SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Augustana women's basketball season gets underway Thursday with a 11:30 a.m. contest at Central Missouri. The contest will be the first for the program under the guidance of Jillian Flores Bennett.
 
Complete action can be followed on GoAugie.com/Live and the GoAugie app, presented by The Original Pancake House. The app can be downloaded in the App Store or Google Play. The live stream is provided through the MIAA Network and has a per-game fee.
 

ABOUT THE JENNIES

Central Missouri is 2-0 on the season following wins over Northern State and MSU Moorhead last weekend. The Jennies are currently ranked 10th in the country in the WBCA Top 25 poll. UCM comes off a season that saw them finish second in the MIAA before and earn a NCAA Tournament appearance. The Jennies were selected as the favorite to win the MIAA this season. 

The Jennies return four of five starters from last season's team, including defending MIAA Player of the Year and WBCA Coaches All-American Brooke Littrell and All-MIAA Defensive Team selection Olivia Nelson. Littrell is averaging 20 points and 8.5 rebounds through two games, while Nelson follows with 13 points, three blocks, and three assists per game.

UNSTOPPABLE FORCE VS. IMMOVABLE OBJECT

Something will have to give on Thursday; Central Missouri has won six consecutive home openers, while the Vikings have won 12 consecutve season openers. Since 1987, AU is 32-5 in season openers, while UCM is 34-3 in home openers during the same span.

GOING WITH THE FLO

First-year head coach, Jillian Flores Bennett, begins her Viking career on Thursday. Coach Flo is 20-11 as a head coach at a four-year institution after spending 2021-22 with Our Lady of the Lake. She spent last season with Iowa Western, where she accumulated a 26-5 record and region championship appearance. 

SEES THE MOMENT

Entering her fifth season, Lauren Sees looks to make her mark. The fifth year guard from Avon, S.D., averaged 14.9 points and 2.8 assists per game last season, both leading all returners. Sees was at her best in conference play, as her 16.1 points per game in NSIC action ranks first among conference returners. She is a three-time All-NSIC performer, including first team All-NSIC last season. 

JEWETT'S JUMP

Michaela Jewett made the most of her expanded role in her sophomore year. Jewett averaged 12.6 points, over double her average from 2021-22. She also grabbed 6.8 rebounds per game in conference play, sixth most among returners in the NSIC. A threat from deep, Jewett knocked down 66 three pointers last season, fourth most in the conference. 

I'LL TAKE THAT

Kenzie Rensch returns for her senior year after finishing second in the NSIC and 12th in the country with 2.87 steals per game. Her 178 career steals ranks 16th in program history. She was also steady as a facilitator, raning fifth in the conference and 34th nationally with a 2.14 assist/turnover ratio.

THE AADLAND EFFECT

Jennifer Aadland blocked 38 shots a season a go, third most in the NSIC. She also ranked third in the conference with 1.23 blocks per game. In three seasons, she has swatted 78 shots, the 15th most in program history. She was also a high-efficiency shooter in her junior season, knocking down 53.4 percent from the field,  48.3 percent from three, and 94.3 percent from the free throw line on the year.

SOPHOMORE STEPS

CJ Adamson started all 31 games as a true freshman, Averaging 5.2 points and 2.1 rebounds per game while dishing 78 assists in 23.6 miniutes per game. 
 

EARLY SEASON AMPLIFICATION

The Vikings have had plenty of early-season success in the past, holding a 61-10 record in November since the 2010-11 season. That sucess has only improved recently, as they are 26-3 in November games since the 2017-18 season. 
 

GET AHEAD, STAY AHEAD

In 2022-23, Augustana went 21-2 when leading at the half. This, in part, was due to their stability with the ball, as they ranked 27th in the country and third in the NSIC with a 1.10 assist/turnover ratio. 

MILESTONE TRACKER

Lauren Sees reached 1,000 career points last season on New Year's Eve at Wayne State. She currently ranks 21st all-time with 1,268 career points, and is just 29 points from cracking the top 20. 

CONFERENCE OUTLOOK

The Augustana women's basketball team was selected to finish sixth in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll and senior guard Lauren Sees was selected as the Vikings' Player to Watch.

--GoAugie.com--