ST. PAUL, Minn. – Concordia-St. Paul women's basketball (10-2, 6-2 NSIC) looks to carry road momentum from last weekend into NSIC North Division play this weekend, heading to St. Cloud State (9-2, 7-1 NSIC) for a Friday night game at 6 p.m. at Halenbeck Hall before heading to the North Shore to face Minnesota Duluth (8-4, 6-2 NSIC) on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at Romano Gym.
 
It's the opening weekend of NSIC North-South Division games across the Northern Sun, with the top two teams in the NSIC South heading to the top two teams in the NSIC North, as Minnesota State will take on UMD and SCSU in the opposite order.
 
WATCH ONLINE – NSIC NETWORK
All Golden Bear football games will be available to watch online, free of charge, powered by the NSIC Network, supported by BlueFrame Technology. Visit nsicnetwork.com/cspbears on a laptop or desktop computer, download the NSIC Network app on your mobile device or watch on your supported OTT provider such as Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Android TV. Search "NSIC Network" and download the app for the league's full sport and team lineups. NSIC NETWORK FAQ
 
On Friday, the game will be broadcast locally in the St. Cloud area by JW Cox for the Varsity Network App while Josh Wheeler will have the call for the KVSC radio sports stream. The broadcast team for the NSIC Network is to be announced.
 
Saturday's game at UMD will also be featured on the NSIC Network as part of Educator Appreciation Weekend at UMD. On-air talent is TBA.
 
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HOT START TO 2021-22
The Golden Bears got out to a 6-1 start to the season, their best seven game start since the 2009-10 team opened the year 10-0 en route to a 26-6 finish and NCAA Central Region Tournament runner-up finish (Sweet Sixteen).
 
Now 10-2, it's the best start through 12 games since that same 2009-10 squad opened the year 13-1.
 
BIG RANKED WIN
The Golden Bears are coming off of their first road win against a WBCA Top-25 team in head coach Amanda Johnson's career, securing an 85-83 win at undefeated #21 Minnesota State last Sunday to open the New Year. Coach Johnson holds a 3-11 record against nationally-ranked teams in her career since 2016, winning one on the road, one at home and one at a neutral site.
 
CSP's last win over a ranked team was on November 11, 2017, a neutral floor victory over Harding (Ark.) in Kansas City, Missouri. Coach Johnson is 1-6 against ranked teams on the road, 1-1 against ranked teams in a neutral floor and 1-3 against ranked teams at home.
 
This season also includes a win over current #25 Sciences (Pa.), however they were unranked and receiving votes at the time of the game; as well as a win over the #5 team in NAIA on the road against Southeastern (Fla.).
 
SERIES HISTORY: SCSU 18, CSP 17
The Golden Bears and Huskies will meet for the 36^th time since 1977 on Friday evening with the Huskies holding a 1-game lead in the all-time series. Prior to CSP's jump to Division II in 1999-2000, St. Cloud State controlled the series 3-1, meeting annually from the 1976-77 season to the 1979-80.
 
In Concordia's early Division II years, the Huskies held an 8-3 record from 1999-2000 to the 2006-07 season when SCSU was a member of the non-defunct North Central Conference (NCC). From 2007-08 to present (SCSU joined the NSIC in 2008-09), Concordia is 13-7 against SCSU including a 10-6 record in NSIC regular season games and a 2-1 record in the postseason. At Halenbeck Hall, Concordia is 7-8 all-time (location of the 1970s meetings is not known).
 
LAST MEETING, 2019-20: SCSU 82, CSP 72
Riley Wheatcraft poured in 24 points on 9-15 shooting (4-7 3FG), adding five assists, four rebounds, four steals, a blocked shot and a number of key buckets to trim SCSU's double-digit lead to single-digits. Her last made basket was a driving layup in the lane to make it a 6-point game (76-70) with just over four minutes to play. Fouled and injured on the play, Wheatcraft left the contest and did not return and the Huskies seized on her absence, holding CSP to just two points the rest of the game.
 
Tori Wortz led SCSU with 24 points while Madelin Dammann scored 22 points on 7-9 shooting. SCSU's starting five combined for all 82 points while Concordia's bench outscored SCSU's 25-0.
 
Sidney Wentland scored 13 points on 4-7 shooting, adding four steals and three assists. Her three-pointer with 6:26 to play in the second quarter gave Concordia its last lead, 25-24 before the Huskies held Concordia to 2-8 shooting the rest of the quarter (0-3 3FG) with five turnovers during a 14-4 run to claim the upper hand and a 38-29 lead entering halftime.
 
Concordia only trimmed the lead to six points once the rest of the way, on Wheatcraft's fourth quarter layup.
 
ABOUT THE HUSKIES
Following divisional play to start the season, the Huskies sit atop the NSIC North at 7-1 in league play and are off to a 9-2 start to the season after finishing second in the NSIC North last year at 7-3 (12-6 overall).
 
In the non-conference, the Huskies took two of three from in-region opposition, falling 58-51 in the season opener at Fort Hays State (Kan.) before defeating Newman (Kan.) on a neutral floor. After a league win at UMD, SCSU hosted Northern Michigan with a 53-35 win as part of a 7-game winning streak to start the year 7-1 overall and 5-0 in NSIC play.
 
The winning streak was snapped on the Friday before the holiday break when SCSU was held to just 39 points in a 51-39 road loss at MSU Moorhead. They recovered with a 16-point win at Northern State the next day and opened the New Year with a 71-67 home win over UMD.
 
The Huskies have built their early season success by taking care of the ball, limiting fouls committed and defending. On the season, SCSU ranks eighth nationally in fewest turnovers committed (12.1/game), ninth in assist-turnover ratio (1.20), 12^th in fewest fouls committed (13.5/game), 14^th in scoring defense (53.3 points/game) – all tops in the Northern Sun. SCSU is also second in the league in turnover margin (+4.27), scoring margin (+9.6) and third in blocked shots (4.1/game).
 
Brehna Evans is the primary culprit of SCSU's success in the turnover game, ranking third in the league and 26^th in the country with 2.82 steals per game while leading the Huskies with 3.1 assists per game. The inside presence is highlighted by Nikki Kilboten's 2.3 blocks per game, third in the NSIC while also ranking sixth in field goal percentage (50.4), and 10^th in rebounds (6.7 per game). The top perimeter threat is Tori Wortz who has attempted 64 three-pointers (7^th NSIC), hitting 1.9 per game (12^th NSIC).
 
Wortz (12.5), Evans (12.1) and Kilboten (12.1) give the Huskies three averaging in double-figures in scoring.
 
SERIES HISTORY: UMD 23, CSP 22
The Golden Bears and Bulldogs will meet for the 46^th time this Saturday, with UMD holding a slight 23-22 lead in the all-time series that dates back to the 1975-76 season. The programs competed 12 times prior to CSP's move to Division II in 1999-2000 with UMD winning the early matchups 9-3 despite Concordia winning the first two and three of the first four between the 1975-76 and 1977-78 seasons.
 
Following the Comets' 69-59 win in 1978, the Bulldogs went on an 11-game winning streak against Concordia that spanned into CSP's DII-era when the name changed to Golden Bears. Following a 59-56 overtime win by Concordia in February, 2001 at Gangelhoff Center, Concordia has nearly evened the series by holding a 19-11 record in the last 30 meetings.
 
In league play, Concordia is 14-10 against the Bulldogs, who were members of the NSIC from 1999-2004 before joining the now-defunct NCC for the 2004-05 through 2007-08 seasons. Upon returning to the league in 2008-09, Concordia holds an 11-6 record.
 
In 13 prior trips to Romano Gym in Duluth, Concordia is 5-8 against the Bulldogs including three straight losses. CSP's last win at UMD was on January 18, 2013, 66-53.
 
Head coach Amanda Johnson holds a career 2-3 record against UMD and is 0-3 against the Bulldogs on the road, seeking her first win as head coach at Romano Gym this Saturday.
 
LAST MEETING, 2019-20: UMD 74, CSP 55
Sydney Schultz had a pair of early baskets and Meghan DuBois hit a three and scored on a layup as CSP built an early 11-7 lead before a 9-0 run by UMD helped the Bulldogs claim a 16-13 lead at the quarter break. It was a sign of things to come, as UMD won all four quarters including a decisive 19-9 second quarter for a double-digit 35-22 lead at the break.
 
Schultz led the Golden Bears with 14 points and seven rebounds, earning the start the day after Riley Wheatcraft left the game against SCSU and didn't return down the stretch. Schultz was 6-10 from the floor and added four offensive rebounds. DuBois finished the game with eight points and six rebounds, knocking down a pair of three-pointers. Danielle Schaub scored 12 points and Sydney Zgutowicz had nine for CSP, who shot 34.4 percent (21-61) from the field in the game.
 
Sarah Grow led UMD with 17 points while Brooke Olson had a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds and Ann Simonet had 10 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and five steals. Off the bench, Taylor Schneider added 15 points on 6-8 shooting as UMD shot 48.4 percent (30-62) from the field.
 
ABOUT THE BULLDOGS
UMD captured the NSIC North Division title in the shortened 2021 season, going 9-1 in league play and 14-2 overall with an NSIC Tournament title before reaching the NCAA Central Region Tournament semifinals following a win over Emporia State before falling to Nebraska-Kearney.
 
They're off to another strong season in Duluth, 6-2 in the NSIC and 8-4 overall, splitting four non-conference games with region wins at UW-Parkside and Michigan Tech while falling to Drury (Mo.) on the road and at home to Northern Michigan.
 
In league play, UMD's only two blemishes were getting swept by St. Cloud State, 60-54 at home in November and 71-67 at St. Cloud State to open the New Year last weekend, topping the other six NSIC North Division opponents in between.
 
Like SCSU, the Bulldogs have built their early season success by limiting turnovers and fouls, converting at the foul line and playing strong defensively. Nationally, the Bulldogs are 10^th in assist-turnover ratio (1.19), 14^th in free throw percentage (79.2), 17^th in fouls (13.7/game), 24^th in turnovers (13.2/game) and 28^th in three-point defense (24.7); with league-leading numbers in both free throw percentage and three-point defense and ranking second in the league in assist-turnover ratio, fouls per game while adding scoring defense (58.3) and field goal percentage (44.6).
 
Brooke Olson is second in the league and 36^th in the country with 18.7 points per game, also ranking second NSIC and 30^th DII in free throw percentage (77.5), third in the league with a .537 field goal percentage. Sarah Grow provides an inside presence, ranking fourth in the league and 22^nd in the country with 2.17 blocks per game and Maesyn Thiesen's 4.8 assists per game ranks fourth in the league and 31^st nationally.
 
CSP TEAM STATS: GOLDEN BEARS FEATURE SOLID BALANCE ATOP LEAGUE LEADERS
Behind an elite blocked shot presence inside where the Golden Bears rank 15^th in the country and lead the league with 5.0 blocks per game, the Concordia defense has been a force this season. CSP leads the league in field goal percentage defense, ranking 31^st in the country by holding opponents to a 35.0 FG percentage, and also lead the NSIC with 42.3 rebounds per game. Additionally, CSP holds opponents to 26.1 percent from the arc, third-best in the league and carries the third-ranked rebound margin (+3.8).
 
Offensively, CSP holds the third-best scoring average (73.7), is second in the league in free throw attempts (270) and  makes (188), ranking in the top-25 nationally in both, ranks third in the league with 12.4 offensive rebounds per game and third with 15.7 assists per game. The offense features balance, with all five starters averaging in double-figures and three reserves averaging at least 5.0 points per game, as well.

CSP has only allowed two teams to shoot above 40 percent from the field on the season and in their two losses, MSU shot 39.4 percent and Wayne State shot 40.7 percent. The Golden Bears allowed MSU to shoot 40.0 percent in the rematch last weekend, a CSP win. CSP has also shot better than their opponent in all nine wins while being outshot in their only two losses. On the perimeter, CSP has yet to allow an opponent to make at least 10 three-pointers in a game and only allowed a team to shoot above 32 percent from the arc three times, and in those games, only limited the opponents to seven three-pointers twice and eight once.
 
The Golden Bears set a school record with 15 blocked shots in the December 17 win over Southwest Minnesota State, the second-most in Division II basketball this year and a league single-game high.
 
BECHER A TOP BLOCKER
Second year freshman forward Lindsey Becher, the 2020-21 NSIC Freshman of the Year, leads the country with 44 blocked shots including an 11-block performance to set a CSP record and falling one block shy of the NSIC record while establishing the top mark in Division II women's basketball.
 
The big performance helped her earn NSIC South Division Player of the Week honors, the second of the year for the program as she joins Meghan DuBois who earned the nod after the team's first two games of the year.
 
That weekend, Becher averaged 16.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 6.0 blocks, 3.5 assists and 3.0 steals as CSP swept a big NSIC weekend from Southwest Minnesota State and Sioux Falls. She was two rebounds shy of a triple-double against the Mustangs, going for 21 points, 11 blocks and eight rebounds before putting up 11 points, five rebounds, five steals and a block the next night against USF.
 
She continued her strong inside play after the New Year, blocking five shots in a road win at #21 Minnesota State while adding 12 points and eight rebounds.
 
She's leading the team and 16^th in the league with 13.0 points per game, is 10th in the league in field goal percentage (.449) and 18^th in free throw percentage (.711) on the offensive side.

Becher has scored in double-figures in 11 straight games and has scored at least eight points in every game this year. She's had four or more blocked shots six times, had a block in 11 of 12 games and multiple blocks in eight games.
 
She's a career 11.9 scorer with 5.3 rebounds and 92 blocks in 29 games (28 starts), over three blocks per game while shooting just under 50 percent from the field (48.6) and 75.7 percent from the line (78-103). She has climbed into the top-10 for career blocked shots (92) and still holds all of her eligibility.
 
DUBOIS A TOP DISTRIBUTOR
Junior point guard Meghan DuBois leads the Northern Sun with 5.6 assists per game which ranks 15^th in the country, is third in the NSIC in assist-turnover ratio (1.81), is fourth in the league in defensive rebounding (5.6) and sixth in the league in steals (2.42).
 
The point guard can also score, currently second on the team and 17^th in the NSIC in scoring (12.8), second on the team with 19 three-pointers at a 38.0 percent clip and is among the league's top-15 in free throw percentage (15^th, .712), three-pointers made (14^th, 1.6/game) free throws made (9^th, 37) and attempted (9^th, 52). She's also third on the team with 5.9 rebounds per game and presides over an offense that has five players scoring in double-figures.
 
Like Becher, DuBois has scored at least eight points every game and double figures in 10 of 12 contests. She's had at least four assists in every game and had at least four rebounds in each of the first nine games and 10 of 12 overall. She's had a steal in 11 of 12 games and multiple steals in 10 of 12 games.
 
She had her first double-double of the year in the second game of the season, a win over Northern Michigan with 11 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and three steals to secure NSIC Player of the Week honors after scoring 16 points with nine assists and seven rebounds in the season opener earlier in the week.
 
She had a season-high 18 points, adding nine rebounds, six assists and two steals while shooting 6-11 from the field and 3-4 from the arc in a road win at #21 Minnesota State last weekend.
 
As a Golden Bear, DuBois has 613 points, 259 rebounds, 236 assists and 115 steals in 73 games (51 starts) while her 2021-22 averages of 12.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.4 steals are all career-highs.
 
WHEATCRAFT FOR THREE
Two-time All-NSIC senior guard Riley Wheatcraft is the top perimeter scoring threat in a balanced Golden Bear offensive attack where all five starters average in double-figures. Her 12.3 season scoring average remains 20^th in the league, she's a top-15 rebounder at 6.3 per game and leads the team and ranks 11^th in the NSIC with 2.0 three-pointers made per game for 24 on the year while nabbing 1.8 steals per game, good for 16^th in the conference.
 
She's the team's top 20-point threat, with three 20-point games with a season-high 27 points in the team's road win at NAIA nationally-ranked Southeastern in Florida and more recently scoring 20 points including four three-pointers in a road win at #21 Minnesota State.
 
She's had seven games in double-figures, collected at least three rebounds in every game and had multiple steals seven times this year. She's knocked down three or more three-pointers five times this year, and made at least one three-pointer in 10 of 12 games.
 
She picked up her first double-double of the year with 11 points and 11 rebounds in the loss at Wayne State.
 
In her career in 77 games (51 starts), she's scored 826 career points with 311 rebounds, 125 assists, 107 steals and 55 blocked shots while making 132 three-pointers at a 37.4 percent rate. She's averaged in double figures three years in a row while her 6.3 rebounds is on a career-best pace this year.
 
ZGUTOWICZ ATTACKS THE GLASS
Sophomore forward Sydney Zgutowicz is the league's second leading rebounder with 8.3 per game and is also among the league's top-25 in assists, ranking 21^st with 2.4 per game.
 
Her 10.5 points and 8.3 rebounds is nearly a double-double per game and she's registered a double-double in three of her last four games, averaging 15.5 points and 9.3 rebounds during CSP's current four game winning streak. She's scored at least 14 points in four-straight and has six games in double-digits scoring to go with four games in double-digits for rebounds with a high of 13 at Southeastern.
 
She has at least four rebounds every game this year and has been a consistent passer with multiple assists in all but three games, as well.
 
Now in her third year on the floor and fourth in the program, Zgutowicz has 337 points, 245 rebounds, 73 assists and 44 steals in 51 games (25 starts). She's putting up career-highs in points, rebounds and assists this year.
 
HANSON SCORING THREAT
Third year sophomore guard Jadyn Hanson has scored in double-figures seven times in 11 games this season including four of the last five games and three in a row during CSP's current four game winning streak.
 
She had a career-high of 19 points in the loss at Wayne State and is coming off of a performance at #21 Minnesota State that included 10 points, five assists and the game winning shot in the closing seconds of an 85-83 win to hand MSU its first loss.
 
In 58 career games (12 starts), Hanson has scored 369 points with 135 rebounds, 75 assists and 41 steals.
 
BENCH NOTES: MEGAN GAMBLE
Freshman Megan Gamble has continued to increase her productivity while her minutes have climbed as a result. She scored 9-plus points three times in a four game stretch in December including 10 points, four assists and three rebounds in the road win at Augustana where she clocked a season-high 31 minutes.
 
She is coming off of her third double-digit scoring effort with 10 points on 3-6 shooting and 4-4 foul shooting, adding three rebounds, a block and a steal in 22 minutes in an 85-83 win at #21 Minnesota State.
 
She has pulled down at least three rebounds seven times this year including six of the last seven games. She established a career-high of 11 points and nine rebounds in a home win over Winona State.
 
On the year, she is averaging 5.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and is shooting 54.8 percent (17-31) from the floor.
 
BENCH NOTES: SYDNEY SCHULTZ
Fourth year junior Sydney Schultz continues to provide a steady veteran presence, averaging 5.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 51.2 percent shooting (21-41). She's clocked at least 11 minutes in 9 of 11 games this year and scored four or more points eight times with a pair of 10-point performances.
 
Schultz has played 64 career games in four years with 406 points (6.3) and 223 rebounds while shooting 57.3 percent from the field.
 
BENCH NOTES: ALYSSA DAUGHERTY
Redshirt freshman Alyssa Daugherty, now in her third year as a Golden Bear, had her top career performance at Augustana. With CSP facing a double-digit second quarter deficit, Daugherty scored a career-high eight points in the quarter to spark a 36-12 stretch of play for the team across the second and third quarters in a road victory.
 
She had a career-high 17 minutes against SMSU with six points (all at the FT line, 6-7) and clocked 11 minutes the next night in a win over Sioux Falls. She's played double-digit minutes three times this year and has set a new career-high with 21 points on the season.
 
BENCH NOTES: SARAH KUMA
Second year freshman guard Sarah Kuma opened the year in a key reserve role, clocking 24, 12 and 33 minutes while reaching double-figures in scoring twice, scoring 11 points with five rebounds in the season opening win over North Central before notching her first career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds against Minnesota State.
 
She earned her first start of the season in the fourth game, a win at Southeastern (Fla.), but was injured eight minutes into the game after grabbing three rebounds and dishing three assists. She did not return, and missed the next seven games before returning for the win at #21 Minnesota State last weekend.
 
In her disrupted season, she is averaging 5.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, has eight assists and five steals in five games while clocking 16.0 minutes per game.
 
Across her first two years, she has averaged 5.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, has 34 assists and 16 steals in 21 games while hitting 39.4 percent from the arc (13-33) and 82.4 percent (14-17) from the stripe.