ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Concordia-St. Paul women's basketball team wraps up the regular season this week with a home/road split against St. Cloud State and Minnesota State.
On Wednesday night, Feb. 18, the Golden Bears head to St.Cloud for their final road game of the regular season against the St. Cloud State Huskies, with tip-off set for 5:30 p.m.
CSP heads home Saturday afternoon, Feb. 21, for a senior day matchup with the No.1-ranked Minnesota State Mavericks, with the game slated to begin at 1 p.m.
The Golden Bears earned a pair of road wins over Sioux Falls and Southwest Minnesota State last weekend, extending their winning streak to 11 games and improving to 19-6 overall and 15-5 in NSIC play.
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.
WATCH ONLINE - NSIC NETWORK
All Golden Bear NSIC basketball 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
Purchase Tickets in Advance Online
Fans are highly encouraged to purchase tickets online at cspbears.com/tickets prior to game day. All ticketed events for the 25-26 academic year will utilize the Vivenu online ticket platform found at that link and fans must scan a mobile ticket to enter. Tickets will still be sold on site on game day but purchases are card-only and include additional fees. The best way for fans to make their game day entry as smooth as possible is to purchase tickets online in advance. CSP Students, Faculty and Staff will be able to download their free passes through Vivenue.
Standings Update
With wins over USF and SMSU, the Golden Bears have clinched a top-four spot in the NSIC standings. This guarantees CSP a first-round bye and a spot in the NSIC Tournament Quarterfinals. 12 teams qualify for the NSIC Women's Basketball Tournament, with the top four teams earning first-round byes. The remaining eight teams will play first-round games with the five through eight seeds hosting on campus games.
No.1-ranked Minnesota State claimed the NSIC Regular Season Title with a win over Augustana on Thursday, clinching the top-seed in the conference tournament. The Golden Bears 2-0 weekend moved them into a tie for second place in the NSIC with Minnesota Duluth, with CSP holding a two game lead over fourth place UMary.
Record Watch
Senior guard Lydia Haack continues to inch closer to the 1,000 career point mark in her time with CSP. Haack needs just 21 points to become the 30th member of the Golden Bears 1,000 point club. Her 1,000th career point with Concordia will also mark her 2,000th career point across her time with Upper Iowa and CSP.
Lauren Wilson scored 27 points over the weekend, bringing her career point total to 972, needing 28 points to join the CSP 1,000 point club. Leah Dengerud's career point total sits at 967, needing just 33 points to eclipse the 1,000 career point mark.
Last Time Out
The Golden Bears improved their win streak to 11 in a row with a pair of wins over Sioux Falls and SMSU last weekend. On Thursday the Golden Bears took down the Cougars 75-72 in Sioux Falls, before capping the week with a 57-51 win over the Mustangs in Marshall on Saturday.
Thursday's game saw the Golden Bears dig out of an early 13-0 hole against the Cougars, chipping away and facing a nine point deficit at the halftime break. CSP got rolling in the third quarter, putting together a 9-1 run to take their first lead of the game.
From there the Golden Bears continued to click, extending their third quarter run to 15-2, holding the Cougars to just 28.5% shooting in the period. CSP put up 26 points in the third, to take the lead and never give it back, controlling play for the remainder of the game to win by three.
Lauren Wilson led the way, scoring 18 points in the win, going 7-of-14 from the field and a perfect 3-of-3 at the charity stripe. Leah Dengerud tallied 16 points, adding four rebounds and one assist. Emma Mommsen came up one board shy of the double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds.
Saturday's game was a defensive battle between the Golden Bears and Mustangs that saw just one field goal for either side in the opening five minutes of play. CSP led by six at the end of one, building a 14 point lead in the second and holding a 23-17 lead at the half.
SMSU took their first lead of the game early in the third, CSP responded with a pair of three balls from Avery Moeller and Leah Dengerud to regain a five-point advantage. The Golden Bears were clutch from beyond the arc down the stretch, with Dengerud sinking another late in the fourth to take a six-point lead and seal the win.
Lydia Haack was the lone Golden Bear to tally double digits, with 11 points in the win. Haack added nine rebounds and six assists, while coming away with four steals on defense. Lauren Wilson and Avery Moeller each scored nine points, while Leah Dengerud put up nine points.
Golden Bears by the Numbers
The Golden Bears rank third in the NSIC and 22nd in Division II in scoring offense this season, averaging 76.2 points per game. On defense CSP ranks fifth in the conference allowing an average of 65.7 ppg.
Concordia ranks third in the NSIC in combined team rebounds, averaging 39.5 rebounds per game. Opponents are averaging 36.9 rpg this season, placing CSP ninth in the conference in combined opponent rebounds.
As a team the Golden Bears are shooting 43.1% from the field, placing them eighth in the NSIC in team field goal percentage. The CSP defense is holding opponents to 38.6% shooting, which placed them first in the conference in opponent field goal percentage.
The CSP defense leads the NSIC and ranks 15th nationally in blocked shots, averaging 4.6 per game. The Golden Bears are second in the conference in steals, averaging 9.16 per game.
Concordia ranks third in the NSIC and 19th in Division II in assists, averaging 16.64 assists per game, while leading the conference and ranking fourth nationally in assist/turnover ratio at 1.27 .
Lydia Haack leads the Golden Bears in scoring this season and ranks seventh in the NSIC, averaging 17.6 points per game. Lauren Wilson ranks eighth in the conference in scoring averaging 17.5 ppg.
Leah Dengerud is third on the team, averaging 10.8 ppg, Ashley Schuelke is averaging 8.5 ppg, Emma Mommsen is averaging 7.0 ppg and Avery Moeller is CSP's leading scorer off the bench, averaging 6.8 ppg.
Lauren Wilson ranks third in the NSIC in rebounding, averaging 8.3 rebounds per game. Emma Mommsen is second on the team, averaging 5.4 rpg, Lydia Haack is averaging 5.3 rpg and Leah Dengerud is averaging 4.7 rpg.
The Golden Bears leading shooter this season, Lauren Wilson at 49.4% (153-310) shooting which ranks sixth in the NSIC in field goal percentage. Lydia Haack is shooting 46% (155-337) from the field this season, which ranks 10th in the NSIC.
Ashley Schuelke is shooting 42.1% (85-202) from the field, Emma Mommsen is shooting 47.1% (73-155) and Avery Moeller is shooting 39.9% (55-138) off the bench.
Haack leads the Golden Bears in three-point shooting this season, hitting at a 41.8% (46-110) clip from beyond the arc. Leah Dengerud is shooting 33.3% (44-132) from three-point range and Avery Moeller is shooting 37.3% (38-102) from outside this season.
Lydia Haack is hitting at an 81% (85-105) from the free throw line this season, which ranks ninth in the NSIC. Haack also leads the conference and ranks fourth nationally in assists, averaging 6.0 per game, while leading the conference and ranking fourth nationally in assist/turnover ratio at 2.7. Haack also ranks fifth in the conference in steals at 2.2 per game.
Lauren Wilson is third in the NSIC in blocked shots, averaging 1.3 per game, and Emma Mommsen is sixth in the conference averaging 1.1 per game.
Series History: St. Cloud State
Series Record: CSP 22, SCSU 21
In 43 previous matchups with the Huskies the Golden Bears have won 23 games, holding a narrow one-game advantage in the all-time series thanks to a 75-50 win over St. Cloud State earlier this season.
The Golden Bears also hold a five-game win streak over the Huskies dating back to January of 2024.
In December CSP earned a commanding 25 point win over the Huskies at the Gangelhoff Center. The Golden Bears were led by a 16 point night from center Emma Mommsen, the junior was efficient from the floor hitting on 5-of-7 attempts from the floor and 6-of-8 attempts at the charity stripe.
Mommsen earned a double-double in the win, grabbing 10 rebounds and coming away with one block and a steal.
Lydia Haack turned in a 14 point night in the blowout win, hitting on 6-of-9 attempts from the floor and 1-of-3 attempts from beyond the arc. Lauren Wilson and Avery Moeller dropped 10 points each.
CSP led from the opening tip, starting the game with an 8-0 run and holding a 36-25 lead at the halftime break. The Golden Bears continued to pour it on in the third, scoring 26 points and shooting 72% in the quarter to cruise to a 25 point win.
About the Huskies
St. Cloud currently sits in eighth place in the NSIC with a 10-10 conference record and 13-12 overall record.
The Huskies boast the sixth ranked offense in the NSIC, averaging 71.7 points per game this season. The St. Cloud defense ranks eighth in the conference in scoring, allowing an average of 68.2 ppg.
In terms of team field goal percentage, SCSU ranks 10th in the NSIC, hitting at a 41.8% clip from the field this season. Opponents are shooting 42.3% against SCSU, which places them 12th in opponent field goal percentage.
The Huskies lead the NSIC in combined team rebounds, averaging 39.8 rebounds per game this season. Opponents are averaging 34.4 rebounds per game against the Huskies this season, placing them fifth in the conference in combined opponent rebounds.
St. Cloud leads the NSIC in assists this season, averaging 17.88 per game. On defense the Huskies rank fourth in the conference in steals, averaging 8.44 per game.
Jada Eggebrecht leads the Huskies in scoring, averaging 14.5 points per game, good for 17th in the NSIC. Alana Zarneke is averaging 11.4 ppg. Abigail O'Reilly is averaging 9.0 and Rachel Kottke is averaging 8.4 ppg.
Kristi Kottke leads the Huskies in rebounding averaging 5.9 boards per game, O'Reilly is averaging 5.2 rpg and Rachel Kottke is averaging 5.2 rpg.
Eggebrecht is the team leader in field goal percentage, hitting at a 44.7% (134-300) clip, good for 14th in the NSIC. Abigail O'Reilly is shooting 46.8% (74-158) from the field and Paige Lambe is shooting 47.2% (77-163) this season.
Rachel Kottke ranks sixth in the NSIC in assists, averaging 3.6 per game. Kottke also ranks eighth in the conference in assist/turnover ratio at 1.3.
Series History: Minnesota State
Series Record: CSP 25, MSU 27
The Mavericks and Golden Bears have met on 52 previous occasions dating back to 1975, with MSU holding a slim two game lead in the series in that span. The two teams met once already this season in Mankato, with the Mavericks coming out on top 104-66.
The Golden Bears matched the Mavericks in the early going, grabbing the first lead of the game on a Leah Dengerud three-point bucket. Tying the game at seven later in the quarter, before the Mavericks took control opening up a 25-18 lead.
Minnesota State controlled the game from there on out, leading by 15 at half and going on to win 104-66.
Lauren Wilson tallied her fifth double-double of the season in the loss, scoring 19 points and grabbing 15 rebounds. Lydia Haack posted 13 points in the loss, adding five rebounds and five assists to her stat line.
About the Mavericks
The Mavericks have yet to drop a game this season, boasting a 26-0 overall record and 20-0 record in NSIC play. Minnesota State was ranked No.1 in the latest WBCA coaches' poll, receiving all 23 first place votes in the poll.
Minnesota boasts the best scoring offense in the NSIC and Division II, averaging 93.2 points per game. On defense the Mavericks rank third in the NSIC in scoring, allowing an average of 65.5 ppg.
On the glass, the Mavericks rank fourth in the NSIC in combined team rebounds, averaging 39.4 rebounds per game. Opponents are averaging 37.6 rebounds per game, placing the Mavericks 10th in the conference in combined opponent rebounds.
The Mavericks lead the conference in team field goal percentage, hitting at a 45.7% clip from the field. Opponents are shooting 43.3% against MSU this season, which ranks 14th in opponent field goal percentage.
The Minnesota State defense leads the NSIC and Division II in steals, averaging 21.1 per game this season.
Natalie Bremer ranks second in the NSIC and fifth nationally in scoring, averaging 21.5 points per game. Elisabeth Gadient is second on the team, averaging 12.1 ppg this season. Mackenzie Schweim is averaging 11.2 ppg, Ava Stier is averaging 9.0 ppg, Rhyan Holmgren is averaging 8.6 and Haylee Stokes is averaging 8.5 ppg.
Ava Stier leads the Mavericks in rebounding, averaging 5.6 per game. Natalie Bremer is averaging 4.3 rpg, Mackenzie Schweim is averaging 3.7 rpg and Rhyan Holmgren is averaging 3.4 rpg.
Bremer leads the team and ranks fifth in the NSIC in field goal percentage, shooting 49.7% (217-437) from the field. Ava Stier is shooting 49.5 (92-186), Rhyan Holmgren is shooting 48.4% (77-159) and Mackenzie Schweim is shooting 44% (103-234).
Hannah Herzig and Natalie Bremer rank first and second in the NSIC, averaging 3.1 and 2.7 per game respectively. Herzig ranks seventh in the conference in assists averaging 3.4 per game.
