MINOT, N.D. – The Minot State women's basketball team opens their 2018 portion of the 2017-18 season on the road this weekend, as the Beavers travel to Moorhead, Minn. to take on Minnesota State Moorhead on Friday, Jan. 5 at 6 p.m. and Aberdeen, S.D. to face No. 19 Northern State on Saturday, Jan. 6 at 4 p.m.

Minot State is 6-6 on the season and 3-5 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play after last weekend's wins over St. Cloud State (61-58) and Minnesota Duluth (71-67).

Last weekend's sweep was the first NSIC weekend sweep for the Beavers since February 13-14, 2015 when they defeated Minnesota Crookston and Bemidji State.

Holly Johnson leads the Beavers in scoring with 15.5 points per game while grabbing 6.4 rebounds per game.

Senior Kristal Flowers is averaging just short of a double-double this season with 11.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.

Madison Wald is scoring 10.8 points per game, followed by Kari Clements and Mariah Payne with 6.5 and 6.3 points per game, respectively.

Clements leads the team with 32 assists and seven blocks while Wald has recorded a team-high 14 steals.

Scouting the Minnesota State Moorhead Dragons

Minnesota State Moorhead enters the weekend with a 9-3 (6-2 NSIC) record on the season. The Dragon offense features four players scoring in double-figures and led by Jacky Volkert with 13.5 points per game. Cassidy Thorson and Megan Hintz are scoring 11.3 and 10.3 points per game, respectively, while Drew Sannes is scoring 11.3 points and grabbing a team-high 9.4 boards per game.

The Dragons are scoring 70.8 points per game while shooting 40.1 percent from the field, including 34.8 percent from three-point range. The MSUM defense is holding opponents to 60.7 points per game on 36.7 percent shooting from the floor and outrebounding opponents by 6.3 rebounds per game.

Head coach Karla Nelson is in her 18th season at Minnesota State Moorhead and holds a career record of 311-185.

Series History

Minnesota State Moorhead leads the all-time series with Minot State, 20-5. The Dragons defeated the Beavers 85-64 in their first meeting this season on Dec. 2 in Minot, N.D.

Scouting the Northern State Wolves

Northern State comes into the weekend with a 11-2 (7-1 NSIC) record on the season and a No. 19 ranking in the WBCA Coaches Top 25 Poll. Miranda Ristau is one of two players scoring in double-figures and leads the Wolves in scoring and rebounding while averaging 18.5 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. Jill Conrad is the second player scoring in double figures with 12.7 and second on the team with 6.0 rebounds per game.

The Wolves are shooting 46.1 percent from the field and 73.8 percent from the free throw line this season. Northern State is scoring 74.9 points per game and outscoring their opponents by 13.3 points per game while notching 45.4 rebounds per game and outrebounding opponents by 14.0 boards per game.

Head coach Curt Fredrickson is in his 39th season leading the Wolves and holds a career record of 831-302.

Series History

Saturday's game marks the 34th overall meeting between Northern State and Minot State with the Wolves leading the all-time series, 27-6. In their last meeting, Northern State defeated Minot State 77-58 in Minot, N.D. on December 1, 2017.

Up Next

The Beavers return to the Minot State Dome next weekend, as Minot State hosts Minnesota State on Friday, Jan. 12 at 6 p.m. and Concordia-St. Paul on Saturday, Jan. 13 at 4 p.m.