By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
ST. JOSEPH, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's basketball team officially kicks off its 2018-19 season this weekend, taking on Simpson (Friday) and Nebraska Wesleyan (Saturday) as part of the Saint Benedict Quinlivan & Hughes Tip-Off Tournament.
 
The Matchups:
Friday, November 9, 2018 * St. Joseph, Minn. * 6 p.m.
• Saint Mary's Cardinals (2017-18: 16-11 Overall) vs. Simpson Storm (1-0 Overall)
Saturday, November 10, 2018 * St. Joseph, Minn. * 1 p.m.
• Saint Mary's Cardinals (2017-18: 16-11 Overall) vs. Nebraska Wesleyan Prairie Wolves (14-11 Overall)
 
GameDay Live On The Web:
• vs. Simpson: Live Stats * Live Video
• vs. Nebraska Wesleyan: Live Stats * Live Video
 
Last Action:
• Saint Mary's—November 10, 2018 * Winona, Minn.: The Cardinals got a team-high 10 points from Jada Biermeier (Eau Claire, Wis.), but they could not overcome Winona State's 12-0 run to start the game, as the NCAA Division II Warriors handed Saint Mary's an 84-51 loss in an exhibition game at WSU's McCown Gym | Recap
• Simpson—November 11, 2018 * Indianola, Iowa: Simpson erupted for 100 points in rolling to a season-opening 100-65 nonconference win over Millikin | Recap
• Nebraska Wesleyan—November 10-11, 2018 * Denver, Colo.: The Prairie Wolves kicked off their season with a split in their first two games last weekend. Nebraska Wesleyan dropped an 85-74 decision to Mississippi University for Women last Saturday, before rebounding with a 79-54 win over Johnson & Wales the following day | MUW Recap * J&W Recap
 
Saint Mary's vs. Simpson/Nebraska Wesleyan — Their Last Meeting:
• This weekend's matchups will be the first in program history between the Cardinals and Storm, and the Cardinals and the Prairie Wolves.
 
Up Next:
• Saint Mary's: The Cardinals hit the road on Tuesday, traveling to Duluth, Minn., for a 7 p.m. nonconference game against St. Scholastica.
• Simpson: The Storm are now off until Nov. 28, when they kick off conference play, heading to Waverly, Iowa, for a 6 p.m. showdown against Wartburg.
• Nebraska Wesleyan: The Prairie Wolves are back in action on Saturday, traveling to Grinnell, Iowa, for a 3 p.m. nonconference matchup against Grinnell.
 
Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals: 
2018-19 Roster | 2018-19 Schedule | 2017-18 Final Statistics
• The Cardinals unofficially kicked off their 2018-19 season last Saturday, falling to NCAA Division II Winona State in an exhibition game. … Jada Biermeier (Eau Claire, Wis.) scored a team-best 10 points against the Warriors last Saturday, while Brooklyn Paulson (Holmen, Wis.) added nine points and Ewelina Schlomann (New Berlin, Wis.) added eight. … The Cardinals made their sixth MIAC Playoff appearance in the last seven years last season — reaching the semifinals in each of those six appearances. … The Cardinals closed out the season winning nine of their last 13 games. … Brandi Blattner (Eyota, Minn.) — a three-time All-MIAC First-Team selection and a three-time D3hoops.com All-West Region pick — was named to the 2018-19 D3hoops.com Preseason All-America Team. … Blattner closed out the season as the team's offensive leader, boasting team highs in scoring average (17.6 ppg) and rebounds 270 (10.0 rpg). … Blattner scored 10 or more points in 26 of the team's 27 games—the lone exception a nine-point effort against Gustavus on Jan. 10—while also recording 10 or more rebounds in a game 12 times this season and 35 times as a Cardinal. … Blattner scored 20 or more points nine times last season. … Blattner scored a career-high 30 points — two better than her previous career best—and added 15 rebounds in Saint Mary's win over Augsburg on Jan. 27. … With her 12 double-doubles this season, Blattner has scored 10 or more points and rebounds in a game 30 times in her three-year collegiate career. … Blattner scored 25 points and added a career-high and school-record 20 rebounds in the Cardinals' 69-57 win over Macalester on Feb. 10. The 20 rebounds against the Scots were one more than Blattner's previous school record total, set against UW-Eau Claire on Nov. 29, 2015. … Blattner closed out her junior year with 1,183 career points and 749 career rebounds — and is just the fourth player in Cardinal history to record 1,000 career points and 700 career rebounds. … Blattner also eclipsed the 1,000 career kill mark during the 2018 Cardinal volleyball season. … Alexa Huisman (Adrian, Minn.) — the lone senior on last year's Cardinal roster — scored a career-high 32 points—12 more than her previous career best—against Hamline on Jan. 20. … Huisman's 32 points were the most since Bridget Pethke poured in 32 against St. Olaf on Jan. 29, 2014. … Along with her 32 points, Huisman — who closed out the year averaging 12.8 ppg — also hauled in a career-best 10 rebounds en route to the first double-double of her collegiate career. … Shayley Vesel (Austin, Minn.) scored a career-best 23 points in the Cardinals' 80-62 loss at Bethel on Feb. 3 to become the fourth Cardinal to eclipse the 20-point barrier a year ago — joining Blattner (9 times), Huisman (2 times) and Abby Winter (Winona, Minn. / 1 time). … The Cardinals had eight players who recorded single-game, career-highs of 10 or more points last season — Huisman (32), Blattner (30), Winter (25), Vesel (23), Hallie Schmeling (Onalaska, Wis. / 15), Kirsten Keefe (Chatfield, Minn. / 14), Claire Patterson (Marine, Minn. / 13), and Rachel Kedl (Lamberton, Minn. / 10). … Kedl recorded a career-best 10 rebounds against Augsburg on Dec. 2. She was the second Cardinal freshman to post 10 or more boards in a game last season — Winter recorded an 11-rebound effort in Saint Mary's season-opening win over Martin Luther on Nov. 15. … The Cardinals put a season-high five players in double figures in their 74-70 win over the University of Dubuque on Nov. 21. … Winter and Huisman joined Blattner in the "100 Rebound Club," finishing the year with 135 (5.3 rpg) and 111 (4.3 rpg) rebounds, respectively. … Saint Mary's boasted eight players with 20 or more assists, led by Keefe (71), Schmeling (53), and Blattner (48). … Schmeling and Keefe each recorded a single-game career-high eight assists in a game a year ago — Schmeling did it against St. Olaf on Jan. 24, while Keefe equaled that feat against St. Catherine on Jan. 31. … Blattner held the team lead in steals with 36, six more than Keefe. … The Cardinals knocked down 173 treys — including a season-best 13 against UM-Morris on Nov. 18, not to mention 12 in both meetings against St. Olaf. … The Cardinals' 13 3-pointers vs. UM-Morris on Nov. 18 were the most since raining in 14 against St. Catherine on Jan. 22, 2005. … Huisman — who notched a single-game career-high seven 3-pointers against Hamline on Jan. 20 — led the Cardinals with 73 treys. … Fifteen Cardinals netted at least one 3-pointer last season. … Saint Mary's had six different players net a 3-pointer against UM-Morris on Nov. 18. … The Cardinals averaged 63.7 ppg, while limiting their opponents to a 61.0 ppg scoring average. … Saint Mary's netted a season-high 81 points against UM-Morris on Nov. 18. … The Cardinals' 81-point effort against UM-Morris on Nov. 18 was their highest single-game offensive output since scoring 81 in an 81-79 win over Augsburg on Jan. 11, 2017. The last time Saint Mary's scored more than 81 points was during the 2015-16 season, when the Cardinals scored 85 in beating St. Olaf 85-56 on Feb. 13, 2016. … Saint Mary's 69-67 loss to St. Catherine on Jan. 31 was the only overtime game of the season for the Cardinals, who played a pair of overtime games during the 2016-17 season — beating Carleton (61-60) and falling to Saint Benedict (60-55). … Seven of the Cardinals' 11 losses last season were by 10 points or less. … Saint Mary's 49 points in its 49-44 win over Concordia on Feb. 7 were the fewest in a Cardinal win since beating St. Catherine 40-22 on Dec. 1, 2012. … Concordia's 44 points in its 49-44 loss to Saint Mary's on Feb. 7 were the fewest points allowed by the Cardinals last season — and the second time SMU held a team to 45 points or less. Macalester managed just 45 points in the Cardinals' 73-45 victory on Jan. 13. … Saint Mary's one-point victory over Martin Luther on Nov. 15 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. … With their 61-60 win over Martin Luther on Nov. 15, 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.
 
Scouting The Simpson Storm:
2018-19 Roster | 2018-19 Schedule | 2018-19 Statistics
• Simpson kicked off its 2018-19 season with a convincing, 100-65 win over Millikin last Sunday in Indianola, Iowa. … Simpson's 100-point effort was its most since erupting for 108 in routing Nebraska Wesleyan 108-73 on Dec. 2, 2017. … The Storm boasted four players who scored in double figures against Millikin last Sunday, led by Jenna Taylor's double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds. Madie Bacon chipped in 12 points, with Cameron Kincaid adding 11 and Janey Botkins finishing with 10. … The Storm are coming off a 14-13 season a year ago, including a 7-9 showing in conference play. … Simpson reached the second round of the IIAC Tournament, falling to Luther 84-61. … Simpson made its 18th appearance in the IIAC Tournament — the Storm qualified for the conference tournament for 17 straight seasons before missing out in 2017. … Simpson opens 2018-19 without the services of graduated senior Noreen Morrow, who led the Storm in scoring and rebounding en route to her third straight First-Team All-IIAC selection. Simpson does return a pair of IIAC honorable-mention selections in Taylor and Victoria Hazard. … Morrow capped off stellar career in 2017-18, averaging 14.1 ppg and 7.1 rpg. …  Morrow closed out her Simpson career 11th in school history in total points (1,125) and sixth in rebounds (597). She led the league in field goal percentage (56.6) and posted six double-doubles. … Morrow scored in double figures in 23 of Simpson's 27 games last season and posted a career-high 28 points in the Storm's upset win over Coe in the first round of the IIAC Tournament. … Taylor, who missed all of 2016-17 due to injury, also averaged in double figures for the Storm a year ago, finishing second to Morrow at 10.7 ppg. … Taylor scored a season-high 33 points against Central on Jan. 17 — it was the highest single-game offensive performance in five years. … Hazard (9.7 ppg) dished out a team high 93 assists and scored in double figures in 16 of the Storm's 27 games. … Hazard netted a career-high 17 points twice a year ago. … As a team, Simpson drained 190 3-pointers last season, led by Botkins with 59 and Taylor with 33. … Simpson averaged 74.7 ppg last season, while the Storm's opponents scored at a 70.3 ppg clip.
 
Scouting The Nebraska Wesleyan Prairie Wolves:
2018-19 Roster | 2018-19 Schedule | 2018-19 Statistics
• This weekend's games against Saint Benedict and Saint Mary's are the third and fourth of five straight road games for the Prairie Wolves, who went 9-5 away from Snyder Arena in Lincoln, Neb., a year ago. … Caitlin Navratil led a trio of Prairie Wolves in double figures with 26 points against Mississippi University for Women last Friday, with Klaire Phillips and Bailey Hallgren Meehan adding 14 and 10 points, respectively. … In their win against Johnson & Wales last Sunday, NWU finished with four double-figure scorers — Hallgren Meehan (17) , Navratil 13), Phillips (10), and Sydney Skupa (10). … Navratil heads into this weekend's games averaging 19.5 ppg, followed by Hallgren Meehan (13.5 ppg) and Phillips (12.0 ppg). … As a team, the Prairie Wolves shot 42 percent from the field (59-for-139) in its two season-opening games, while knocking down 19 of 59 3-point attempts. … The Prairie Wolves come into 2018-19 action on the heels of a 14-11 season a year ago, including a 5-11 showing their inaugural season in the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. … Nebraska Wesleyan's 14 wins were the most since 2000-01, when it finished 15-10. It was also the Prairie Wolves' first winning season since that same 2000-01 campaign. … Navratil — a First-Team All-IIAC and D3hoops.com Third-Team All-West Region selection last season — scored 464 points during her sophomore season a year ago. It was the third-highest offensive point production in school history. … Navratil finished the year as the team's leading scorer, averaging 18.6 ppg — tops in the IIAC. … Navratil was one of three NWU players to average in double figures a year ago, being joined by Kate Schulte (11.9 ppg) and Addie Wetzel (11.5 ppg). … Wetzel closed out the year with a team-high 124 rebounds (11.3 rpg), with Macy Gustafson finishing one board short of hitting the 100-rebound plateau, closing out the year with 99 (4.0 rpg). … Along with her team-high 18.6 ppg scoring average, Navratil also led the team in assists (77) and steals (72). … As a team, Nebraska Wesleyan drained 173 3-pointers, led by Navratil with 43. … The Prairie Wolves closed out the year averaging 77.0 ppg, while their opponents averaged 72.6 ppg. … NWU outscored its opponents in every quarter but the fourth. The Prairie Wolves held advantages of 490-452 in the first, 466-461 in the second, and 515-431 in the third, but were outscored 470-453 in the game's final 10 minutes. … Nebraska Wesleyan scored 100 or more points twice last season, scoring 102 against Sul Ross State on Nov. 24, while pouring in a season-best 112 against Grace on Nov. 29. On the flip side, the Prairie Wolves also allowed 100 or more points twice — Luther netted 100 on Jan. 24, and Simpson scored a season-high 108 on Dec. 2.