By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University women's basketball returns to Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on Wednesday, as the Cardinals host Macalester in a 7 p.m. matchup at the Saint Mary's Gym.
 
The Matchup:
• Saint Mary's Cardinals (0-3 MIAC, 0-5 Overall) vs. Macalester Scots (0-4 MIAC, 1-8 Overall)
 
GameDay Live On The Web:
• Live Stats * Live Video
 
Last Action:
• Saint Mary's­­ — December 7, 2019 * Saint Mary's Gym * Winona, Minn.: Concordia scored 10 of the game's final 14 points to hand the Cardinals a 76-71 conference setback | Recap
• Macalester — December 7, 2019 * Leonard Center * St. Paul, Minn.: Bethel held Macalester to nine points or less in each of the first three quarters, as the Royals rolled to an 85-45 conference win over the Scots | Recap
 
Saint Mary's vs. Macalester — A Year Ago:
• January 12, 2019 * Saint Mary's Gym * Winona, Minn.: The Cardinals, who trailed by 10 early in the first quarter, scored nearly as many points in the second quarter (27) as the Scots had in the first half (28) and never relinquished the lead, holding off a late Macalester run to post a 65-56 conference victory | Recap
• February 9, 2019 * Leonard Center * St. Paul, Minn.: Macalester erupted for 49 second-half points — outscoring the Cardinals 49-23 — to rally from a 17-point halftime deficit and deal Saint Mary's a 66-57 conference setback | Recap
 
Up Next:
• Saint Mary's: The Cardinals are now off until Dec. 20, when they head to Waverly, Iowa, for a 7 p.m. nonconference showdown against nationally ranked Wartburg.
• Macalester: The Scots do not play again until Jan. 4, when they head to Northfield, Minn., for a 3 p.m. MIAC matchup against Carleton.
 
Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals:
2019-20 Roster | 2019-20 Schedule | 2019-20 Statistics
• Wednesday's game against Macalester is the third straight home game for the Cardinals, who play their next six contests on the road. Saint Mary's does not return to the Saint Mary's Gym until Jan. 15, when they host Saint Benedict in a 7 p.m. conference contest. … The Cardinals' last three losses have all been by nine points or less — including a two-point, double-overtime setback to St. Catherine last Wednesday and a five-point loss to Concordia three days later. … Last Wednesday's 79-77 double-overtime loss to St. Catherine was the Cardinals' first overtime game of the season, and first since a two-point, 69-67 setback on Jan. 31, 2018 — also against St. Catherine. … Saint Mary's had not played a double-overtime game since beating Bethel 73-69 on Jan. 24, 2009. … Shayley Vesel (Austin, Minn.) scored a career-high 28 points in the Cardinals' 76-71 loss to Concordia last Wednesday. The effort was three points better than her previous career best, and the highest individual single-game total since Alexa Huisman poured in 32 against Hamline on Jan. 20, 2018. … With her 28-point effort against Concordia last Saturday, Vesel has now scored in double figures in all five of the Cardinals' games this season. … Brooklyn Paulson (Holmen, Wis.) chipped in 10 points against the Cobbers last Saturday. …  Vesel or Paulson have now led the Cardinals in scoring in each of their first five games. … Paulson has scored 10 or more points 17 times in her first two years as a Cardinal — including four games of 20 or more points. … The Cardinals put a season-high four players in double figures against St. Catherine last Wednesday. Joining Vesel and Paulson — who led the team with 18 points each — were Ewelina Schlomann (New Berlin, Wis.) and Claire Patterson (Marine, Minn.), who netted 15 and 12 points, respectively. … The 15-point effort was a career-best for Schlomann, who also hauled in a career-high eight boards against the Wildcats. … Vesel heads into Wednesday's game against Macalester averaging a team-leading 17.0 ppg, while Paulson (14.6 ppg) is also averaging in double figures. … Vesel, who recorded a team-high eight rebounds against Concordia last Saturday, owns a team-high 30 boards (6.0 rpg), with Jada Biermeier (Eau Claire, Wis.) second (28, 5.6 rpg) and Schlomann (18, 4.5 rpg) third. … Hallie Schmeling (Onalaska, Wis.) is the team-leader with 13 assists, two more than Patterson, while Vesel boasts team-highs with eight steals and three blocks. … Paulson — who knocked down a single-game career-high seven 3-pointers en route to her career-high 23-point showing against Augsburg on Jan. 5, 2019 —  leads the team with 14 treys, followed by Vesel with eight. … The Cardinals are shooting 35.4 percent from the field (109-for-308) — including 30-for-112 from behind the 3-point line — and are 68-for-96 from the free throw line. … The Cardinals netted a season-high 10 3-pointers against Concordia last Saturday. … The Cardinals' 77-point effort in last Wednesday's double-overtime loss to St. Catherine was a season high. … Saint Mary's enters Wednesday's matchup against Macalester averaging 63.2 ppg. … The Cardinals made their seventh  MIAC Tournament appearance in the last eight years a year ago, falling to Bethel 66-52 in the quarterfinals. … The Cardinals picked up their first win under head coach David Foley with their 87-76 triumph over Nebraska Wesleyan on Nov. 17, 2018.
 
Scouting The Macalester Scots:
2019-20 Roster | 2019-20 Schedule | 2019-20 Statistics
• Wednesday's game against Saint Mary's is the first of back-to-back road games this season for the Scots, who picked up their lone win of the season away from Leonard Center. … Last Saturday's 85-45 loss to Bethel extended Macalester's losing streak to three straight. … The Scots' 72-42 win over Johnson & Wales on Nov. 29 snapped their season-opening five-game losing streak. … Justine Barraza scored 19 points and Holly Hull delivered 12 rebounds to pace the Scots against Bethel last Saturday. … The Scots enter Wednesday's MIAC game at Saint Mary's boasting two players who are averaging in double figures in scoring — Barrraza (15.3 ppg) and Celine Sabbagh (12.8 ppg). … Macalester has three players — Holly Hull (56, 6.2 rpg), Katie Sowerby (50, 5.6 rpg), and Emma LaFrenz (50, 5.6 rpg) — with 50 or more rebounds through nine games. … Sowerby and Barraza lead the Scots in assists with 34 and 18, respectively, while Hull (12), Barraza (11), and Sowerby (10) lead the team in steals. … Barraza (16) and Sabbagh (11) have accounted for 27 of the Scots' 43 3-pointers this season. … As a team, Macalester is showing 36.7 percent from the field (195-for-531) and have knocked down 102 of 150 free throws. … Macalester is averaging 59.4 ppg, while the Scots' opponents are scoring at a 76.0 ppg clip. … The Scots scored a season-high 72 points in their 72-42 win over Johnson & Wales on Nov. 29. On the flip side, Macalester has allowed 80 or more points in a game four times, including a season-high 88 in falling to Bethany Lutheran 88-62 on Nov. 16. … The Scots were held to a season-low 45 points in last Saturday's 85-45 loss to Bethel.