WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University women's basketball team returns home on Saturday, hosting Augsburg in a key Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference showdown at the SMU Gym. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m.



The Matchup:
Saint Mary's Cardinals (11-8 MIAC | 11-11 Overall)
vs. Augsburg Auggies (9-10 MIAC | 12-10 Overall)

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Last Action:
The Cardinals had no second-half magic Wednesday, as Gustavus turned a one-point, 29-28, advantage at the break into a 70-56 MIAC victory over SMU at Gus Young Court in St. Peter, Minn. … Augsburg, meanwhile, had its post-season hopes take a serious hit on Wednesday, as Macalester handed the Auggies a 56-49 conference setback in Minneapolis, Minn.

MIAC Playoff Picture:
With St. Thomas (19-0), Gustavus (16-3) and Concordia (13-6) having already locked up playoff berths, the playoff picture is beginning to take shape. With three games remaining in the regular season, St. Olaf (12-7), Saint Mary's (11-8) and Bethel (11-8) are currently holding down the last three MIAC Tournament spots. With wins on Saturday — or in any of their final three games — all three would lock up post-season invitations.

SMU vs. Augsburg — Earlier This Year:
January 14, 2012: After scoring just 18 points in the game's opening 20 minutes, the Cardinals erupted for 39 points after the break en route to a 57-49 conference win over the Auggies at Si Melby Hall in Minneapolis, Minn.

SMU vs. Augsburg — A Year Ago:
December 1, 2010: SMU kicked off its Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference schedule the same way they kicked off their regular-season schedule — with a convincing victory, as Jess Miller scored a team-high 18 points in leading the Cardinals to a 57-44 win over Augsburg in Minneapolis, Minn.
January 19, 2011: Jamie Stefely (Lisle, Ill.) scored a game- and career-high 21 points — and added 10 rebounds for good measure — as the Cardinals cruised to a 74-62 MIAC victory over Augsburg at the SMU Gym.

Up Next:
The Cardinals begin the stretch run in their bid for an MIAC Tournament berth on Wednesday, traveling to St. Paul, Minn., for a 7:30 p.m. conference contest against Hamline. … Augsburg, meanwhile, plays the first of back-to-back home games on Wednesday, hosting Carleton in a 7:30 p.m. MIAC game at Si Melby Hall in Minneapolis, Minn.

Saint Mary's Cardinals News and Notes:
2011-12 Roster | 2011-12 Statistics | 2011-12 Schedule | 2011-12 Media Guide
Saturday's game against Augsburg is the final regular-season home game for the Cardinals and senior Emily DeWitt (Lino Lakes, Minn.). … With their five-point, 57-52 win over Macalester last Saturday, the Cardinals picked up their 11th win of the season, marking the second straight season SMU has won 11 games. … SMU's win over the Scots was also the Cardinals' 11th conference win, their most since going 13-7 in 2004-2005, which was also the last time SMU reached the MIAC playoffs. …
Wednesday's 70-56 loss to Gustavus snapped the Cardinals' two-game winning streak. … SMU is now 8-4 in its last 12 games. … Jamie Stefely (Lisle, Ill.) scored a team-high 14 points against the Gusties Wednesday — including 10 in the game's opening 20 minutes. … Adrianna Stephens (Madison, Wis.) chipped in 10 points vs. the Gusties Wednesday. … Stefely, who picked up her team-leading seventh double-double of the season vs. Macalester last Saturday, has now scored in double figures 16 times this season, including a career-high 25 points in SMU's first meeting against Macalester on Jan. 7. … Fueled by a pair of 20-point efforts last week, Jessica Thone (Woodbury, Minn.) was named MIAC Player of the Week. … Thone was held to five points against Gustavus Wednesday, snapping a streak of six straight games in which the junior guard had led the team in scoring. … Thone's 20-point effort against Macalester last Saturday, marked the third time this season and sixth time in her career that she has scored 20 or more points. … SMU has recorded 11 double-doubles this season. Along with Stefely's seven, Courtney Euerle (Litchfield, Minn.) owns three and Thone has one. … Thone — who has scored 10 or more points in 11 of the Cardinals' last 12 games and 16 times in SMU's 22 contests — enters Saturday's game against Augsburg boasting a team-leading 13.0 ppg. … Thone, who eclipsed the 100-assist mark with six helpers against Macalester last Saturday, leads the MIAC with 104 assists this season. Thone also leads the team in 3-pointers (31) and free throws made (75). … Stefely also enters Saturday's game against Augsburg averaging in double figures at 11.6 ppg. … Stefely also owns a team-best 171 rebounds (7.8 rpg). … The Cardinals, who are averaging 56.6 ppg this season, have knocked down 99 3-pointers. … Saturday's win over Macalester, in which the Cardinals' trailed by five, 28-23, at halftime, marked the fourth time this season SMU has won when trailing at the half. … SMU's 20 steals in its 60-59 OT loss to Concordia on Ja. 29 were a season high. … The Cardinals' top two offensive performance have both come against St. Catherine — 69 points in their 69-44 win on Jan. 2, and 67 in Wednesday's 67-44 victory. …  SMU's 60-59 loss vs. Concordia on Jan. 29 was the first overtime game of the season for the Cardinals, who are still looking for their first OT win since a 73-69 double-overtime victory over Bethel on Jan. 24, 2009. SMU was 0-2 in OT games a year ago, and 0-1 in 2009-10. … With their 55-50 win at Saint Benedict on Jan. 25, the Cardinals put an end to a pair of streaks that started during the 1986-87 season. SMU put an end to a 26-game losing streak at Saint Benedict, while also completing its first season sweep of the Blazers since beating CSB 57-53 and 59-42 during the 1985-86 season. … The Cardinals scored a season-high 40 second-half points in their Jan. 21, 56-49 loss to St. Thomas. … SMU's 61-60 win over Carleton on Jan. 18 was the Cardinals' second-straight one-point win over the Knights this season. SMU dropped Carleton 58-57 to opening conference play on Nov. 30.

Augsburg Auggies News and Notes:
2011-12 Roster | 2011-12 Statistics | 2011-12 Schedule
With their seven-point, 56-49 loss to Macalester Wednesday, the Auggies have now dropped two straight and three of their last four. … Saturday's game at Saint Mary's is the final road game of the season for Augsburg, which is 8-5 on the road this season. … Abbey Luger and Brittany Zins finished with 13 points each to lead the Auggie offense against Macalester Wednesday. … Serenae Levin chipped in 12 points and added eight rebounds against Macalester Wednesday. … Zins has now led or shared the team lead in scoring in each of Augsburg's last four games. … Zins, who is averaging a team-best 12.7 ppg, has led the team in scoring 11 times this season. … Zins scored a season-high 27 points against Bethel on Jan. 25 and has scored 20 or more points three times this year. … Levine also enters Saturday's game against Saint Mary's averaging in double figures at 12.1 ppg. … Levine comes into Saturday's game just six points shy of 1,000 for her career. In addition to being sixth in school history in career points, Levine is also second in school history in career assists (361), eighth in career rebounds (562) and 12th in career steals (150). … Levine is 13 steals away from becoming the first Augsburg women's basketball player ever to rank in the top 10 in school history in career points, rebounds, assists and steals. As it stands now, she is one of only four Auggies to rank in the top 10 in school history in three of the career categories. Stefanie Lodermeier (1994-98) is Augsburg's career record-holder in scoring (1,599) and rebounds (956), while ranking fifth in steals (172). … Luger owns a team-best 18 3-pointers. She is one of four Auggies with 10 or more treys this season. … As a team, Augsburg is averaging 56.0 ppg and has scored 60 or more points eight times this season — including a season-best 70 points in a 70-46 win over North Central on Nov. 22. … Augsburg has scored 61 points six times this season — going 5-1 in those six contests. The lone blemish was a 62-61 loss to Hamline on Dec. 10. … Augsburg has outscored its opponents by 57, 581-524, in the game's opening 20 minutes.