Today (Dec. 12) the Saint Benedict Basketball team will travel to Minneapolis to take on the Augsburg Auggies in its last game before a three week recession for finals and the holiday break. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

The Blazers come in looking to rebound after a tough 60-58 loss at home against Saint Mary's. Augsburg comes off back-to-back losses and is looking to end the first half of their season on a positive note despite a 1-4 MIAC record thus far.

For the Blazers, they will also looking to avoid a similar result from the series opener last season, after being stunned in a 61-50 loss in St. Joesph, Minn. last year. The loss ended what was believed to be one of the longest winning streaks in MIAC history. The streak was a string of 25 seasons and 50 games in which the Blazers did not drop a single game to the Auggies. It was also the first time the Blazers had ever dropped a game to the Auggies in Head Coach Mike Durbin's 26 year coaching career.

Although Augsburg's 1-4 MIAC record isn't exactly about to wow anyone, they have had some impressive moments this season. After the highest finish in program history last year, they were picked by the coaches to finish eighth in the MIAC this year. Junior guard Jill Tichy is third in the conference in three-pointers made (14) and fifth in three-point percentage (38%). Their quick defense leads the conference in steals (13.1) and has helped keep them in games this year. Of their four conference losses, two came by two points or less and their only double-digit loss came at the hands of undefeated Gustavus Adolphus.

On the other hand the Auggies will certainly have their hands full with the Blazer offense, which leads the conference in scoring (66.9 ppg) and boasts the conference's seventh leading scorer in junior wing Brianna Barrett (13.0 ppg).

The Blazers are also one of the conference's best in ball control, turning the ball over an average of 16.5 times per game. However, the Auggies lead the conference in steals and rank near the top in turnovers forced per game (21.3). In the Auggies three wins this season, their opponents have turned the ball over an average of nearly 24 times a game. In order to get a rebound victory today, the Blazers must avoid falling into this turnover trap.