SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The Augustana University women's basketball team (10-3, 5-1 NSIC) will close out the 2016 calendar year with two home games at the Sioux Falls Arena. The Vikings will host the Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State (1-9, 1-5 NSIC) on Friday, Dec. 30 at 6 p.m. followed by the Cougars of the University of Sioux Falls on New Year's Eve at 4 p.m.

Tip-Off
• Augustana will close out the 2016 calendar year against Southwest Minnesota State and Sioux Falls. This will be the first of two meetings between the schools this season
• The Vikings had a nine-game winning streak going until their loss to Wayne State
• Last season Augustana went 3-2 overall against both SMSU and?USF
• USF ended Augustana's season last year in the NSIC Tournament
• Sydney Rome is one three-pointer away from moving into a tie for 10th on the all-time 3-point baskets made in a career

Series History
vs Southwest Minnesota State
• Augustana leads the all-time series 21-9
• The Vikings are 11-2 against the Mustangs when the game is played in Sioux Falls
• At the Sioux Falls Arena Augustana 2-0
• The Vikings have won the last three meetings, two of those were in Sioux Falls
• In the last 10 meetings Augustana is 9-1
• The last time Augustana lost to SMSU was on Jan. 3, 2015 in Marshall, Minn. The Vikings lost 77-71
• After losing the first three meetings in the series, Augustana won four straight
• Augustana owns the longest win streak in the series at seven games
• Since 2004 Augustana has only lost to SMSU twice
vs Sioux Falls
• Augustana leads the all-time series 29-7
• The Viking are 10-2 all-time when they are the home team
• The two teams have split the last four meetings
• USF won the last meeting 75-57 in the NSIC Tournament Championship. The loss ended the Vikings season last year
• The last time Augustana lost two straight to USF was Jan. 24, 2014 and the Jan. 2, 2015
• Since playing as conference opponents Augustana owns a 5-3 advantage

Weekend Promotions
• Bring your gym membership or gym key tag to the Southwest Minnesota State game for a half price ticket
• On Saturday be sure to bring NEW socks to the USF game and help us earn a point in the Mayor's Cup Challenge. The school with the most socks at the end of the 2016-17 season will earn one point towards the cup. All socks are donated to Samaritan's Feet which gives children in the U.S. and around the world new socks
• Ticket against USF will be $25 in the Lower Reserved section, $20 in the Upper Reserved section and $15 for GA

The Last Time They Played
• Augustana vs Southwest Minnesota State: in Marshall, Minn.; Augustana defeated SMSU 70-60
• Augustana vs Sioux Falls: March 1, 2016, at the Sanford Pentagon; USF defeated Augustana 75-57

A Look at Southwest Minnesota State
• SMSU is 1-9 on the season and 1-5 in NSIC play
• The Mustangs have lost four games in a row
• On the road this season SMSU is 1-3
• Their only win this year came on the road against Upper Iowa. They defeated the Peacocks 60-36
• Their most recent loss was against USF when they lost by a score of 63-47
• SMSU is coached by first-year head coach, Tom Webb
• Webb came to SMSU after spending the last eight seasons as the head coach of Cameron University
• While at Cameron University Webb posted a record of 91-123
• Before he was at Cameron he spent four seasons at Division I Eastern Washington University as an assistant
• This year SMSU has been outscored by 18 points per games
• As a team, they are shooting 35 percent from the field and 30 percent from behind the three-point line
• The Mustangs only have one player averaging double-digit points. Lauren Hedlund is averaging 12.6 ppg
• Sarah Buysse is second on the team in points with an average of 9.2 ppg
• Hedlund also leads the team in rebound with an average of 9.4 rebounds per game
• They are not getting it doesn't from the charity stripe with a free throw percentage of 69 percent

A Look at USF
• USF enters the weekend with record of 9-1 overall and 5-1 in the NSIC
• The Cougars are currently on a 4-game win streak
• On the road, USF is 2-1 while they are a perfect 7-0 at home
• Their most recent win came against SMSU. They defeated the Mustangs 63-47
• USF is coached by Travis Traphagen
• Traphagen is in his seventh season at USF and has posted  record of 129-76
• Last season Traphagen led USF to an NSIC Tournament title and a berth in the NCAA Tournament
• USF is being led by Sam Knecht who leads the team in scoring with an average of 14.9 ppg
• Three Cougars are scoring in double-figures this season: Knecht (14.9 ppg), Kaely Hummel (11 ppg) and Brooke Smith (10.3 ppg)
• USF is outscoring opponents this season by 16 ppg
• On the year USF is shooting 40 percent from the field and 33 percent from the three-point line
• They have outscored opponents in the first quarter this season 174-134