By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University women's basketball team returns to Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on Wednesday, as the Cardinals head to Macalester's Leonard Center for a 7 p.m. showdown with the Scots.
 
The Matchup:
• Saint Mary's Cardinals (1-11 MIAC, 1-16 Overall) at Macalester Scots (0-12 MIAC, 1-16 Overall)
 
GameDay Live On The Web:
• Live Stats * Live Video
 
Last Action:
• Saint Mary's­­ — January 25, 2020 * Skoglund Center * Northfield, Minn.: Brooklyn Paulson (Holmen, Wis.) scored a career-high 27 points, but it was not enough, as St. Olaf held off a furious Saint Mary's rally down the stretch in dealing the Cardinals a 73-71 setback at Skoglund Center | Recap
• Macalester — January 25, 2020 * Leonard Center * St. Paul, Minn.: Holly Hull led a trio of Scots in double figures with 18 points, but it was not enough, as nationally ranked Gustavus slowly pulled away in dealing Macalester an 82-65 MIAC setback | Recap
 
Saint Mary's vs. Macalester — Earlier This Year:
• November 11, 2019 * Saint Mary's Gym * Winona, Minn.: The Cardinals got a clutch 3-pointer from Brooklyn Paulson (Holmen, Wis.) in the waning seconds to force overtime, and then outscored Macalester 11-9 in the extra session en route to a 70-68 conference victory | 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 once again back on the road on Saturday, heading to Concordia's Memorial Auditorium for a 3 p.m. MIAC matchup against the Cobbers.
• Macalester: The Scots take to the road on Saturday, traveling across town to Bethel's Robertson Center Gym in Arden Hills, Minn., to take on the Royals in a 3 p.m. MIAC contest.
 
Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals:
2019-20 Roster | 2019-20 Schedule | 2019-20 Statistics
• Wednesday's game at Macalester is the fourth of five straight road games for the Cardinals, who are in the midst of playing 11 of 13 games away from the Saint Mary's Gym. … Last Saturday's 73-71 loss to St. Olaf marked the second straight two-point loss for the Cardinals — who have now played seven games decided by four points or less. … Brooklyn Paulson (Holmen, Wis.) scored a career-high 27 points in the Cardinals 73-71 loss to St. Olaf last Saturday. … Paulson's 27 points against St. Olaf marked the second time this season the sophomore has recorded a career-high in scoring. She netted a then-career-best 26 points against Hamline on Jan. 11. …  Paulson's 27-point effort marked the second straight game in which the Cardinals' leading scorer finished with a career-high in points — Ashley Streveler (Colby, Wis.) scored a career-high 11 points to lead the Cardinals in their 55-53 loss to St. Catherine on Jan. 20. … With her 11-point effort against St. Catherine on Jan. 20, Streveler became the fifth different player to lead the Cardinals in scoring this season, joining Shayley Vesel (Austin, Minn.), Paulson, Ewelina Schlomann (New Berlin, Wis.), and Claire Patterson (Marine, Minn.). … The Cardinals boast four players who have scored a single-game career-high of 10 or more points this season — Vesel (28 v. Concordia on Dec. 7), Paulson (27 v. St. Olaf on Jan. 25), Schlomann (15 v. Macalester on Dec. 11), and Streveler (11 v. St. Catherine on Jan. 22). … Paulson netted 26 points and Vesel added 23 in the Cardinals' 82-80 overtime loss to Hamline on Jan. 11, marking the second time this season the Cardinal duo has each scored 20 or more points in the same game — Vesel tallied 25 and Paulson added 23 against UW-Stevens Point on Dec. 30. … Vesel has scored 20 or more points four times this season. … Vesel's 28-point effort against Concordia on Dec. 7 was the highest individual single-game total since Alexa Huisman poured in 32 against Hamline on Jan. 20, 2018. … Paulson has scored 10 or more points 24 times in her first two years as a Cardinal — including seven games of 20 or more points. … The Cardinals put a season-high four players in double figures against St. Catherine in the teams' first meeting on Dec. 4 — Vesel (18), Paulson (18), Schlomann (15), and Patterson (12). … Vesel heads into Wednesday's conference game at Macalester averaging a team-leading 15.3 ppg, while Paulson (13.0 ppg) is also averaging in double figures. … Rachel Kedl (Lamberton, Minn.) holds the team lead in rebounds with 76 (5.1 rpg), followed by Vesel (70, 4.7 rpg) and Jada Biermeier (63, 3.7 rpg). … Hallie Schmeling (Onalaska, Wis.) is the team-leader with 41 assists, five more than Patterson, while Vesel boasts a team-high 34 steals. … Biermeier owns a team-high six blocked shots, followed by Vesel with five. … Paulson — who knocked down a single-game career-high seven 3-pointers against Augsburg on Jan. 5, 2019 — leads the team with 36 treys, followed by Vesel with 21. … The Cardinals are shooting 35.2 percent from the field (364-for-1034) — including 98-for-372 from behind the 3-point line — and are 206-for-307 from the free throw line. … The Cardinals have netted a season-high 10 3-pointers three this season — vs. St. Olaf on Jan. 25, vs. Concordia on Dec. 7 and against UW-Stevens Point on Dec. 30. … Saint Mary's set season-highs for free throws made (23) against St. Olaf last Saturday. … Saint Mary's 82-80 loss to Hamline on Jan. 11 was the Cardinals' third overtime game of the season. The three overtime games are the most since Saint Mary's went into OT three times during the 1997-98 campaign. … All three of Saint Mary's OT games have been decided by two points — the Cardinals beat Macalester 70-68 in OT on Dec. 11, while falling to St. Catherine 79-77 in double overtime on Dec. 4, and losing to Hamline 82-80 last Saturday. … The Cardinals' 79-77 loss to St. Catherine on Dec. 4 was its first double-overtime game since beating Bethel 73-69 on Jan. 24, 2009. … The Cardinals' 80-point effort in their 82-80 loss to Hamline on Jan. 11 were a season-high. … Saint Mary's, which is averaging 60.7 ppg, has scored 70 or more points six times this season. … The Cardinals have already played six games this season against teams ranked nationally — having faced No. 7 Wartburg, No. 8 UW-Oshkosh, No. 17 UW-Whitewater, No. 17 Gustavus, No. 22 St. Thomas, and No. 25 Bethel. … With their 70-68 MIAC win over Macalester on Dec. 11, the Cardinals snapped their season-opening five-game losing streak.
 
Scouting The Macalester Scots:
2019-20 Roster | 2019-20 Schedule | 2019-20 Statistics
• Wednesday's game against Saint Mary's is the second of back-to-back home games for the Scots, who are in the midst of playing four of five contests on their home floor — the lone exception, Saturday's upcoming matchup at Bethel. … Last Saturday's 82-65 loss to Gustavus pushed Macalester's losing streak to 11 straight. The Scots have not won since beating Johnson & Wales 72-42 on Nov. 29. … Holly Hull scored a team-high 18 points against Gustavus last Saturday, while Justine Barraza (11) and Celine Sabbagh (10) also finished in double figures. … Barraza enters Wednesday's MIAC matchup against Saint Mary's averaging a team-leading 13.9 ppg, while Sabbagh is also averaging in double figures at 10.8 ppg. … Hull is the team's rebounding leader with 102 (6.0 rpg), followed by Sabbagh with 71 (4.2 rpg). … Katie Sowerby has dished out a team-high 62 assists, while Barraza also leads the team in steals with 20, three more than Hull. … Macalester has drained 81 3-pointers through 17 games, led by Barraza with 24 and Solana Cushing with 21. Sabbagh (16) and Luci Swift (10) have also knocked down 10 or more 3-pointers this season. … As a team, the Scots are shooting 36.0 percent from the field (361-for-1002) — including 81-for-312 (26.0 percent) from behind the arc — and are 178-for-270 (65.9 percent) from the free throw line. … Macalester, which is averaging 57.7 ppg, scored a season-high 72 points in beating Johnson & Wales 72-32 on Nov. 29, but has been held under 60 points in 11 of its 16 losses.