WINONA, Minn. — After three straight road games, the Saint Mary's University women's basketball returns home on Wednesday, as the Cardinals host co-league-leader St. Thomas in a key MIAC showdown at the SMU Gym. Tip is set for 7:30 p.m.

The Matchup:
Saint Mary's Cardinals (10-3 MIAC | 13-3 Overall)
vs. #12 St. Thomas Tommies (11-2 MIAC | 13-3 Overall)

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Last Action:
The Cardinals picked up their fifth straight win on Monday, as SMU went into Hutton Arena in St. Paul, Minn., and handed Hamline a 62-59 MIAC setback. … St. Thomas, meanwhile, surrendered the game's final six points in falling to Concordia 69-62 Monday in Moorhead, Minn.

SMU vs. St. Thomas — Earlier This Year:
December 5, 2012: With both teams boasting perfect MIAC records, SMU's showdown with UST promised to be a true clash of the titans. And after the game's opening 20 minutes, neither team had disappointed, as both teams took their turn in the driver's seat, before the Tommies settled for a one-point, 31-30 halftime advantage. Over the final 20 minutes, however, the Cardinals couldn't find their offensive touch — and the Tommies took advantage, using a 21-2 run early in the second half to pull away for a 65-44 win at Schoenecker Arena.

SMU vs. St. Thomas — A Year Ago:
January 21, 2012: St. Thomas put an end to SMU's five-game winning streak — its longest streak since winning 19 in a row to open the 1985-86 season — holding off a furious SMU second-half charge in handing Saint Mary's a 56-49 setback at the SMU Gym.
February 18, 2012: The Tommies built an eight-point halftime lead and never let the Cardinals claw their way back in completing a perfect 22-0 run through the conference schedule by handing SMU a 64-51 setback at Schoenecker Arena in St. Paul, Minn.
February 23, 2012: MIAC regular-season champion St. Thomas scored the game's first four points and never relinquished the lead, holding off a late second-half SMU charge to hand the Cardinals a season-ending 58-45 setback in the second round of the MIAC playoffs at Schoenecker Arena in St. Paul, Minn.

Up Next:
The Cardinals are back on the road on Saturday, as SMU heads to St. Paul, Minn., for a 3 p.m. conference rematch with St. Catherine. … St. Thomas, meanwhile, returns home to Schoenecker Arena in St. Paul, Minn., on Saturday, as the Tommies host Hamline in a 1 p.m. MIAC contest.

Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals:
2012-13 Roster | 2012-13 Statistics | 2012-13 Schedule
After three straight road games, the Cardinals return home to host the 12th-ranked Tommies Wednesday. The Cardinals are a perfect 5-0 on their home court this season. … With their 62-59 win over Hamline on Monday, the Cardinals extended their winning streak to five straight games. It is the second time this season — and third time in the last two years — that SMU has put together a five-game winning streak. … The Cardinals have not lost back-to-back games all season. … Jessica Thone (Woodbury, Minn.) scored a game-high 18 points against Hamline Monday. With her seventh point of the game, Thone became the 10th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points. … Thone became the third straight Jess to eclipse the 1,000 career-point barrier — following Jessica Weisbrod (1,054, 2004-08) and Jess Miller (1,203, 2007-11). … Thone has now scored in double figures in 27 of the team's last 32 games. … The Cardinals have boasted a player with 20 or more points five times this season — three by Jamie Stefely (Lisle, Ill.) and two by Thone. Both have recorded a season-high 21-point game, with Stefely adding two 20-point efforts and Thone chipping in one. … Thone has scored 20 or more points eight times in her four-year collegiate career, while Stefely has eclipsed 20 points six times. … Stefely also owns three double-doubles this season — and 14 in her collegiate career. … Courtney Euerle (Litchfield, Minn.) owns SMU's other double-double this season with an 11-point, 10-rebound effort against St. Catherine on Dec. 1. … The Cardinals have boasted three games with four double-figure scorers this season. … Stefely enters Wednesday's home conference game against St. Thomas averaging a team-best 12.3 ppg, while Thone is second at 11.8 ppg. … Thone, the conference assist leader a year ago with 123, has dished out a team-best 55 assists this season. … Thone has also knocked down 22 of the team's 65 3-pointers, while Darcey Rice (Eagan, Minn.) is second with 16 treys. … As a team, the Cardinals drained a season-high nine 3-pointers against St. Olaf last Wednesday and have knocked down 69 treys this season. … The Cardinals held Augsburg to 14 first-half points last Saturday, marking the third time this season SMU has held its opponents to under 15 points in the game's opening 20 minutes. SMU limited Macalester to 14 first-half points on Jan. 9, while allowing just nine points in the first half against St. Catherine on Dec. 1. … As a team, the Cardinals dished out 28 assists vs. Bethel on Jan. 12, the most since the Cardinals tallied 28 assists vs. Cal Lutheran on Nov. 26, 2004. … The Cardinals have outscored their opponents 961-839 — including 474-393 in the first half. … SMU's 85 points against Bethel on Jan. 12 were a season high, and the most by a Cardinal team since scoring 97 against Augsburg on Dec. 4, 2004. … Last Saturday's win over Augsburg was the Cardinals' first overtime game of the season. The win also snapped a streak of four straight OT losses, dating back to a 73-69 double-overtime win over Bethel on Jan. 24, 2009. … SMU's 56-45 victory over UW-La Crosse on Dec. 12 completed a perfect 3-0 nonconference showing for the Cardinals, who also beat Alma (67-36) and Olivet (69-49) in non-league play.

Scouting The St. Thomas Tommies:
2012-13 Roster | 2012-13 Statistics | 2012-13 Schedule
St. Thomas enters Wednesday's game at Saint Mary's ranked No. 12 in the latest d3hoops.com national poll. … After reaching No. 3 in the Division III rankings two weeks ago, the Tommies have dropped two of their last four games, both on the road — at St. Ben's (66-62) and at Concordia (69-62). … UST's Jan. 12 loss to the Blazers ended a 33-game win streak against conference opponents. … With Monday's 69-62 loss at Concordia, UST — looking to become the first women's program to win nine MIAC titles — slipped into a tie with the Cobbers for the league lead — one game in front of Saint Mary's, Gustavus and Saint Benedict. … Concordia's 69 points marked just the third time in the Tommies' first 16 games that they've allowed more than 66 points in a game. UST allowed a season-high 78 points in a 78-72, season-opening loss to Calvin on Nov. 16, then surrendered 70 points in a 73-70 win over UW-Stevens Point on Nov. 25. … The Tommies have won their last 33 games when they score 63 or more points. … Taylor Young scored a team-high 20 points against Concordia Monday, while Jenna Dockter chipped in 17. … The 20 points were a season-high for Young and the sixth time this season she has scored in double figures. … St. Thomas was just 2 of 16 from the 3-point line in its loss to Concordia on Monday. … Young enters Wednesday's game at Saint Mary's averaging a team-best 11.5 ppg. She is one of three Tommies averaging in double figures. Dockter (10.6 ppg) and Anna Smith (10.2 ppg) are the other two. … Smith is also the team's rebounding leader, hauling in 106 boards (7.1 rpg). … UST has tossed in 74 3-pointers this season, led by Carley Emery with 20 and Kellie Ring with 11. … UST boasts eight players with 10 or more assists, led by Ring with 47. … All three of St. Thomas' losses have been on the road. UST is a perfect 8-0 at Schoenecker Arena this season, running its home winning streak to 24 straight. … The Tommies graduated four seniors from a 31-2 team that placed third in the nation a year ago — and have been forced to play the last 15 games without injured standout center Maggie Weiers. They've also played six games without injured All-America forward Taylor Young, who has since returned, while being without injured starter Kelly Brandenburg the last two games.