DULUTH, Minn. (csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica women's basketball team opens Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) action on the road this weekend.
 
Where:
Friday
MLC Gymnasium – New Ulm, Minn.
Saturday
North Gymnasium – Mankato, Minn.
 
When:
Friday at Martin Luther – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday at Bethany Lutheran – 5 p.m.
 
Live Video vs. Martin Luther: http://livestream.com/mlc-knightvision
Live Stats vs. Martin Luther: https://mlc-wels.edu/static/livestats/xlive.htm
Live Video vs. Bethany Lutheran: https://iframe.dacast.com/b/51317/c/75787
Live Stats vs. Bethany Lutheran: http://www.umacstats.com/sports/wbkb/2015-16/boxscores/20151205_gz2b.xml
 
Social Media:
Twitter: www.twitter.com/CSSsaints
Instagram: www.instagram.com/csssaints
Facebook: www.facebook.com/css.saints
 
St. Scholastica Saints
Stats
Record: 1-5, 0-0 UMAC
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference: Standings | Stats
 
Last Action: The Saints fell at home to Concordia College-Moorhead on Monday night 84-68 for their fifth straight loss … CSS was out-scored 44-24 in the paint and was also out-scored 24-9 in points off turnovers … Kelsey Sorensen-Giffrow led the Saints for the fourth time this season as she recorded 24 points for the third time this year.
 
Saints Leader: Sorenson-Giffrow is third in the league averaging 16.5 points per game and she leads the UMAC with 18 3-point field goals and is second in the conference with 21 made free throws.
 
UMAC Action in December: For the first time since the 2009-10 season, the Saints will play a conference game before January 1 … The change is due to the addition of UW-Superior into the league … There will be two weekends of UMAC play before the holidays.
 
Sluggish Second Halves: The Saints have been out-scored by nine points or more in the second half of games this season in four of their first six games.
 
Cherish the Ball: The Saints have committed at least 20 turnovers in four of their first six games … In the final 11 games of last season, CSS had over 20 turnovers in a game only once and had an eight-game winning streak during that stretch.

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UMAC Preseason Poll
1.   59 Points – University of Northwestern (4 First Place Votes)
2.   56 Points – University of Minnesota Morris (3)
3.   55 Points – University of Wisconsin-Superior (2)
4.   44 Points – College of St. Scholastica
5.   33 Points – Martin Luther College
6.   31 Points – Bethany Lutheran College
7.   17 Points – Crown College
8.   16 Points – Northland College
9.   13 Points – North Central University

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Upcoming Opponents
Martin Luther Knights
Record: 1-3, 0-0 UMAC
 
The Knights are coming off a four-point loss to the College Saint Benedict on the Monday before Thanksgiving, which means they will have had 10 games off before Friday's contest … The lone win for Martin Luther came at Finlandia University (Mich.) on November 21 … The Knights lead UMAC teams in free throw percentage (.743), assists per game (13.0) and blocks per game (3.3) … Senior guard Erin Schmeling leads the team with 12.5 points per game and leads the conference with 21 assists.
 
Bethany Lutheran Vikings
Record: 2-3, 0-0 UMAC
 
After a 2-1 start, the Vikings have lost two straight entering the weekend, including an overtime loss at Macalester College on Monday … Bethany Lutheran is led by the conference leading scorer in freshman guard Haley Sandin … Sandin is averaging 24.5 points per game and converted a league-best 25 free throws … Sandin has fouled out in two games already this season … Junior guards Minnie Frederick and Briana Brandts are also scoring in double figures at 14.5 and 12.5 points per game, respectively … Brandt is second in the conference with 9.8 rebounds per contest … The Vikings lead UMAC teams in free throws made (17.8) and attempted (26.0) per game … They also lead the conference with 15 steals per game.
 
Series Histories:
-CSS leads Martin Luther 42-18
-CSS leads Bethany Lutheran 17-5
 
Last Meetings: The Saints split the regular season series with Martin Luther last season, falling in New Ulm 66-55 and winning overtime in Duluth 81-77 … CSS has lost two straight against the Knights in New Ulm … The Saints swept Bethany Lutheran last season and have won seven straight in the series … CSS has lost twice to the Vikings since 2009 and both came in Mankato.

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Looking Ahead: The Saints will be at home on December 11 and 12 when it hosts Northland College on Friday, December 11 and Finlandia University (Mich.) on Saturday, December 12.