WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's basketball team returns from the Christmas break on Thursday, as the Cardinals host Lawrence in a 5 p.m. nonconference game at the Saint Mary's Gym.
 
The Matchup:
• Saint Mary's Cardinals (7-3 Overall) vs. Lawrence Vikings (2-6 Overall)
 
GameDay Live On The Web:
• Live Stats * Live Video | GameDay Program
 
Last Action:
• Saint Mary's—December 11, 2016 * Winona, Minn.: The Cardinals got 18 points from Emma Schaefer (Roseville, Minn.), a double-double of 14 points and 13 rebounds from Brandi Blattner (Eyota, Minn.), and 16 points from Sam Jones (White Bear Lake, Minn.) in a 65-49 nonconference win over UW-Eau Claire at the Saint Mary's Gym | Recap
• Lawrence—December 17-18, 2016 * St. Petersburg, Fla.: The Vikings dropped both of their games at the St. Pete Classic, falling to Widener 71-52 and Randolph 72-52 | Widener Recap * Randolph Recap
 
Saint Mary's vs. Lawrence—A Year Ago:
• December 30, 2015 * Appleton, Wis.: Saint Mary's used a 16-3 run to end first quarter to race out to a 19-6 lead, and outscored Lawrence 15-2 to open the third stanza in cruising to a convincing 73-49 nonconference win at Alexander Gym | Recap
 
Up Next:
• Saint Mary's: The Cardinals are back on their home court Wednesday, as the Cardinals entertain Macalester in a 7 p.m. Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest.
• Lawrence: The Vikings return home to Appleton, Wis., on Monday, as the Vikings host Knox in a 1 p.m. matchup
 
Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals:
2016-17 Roster | 2016-17 Statistics | 2016-17 Schedule
• The Cardinals' game against Lawrence is the fifth of seven straight home games for the Cardinals, who own a 49-7 record on their home court over the past five seasons. … The Cardinals' 69-56 loss to Bethel on Dec. 7 snapped the Cardinals' season-high five-game winning streak, while Saint Mary's 65-49 win over UW-Eau Claire on Dec. 11 ended Saint Mary's two-game losing streak. … Saint Mary's has allowed 49 points in each of their last two games—a 49-45 loss to Gustavus on Dec. 7 and a 65-49 win over UW-Eau Claire three days later. … Saint Mary's losses to Bethel and Gustavus on Dec. 7 and Dec. 10 marked the first time this season—and the first time in their last 48 contests—that the Cardinals had lost back-to-back games. … Saint Mary's 61-60 win over Carleton on Nov. 30 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. … Alexa Huisman (Adrian, Minn.) scored a career-high 20 points against Concordia on Dec. 3, while Brandi Blattner (Eyota, Minn.) netted a career-best 28 points in Saint Mary's loss to Bethel on Dec. 7. … Blattner's 28-point showing against Bethel on Dec. 7 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 on Dec. 3, while Blattner scored 15 of the team's 16 third-quarter points against Bethel four days later. … 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. … Emma Schaefer (Roseville, Minn.) scored a team-high 18 points in the Cardinals' win over UW-Eau Claire on Dec. 11. Sam Jones (White Bear Lake, Minn.) and Blattner also finished in double figures vs. the Blugolds, netting 16 and 14 points, respectively. … Blattner added 13 rebounds to her 14-point effort against UW-Eau Claire en route to her second straight double-double. The sophomore owns five double-doubles this season and 14 in her collegiate career. … Blattner has scored 10 or more points in nine of the team's 10 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 (3 times), Jones, and Huisman. … Schaefer dished out a career-high 12 assists against Concordia on Dec. 3—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 Lawrence averaging a team-best 14.6 ppg. Jones (12.0 ppg) and Schaefer (10.7 ppg) are also averaging in double figures through 10 games. … Blattner owns a team-leading 98 rebounds (9.8 rpg). … Jones equaled her career high with eight rebounds against Concordia on Dec. 3—the senior also hauled in eight boards against St. Scholastica on Nov. 26. … The Cardinals, who made 163 3-pointers last season, have drained 54 treys in 10 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 61.9 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 five of their seven wins this season, have outscored their first nine opponents 168-134 in the second quarter, 162-134 in the third, and 157-147 in the fourth. The Cardinals have been outscored 146-127 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 Lawrence Vikings:
2016-17 Roster | 2016-17 Statistics | 2016-17 Schedule
• Thursday's game against Saint Mary's is the third straight road game for the Vikings, who have played just two of their first eight games on their home court. … Lawrence's two losses at the St. Pete Classic on Dec. 17-18 pushed the Vikings' losing streak to six straight—LU has not won since opening the season with 61-51 and 51-48 wins over Maranatha Baptist and Marian to open the season. … Leah Reeves netted 24 points and Olivia Hoesley chipped in 16 in Lawrence's loss to Widener on Dec. 17, while Aubrey Scott scored a team-best 17 points and was the only Viking in double figures in their loss to Randolph a day later. … Reeves' 24-point effort against Widener was a career high—and the Vikings' highest single-game effort of the season. Reeves' previous career high was nine points, set earlier this season. … Shonell Benjamin hauled in a season- and career-best 14 rebounds vs. Widener on Dec. 17. … With her 17 points against Randolph, Scott became the fifth different Viking to lead the team in scoring through eight games. … Reeves and Hoesley enter Thursday's game against Saint Mary's leading the team in scoring, averaging 8.9 ppg and 8.5 ppg, respectively. … Reeves is also the team's rebound leader with 45 (5.6 rpg), while Nicole Cummins owns a team-best 23 assists. … Lawrence boasts three players—Benjamin (11), Cummins (11), and Natalie Kramer (10)—with 10 or more steals. … As a team, the Vikings are shooting just 30 percent (135-for-461) from the field, and have made 27 of 121 3-point attempts (22 percent). … Hoesley (8) and Scott have accounted for 15 of the team's 27 3-pointers. … Through eight games, Lawrence has failed to score a combined 100 points in three of the four quarter—being outscored 131-90 in the first quarter, 159-84 in the second, and 126-91 in the fourth. … The Vikings scored a season-high 61 points in their season-opening 61-51 win over Maranatha Baptist. On the flip side, Lawrence has surrendered 70 or more points five times—including a season-high 96 in a 96-42 loss to Illinois College on Dec. 2.