WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's basketball team returns home on Sunday, as the Cardinals host UW-Eau Claire in a 3 p.m. nonconference game at the Saint Mary's Gym.
 
The Matchup:
• Saint Mary's Cardinals (6-3 Overall) vs. UW-Eau Claire Blugolds (4-3 Overall)
 
GameDay Live On The Web:
• Live Stats * Live Video | GameDay Program
 
Last Action:
• Saint Mary's—December 10, 2016 * Winona, Minn.: Gusties used a 10-7 run over the game's final 10 minutes in dealing Saint Mary's a rare home loss—a 49-45 conference setback at the Saint Mary's Gym | Recap
• UW-Eau Claire—November 29, 2016 * Superior, Wis.: UW-Eau Claire erupted for 28 second-quarter points, erasing an early 17-13 deficit, as the Blugolds dropped UW-Superior 74-60 in a WIAC contest at Mortorelli Gym | Recap
 
Saint Mary's vs. UW-Eau Claire—A Year Ago:
• November 29, 2016 * Winona, Minn.: For the third game, the second half belonged to the Cardinals, as Saint Mary's outscored UW-Eau Claire 35-27 over the game's final 20 minutes—including 24-14 in the fourth quarter—en route to a 73-68 victory at the Saint Mary's Gym | Recap
 
Up Next:
• Saint Mary's: The Cardinals are now off until Dec. 29, when they return from the Christmas break with a 5 p.m. nonconference game against Lawrence at the Saint Mary's Gym.
• UW-Eau Claire: The Blugolds are right back in action on Tuesday, returning home to Zorn Arena in Eau Claire, Wis., for a 7 p.m. nonconference game against Saint Benedict.
 
Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals:
2016-17 Roster | 2016-17 Statistics | 2016-17 Schedule
• Sunday's game against UW-Eau Claire is the fourth of seven straight home games for the Cardinals, who own a 48-7 record on their home court over the past five seasons. … Last Wednesday's 69-56 loss to Bethel snapped the Cardinals' season-high five-game winning streak, while Saturday's four-point setback against Gustavus marked the first time this season Saint Mary's has dropped back-to-back games. … Last Wednesday's win over Carleton was Saint Mary's first overtime game of the season—and first since a 79-73 win over Concordia on Feb. 7, 2015. … Saint Mary's has now won its last four overtime games. The last Cardinal loss in OT was against Concordia on Jan. 29, 2012, falling 60-59. … The Cardinals' have had a player post a career-high scoring mark in two of their last three games—Alexa Huisman (Adrian, Minn.) scored a career-high 20 points against Concordia last Saturday, while Brandi Blattner (Eyota, Minn.) netted a career-best 28 points in Saint Mary's loss to Bethel on Wednesday. … Blattner's 28-point showing against Bethel last Wednesday was the highest individual offensive performance since Shelby Auseth recorded 28 points and Bridget Pethke scored 32 during the 2013-14 season. … Huisman accounted for 13 of the team's 17 fourth-quarter points in the Cardinals' win over Concordia last Saturday, while Blattner scored 15 of the team's 16 third-quarter points against Bethel on Wednesday. … Blattner has now scored 20 or more points three times this season, having also netted 23 points in the Cardinals' overtime win over Carleton on Nov. 30. … Sam Jones (White Bear Lake, Minn. / 21) and Huisman (20) have also eclipsed the 20-point barrier this season. … Jones' 21-point effort against the University of Dubuque on Nov. 15 was a career high. … Blattner finished with a team-high 11 points and added 10 rebounds against Gustavus Saturday—it was her fourth double-double of the season, and 13^th of her collegiate career. … Blattner has scored 10 or more points in eight of the team's nine games. … Blattner and Kaitlin Keefe (Chatfield, Minn.) each recorded double-doubles against Carleton on Nov. 30—Blattner scored 23 points and added 17 rebounds, while Keefe chipped in 10 points and 11 boards. It was Keefe's first collegiate double-double. … Blattner's 17 rebounds against Carleton on Nov. 30 were two shy of her school-record 19-rebound effort against UW-Eau Claire on Dec. 29, 2015. … The Cardinals have had four different players lead them in scoring through eight games—Blattner (4 times), Schaefer (twice), Jones, and Huisman. … Schaefer dished out a career-high 12 assists against Concordia last Saturday—it was the highest single-game effort since Jamie Rattunde dished out 12 against Coe on Nov. 26, 2003. … Blattner heads into the Cardinals' nonconference showdown with UW-Eau Claire Sunday averaging a team-best 14.7 ppg. Jones (11.6 ppg) is also averaging in double figures through seven games. … Blattner owns a team-leading 85 rebounds (9.4 rpg). … Jones equaled her career high with eight rebounds against Concordia last Saturday—the senior also hauled in eight boards against St. Scholastica on Nov. 26. … The Cardinals, who made 163 3-pointers last season, have drained 46 treys in nine games this season—including a 10-for-24 showing against the University of Dubuque on Nov. 15. … Huisman leads the team with 13 3-pointers. … The Cardinals had 10 players score two or more points in their 66-40 win over Viterbo on Nov. 22. … The Cardinals boasted five players who scored in double figures in their season-opening win over the University of Dubuque on Nov. 15. Saint Mary's also had five players score in double figures once a year ago. … Saint Mary's is averaging 61.6 ppg—including a season-high 76-point effort in its season-opening 76-64 win over the University of Dubuque. … The Cardinals, who have scored 65 or more points in four of their six wins this season, have outscored their first nine opponents 150-120 in the second quarter, 148-124 in the third, and 137-133 in the fourth. The Cardinals have been outscored 135-114 in the game's opening 10 minutes. … With their 76-64 win over the University of Dubuque on Nov. 15, the Cardinals have now won their season-opener in each of the last four seasons—dating back to a 63-58 loss to Elmhurst to kick off the 2011-12 season. … Saint Mary's—picked to finish third in the MIAC Preseason Coaches' Poll—made its fifth straight MIAC Playoff appearance last season—and the Cardinals have reached at least the semifinals each time. … With their 21-6 overall record last season, the Cardinals have now reached the 20-win plateau in three of the last four seasons.
 
Scouting The UW-Eau Claire Blugolds:
2016-17 Roster | 2016-17 Statistics | 2016-17 Schedule
• After dropping their first two games of the season, the Blugolds have rattled off four wins in their last five contests. … UW-Eau Claire's game against Saint Mary's Sunday is the third of four nonconference games against teams from the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The Blugolds have already faced St. Catherine (L, 53-39) and St. Olaf (W, 76-54), and still have Saint Benedict (Dec. 13) on their schedule. … After opening the season with five straight home dates, Sunday's game at Saint Mary's is the Blugolds' third straight road game. … With their 74 points in their 74-60 win over UW-Superior on Nov. 29, the Blugolds have now scored 70 or more points in three of the four wins—including a season-high 85-point effort in an 85-48 rout of Edgewood on Nov. 23. … Arien Brennan scored a team- and game-high 15 points against UW-Superior in the Blugolds' last game on Nov. 29. Elly Boles came off the bench to score 12, while Maddie Dunathan and Anna Graaskamp each added 11 in the conference win. … Graaskamp enters Sunday's game against Saint Mary's as the only Blugold averaging in double figures at 11.0 ppg. … Graaskamp has led the team in scoring in four of UW-Eau Claire's seven games, while Brennan's has been the team's scoring leader twice. … Graaskamp is also the team's rebounding leader with 44 (6.5 rpg) through seven games. … Dunathan is the team's assists (17) and steals (14) lead, while Graaskamp has collected a team-high five of UW-EC's 19 blocks. … UW-Eau Claire is shooting 39 percent from the field (154-for-390) and have knocked down 47 of 153 3-point attempts—led by Hallee Hoeppner, who owns a team-best 14 treys. … The Blugolds are averaging 62.7 ppg, while their opponents are scoring at a 57.9 ppg clip. UW-Eau Claire also owns a 285-218 edge in rebounds.