
SMSU INSIDE THE R/A FACILITY
- The 2025-26 season marks the 30th year the R/A Facility has served as the home arena for SMSU women's basketball.
- SMSU has an all-time record of 207-173 (.543) in 379 games with 16 winning seasons.
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