WBB Preview: Blue Devils to entertain UW-River Falls tonight

Live Stats | Live Video

THIS WEEK'S GAMES:  The Blue Devils (3-6, 1-1 WIAC) will close out the first semester of play when they host UW-River Falls (1-6, 1-1 WIAC), Wednesday, Dec. 11 at 7 p.m..

WEBCASTS:  All UW-Stout home games will be available in a live video stream by Blue Devil Video, with Adam "Big Country" Lehnertz  on the call. WMEQ 880 Radio, with Jason Kenyon, Rob Silvers, Dan Schultz, Jimmie Kaska or Jake Bostrom, will broadcast and provide a live audio stream of away conference games and all Saturday WIAC doubleheaders. Stout will provide Live Stats for all home games. Check the Blue Devil Webcast page or under details of the schedule page to see broadcasts and Live Stats available when Stout is on the road.

CAREER STATS: Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this page to check out the UW-Stout career highs for points, rebounds and assists of each Blue Devil player.

THIS WEEK BY THE NUMBERS
23	Number of players on Stout's roster that have seen action this season.
4	Number of games Stout has forced more than 20 turnovers
2-7-3-11	Number of seniors - juniors - sophomores - freshmen on Stout roster
435 - 26	Number of wins for coach Mark Thomas in numbers of years he has been head coach at UW-Stout.

STOUT THIS SEASON:  After alternating wins and losses in their first four games, Stout has dropped four of their last five contests.  Three of their six losses have been by seven points or less.  Kyleigh Hebert has been a spark plug for the Blue Devils so far this year. The guard is tied for the team lead in scoring, averaging 9.9 points, leads the team in assists with 20 and is tied for the lead in steals with 20.   Shelby Sterba is tied with Hebert for the team lead in scoring, averaging 9.9 per game and leads the team in rebounds, averaging 5.8 per game.  Sterba also leads the team in blocks with 13.  Brea Boomer, a 2012-13 all-WIAC honorable mention selection is averaging 9.0 points and has averaged 5.1 rebounds. Sami Schoeder, one of only two seniors on the team, is averaging 9.0 points. Guard Katelynne Folkers is averaging 5.1 rebounds per contest and is tied for the team lead with 20 steals. The Blue Devils lead all WIAC teams in rebounds, averaging 43.6 per game.  They are second in offensive rebounds (16.56 per game) and third in turnover margin at +3.00. Stout has been outscored, 70.4-66.4.  The Blue Devils have shot just 18.5 percent from three so far this season. Stout has a roster of 23 players, 11 newcomers, 12 returners.  | 2013-14 Statistics

STOUT LAST TIME OUT: The Blue Devils defeated UW-Superior, 66-49, in the conference opener, Dec. 4, then lost to conference favorite UW-Whitewater, 85-50, Dec. 7.  |  UW-Superior Story and Box Score | UW-Whitewater Story and Box Score

STOUT LAST SEASON:  The Blue Devils finished the 2012-13 season with a 10-15 overall record, 4-12 in the WIAC, an eighth place finish. Eleven different players posted starts at one point throughout the season as injury swept through the team. Stout does return three of their four leading scorers from last year in Brea Boomer, Sami Schoeder and Katelynne Folkers. Boomer started 21 games, Schoeder 15 and Folkers 24. Stout was the fourth-ranked team in the conference in scoring (64.0), but was lost in points allowed (68.8) and eighth in scoring margin (minus-4.8). Stout led the league in steals (11.36), was fourth in blocked shots (2.84), first in offensive rebounds (15.28), fifth in defensive rebounds (25.16) and third in 3-point shots made (4.80).

SCOUTING RIVER FALLS:   The Falcons are 1-6 so far this season.  Their lone win was a 59-56 defeat of La Crosse.  Richell Mehus has been big for River Falls.  Mehus leads the team in scoring, averaging 11.4 points per game, is tied for the lead in assists with 11, leads the team in steals with 11 and is second on the team in rebounding, averaging 5.1 per game.  Tess Lueders leads the Falcons in rebounding, with an average of 6.9 per game, blocks with 11, is tied for the lead in assists with 11 and is second on the team in scoring, averaging 8.3 a game.  River Falls has been outscored 70.3-59.9 this season.  The Falcons have been pretty good on the boards.  They are averaging 41.7 rebounds per game compared to their opponents 36.7.  River Falls currently leads all WIAC teams in offensive rebounding, averaging 18.7 per game.  | 2013-14 Statistics

LAST TIME THEY MET:  The Falcons took both games from the Blue Devils last year.  They won game one in River Falls 72-61 and game two in Menomonie 73-65 in overtime. In the overtime contest, Stout held an early lead, only to see the Falcons just abour erase the lead by halftime. Midway through the second half, the Falcons had taken a 10-point lead before it was Stout's turn to storm back and send the game into overtime, but not before there were 10 lead changes in the final 10 minutes of regulation. The Falcons took the OT lead and never trailed. The Falcons' Richell Mehus and Brittany Gregorich each scored 15 points. Shelby Steba paced the Blue Devils with 14 points. River Falls have won the last six meetings between these two nearby rivals. Stout's last win came in the first round of the 2009-10 WIAC tournament, a 86-70 win in Menomonie.   | Game One | Game Two

TRADITION: In 10 of the last 14 seasons, Stout has been either the first or second leading scoring team in the WIAC. In the final team standings, Stout has finished no lower in the conference than fourth in 11 of the last 15 years

JOHNSON FIELDHOUSE: The "cozy confines of Johnson Fieldhouse" has proven to be quite an advantage for the Blue Devils. Since the 2000-01 season, Stout has posted a 123-34 (.784) record at home. In conference games at Johnson Fieldhouse since 2000-01, Stout has a 76-26 (.747) record. Throw in the conference tournament games, and Stout has an 90-26 (.779) overall record against WIAC opponents at home.

TEAM CAPTAINS:  Senior Sami Schoeder, junior Brea Boomer and sophomore Kyleigh Hebert are team captains for the 2013-14 season.

THE COACHES: UW-Stout: Mark Thomas (435-266) is in his 27th year as the coach of the Blue Devils. Thomas has led his teams to 10 national playoff berths, nine times in the NCAA. A six-time WIAC coach of the year, the Blue Devils have won five conference titles and four conference tournament championships. His teams have twice been to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament. Thomas is the first WIAC coach to have reached 400 career wins. Thomas also has the most wins of any Stout basketball coach, either men's or women's. Dwain Mintz coached the men's basketball program for 27 years and compiled a 385-280 record.  UW-River Falls: Cindy Holbrook is in her 14th season at River Falls.  The Falcons have made the WIAC playoffs in all of her previous 13 seasons.  Holbrook led the 2011-12 Falcons to a 21-7 overall record and the team's first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since the 1994-95 season.  Holbrook ranks ninth in career wins among WIAC coaches.  She came into this season with a record of 181-151.

THE ROAD TO 400 WINS: Mark Thomas' first collegiate win came the second game of his first season when his Blue Devils, which had won only two games over the previous two years, defeated Mt. Senario, 73-44, in November, 1987. The wins came more often after that. Thomas got his 50th win, Feb. 28, 1991, 71-60, over Cardinal Stritch. The 100th win came Jan. 10, 1994, an 80-59 win over UM-Morris. No. 200 came at UW-River Falls, a 78-74 victory on Jan. 5, 2000. Thomas' 300th win came in overtime, a 76-68 decision over UW-Stevens Point, Jan. 29, 2005. Thomas' 400th win came at UW-Stevens Point, a 90-76 decision, Feb. 3, 2010.

CONFERENCES: UW-Stout is a member of the nine-team Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) along with UW-Eau Claire, UW-La Crosse, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Platteville, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Superior, and UW-Whitewater.

UP NEXT:  Stout will travel to Colorado Springs, Colo., to participate in the Colorado College tournament, Dec. 31-Jan. 1. The Blue Devils will play Colorado College, Tuesday, Dec. 31, then St. Joseph's College of Brooklyn, NY, Wednesday, Jan. 1.


UW-Stout 2013-14 Season Highs (Updated Dec. 9, 2013)

Points: 18, Shelby Sterba vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 1, 2013; Kyleigh Hebert vs. St. Cloud State, Nov. 23, 2013, Sami Schoeder vs. UW-Whitewater, Dec. 7, 2013
3-Pointers Made: 4, Sami Schoeder, vs. Marian University, Nov. 19, 2013
Rebounds: 10, Shelby Sterba vs. Dakota State, Nov. 29, 2013
Assists: 4, Kyleigh Hebert vs. Winona State, Nov. 21, 2013
Steals: 6, Katelynne Folkers vs. Marian University, Nov. 19, 2013

UW-Stout Collegiate Career Highs (Updated Dec. 9, 2013)

Autumn Paulson - #1
Points: x
Rebounds: x
Assists: x

Becca Smith - #2
Points: 1 vs. Whitewater, Dec. 7, 2013
Rebounds: x
Assists: 1 vs. Dakota State, Nov. 29, 2013

Kyleigh Hebert - #4
Points: 18 vs. St. Cloud State, Nov. 23, 2013
Rebounds: 6 (5x) vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 1, 2013; vs. St. Cloud State, Nov. 23, 2013; vs. UW-Oshkosh, Feb. 16, 2013; vs. Eau Claire, Jan. 3, 2013; vs. UW-La Crosse, Jan. 16, 2013
Assists: 3 (4x) vas. UW-Superior, Dec. 5, 2013; vs. UW-Stevens Point, Jan. 9, 2013; vs. UW-Superior, Jan. 30, 2013; vs. UW-Platteville, Feb. 2, 2013; vs. Northwestern, Nov. 16, 2013

Caitlin Coombs - #5
Points: 5 vs. Concordia University Texas, Dec. 29, 2012
Rebounds: 6 vs. Dubuque, Nov. 27, 2011
Assists: 1 (4x)

Rachel Hanley - #10
Points: 12 vs. Martin Luther, Nov. 25, 2012
Rebounds: 4 vs. UW-Whitewater, Dec. 3, 2011
Assists: 5 (2x) vs. Marian University, Dec. 15, 2012; vs. Whitewater, Jan. 19, 2013

Tara Matter - #11
Points: 10 vs. Marian, Nov. 19, 2013
Rebounds: 7 vs. Northwestern, Nov. 16, 2013
Assists: 1 (3x) vs. Dakota State, Nov. 29, 2013; vs. Winona State, Nov. 21, 2013; vs. North Central, Nov. 15, 2013

Haley Froehlich - #13
Points: 12 (2x) vs. UW-Superior, Dec. 5, 2012; vs. UW-Platteville, Feb. 2, 2013
Rebounds: 7 vs. UW-La Crosse, Jan. 18, 2012
Assists: 3 (2x) vs. UW-River Falls, Jan. 23, 2013; vs. UW-Platteville, Feb. 2, 2013

McKayla Brunner - #14
Points: x
Rebounds: 1 vs. North Central, Nov. 15, 2013
Assists: 1 vs. North Central, Nov. 14, 2013

Brea Boomer - #15
Points: 22 (2x) vs. East Texas Baptist University, Dec. 20, 2012; vs. UW-Stevens Point, Jan. 9, 2013
Rebounds: 13 vs. UW-Platteville, Feb. 4, 2012
Assists: 3 (2x) vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 1, 2013; vs. UW-Platteville, Dec. 8, 2012

Sara Bedford - #20
Points: 10 vs. North Central, Nov. 15, 2013
Rebounds: 3 vs. Northwestern, Nov. 16, 2013
Assists: 1 (5x) vs. UW-Superior, Dec. 4, 2013; vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 1, 2013; vs. Dakota State, Nov. 29, 2013; vs. St. Cloud State, Nov. 23, 2013;  vs. North Central, Nov. 15, 2013

Maygan Mitchell - #22
Points: 12 vs. Crown College, Nov. 28, 2012
Rebounds: 8 vs. Crown College, Nov. 28, 2012
Assists: 3 vs. River Falls, Dec. 12, 2012

Jessica Kreitz - #24
Points: 6 vs. North Central, Nov. 15, 2013
Rebounds: 7 vs. North Central, Nov. 15, 2013
Assists: 1 (2x) vs. North Central, Nov. 15, 2013; vs. Northwestern, Nov. 16, 2013

Nikki Alexander - #25
Points: 9 vs. Winona State, Nov. 21, 2013
Rebounds: 7 (2x) vs. Winona State, Nov. 21, 2013; vs. North Central, Nov. 15, 2013
Assists: 2 (3x) vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 1, 2013; vs. St. Cloud State, Nov. 20, 2012; vs. Martin Luther College, Nov. 25, 2012

Jasmyne Hazelton - #30
Points: 2 vs. St. Cloud State, Nov. 23, 2013
Rebounds: 1 vs. St. Cloud State, Nov. 23, 2013
Assists: 2 vs.St. Cloud State, Nov. 23, 2013

Annie Herkenhoff - #31
Points: x
Rebounds: 4 vs. North Central, Nov. 15, 2013
Assists: 1 (2x) vs. St. Cloud State, Nov. 23, 2013; vs. Marian, Nov. 19, 2013

Sami Schoeder - #32
Points: 31 vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 8, 2011
Rebounds: 10 vs. Hamline, Nov. 17, 2012
Assists: 4 vs. Hamline, Nov. 17, 2012

Shelby Sterba - #33
Points: 18 vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 1, 2013
Rebounds: 10 vs. Dakota State, Nov. 29, 2013
Assists: 2 (3x) vs. Superior, Dec. 4, 2013; vs. UW-River Falls, Dec. 12, 2012; vs. Marian, Nov. 19, 2013

Katelynne Folkers - #34
Points: 16 vs. Hamline, Nov. 17, 2012
Rebounds: 9 (3x) vs. St. Cloud State, Nov. 20, 2012; vs. Concordia University Texas, Dec. 29, 2012; vs. UW-La Crosse, Feb. 6, 2013
Assists: 5 (4x) vs. St. Cloud State, Nov. 20, 2012; vs. St. Scholastica, Nov. 24, 2012; vs. Eau Claire, Jan. 3, 2013; vs. UW-La Crosse, Feb. 6, 2013

Stephanie Kastens - #35
Points: 6 vs. Whitewater, Jan. 19, 2013
Rebounds: 2 (3x) vs. Crown College, Nov. 28, 2012; vs. Marian, Dec. 15, 2012; vs. Whitewater, Jan. 19, 2013
Assists: 1 (3x) vs. North Central, Nov. 15, 2013; vs. St. Cloud State, Nov. 20, 2012; vs. North Central, Nov. 15, 2013

Jenna Goldsmith - #41
Points: 4 (3x) vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 1, 2013; vs. Winona State, Nov. 21, 2013; vs. Marian, Nov. 19, 2013
Rebounds: 6 vs. Northwestern, Nov. 16, 2013
Assists: 1 (2x) vs. North Central, Nov. 15, 2013; vs. Northwestern, Nov. 16, 2013

Hannah Schmitt - #42
Points: x
Rebounds: 1 (2x) vs. St. Cloud State, Nov. 23, 2013; vs. Whitewater, Dec. 7, 2013
Assists: 1 vs. Whitewater, Dec. 7, 2013

Katie Nickles - #44
Points: 9 (2x) vs. St. Scholastica, Nov. 24, 2012; vs. UW-La Crosse, Feb. 6, 2013
Rebounds: 9 vs. St. Scholastica, Nov. 24, 2012
Assists: 2 (2x) vs. East Texas Baptist University, Dec. 30, 2012; vs. UW-La Crosse, Feb. 6, 2013

Hannah Schwahn - #50
Points: x
Rebounds: x
Assists: x

The Last Time... (Updated Dec. 9, 2013)