ST. JOSEPH, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's basketball team kicks off the Saint Benedict Quinlivan & Hughes Tip-Off Tournament on Friday, squaring off against UW-La Crosse in a 6 p.m. nonconference game at CSB's Clare Lynch Hall.
 
The Matchups:
Friday, November 17, 2017 * St. Joseph, Minn. * 6 p.m.
• Saint Mary's Cardinals (1-0 Overall) vs. UW-La Crosse Eagles (2016-17: 16-11 Overall)
Saturday, November 18, 2017 * St. Joseph, Minn. * 1 p.m.
• Saint Mary's Cardinals (1-0 Overall) vs. UM-Morris Cougars (0-1 Overall)
 
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Last Action:
• Saint Mary's—November 15, 2017 * Winona, Minn.: The Cardinals kicked off their season in style, getting 22 points and 11 rebounds from Brandi Blattner (Eyota, Minn.)—including a game-winning free throw with 2.2 seconds remaining in regulation—as Saint Mary's dropped Martin Luther 61-60 in a nonconference game at the Saint Mary's Gym | Recap
• UW-La Crosse—November 5, 2017 * Ames, Iowa: Iowa State scored the game's first six points and never trailed in handing the Eagles a 93-50 exhibition setback at Hilton Coliseum | Recap
• UM-Morris—November 15, 2017 * Moorhead, Minn.: Concordia outscored the Cougars 31-23 in the second half, rallying to beat UM-Morris 58-53 at the Cobbers' Memorial Auditorium | Recap
 
Saint Mary's vs. UW-La Crosse—Their Last Meeting:
• November 24, 2015 * Winona, Minn.: Saint Mary's and UW-La Crosse headed into their nonconference game boasting high-powered offensive attacks. The Cardinals erupted for 88 points in a season-opening win over Crown last Saturday, and followed that up with a 75-point showing in dropping Saint Benedict a day later. UW-La Crosse, meanwhile, poured in a season-high 86 points in an 86-64 win over St. Scholastica last Saturday—it was the Eagles' highest offensive output since scoring 88 in an 88-80, double-overtime win over UW-Stout on Jan. 27, 2010. Fortunately for coach Brent Pollari, it was the Cardinals who picked up right where they left off, scoring 76 points—while holding the Eagles to just 65—in a 76-65 Saint Mary's victory at the Saint Mary's Gym | Recap
 
Saint Mary's vs. UM-Morris—Their Last Meeting:
• November 16, 2014 * St. Joseph, Minn.: It was a tale of two halves for Saint Mary's against the University of Minnesota-Morris. The Cardinals owned the first half, while the Cougars had the upper hand in the game's final 20 minutes. And the Cardinals' dominant first half proved to be enough, as Saint Mary's held off a late UM-Morris rally to post its second win of the season, 68-65 during the second day of the Saint Benedict Quinlivan & Hughes Tip-Off Tournament | Recap
 
Up Next:
• Saint Mary's: The Cardinals are back on the road on Tuesday, heading to Dubuque, Iowa, for a 5 p.m. nonconference game against the University of Dubuque.
• UW-La Crosse: Following this weekend's games in St. Joseph, Minn., the Eagles are back in action on Tuesday, traveling to Gustavus' Gus Young Court in St. Peter, Minn., for a 7 p.m. nonconference game against the Gusties.
• UM-Morris: The Cougars are right back in action on Tuesday, traveling to Mayville, N.D., for a 5:30 p.m. nonconference game against Mayville State.
 
Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals:
2017-18 Roster | 2017-18 Schedule | 2016-17 Final Statistics
• With their 61-60 win over Martin Luther on Wednesday, the Cardinals have now won their season-opener in each of their last six seasons, dating back to a 63-58 loss to Elmhurst on Nov. 22, 2011. … Brandi Blattner (Eyota, Minn.) was the lone Cardinal to score in double figures in Wednesday's win over Martin Luther, pouring in a game-high 22 points, while also adding 11 rebounds. … Blattner scored 10 or more points in 21 of the team's 25 games a year ago—including four games of 20 or more points. … Blattner's 22 points vs. the Knights Wednesday were just six shy of her career high. The Cardinal junior netted a career-high 28 points twice last season—vs. Bethel on Dec. 7 and St. Olaf on Feb. 4. … Blattner hauled in 10 or more rebounds 12 times last season—including a season-high 17-rebound effort against Carleton on Nov. 30. Blattner's 17 rebounds vs. Carleton on Nov. 30 were just two shy of her school-record 19-rebound performance against UW-Eau Claire on Dec. 29, 2015. … With her 22-point, 11-rebound showing against Martin Luther Wednesday, Blattner has now posted 19 double-doubles in her three-year collegiate career. … Blattner owns double-doubles in three of the last four games she's played in. … Abby Winter (Winona, Minn.) matched Blattner's game-high 11 rebounds in her first collegiate game Wednesday. … The Cardinals, who finished with 141 3-pointers a year ago—including a season-high 11 against St. Catherine on Jan. 7—knocked down eight treys against Martin Luther Wednesday. … Saint Mary's had five different players net a 3-pointer against the Knights Wednesday. … With their 61-60 win over Martin Luther Wednesday, the Cardinals have now scored 60 or more points in 13 of their last 14 wins—the lone exception, a 56-52 win over Macalester on Jan. 4. … Saint Mary's victory over Martin Luther Wednesday was its second one-point win in the last two years—with both being decided by a 61-60 final score. The Cardinals dropped Carleton 61-60 in overtime last season. … The Cardinals won 11 of their first 15 games last season—achieving such a feat for the fourth time in the last five seasons.
 
Scouting The UW-La Crosse Eagles:
2017-18 Roster | 2017-18 Statistics | 2017-18 Schedule
• The Eagles enter this weekend's games at the CSB Quinlivan & Hughes Tip-Off Tournament coming off a 16-11 season a year ago, including 9-5 mark in WIAC play. … The Eagles reached the WIAC Tournament semifinals for just the third time in program history last season, falling to UW-Whitewater 69-54. … UW-L's 16 overall wins and 9 conference wins were the most since finishing 16-10 overall and 9-7 in the WIAC in 2011-12. … UW-La Crosse was picked to finish fifth in the WIAC Preseason Coaches' Poll. … The Eagles' season-ending loss to UW-Whitewater snapped their four-game winning streak. UW-L closed out the season winning six of their final eight games. … UWL returns 12 letter winners and three starters —including three-time All-WIAC selection Elise DeNoyer. … DeNoyer started all 27 contests in 2016-17, leading the Eagles in assists (68, 2.5 apg), and tied for the team lead in steals (33, 1.2 spg) and free throws attempted (102).  She was second on the team in scoring (12.1 ppg), rebounding (7.8 rpg), and free throws made (71), while ranking third in 3-point field goals made (27) and attempted (70). … DeNoyer scored in double figures in 18 of the Eagles' 26 games a year ago—including a season-high 23-point effort against Aurora on Nov. 19. … DeNoyer was second on the team with eight double-doubles. … DeNoyer recorded a career-high 14 rebounds to go along with 19 points against Ripon on Nov. 27. … The Eagle averaged 61.3 ppg a year ago, and scored 70 or more points six times—including a season-high 74-point effort against UW-Platteville on Feb. 4. … UW-La Crosse played two overtime games last season, losing both. The Eagles dropped a 65-62 decision to UW-Whitewater on Jan. 4, and also fell in OT to UW-Oshkosh (51-49) on Jan. 25. … Friday's game against Saint Mary's is the first of three straight games against teams from the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference—UW-L will face Saint Benedict on Saturday, and Gustavus on Tuesday. The Eagles also have fellow MIAC schools Macalester and St. Thomas on their schedule
 
Scouting The UM-Morris Cougars:
2017-18 Roster | 2017-18 Statistics | 2017-18 Schedule
• This weekend's games against Saint Benedict and Saint Mary's are the second and third of five straight road games for the Cougars, who do not play their first home game until Nov. 28, when they host Mayville State in a 7:30 p.m. contest. … Kendra Raths and Mauren Thiesen both scored in double figures in the Cougars' season-opening loss to Concordia Wednesday. Raths tossed in 16 points, while Thiesen finished with 13. … After taking a three-point, 30-27 lead into the locker room at the half vs. Concordia Wednesday, UM-Morris managed just seven third-quarter points. … The Cougars are coming off a 20-9 season in 2016-17, including second-place finishes in both the UMAC regular-season and conference tournament. … UM-Morris fell to UW-Superior 72-46 in the UMAC tournament title game. The Cougars had fallen to the Yellowjackets in the final regular-season game, a result that gave UW-Superior the regular-season title outright. … After opening the season 0-4, UM-Morris won 20 of their final 23 contests. … UM-Morris' 20 wins last season marked just the fourth time in program history the Cougars have won 20 or more games. … UM-Morris returns a trio of junior who earned UMAC post-season honors a year ago, led by First-Team selection Elli Stevenson. Stevenson led the team in scoring, averaging 14.0 ppg, while also hauling in 119 rebounds (4.6 rpg). … Stevenson was one of three Cougars who averaged in double figures last season, being joined by Second-Team All-UMAC picks Raths (11.8 ppg) and Thiesen (11.4 ppg). … Abby Van Kempen returns for her sophomore season, after leading the Cougars in rebounding with 266 boards (9.9 rpg). Raths (201 / 7.4 rpg), Tori Holt (155 / 5.7 rpg), and Stevenson (119, 4.6 rpg) also finished with 100 or more boards a year ago. … Stevenson also led the team in assists (98) and steals (38), while Van Kempen (54) and Raths (45) combined for 99 of the team's 140 blocks. … UM-Morris knocked down 194 3-pointers a year ago, led by Thiesen (61) and Stevenson (49). … 
As a team, the Cougars averaged 69.5 ppg, while their opponents scored at a 60.0 ppg clip. … UM-Morris scored 80 or more points six times last season, including a season-high 97-point effort in routing Trinity Bible College 97-46 on Nov. 29, 2017. … The Cougars finished 12-2 on their home court last season, while going 8-5 away from Jim Gremmels Court.