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RECORDS: Minot State is 8-2 overall and 4-2 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play this season. Wayne State College is 12-1 overall and 5-1 in the NSIC while Augustana College sits with a mark of 7-3 overall and 3-3 in the Northern Sun.

COACHES CORNER: Minot State's is coached by Sheila Green Gerding. In her 19th season at the helm of the Beaver women's basketball program, Green Gerding has amassed an impressive 323-215 overall record. She has qualified Minot State for six NAIA National Tournaments over her career while also coaching 12 All-Americans both at the NAIA and NCAA Division II levels.  The Wildcats are coached by sixth year man Chris Kielsmeier. Kielsmeier has led WSC to a 128-26 mark during his tenure, including a 82-24 mark in NSIC play. He has coached the Wilcats to two NSIC regular season titles, two NSIC Sanford Health Tournament Titles and three trips to the NCAA Division II National Tournament. In 2012-13, Kielsmeier helped the Wildcats to a 17-10 overall mark, the ninth straight winning season for the WSC women's basketball program. The Vikings are coached by Dave Krauth who is in his 25th season as head coach. Krauth has an overall record of 500-219 at the helm of the Augustana College women's program, including 266 wins in conference play. Last season, Krauth's Vikings set a single-season school record with 28 wins. Augie was ranked No. 4 in the final USA Today Coaches' Poll and also qualified for the NCAA Division II National Tournament for the 13th time. Krauth's teams have registered nine consecutive 20-win seasons and 16 overall since he became head coach in 1989-90. He has had just one losing campaign.

FOLLOW THE BEAVERS: The game is broadcast locally on KCJB 910-AM with Scott Kittell calling the play-by-play. Live audio can be accessed online at kcjb.com. MSU provides live video and live stats as well as links to the live audio at msubeavers.com. Minot State Athletics also is active on Facebook, Twitter and You Tube with all feeds accessible at msubeavers.com/stayconnected.

RANKINGS: Minot State did not receive any votes in the Dec. 18 USA Today Division II Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll. Augustana College and Wayne State were both ranked in the top 15 in the poll. Augie received 281 points in the poll and sit No. 13 while Wayne State received 264 points with a No. 14 ranking.

RECENT HISTORY: After being handed their first two losses on the season, Minot State bounced back with a 82-74 road win over rival University of Mary on Dec. 20. The Beavers found themselves down nine points at halftime but used a strong second half to beat the Marauders for the second time this season and for the third time in their last four games against U-Mary. The Vikings and Wildcats faced each other on Dec. 20 in Sioux Falls, S.D. Wayne State beat Augie 64-56, making it the second time WSC has beaten the Vikings this season. The Wildcats' defense was the difference in the game as they held Augustana to just 29.0 percent (18-of-62) shooting for the game. In the win, Ellen Hansen recorded a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

OVERALL SERIES: Minot State is winless against both Wayne State College and Augustana College during the brief history with each school. In their only matchup in school history, WSC defeated MISU a season ago by the score of 51-44. The Beavers are 0-3 all-time against the Vikings including a 66-51 loss in the first round of the NSIC Sanford Health Women's Basketball Tournament.

NOTING THE WILDCATS: Wayne State College is the only team in the Northern Sun to head into the new year with double-digit wins with a 12-1 overall record. The 12-1 start is the tied with the 2011-12 and 2010-11 teams for the best start in school history through 13 games. Both those teams went on to win 25 or more games on the season. Jordan Spencer has been the cornerstone for the Wildcats this season leading the team with 19.3 points per game while also ranking second on the team with 6.8 rebounds per game. Millie Niggeling has also had a solid season, averaging 11.4 points per game off the bench while seeing just 21.0 minutes per game. As a team, the Wildcats rank first in the NSIC in both field goal percentage (.480) and field goal percentage defense (.340).

NOTING THE VIKINGS: After making a run to the NCAA Division II Final Four and ending the season with a 28-7 overall record, Augustana College heads into 2014 with a 7-3 overall record. However, all three of the Vikings' losses have come at the hands of nationally ranked teams (No. 14 Wayne State, No. 20 Concordia, St. Paul). Augie uses a balanced attack as four players average double digit points per game and eight Vikings average more than 15.0 minutes per game. Emily Schulte leads Augie in both scoring and assists with 14.2 points per game and 4.5 assists per game. She also leads the team and ranks fifth in the NSIC with 22 three-point field goals made on the year. Keeping Augustana College off the boards will be a key for the Beavers as Augie leads the NSIC with 42.7 rebounds per game.

STARTING FIVE GETTING IT DONE: The Minot State starting five has been the same for nine-of-ten games during the 2013-14 season and they have shown their ability to carry the scoring load. The Beaver starters are just one of two teams in the NSIC to have five players average 10.0 points per game or more.

Minot State starting five points per game
Senior    Carly Boag            22.0 ppg
Senior    Alisha Jones        12.6 ppg
Junior    Christina Boag     11.6 ppg
Junior    Katie Hardy           10.9 ppg
Junior    Morgan Klose        10.5 ppg

'TIS THE SEASON FOR GIVING: Entering the holiday season, giving to others is nothing new for Minot State as they lead the Northern Sun and rank No. 4 in all of NCAA Division II with 20.5 assists per game. Alisha Jones (Sr., G, Killeen, Texas) leads the team with 5.0 assists per game while four others average 2.0 assists per game or more.

CAREER HIGH KLOSE: On three consecutive weeks, Morgan Klose (Jr., G, Fairview, N.D.) has set three career-highs for herself. She had a career-high seven assists on Dec. 7 against MSU Moorhead and then hit a career-high five three point shots in a 70-68 loss to Minnesota Duluth on Dec. 14. Then against University of Mary on Dec. 20, Klose had her biggest offensive output of her Minot State career as she poured on 27 points in a 82-74 win.

SECOND HALF SURGE: The Beavers used a strong second half against University of Mary to pick up their first road win of the season as they scored 53 second half points, eliminating a 14 point first half deficit. MISU shot 58.6 percent from the field while also going 14-of-18 from the free throw line in the last 20 minutes of play. The 53 points ties a season-high for points scored in the second half as they also scored 53 points in the second half against Jamestown College on Nov. 13.

BOAG CLIMBING THE RANKS: Carly Boag (Sr., F, Tamworth, Australia) leads the Northern Sun in scoring so far this season, averaging 22.0 points per game. Boag has scored 220 points total ten games into her senior year and current ranks third on the Minot State women's basketball all-time scoring list with 1,411 career points. On Dec. 14 against Minnesota Duluth, Boag passed MacKenzie Mack who now sits fourth on the All-Time Scoring list. Next up on Boag's quest is NAIA All-American Kayla Blom with 1,620 points.

MISU Women's Basketball All-Time Leaders
1,710    Kendra Meyer            2004-2008
1,620    Kayla Blom                1998-2002
1,411    Carly Boag                 2010-Present
1,372    MacKenzie Mack       2006-2010
1,249    Jamie Lamoureux    1999-2003
 
KEEPING UP WITH JONES: Steady point guard play has been a key to Minot State's success during the 2013-14 season. Alisha Jones (Sr., G, Killeen, Texas) shined during her final collegiate season averaging 12.6 points per game and 5.0 assists per game. Jones also ranks No. 5 in the NSIC in both minutes played and three-point field goal percentage. Jones is averaging  with 33.3 minutes per game and is shooting 51.3 percent from beyond the arc.

DOME, SWEET DOME: After going 1-2 during three consecutive road matchups, MISU will return to the Minot State Dome where they are a perfect 7-0 on the season. Since the beginning of the 2002-03 season, the Beavers are 114-44 when playing at home, a .721 winning percentage.

BY THE NUMBERS
22: Last season against Wayne State College, Carly Boag (Sr., F, Tamworth, Australia) recorded a career-high 22 rebounds in a 51-44 road loss. Boag nearly outrebounded the entire Wildcat team as they recorded just 26 rebounds.

33.8: Historically, Augustana College has done a solid job in shutting down the Beavers offense. In the three games between the two schools all-time, the Vikings have held MISU to 33.8 percent shooting from the field and averaging just 57.3 points per game.

498: Morgan Klose (Jr., G, Fairview, N.D.) now has 498 career points as a Minot State Beaver. She will likely break the 500 point mark against Wayne State College Friday night and become the fourth active player to have 500 points or more.