DULUTH, Minn. (
csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica women's basketball team tips off its 2017-18 season on Wednesday when it welcomes St. Olaf College to the Reif Gymnasium.
Where:
Reif Gymnasium – Duluth, Minn.
When:
Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Live Video: http://www.csssaints.com/watch/?Live=95
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/css/wbball/
Social Media:
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St. Scholastica Saints
2016-17 Stats
2016-17 Record: 8-16, 6-10 UMAC
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference: Standings | Stats
Season Outlook: After missing the postseason last year, the Saints will hope to bounce back in 2017-18 … CSS has had back-to-back sub-.500 seasons both overall and in league play for the first time since the 2007-08 & 2008-09 seasons … The Saints will be led by junior guard
Michala Walther (Roseville, Minn./Concordia Academy), who was a Second Team All-UMAC selection last season … Walther was the only Saint to average double-figures in scoring at 14.5 points per game … That scoring average is the highest by a Saint since the 2005-06 season … She also led the team in 3-point field goals (53) and steals (43) … CSS also returns seniors
Sam Brannen (Ramsey, Minn./Anoka HS),
Emelia Miner (Hutchinson, Minn./Hutchinson HS) and
Holly VanKempen (Elbow Lake, Minn./West Central HS) … Brannen was third on the team in scoring (7.9), 3-pointers made (19), and free throws made (44) … VanKempen led the team in blocked shots (31) for the second straight season … Last season VanKempen became the fifth player in program history to record at least 100 blocks in a career … Junior
Danielle Cieluch (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) led the team in assists (60) and was second on the team in 3-pointers (22) and blocked shots (17) … Coach Deadrick also brought in seven newcomers, including two junior college transfers … Junior guard
Rashonna Thomas (Minneapolis, Minn./Columbia Heights HS (Anoka-Ramsey CC)) was named a NJCAA Division III Second Team All-American last season while with Anoka-Ramsey … Look for freshman
Kaylee Kennedy (Littlefork, Minn./Littlefork-Big Falls HS) to see plenty of court action early … Kennedy finished as the all-time leading scorer at Littlefork-Big Falls HS.
Coach Deadrick: Head Coach
Stacy Deadrick begins her 24
th season guiding the St. Scholastica women's basketball program … Deadrick enters the season seven wins shy of 300 for her career.
UMAC POW: The Saints had four different players named UMAC Players of the Week last season, which was a single-season program record … CSS had only four UMAC Player of the Week honors the previous four seasons.
Season Openers: The Saints are 1-6 in their last seven season openers with their last win coming in 2015 over the University of Dubuque at the Reif.
Top 5 Games to Watch
11/24 – at Colorado College
The Saints will make their second-ever trip to Colorado Springs.
12/6 – at UW-Superior
The first Bridge Battle meeting against the two-time reigning league champion Yellowjackets.
12/30 – vs. Saint Benedict
A New Year's Eve weekend clash with the Blazers, who are picked fourth in the MIAC.
1/6 – vs. Northwestern
The Eagles visit the Reif where they have won the last four meetings.
1/27 vs. Minnesota Morris
The Saints and Cougars meet in Duluth where the Saints hope to snap a three-game losing skid in the series.
UMAC Preseason Poll
1. UW-Superior - 64 points (8 First Place Votes)
2. Minnesota Morris - 52 points (1 First Place Vote)
3. Northwestern - 51 points
4. Bethany Lutheran - 40 points
5. St. Scholastica- 38 points
6. Martin Luther - 33 points
7. Northland - 21 points
8. North Central - 15 points
9. Crown - 10 points
What You Need to Know about St. Olaf:
-The Oles went 8-17 last season and 4-14 in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) action.
-St. Olaf has been picked to finish 11
th in the 12-team MIAC this season.
-The Oles will be led by two-time honorable mention All-MIAC choice Makenna Ash.
-Ash averaged a team-high 14.0 points per game last season, which included four games with at least 20 points.
-St. Olaf will have to replace forward Betsey Daly, who was a First team All-MIAC choice and named to the league's All-Defensive Team.
-Sophomore guard Ella Skrien was named to the MIAC All-First-Year Team last year, averaging 9.4 points per game.
-St. Olaf had the lowest free throw percentage in the MIAC last season at 61.7 percent.
-The Oles had the second-most 3-point attempts per game in the conference at 22.4.
Series Record: St. Olaf leads 6-3
(Last Meeting: 78-69 St. Olaf – 12/31/2016)
Series History: The Oles have won three straight in the series, including a nine-point win last year on New Year's Eve … This will be St. Olaf's first trip to Duluth since the 2008-09 season … The last victory for the Saints in the series was in 1995 at the Reif.
Looking Ahead: The Saints will be at Augsburg University next Tuesday for a 5 p.m. tip-off.
