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Road Trip: Today (Dec. 11) the Saint Benedict Basketball (4-2, 1-2 MIAC) team will play the first game of a three-game road trip when they travel to St. Peter to take on the Gustavus Gusties (4-1, 1-1 MIAC). Head Coach Mike Durbin will be looking for win number 599 of his career, as he closes in on the exclusive 600-win club. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
 
About the Gusties: After being picked to finish sixth in the conference, the Gusties won their first four games, before dropping a game to defending conference champs Concordia on Saturday. So far this season they have held their opponents to an average of 56.6 points per game on 34.3% shooting, including a game where they held Minnesota Morris to a miniscule 38 points. They are led by senior forward Britta Rinke who ranks third in the MIAC in points scored with 16.8 points per game and 5.6 rebounds per game.
 
Last Year: The road team won both matchups in the season series last year between the Gusties and the Blazers. When the Gusties came to Claire Lynch Hall in early December, the Blazers opened up a double-digit lead with just over 10 minutes to play, only to see that lead slip away and drop the game 64-61 to the Gusties. In January the Blazers traveled to St. Peter, Minn. to steal a win away from the Gusties, outscoring the Gusties 6-0 in the final minute to win the game 68-66. Senior guard Brianna Barrett (Annandale, Minn.) scored a combined 33 points in those two games, including her then-career-high 19 points in the December matchup.
 

64-61, L @CSB	68-66, W @GAC

The Storyline: Which team will be able to rebound from disappointing early-season losses and build some momentum heading into the Holiday break? Both teams have had trouble with ball possession in the early stages, and will need to find a way to protect the ball and limit easy fast-break buckets for the opposition on the other end. The Gusties are giving up an average of 16 offensive boards per game this season, which is second-worst in the conference. Look for the Blazers frontcourt to take advantage of many second-chance opportunities.
 
Who to Watch: Durbin's senior three-headed monster of forward Morgan "Windex" Dale (Jamestown, N.D.), guard Tish Alexander (Minneapolis), and Barrett have led the way so far for the Blazers. The trio accounts for nearly 39 points per game, or 57% of the Blazers scoring offense. Barrett leads the team in scoring with 16.0 points per game, while Dale is one of only two players in the conference to be averaging a double-double this year with 11.7 points and 12.2 rebounds per game.

Morgan Dale	Tish Alexander	Brianna Barrett

 
Last Time Out: After losing their first two conference games by a combined total of four points, the Blazers finally pulled a close one on Monday, defeating the Hamline Pipers by a 79-78 margin. The Blazers trailed for most of the game, and didn't take their first lead of the game until the 13-minute mark of the second-half. Five Blazers scored in double-digits, and two Blazers recorded double-doubles. Alexander set a new career high with an astounding 18 boards to go along with her 11 points.