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Minnesota State University, Mankato
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Page address: https://web.mnsu.edu/sports/hoopsclub/news/html/2007/whoops_gets_back_on_track.html

Women's Hoops Looks To Get Back On Track Against No. 1 North Dakota

Tough stretch continues with match-up against nation's best team tonight at Taylor Center; continues Saturday with battle against South Dakota.

by Andrew Miller

Issue date: 1/25/07 Section: Womens Sports

The Minnesota State women's basketball team desperately needs a win, and its home match-up tonight against No. 1-ranked North Dakota will be no walk in the park.

Still, the team enters the game with a go-for-broke approach, playing the old the-pressure-is-on-them card.

Unfortunately, the Fighting Sioux (21-1, 4-0 NCC) boast one of the most complete teams in Division II, led by the stallar frontcourt of 6-2 junior Ashley Langen and 6-1 sophomore Kierah Kimbrough.

On the season, the duo have combined for 28.1 points and 17 rebounds per game, and on Jan. 6, they compiled 38 points and 30 rebounds in a 68-55 victory over the Mavericks.

"The main thing we have to do is keep them off the offensive boards," said head coach Lori Fish. "They get lots of points off of rebounds and that's how they hurt us last time."

The Mavericks are coming off a five-point home loss to No. 8-ranked Augustana where they didn't play their best ball. Though the loss marked the Mavs' fifth in the last seven games after a torrid 12-1 start to the season, no one on the team is hitting the panic button just yet.

Diagnosing the team's struggles, sophomore forward Alex Andrews said, "I think we went away from our team goals a little bit and kind of started to do our own thing." Both Andrews and freshman point guard Tiffany Moe echoed the "nothing to lose" mantra, which seems quite popular around the team these days.

A victory will require the Mavericks to be striking on all cylinders. North Dakota leads the NCC in nearly every team offensive category, scoring 82.8 points per game while hitting marks of 107, 105 and 97 in wins this season. The Mavericks' high this season is 85 points in a Dec. 17 win over Dakota State.

"Bottom line is we've got to be in the high-70s to win this game," Fish said.

To do this, the Mavericks will need to become more consistent on offense. Andrews has led the team with 11.8 points per game, but four players - sophomore guards Flecia Foster, Heather Johnson and Joanne Noreen and freshman forward Liz Trauger - each average between 7.3 and 8.4 points per game.

"We've got to knock down more shots and people have to elevate their play," Fish said.

Though the Mavericks will have their hands full if they want to revisit the win column tonight, the players remain cool.

"Our attitude is we have nothing to lose," Moe said. "We're all just going to let loose, play our game and relax."

The Mavericks (13-6, 1-3 NCC) host North Dakota 6 p.m. tonight at Bresnan Arena. On Saturday, No. 14 South Dakota (14-3, 1-2 NCC) visits for a 6 p.m. match-up.

Andrew Miller is the Reporter Editor in Chief