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This week
Augustana (14-3, 11-2 NSIC) returns home this weekend to face a pair of conference opponents for the second time this season. The Vikings host Concordia University, St. Paul (8-11, 5-8 NSIC) Friday at 6 p.m. and St. Cloud State (9-8, 6-7 NSIC) on Saturday at 4:05 p.m.
Series records
Augustana and Concordia University, St. Paul have squared off 12 times since 1994-95, and the Vikings lead the series 7-5. Earlier this month, Augustana beat CU 80-77 in St. Paul, Minn. All meetings between the two teams have come under head coach
Dave Krauth. The Vikings have won their last 10 games against St. Cloud State and lead the series 32-25. Augustana opened the new year with a 77-60 victory at SCSU. Krauth is 32-14 against the Huskies. For more information on each series, turn to pages 9 and 10.
Television
Midco Sports Network will carry Saturday's contest live against St. Cloud State. Tom Nieman will handle play-by-play, while Brad Newitt will provide color commentary. MidcoSN can be found on channels 26 or 622 (HD) for Midcontinent Communications subscribers.
Last time out
Augustana's win streak moved to eight games last weekend after the Vikings beat Upper Iowa and Winona State.
Alex Feeney and
Lydia Nelson combined for 44 points and 23 rebounds to lead Augustana to a 97-65 victory over UIU last Friday evening in Fayette, Iowa. On Saturday,
Shaunteva Ashley made a layup with three seconds left to break Augustana away from a 55-55 tie and lift the Vikings to a 57-55 victory at WSU.
The win column
The last time Augustana strung together eight-straight wins was in 2009-10. If the Vikings earn two victories this weekend, they will hit the half-way mark of Augustana's win streak in 2006-07, when it won 20-straight games.
Free Points
Shaunteva Ashley (Sioux Falls) went 8 of 8 from the foul line against Upper Iowa last Saturday to mark her seventh perfect game this season at the charity stripe. Ashley has connected on 46 of 50 at the free-throw line and leads the NSIC in free-throw percent (91.1 percent, conference games only).
Get stuffed
Not only was Augustana's offensive performance off the charts against Upper Iowa, but the Vikings were able to limit the Peacocks' points with defense. Augustana recorded 10 blocks in the game to tie its season-high originally set Nov. 26 against Mount Marty.
Alex Feeney (Bismarck, N.D.) notched a game-high four of those blocks. She is third in the NSIC for blocked shots (2.08 per game) to help Augustana earn the top spot in the category (5.85 per game) (conference games only).
Big-time points
After scoring 25 points on Jan 14 against Wayne State,
Alex Feeney (Bismarck, N.D.)?turned around and almost matched the career high, putting up 24 points against Upper Iowa. She also recorded her sixth double-double of the season in the game, grabbing 11 boards.
Sweep the glass
Augustana reached a season-high 52 rebounds against Upper Iowa with help from junior forward
Lydia Nelson (Lake Preston, S.D.). Nelson collected a career-high 12 boards on the evening and added a season-high 20 points to earn her first-career double-double.
Viking points
It's not often that Augustana scores less than 70 points, but it happened Saturday at Winona State. WSU?allowed the Vikings to make just 22 of 54 from the floor (40.7 percent). It's the lowest of the season for Augustana since Dec. 10 when the Vikings shot just 34.5 percent (19 of 55) to be beat by Northern State 61-53.
Sky-high scoring
Since entering into NSIC play at the beginning of December, Augustana has scored more than 90 points four times. The Vikings poured in a season-high 98 points on Dec. 18 and almost matched that against Upper Iowa, scoring 97. Augustana is leading the conference in scoring, averaging 78.2 points per game (NSIC games only).
Game leaders
In 14 games this season,
Alex Feeney (Bismarck, N.D.) has scored in double-figures. Feeney has also been Augustana's high scorer in 10 games, but neither of those usual feats were accomplished against Winona State. The Warriors held the junior to a season-low three points, which allowed
Molly Hayes (Harrisburg, S.D.) to step up as the Vikings' leader in the game. Hayes racked up a team-high 13 points and five rebounds.
National news
Augustana received the most votes it has had all season in the latest USA Today/ESPN national poll released Tuesday. The Vikings, who have not been nationally ranked this season, received 26 points. The complete poll is on page 8.
1,000 from Feeney
Alex Feeney (Bismarck, N.D.) is on track to record more than 1,000 points this season. The junior has collected 993 points in her three years on the court, including racking up 272 points so far this season to lead the team. The 2009-10 NSIC Freshman of the Year has a career average of 12.7 points per game.
Next assists leader
Now in her fourth season as a starter for Augustana,
Molly Hayes (Harrisburg, S.D.) could become the next career-assists leader. Hayes is 38 assists away from taking over the top spot on the list. Last season, Hayes recorded 162 assists.
1. 569 Sandra Zwach (1993-97)
2. 532 Molly Hayes (2006-08, 2009-12)
NSIC honors
Augustana has had one Viking win a weekly conference award twice this season.
Alex Feeney (Bismarck, N.D.) earned the honor on Jan 4 and Jan 16.
Movin' on up
Molly Hayes (Harrisburg, S.D.) is creeping higher on the all-time scoring list and is now 50 points away from breaking into the top 10. Hayes is averaging 9.9 points per game and has scored 168 points this season.
1. 2001 Melissa Olson (1983-87)
2. 1978 Dana Nielsen (1989-93)
3. 1740 Sandra Zwach (1993-97)
4. 1667 Cindy Heyden (1979-82)
5. 1505
Megan Doyle (2007-11)
6. 1502 Heidi Morlock (1990-94)
7. 1476 Candi Nielsen (1984-88)
8. 1389 Tamera Oltmanns (1998-02)
9. 1384 Amy Puthoff (2005-09)
10. 1382 Lori Anderson (1987-91)
11. 1335 Katie Krauth (2001-05)
12. 1333 Molly Hayes (2006-08,09-12)
What the coaches say
Augustana has been selected third in the 2011-12 NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll released Oct. 25. The Vikings received four first-place votes and 148 points in the poll voted on by the conference's 14 head coaches.
Rank Team (first-place votes) Points
1 Wayne State (7) 162
2 Winona State (2) 152
3 Augustana (4) 148
4 MSU Moorhead (1) 122
5 Minnesota Duluth 114
6 Northern State 113
7 Concordia University-St. Paul 109
8 U-Mary 92
9 Minnesota State 71
10 St. Cloud State 62
11 Minnesota, Crookston 44
12 Southwest Minnesota State 39
13 Bemidji State 31
14 Upper Iowa 15
History lesson
Augustana enters its 39th season of women's basketball in 2011-12. The Vikings are 648-391 all-time and have racked up 30 winning seasons with 21 of them occurring under head coach
Dave Krauth.
Coaches' corner
Dave Krauth enters his 23rd season as the Vikings' head coach 2011-12 and has the most wins of any coach in Augustana history with a career record of 455-205. The veteran head coach has guided his squads to 11 NCAA Tournament appearances and tutored 45 all-conference players, including three conference MVPs. The Vikings posted a 20-10 record in 2010-11 and finished in a tie for fifth place in the NSIC at 13-9. Krauth is assisted by
Mark Stavenger, Megan Stadler,
Katie Bourk and Shawn Bergan.
