ST. PAUL, Minn. - The No. 12 Concordia-St. Paul women's basketball team (22-2, 16-2 NSIC) starts the final home weekend of the season against Northern State (S.D.) (15-9, 12-6 NSIC) on Friday, Feb. 14 at 7:30 p.m. The Golden Bears are looking to avenge a 66-60 loss in Aberdeen earlier this season on Jan. 4.
CSP will then host MSU Moorhead (12-12, 10-8 NSIC) on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 5:30 p.m. for Senior Day. The team will honor seniors Lindsey Becher, Julia Bengtson, Megan Gamble and Mikayla Kanenwisher. Concordia-St. Paul enters this weekend 12-0 at home and is looking to complete the second undefeated home season in program history (2004-05).
BUY TICKETS TO HOME GAMES ONLINE
Fans are encouraged to buy tickets in advance and bring their QR code to the gates to skip the line! Friends and families who utilize the pass list will also be utilizing the online ticketing service while all students, faculty & staff will access their free CSP tickets through the service. Fans do not need to create a login, remember a username or password or download an app to purchase tickets, and tickets can still be purchased with a credit card at the gate.
WATCH ONLINE – NSIC NETWORK
All Golden Bear NSIC basketball games will be available to watch online, free of charge, powered by the NSIC Network, and 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
All home games will feature the play-by-play broadcasting provided by Dan Flanagan, the voice of the Golden Bears for over a decade. The St. Paul, Minnesota native studied broadcasting at Fordham University (N.Y.) where he was the voice of the Rams' football and basketball teams in the NCAA Division I Patriot League.
DOWNLOAD THE APP
Fans can download the CSP Bears fan app, free of charge and available in the App Store or on Google Play. The app contains rosters, schedules, scores, stats, news, social media and more! Customize your options to get notifications to your favorite teams, as well. Search "CSP Bears" in the app store to stay up-to-date on Golden Bear athletics.
STAR TRIBUNE
The team was featured this week in the Minnesota Star Tribune. You can read the article here.
WBCA RANKINGS
The Golden Bears moved up two spots to No. 12 in this week's WBCA Coaches Poll. CSP is the highest-ranked team in the NSIC receiving 296 points in the poll. The Golden Bears were tied for No. 14 last week but are now ahead of No. 13 Lubbock Christian and No. 18 Azusa Pacific, with whom they were tied.
Southwest Minnesota State (23-2, 17-2 NSIC) jumped up two spots to No. 17 receiving 231 points in the poll. Minnesota State (19-5, 15-3 NSIC) fell to No. 25 after losing to Sioux Falls (S.D.) (14-11, 10-8 NSIC) this past weekend.
No. 5 Pittsburg State (21-2) is the highest-ranked team in the region. The Gorillas jumped up one spot in the rankings and are undefeated in MIAA play. Fort Hays State (20-2) also moved up one spot to No. 7. The Tigers received 432 points in the poll.
LAST TIME OUT
The Golden Bears started the weekend on Thursday, Feb. 6 with an 82-74 win vs. Sioux Falls. Junior guard Lydia Haack tied her career-high with 30 points while adding eight rebounds, four assists and three steals.
CSP trailed once in the game, allowing the Cougars to take a 45-40 lead midway through the third quarter. The Golden Bears found a spark for a 16-2 run sparked by a Becher and-1 as well as seven straight points from Kanenwisher.
Becher added 14 points blocking a season-high seven shots while tallying four rebounds and four assists. Leah Dengerud added 14 points off of four 3-pointers and Kanenwisher scored 10 points.
Concordia traveled to Wayne State (10-12, 7-11 NSIC) on Saturday and defeated the Wildcats, 69-58. Haack scored 20 points, Bengtson added 15 points and Becher finished with 13 points in a game the Golden Bears never trailed.
With CSP leading 50-36, the Wildcats went on a 13-3 run to trail by four points with 8:36 to go. The Golden Bears woke up, responding with a 7-0 run where Haack scored six points, taking a 60-49 lead. The Golden Bears held that lead for the rest of the game.
SEASON LEADERS
After scoring 50 points this past weekend, Haack upped her average to 16.5 points per game. She is sixth in the NSIC in points per game. Her 4.6 assists per game ranks second in the conference and 32nd in the country. Her 1.7 steals per game is 11th in the NSIC. Haack has a 2.06 assist/turnover ratio ranking second in the conference and 23rd in the country.
Becher is averaging 12.7 points per game, ranking 15th in the NSIC. She's averaging a team-high 7.8 rebounds per game, which is fifth in the conference. Her 2.8 blocks per game average is tied for first in the NSIC and tied for fourth in the nation.
Dengerud is adding 10.8 points per game, 2.4 assists per game and 1.1 steals per game. Her 43% 3-point percentage is the best in the NSIC and ranks 12th in the nation. She's made the fifth-most 3-pointers in the conference and the 43rd-most in the nation.
Bengtson is averaging 9.2 points per game after scoring in the double digits in three of the last four games. She's also tallying 1.6 steals per game, tied for 12th in the NSIC. Gamble is adding 7.3 rebounds per game, which is sixth in the NSIC.
Ashley Schuelke is averaging 6.7 points per game, Lauren Wilson is scoring 5.3 per game, Gamble is adding 5.0 per game, Kanenwisher is scoring 4.9 per game and Emma Mommsen is adding 4.3 per game. Kanenwisher is dishing out 2.1 assists per game.
The Golden Bears lead the NSIC in defensive scoring giving up 59.6 points per game. CSP is third in offensive scoring averaging 75.3 points per game. The Golden Bears have the second-best margin in the conference at +15.7 points per game.
CSP is shooting 43.3% from the field, ranking fourth in the NSIC. The Golden Bears allow the lowest field goal percentage in the conference at 36%, 2.2% lower than anybody else in the conference. Concordia is shooting 35.3% from behind the arc, ranking third in the NSIC.
CSP's 3.46 turnover margin ranks second in the conference behind Minnesota State and the team's 1.20 assist/turnover ratio is also second behind Northern State. The Wolves and Golden Bears are each averaging a conference-high 16.71 assists per game.
The Golden Bears are blocking 5.75 shots per game, leading the NSIC and ranking third in the nation. Concordia's 10.04 steals per game ranks second in the NSIC.
MILESTONES
Haack grabbed her 400th career rebound this past weekend, now totaling 411 on the season. She is four points away from 1,400 career points.
Becher surpassed 300 points on the season, now with 304 total. Mommsen also hit triple digits this season, surpassing 100 points with 102 total.
With the 22-2 record, head coach Amanda Johnson now has totaled the most wins in a single season in her 10-year career. This is Johnson's third 20-win season. She surpassed 2018-19's 21-7 record and 2023-24's 20-8 record.
RECORD WATCH
Dengerud's 43% 3-point percentage currently ranks eighth in a season in program history. Maurika Hickman holds the top spot at 46.7% in 2010-11.
Becher's 2.8 blocked shot average this season is tied for second in program history with her average in 2020-21. Her 3.0 blocked shot average in 2021-22 is the top spot in season history. Becher's 5.7 defensive rebounding average this season is tied for 10th in program history.
Haack's 82.6% free throw percentage is ninth in a single season in program history. Her 16.5 points per game average is 18th in a season and her 4.6 assists per game average is 19th.
The Golden Bears have won 13 straight home games, the fourth-best in program history. CSP has a chance to surpass 2004-06's 14-game home winning streak. The most home wins that Concordia has accomplished in a single season is 15 in 2003-04 when the Golden Bears hosted the NSIC Tournament and NCAA North Central Regional.
The 14-0 record would be the most wins without a loss at home in program history. The 2004-05 team finished the season 13-0 in the Gangelhoff Center.
CSP's nine straight wins are tied for 12th in program history. With two wins this weekend the Golden Bears can tie their win streak from earlier this season for the sixth-best in school history.
IN THE NSIC STANDINGS
Entering this week, Concordia-St. Paul and Southwest Minnesota State were tied for first in the NSIC at 16-2 with four games remaining. SMSU beat Wayne State on Tuesday night and are on an NSIC-best 15-game winning streak. Minnesota State is in third place one game behind at 15-3. All three teams have clinched a bye in the NSIC tournament.
Northern State is in fourth place with a 12-6 conference record. UMary, Sioux Falls and MSU Moorhead entered this week tied for fifth at 10-8. Sioux Falls defeated Augustana on Tuesday night for its 11th win. St. Cloud State is in eighth place with an 8-10 record.
There is a tie in ninth between Minnesota Crookston and Minot State at 7-11. Wayne State's loss dropped them to 12th place at 7-12. Winona State and Minnesota Duluth at 5-13 are tied for the 12th and final spot in the NSIC tournament.
NORTHERN STATE SERIES HISTORY
Series Record: NSU 25, CSP 18
The Wolves have won the last three matchups against the Golden Bears, all in Aberdeen, South Dakota. Concordia-St. Paul is 4-6 in the last 10 matchups vs. Northern State.
The Golden Bears last won in 2022 at the Gangelhoff Center, 78-70. The Golden Bears are 12-8 all-time at home against the Wolves.
CSP's longest win streak vs. the Wolves is four games from 2007-08. Northern State's recent three-game winning streak is the first in the series since 2006. The Wolves won the first six games of the series for their longest winning streak.
LAST MEETING WITH THE WOLVES
The Golden Bears suffered their second loss of the season at Northern State on Jan. 4. This is the last time CSP has lost a game this season. Concordia got off to a tough start trailing 33-22 at halftime after shooting 7-27 (25.9%) from the field.
The Golden Bears were able to cut the lead down to 47-45 and then eventually 54-51 with 5:17 left in the game. After that Northern State made two baskets while CSP went 0-3 from the field, the Wolves slowly iced the game and the victory.
Concordia finished the game shooting 22-61 (36.1%), the team's fourth-lowest total this season. Northern State shot 24-57 (42.1%) from the field.
Haack led CSP with 19 points and five rebounds. Becher scored 14 points with 12 coming in the second half. Bengtson added 14 points and Dengerud scored nine points with a season-high five assists.
Rianna Fillipi led Northern State with 18 points and five rebounds. Madelyn Bragg scored 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Izzy Moore added 12 points and six rebounds off the bench.
ABOUT THE WOLVES
Northern State picked up a 77-65 win vs. Bemidji State on Saturday after back-to-back losses to Minot State and Minnesota Crookston. The Wolves had won four straight games before that including a win against Minnesota State for the Mavericks' first conference loss.
Bragg leads the Wolves averaging 16.1 points per game, which is seventh in the NSIC. The junior forward is averaging 6.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.2 blocks per game. She's eighth in the conference in rebounds and tied for sixth in blocks.
Michaela Jewett is adding 13.4 points per game and nine rebounds per game. The Augustana transfer is 11th in the conference in points per game and second in rebounds per game.
Fillipi is averaging 12 points per game and an NSIC-high 5.3 assists per game. Her 2.2 assist/turnover ratio leads the conference. She is tied for 17th in scoring in the NSIC.
Senior Alayna Benike is averaging 8.4 points per game and 6.4 rebounds per game. Moore is averaging 8.4 points per game. Decontee Smith scores eight points per game.
Northern State is fifth in both offensive and defensive scoring in the NSIC. The Wolves average 73.3 points per game and give up 66.8 points per game. Their +6.5 margin is fourth in the conference.
The Wolves are shooting 44.4% from the field this season, ranking third in the conference. NSU averages the fourth most rebounds in the conference and allows the second-lowest rebounds. The Wolves are tied for the most assists in the conference with CSP and have the highest assist/turnover ratio.
Head coach Paul Krueger is in her seventh season with the Wolves. Last year's 20-9 season was her best at Northern State. Including her head coaching career at Colorado Mines from 2003-12, she has a 228-214 record.
MSU MOORHEAD SERIES HISTORY
Series Record: CSP 27, MSUM 18
The Golden Bears have won the last three games against the Dragons, but are 4-6 in the last 10. The last four games against the Dragons have been in Moorhead, with CSP winning the last game in the Gangelhoff Center in 2022, 70-59.
Concordia-St. Paul won the first four matchups in the series from 1976-86 before MSU Moorhead won the next four in 2000-01. After that, Concordia won 13 of the next 16 games from 2002-07.
CSP lost seven straight games against MSU Moorhead from 2014-20. Concordia's longest win streak is five games from 2006-07. The Golden Bears are 13-8 all-time at home vs. the Dragons.
LAST MEETING WITH THE DRAGONS
Dengerud and Bengtson were a perfect 11-11 combined from the field and they each scored 16 points in CSP's 78-54 victory vs. MSU Moorhead on Jan. 3. Concordia shot 28-53 (52.8%) from the field to mark the team's second-highest shooting percentage this season.
CSP shot 6-6 on 3-pointers in the opening quarter to lead 24-8. CSP led 45-18 at halftime after shooting 16-26 (61.6%) from the field in the first half. The Golden Bears also shot 10-17 (58.8%) in the third quarter and had a 36-point lead at one point.
Haack added 10 points, two steals and two assists. Gamble finished with nine points, six rebounds and five assists. Wilson scored seven points while Mommsen, Schuelke and Kanenwisher each had six.
MSU Moorhead was led by Ashton Safranski and Terryn Johnson with nine points each. Safranski had a team-high five steals. Abby Berge and Caylin Kelly each scored seven points.
ABOUT THE DRAGONS
The Dragons enter this weekend on a three-game winning streak including a 67-65 win vs. UMary on Saturday. MSU Moorhead has won six of its last seven games, with the lone loss to Northern State. Before that stretch, the Dragons had lost seven straight games.
Senior guard Natalie Jens leads the Dragons averaging 12 points per game. She also averages 3.3 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game. She's tied for eighth in the conference in assists per game.
Berge is averaging 11.4 points per game and 6.1 rebounds per game. Johnson is adding 11.1 points per game and 8.9 rebounds per game. She's third in the conference in rebounds per game.
Safranski is tallying 8.8 points per game and 3.3 assists per game, tying with Jens for eighth in the NSIC. Karlee Fisher is also scoring 6.3 points per game for the Dragons.
MSU Moorhead is 12th offensively in points per game averaging 62.4, but fourth defensively giving up 65 per game. That -2.6 margin is ninth in the NSIC.
The Dragons are fifth in the NSIC in rebounds per game averaging 40.2 while giving up 35.3 rebounds per game. They average the second-most offensive rebounds in the league at 12.5 per game.
Head coach Karla Nelson is in her 25th season coaching the team. She is a four-time NSIC coach of the year and the Dragons have never missed the conference tournament under her tenure. She has a 424-269 record coaching the Dragons.
