| WATCH | LIVE STATS |
MIAC Opener: After sweeping its three-game non-conference schedule the Saint Benedict basketball team (3-0, 0-0 MIAC) opens MIAC action season Dec. 4 when they will host the Wildcats of St. Catherine University (1-2, 0-0 MIAC). Head Coach
Mike Durbin will be looking for his 598th career victory, as he is currently three wins shy of the 600-win milestone. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.
About the Wildcats: After finishing with a MIAC-worst 1-21 record in conference games in 2012-13, the Wildcats were picked to finish 11th in the 12-team conference this year. They return all their starters from last year and added some athleticism to their roster with several quality recruits and transfers. Leading their team in scoring is transfer Gabby Zehrer (12.3 ppg) followed by two first-years; Leshay Holt (11.7 ppg) and Abby Torgeson (6.7 ppg). The Wildcats biggest weakness this year has been ball protection, losing possessions to turnovers 23.3 times per game.
Last Year: The Blazers sent down the Wildcats twice last year, beating them 65-52 at home in January and completing the sweep with a 66-45 win at St. Catherine in February. Barrett led all scorers in both games, scoring 37 points in the two games combined. In the February road victory then-first-year forward
Mattie Lueck (Pequot Lakes, Minn.) earned her first double-double of her career, grabbing 10 boards to go along with 11 points.
The Storyline: Can the Blazers defend Clare Lynch Hall and beat Wildcats for the 14th consecutive game? The last time the Blazers lost to St. Catherine was in the 2006-07 season, when they lost 53-64 on the road. Even though it is early in the season, a loss to the Wildcats could come back to haunt the Blazers in the end-of-the-season standings. In 2012-13 only two games separated the conference's top four teams, and this season is predicted to be an equally tight race.
Who to Watch: Through three games senior forward
Morgan Dale (Jamestown, N.D.) leads the conference in rebounds, with an 11.7 rebounds per game average. She has two double-doubles thus far and is averaging nine points per game to go with it. After leading the team in scoring last year, senior wing
Brianna Barrett (Annandale, Minn.) continues to do so this year, scoring 14.7 points per game, including an 18 point night in the season opener against St. Scholastica. First-year point guard
Annie Dittberner (New Prague, Minn.) flexed her muscles in the Blazers latest victory against UW-River Falls, leading the team with 14 points. In her first three games as a Blazer she is averaging over 30 minutes per contest. Expect that number to grow as she gains experience.
Last Time Out: Before Thanksgiving break the Blazers hosted the UW-River Falls Falcons in their last non-conference matchup of the season. The Blazers jumped out to a 29-17 halftime lead and then coasted to a 59-40 victory. Key to the victory was that the Blazers held the Falcons to a mediocre 37.5% shooting from the floor, while they shot 46.5%. Dittberner set a new career high for herself with 14 points and nailed four-of-five (80%) three-point shots to lead the Blazers to victory.
