MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's basketball team returns to Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on Wednesday, as the Cardinals head to Augsburg's Si Melby Hall for a 7 p.m. showdown with the Auggies.
 
The Matchup:
• Saint Mary's Cardinals (4-2 MIAC, 10-3 Overall) at Augsburg Auggies (1-5 MIAC, 8-5 Overall)
 
GameDay Live On The Web:
• Live Stats * Live Video
 
Last Action:
• Saint Mary's—January 7, 2017 * Winona, Minn.: Saint Mary's boasted five players in double figures, led by Brandi Blattner (Eyota, Minn.) with 19 points, as the Cardinals picked up their fourth straight win—and snapped the Wildcats' four-game run—beating St. Catherine 80-73 at the Saint Mary's Gym | Recap
 • Augsburg—January 7, 2017 * Arden Hills, Minn.: Augsburg forced a season-high 30 turnovers, but could not keep up with the red-hot shooting of Bethel, as the Royals handed Augsburg a 71-64 conference setback at Robertson Center | Recap
 
Saint Mary's vs. Augsburg—A Year Ago:
• December 9, 2015 * Minneapolis, Minn.: The Cardinals, trailing by two after three quarters, erupted for 25 fourth-quarter points—while holding host Augsburg to just 10—as Saint Mary's rallied for a 64-51 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory at Si Melby Hall | Recap
 • January 27, 2016 * Winona, Minn.: Augsburg outscored Saint Mary's 26-13 in the second quarter in building an 18-point, 46-28 halftime advantage—and the Auggies never took their foot off the accelerator, handing the Cardinals just their second Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference loss of the season, 82-70, at the Saint Mary's Gym | Recap
 
Up Next:
• Saint Mary's: The Cardinals are back in action on Saturday, heading to Saint Benedict's Claire Lynch Hall in St. Joseph, Minn., for a 3 p.m. conference matchup against the Blazers.
• Augsburg: The Auggies are back on their home court at Si Melby Hall in Minneapolis, Minn., on Saturday, entertaining St. Olaf in a 1 p.m. MIAC showdown.
 
Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals:
2016-17 Roster | 2016-17 Statistics | 2016-17 Schedule
• After seven straight home games, Wednesday's showdown at Augsburg is the first of four consecutive road contests for the Cardinals. … With their 80-73 win over St. Catherine last Saturday, Saint Mary's improved to 52-7 on its home court over the past five seasons. … The Cardinals enter Wednesday's game against Augsburg riding a four-game winning streak. … With their win over St. Catherine last Saturday, Saint Mary's improved to 10-3 overall. The Cardinals have now won at least 10 of their first 13 games in each of their last five seasons. … The Cardinals boasted five players who scored in double figures against St. Catherine last Saturday, led by Brandi Blattner (Eyota, Minn.) with 19 points. Emma Schaefer (Roseville, Minn. / 17), Sam Jones (White Bear Lake, Minn. / 16), Alexa Huisman (Adrian, Minn. / 13), and Brigette Audette (Big Lake, Minn. / 10) were the other four. … Saint Mary's has now put five players in double figures twice this season, having also achieved the feat in their season-opening win over the University of Dubuque on Nov. 15. Saint Mary's had five players score in double figures just once a year ago. … Brandi Blattner (Eyota, Minn.) recorded a game-high 16 rebounds against Macalester last Wednesday—it was the seventh time this season the sophomore has recorded 10 or more rebounds in a game. … Blattner's 16 rebounds were one shy of her season-high 17-rebound effort against Carleton on Nov. 30—and just three shy of her school-record 19-rebound performance against UW-Eau Claire on Dec. 29, 2015. … The Cardinals have three players who have posted career-high games of 20 or more points this season. Huisman scored a career-best 20 points against Concordia on Dec. 3, while Sam Jones (White Bear Lake, Minn.) netted 21 against the University of Dubuque on 15 and Blattner recorded 28 points against 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. … Blattner has scored 20 or more points twice this season, having also netted 23 points in the Cardinals' overtime win over Carleton on Nov. 30. … Blattner, who had her streak of three straight double-doubles snapped against Macalester last Wednesday, owns six double-doubles this season and 15 in her collegiate career. … Blattner has scored 10 or more points in 11 of the team's 13 games. … Blattner and Kirsten 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. …  The Cardinals have had six different players lead or share the team lead in scoring through 11 games—Blattner (6 times), Schaefer (4 times), Jones (3 times), Audette, Keefe, 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' conference showdown with Augsburg averaging a team-best 14.6 ppg. Jones (12.8 ppg) and Schaefer (11.1 ppg) are also averaging in double figures through 13 games. … Blattner owns a team- and conference-leading 133 rebounds (10.2 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 78 treys in 13 games this season—including a season-high 11 against St. Catherine last Saturday. … The Cardinals' 11 3-pointers were the most since knocking down 12 against St. Olaf on Feb. 13, 2016. … Schaefer leads the team with 18 3-pointers, one more than Huisman … Ten of the 13 players on the Cardinal roster have drained at least one 3-pointer this season. … The Cardinals had 10 players score two or more points in their 66-40 win over Viterbo on Nov. 22. … Saint Mary's finished with 59 rebounds against Lawrence on Dec. 30, two shy of its school-record 61-rebound effort against Carleton on Nov. 30. … Saint Mary's is averaging 63.6 ppg. … The Cardinals, who have scored 65 or more points in seven of their 10 wins this season, netted a season-high 80 points in their 80-73 win over St. Catherine last Saturday. Saint Mary's eclipsed the 80-point plateau five times last year, including a season-high 88-point showing against Crown on Nov. 21, 2015. … 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. … The Cardinals' 69-56 loss to Bethel on Dec. 7 snapped their season-high five-game winning streak, while their 65-49 win over UW-Eau Claire on Dec. 11 ended Saint Mary's two-game losing streak. … 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 previous 48 contests—that the Cardinals had lost back-to-back games. … 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 Augsburg Auggies:
2016-17 Roster | 2016-17 Statistics | 2016-17 Schedule
• Wednesday's game against Saint Mary's is the first of three straight home games for the Auggies, who are 5-2 at Si Melby Hall this season. … Augsburg's 71-64 loss to Bethel last Saturday was the Auggies' second straight setback. … After opening the season with six straight wins, the Auggies have gone just 2-5 in their last seven contests. … Tamira McLemore and K'Aezha Wubben each scored 13 points to pace the Auggies against Bethel last Saturday. … Nine of Wubben's 13 points game from the free throw line, where she was 9 of 11. … Ellie Schwartz also scored in double figures vs. the Royals last Saturday, finishing with 11 points. … McLemore has now led or shared the team lead in scoring in each of the Auggies' last four games. … McLemore also owns the team's top two single-game scoring performances, netting 26 against UW-Superior on Nov. 18, and tallying a season-high 28 vs. St. Catherine on Dec. 10. … Augsburg heads into Wednesday's showdown with Saint Mary's boasting four players—McLemore (14.3 ppg), Wubben (11.5 ppg), Aiza Wilson (11.0 ppg), and Schwartz (10.5 ppg)—averaging in double figures. … Wubben also leads the team in rebounds with 52 (4.0 rpg), two more than McLemore (50, 3.8 rpg). … The Auggies have four players who have collected 20 or more assists this season, led by McLemore with 52, and Wilson and Arianna Jones with 35 each. … McLemore is also the team-leader in steals with 35. … The Auggies are shooting 42 percent from the field (348-for-835) and have drained 102 3-pointers. … Abby Jordan and Wilson lead the team in 3-pointers with 32 and 30, respectively. They are two of seven Auggies who have netted at least one 3-pointer this season. … As a team, the Auggies are averaging 75.2 ppg, and have netted 80 or more points in six of their 13 contests—including a season-high 91-point effort in a 93-91 overtime loss to St. Catherine on Dec. 10. … Augsburg has outscored its opponents by 68 points, 272-204, in the third quarter. … The Auggies have played one overtime game this season, falling to St. Catherine 93-91 on Dec. 10.