By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's basketball team kicks off the home portion of its schedule on Saturday, as the Cardinals entertain Bethany Lutheran in a 1 p.m. matinee at the Saint Mary's Gym.
 
The Matchup:
• Saint Mary's Cardinals (2-1 Overall) vs. Bethany Lutheran Vikings (5-0 Overall)
 
GameDay Live On The Web:
• Live Stats * Live Video
 
Last Action:
• Saint Mary's—November 20, 2018 * Duluth, Minn.: The Cardinals got a career-high 20 points from Brooklyn Paulson (Holmen, Wis.) and a second straight double-double from Rachel Kedl (Lamberton, Minn.) en route to a 67-57 win over St. Scholastica at Reif Gym | Recap
• Bethany Lutheran—November 20, 2018 * Mankato, Minn.: The Vikings picked up their fifth straight win of the season, outlasting St. Catherine 72-67 in overtime | Recap
 
Saint Mary's vs. Bethany Lutheran — Their Last Meeting:
• Saturday's game between the Cardinals and the Vikings is the first in program history.
 
Up Next:
• Saint Mary's: The Cardinals are back on their home court at the Saint Mary's Gym on Thursday, hosting UW-Oshkosh in a 7 p.m. nonconference contest.
• Bethany Lutheran: The Vikings return to action on Tuesday, heading across town for a 7 p.m. exhibition game against NCAA Division II Minnesota State-Mankato.
 
Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals: 
2018-19 Roster | 2018-19 Schedule | 2018-19 Statistics
• After three straight road games to kick off the season, Saturday's game against Bethany Lutheran is the first of back-to-back home contests for the Cardinals, who finished 7-4 on their home court a year ago. … With their win over St. Scholastica last Tuesday, the Cardinals head into Saturday's matchup against Bethany Lutheran having won two straight. … Brooklyn Paulson (Holmen, Wis.) poured in a career-high 20 points in the Cardinals' 67-57 win over St. Scholastica last Tuesday. … Paulson's 20-point effort marked the first time this season a Cardinal had scored 20 or more points in a game this season. … Rachel Kedl (Lamberton, Minn.) posted her second straight 11-point, 10-rebound double-double in the Cardinals' win over St. Scholastica last Tuesday. Kedl, who did not have a double-double all of last season, also delivered 11 points and 10 rebounds against Nebraska Wesleyan on Nov. 17. … Jada Biermeier (Eau Claire, Wis.) and Maggie Robertson (Orland Park, Ill.) each notched career-best 15-point efforts in Saint Mary's 87-76 win over Nebraska Wesleyan on Nov. 17. … Biermeier and Robertson were two of four players to score in double figures vs. the Prairie Wolves on Nov. 17 — Paulson and Kedl each chipped in 11 points. … Paulson, who has scored in double figures in each of the Cardinals' first three games, heads into Saturday's nonconference showdown against Bethany Lutheran leading the team in scoring, averaging 15.7 ppg. Kedl is also averaging in double figures, heading into Saturday scoring 10.0 ppg. … Kedl is the team's rebounding leader with 24 (8.0 rpg), with Michele Remer (Grand Forks, N.D.) close behind with 18 (6.0 rpg). … Kirsten Keefe (Chatfield, Minn.) has dished out a team-best 13 assists, two more than Hallie Schmeling (Onalaska, Wis.), with Keefe also boasting a team-high six steals. … As a team, the Cardinals are averaging 72.0 ppg, while allowing points at a 68.3 ppg clip. … Saint Mary's is shooting 40 percent from the field (78-for-197) and has drained 18 3-pointers. … Paulson has accounted for more than half of Saint Mary's 18 3-pointers, leading the team with 11. … The Cardinals' season-high 87 points against Nebraska Wesleyan on Nov. 17 are the most since tossing in 88 in beating Crown 88-34 on Nov. 21, 2015. … The Cardinals picked up their first win under head coach David Foley with their 87-76 triumph over Nebraska Wesleyan on Nov. 17. … Three of the Cardinals' first four games are against teams they had never faced before — Saturday vs. Bethany Lutheran and on Nov. 16-17 vs. Simpson and Nebraska Wesleyan. … The Cardinals — picked sixth in the MIAC Preseason Coaches' Poll — made their sixth MIAC Playoff appearance in the last seven years last season — reaching the semifinals in each of those six appearances.
 
Scouting The Bethany Lutheran Vikings:
2018-19 Roster | 2018-19 Schedule | 2018-19 Statistics
• Bethany Lutheran heads into Saturday's showdown against Saint Mary's riding a season-opening five-game winning streak. … Three of the Vikings' five victories this season have been by eight-points or less — including a one-point, 87-86 win over Mayville State and a 72-67 overtime win over St. Catherine. … Saint Mary's is the fourth of six games against teams from the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The Vikings have already played Macalester (W, 69-55), Hamline (W, 78-70), and St. Catherine (W, 72-67 OT), and still have Saint Mary's, Carleton and St. Olaf on their schedule. … Saturday's game at Saint Mary's is the first of four straight road games for the Vikings, who play seven of their first nine games on the road. … Abby Olson enters Saturday's matchup against Saint Mary's leading the team in scoring, averaging 22.2 ppg. … Olson is one of three Bethany Lutheran players averaging in double figures — Haley Sandin (16.4 ppg) and Hanna Geistfeld (14.4 ppg) are the other two. … Bethany Lutheran has had a player score 20 or more points in a game five times — including three by Olson. Olson scored 21 points against Central on Nov. 14 and netted a season-high 27 against both Mayville State on Nov. 10 and vs. St. Catherine last Tuesday. … Geistfeld (20) and Sandin (25) have also netted 20 or more points in a game this season. … Olson and Kenlie Pytleski share the team lead in rebounds with 37 each (7.4 rpg). … The Vikings boast five players with 20 or more rebounds through five games. … Sandin is the team's assist leader with 18, one more than Olson, while also leading the team with 15 steals. … Bethany Lutheran is shooting 41 percent from the field (125-for-307) and has drained 30 3-pointers. … Olson is the Vikings' top long-range shooter, hitting 17 of 45 3-point attempts. … Bethany Lutheran has been outscored 81-77 in the first quarter, but hold scoring advantages of 89-72 in the second, 97-76 in the third, and 104-99 in the fourth. … Bethany Lutheran has scored 70 or more points in three of their first five games — including a season-high 87 in an 87-86 win over Mayville State on Nov. 10.