(FULL PDF RELEASE)
 
UP NEXT: Minot State University plays its final weekend at home of the 2011-12 season as the Beavers play host to the University of Sioux Falls in a pair of games Friday (5:30 p.m.) and Saturday (4 p.m.).

TRADITION IN TRANSITION: Minot State is in its third season of a four-year transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II. MSU advanced to Year Three Provisional status in July and is expected to complete the transition in July 2012. Minot State was selected to join the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference in 2012-13.

RECORDS: MSU is 10-8 overall heading into games Friday and does not have a conference record due to the school's independent status. Sioux Falls is 13-2 overall and also does not have a conference record due to its transition to NCAA DII.

COACHES CORNER: Minot State's Sheila Green Gerding is in her 17th season as head coach of the Beavers. Green Gerding, the school's all-time leader in wins, notched her No. 300th for her career with a win over South Dakota Mines and sports a 301-191 overall record. USF is coached by Travis Traphagen who is 76-35 in four seasons.

FOLLOW THE BEAVERS: The games are broadcast locally on KCJB 910-AM with Scott Kittell calling the play-by-play. Live audio can be accessed online at (www.kcjb.com). MSU provides live stats as well as links to live audio and a MSU photo gallery all at (www.msubeavers.com).

RANKINGS:  Neither team was ranked in the latest USA Today/ESPN Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll.

RECENT HISTORY: Minot State went 2-1 two weeks ago as the Beavers defeated South Dakota Mines and Black Hills State at home before falling to Northern State last Tuesday. Sioux Falls topped both SD Mines and Black Hills State last weekend.

OVERALL SERIES: MSU has a narrow lead in the young series of future Northern Sun opponents winning both contests between the schools. MSU last played USF in 2001, topping the Cougars91-81 at the MSU Dome.

NOTING THE COUGARS: The University of Sioux Falls will enter the Northern Sun next season along with the Beavers. USF has fared well against its future foes, topping Southwest Minnesota State, Augustana, and Upper Iowa… Leading scorer Vanessa Johnson has paced her team in just six of 15 games, but is averaging 13.9 points per game… Playing on the road has not been a problem for the Cougars as they are 6-1 on the road and 5-1 at home… Jamey Hofer has missed just eight free throws this season, knocking down 44 of 52… The Cougars have given up just 823 points so far this season, holding teams to 60 points or fewer 12 times… Elizabeth Hildreth surpassed the 1,000 point plateau earlier this season.

BLOCK PARTY:  Minot State University's Carly Boag (So., F, Tamworth, Australia) jumped up six blocks last week to join sister Christina Boag (So., F, Tamworth, Australia) with 20 or more blocks on the season. The duo has a combined 47 of the Beavers' 61 total. The 47 is just three shy of the total amount of blocks the Beavers' opponents have amassed so far this year.

300 AND COUNTING: Minot State University women's coach Sheila Green Gerding earned win No. 300 as the Beavers defeated longtime rival South Dakota Mines. Green Gerding has averaged 20 wins a season over the past five years and has reached 20 wins in a season five times in her career at Minot State.

500 AND COUNTING: The Beavers women's basketball program earned a big milestone as well during the home weekend against South Dakota Mines and Black Hills State. Minot State women's basketball won game No. 499 and 500 over the weekend. MSU is now 500-457 overall since starting varsity women's basketball in 1976-77.

ON THE PLUS SIDE: While it is the smallest of margins, Minot State pulled in front of its opponents in the scoring column last week as the Beavers went 2-1. MSU has now outscored its opponents 1,176-1,169, or a plus-0.2 overall. MSU had not entered a week this season where it led its opponents.

CONTINUOUS REFLECTION: Minot State and its opponents have been separated by very little in terms of statistics throughout the season. That trend continues as MSU and its opponents have hit exactly 408 field goals through 18 games. MSU has a better overall percentage, knocking down 41.3 percent compared to 38.2. MSU has scored five more points, but given up five more rebounds and MSU has three fewer turnovers.

STEADY AT THE POINT: Minot State senior April Nakatani (G, Sacramento, Calif.) has both created matchup problems with her quickness and has been turnover prone in just her first season with the Beavers. But over the past two months, Nakatani has settled in to the point guard role and her numbers show it. She is currently third on the team in assists with 31 despite playing about half of the minute the two players in front of her are averaging. She is the only Beaver to have be on the plus side in assists vs. turnovers (31-27).

BEATING UP OLD FOES: Minot State's two biggest scoring outbursts this season have come against two of the toughest opponents the Beavers would normally face in the Dakota Athletic Conference. Minot State scored 96 points against Jamestown College Nov. 19 and hammered Black Hills State scoring 83 Jan. 14. The three schools had the top three winning percentages in women's basketball during the DAC's short run. The third best scoring total, 76 points, was scored at former DAC-10 rival University of Mary Nov. 15.