WBB Preview: Blue Devils travel to River Falls tonight

UW-River Falls:  Live Stats | Live Audio

THIS WEEK'S GAMES:  The Blue Devils (6-12, 2-7 WIAC) will travel to UW-River Falls (4-13, 3-6 WIAC), Wednesday, Jan. 29, then will be home for a regionally televised contest on Fox Sports Wisconsin and Fox Sports North with UW-Whitewater (15-3, 9-0 WIAC), Saturday, Feb. 1 at 3 p.m. Both River Falls' Cindy Holbrook and Whitewater's Keri Carollo were assistant coaches for Blue Devil head coach Mark Thomas.

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. 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.
9	Number of games Stout has forced more than 20 turnovers
2-7-3-11	Number of seniors - juniors - sophomores - freshmen on Stout roster
438 - 27	Number of wins for coach Mark Thomas in numbers of seasons he has been head coach at UW-Stout.

STOUT THIS SEASON:  After losing their three previous conference games, Stout looks to get back to winning ways against UW-River Falls.  The Blue Devils have three players averaging nine points or more, Kyleigh Hebert at 9.9 per game, Sami Schoeder at 9.8 per game and Shelby Sterba at 9.0 per game.  Brea Boomer is averaging 8.7 points per game.  Eight different Blue Devils have led Stout in scoring at least once, Schoeder in seven games. Sterba has been the team's leading rebounder with 6.5 boards per contest, followed by Katelynne Folkers with 6.4.  Folkers is also averaging 6.4 points and leads the team in steals with 2.3 per contest.  Stout currently leads all WIAC opponents in rebounding, averaging 44.2 per game.  Stout is second amongst WIAC teams in steals, averaging 10.72 per game.  The Blue Devils are being outscored, 69.2-63.2. Stout has a roster of 23 players, 11 newcomers, 12 returners.  | 2013-14 Statistics

STOUT LAST TIME OUT: The Blue Devils lost to UW-Eau Claire, 76-50, Jan. 25.   |  UW- Eau Claire 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). 

UW-RIVER FALLS:  The Falcons have lost their previous four conference games heading into the matchup with the Blue Devils.  They are currently fourth in the conference in steals, averaging 9.59 per game.  River Falls is third in the conference in offensive rebounds, averaging 15.24 per game.  Hailey Siegle is the lone Falcon scoring double figures, averaging 10.6 per game.  Richell Mehus is second on the team in both scoring and rebounds, averaging  9.9 and 4.9 respectively.  Tess Lueders leads River Falls in rebounding with an average of 6.1 per game.  The Falcons are being outscored 68.8-59.6 this season.  | 2013-14 Statistics

LAST TIME THEY MET:  UW-River Falls defeated Stout 67-52 in their first meeting this season on December 11th.  Stout had three players score in double figures, but were unable to overcome 26 turnovers in the game. | Game One

UW-WHITEWATER:  Whitewater, currently ranked 12th in the D3 Hoops top 25, is on a current seven game winning streak.  The Warhawks are yet to lose in the 2014 calendar.  Whitewater leads all WIAC teams in multiple categories including; scoring (80.9 per game), free throw percentage (.766), three point field goal percentage (.359), steals (11.78 per game) and three point field goals made (6.89 per game).  Mary Merg leads the Warhawks in scoring, averaging 13.8 points per game.  Amy Mandrell leads the team in rebounding, averaging 6.8 per game.  Mandrell is also third on the team in scoring, averaging 12.1 per game.  | 2013-14 Statistics

LAST TIME THEY MET:  Sami Schoeder scored 18 points but it wasn't enough, as the Blue Devils fell 85-50 at UW-Whitewater.  | Game One

AWARDS AND HONORS: Kyleigh Hebert was selected as the UW-Stout/Northwestern Mutual athlete of the week Jan. 6.

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

TV TIME: The Blue Devils will play twice on live television this season, both times at home. Stout will host UW-Whitewater, Saturday, Feb. 1 at 3 p.m. on Fox Sports Wisconsin and Fox Sports North, as well as Saturday, Feb. 15 against UW-Platteville, at 3 pm. These games will not be available in a live video stream.

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 (438-272) 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 (192-164) is in the midst of her 14th season with the Falcons. Holbrook played her college basketball at UW-Stout under coach Thomas and was an assistant coach at Stout before going to UW-River Falls.  UW-Whitewater: Kari Carollo is in her 12th season as the coach of the Warhawks.  She has an overall record of 207-102.  In that time she has led the Warhawks to three WIAC titles and six national tournament appearances.  Carollo spent three seasons on coach Thomas' staff at Stout.

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 and UW-Eau Claire are members of the nine-team Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) along with UW-Oshkosh, UW-La Crosse, UW-Stevens Point, UW- Platteville, UW-River Falls, UW-Superior, and UW-Whitewater.

UP NEXT:  Stout will be at UW-Oshkosh, Saturday, Feb. 8 for a 3 p.m. contest.

UW-Stout 2013-14 Season Highs (Updated Jan. 28, 2014)

Points: 23, Hayley Froehlich vs. Colorado College, Dec. 31, 2013
3-Pointers Made: 5, Hayley Froehlich vs. Colorado College, Dec. 31, 2013
Rebounds: 20, Katelynne Folkers vs. UW-La Crosse, Jan. 15, 2014
Assists: 7, Kyleigh Hebert vs. Colorado College, Dec. 31, 2013
Steals: 6, Katelynne Folkers vs Colorado College, Dec. 31, 2013; Katelynne Folkers vs. Marian University, Nov. 19, 2013

UW-Stout Collegiate Career Highs (Updated Jan. 28, 2014)

Autumn Paulson - #1
Points: x
Rebounds: 1 vs. UW-Eau Claire, Jan. 25, 2014
Assists: x

Becca Smith - #2
Points: 10 vs. St. Joseph's, Jan. 1, 2014
Rebounds: 2 vs. St. Joseph's, Jan. 1, 2014
Assists: 2 (2x) vs. UW-Eau Claire, Jan. 4, 2014; vs. Colorado College, Dec. 31, 2013

Kyleigh Hebert - #4
Points: 18 vs. St. Cloud State, Nov. 23, 2013
Rebounds: 6 (6x) vs. St. Joseph's, Jan. 1, 2014; vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 1, 2013; vs. St. Cloud State, Nov. 23, 2013; vs. UW-Oshkosh, Feb. 16, 2013; vs. UW-Eau Claire, Jan. 3, 2013; vs. UW-La Crosse, Jan. 16, 2013
Assists: 7 vs. Colorado College, Dec. 31, 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 (2x) vs. UW-Eau Claire, Jan. 4, 2014; 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: 23 vs. Colorado College, Dec. 31, 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 (3x) vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 11, 2014; 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: 2 vs. UW-Oshkosh, Jan. 18, 2014

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: 3 vs. UW-Eau Claire, Jan. 25, 2014
Rebounds: 1 (2x) vs. UW-River Falls, Dec. 11, 2013; vs. St. Cloud State, Nov. 23, 2013
Assists: 2 vs.St. Cloud State, Nov. 23, 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 (2x) vs. St. Joseph's, Jan. 1, 2014; vs. Dakota State, Nov. 29, 2013
Assists: 2 (4x) vs. UW-Eau Claire, Jan. 4, 2014; 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: 20 vs. UW-La Crosse, Jan. 15, 2014
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: 4 vs. UW-Oshkosh, Jan. 18, 2014
Assists: 1 (4x) vs. UW-Eau Claire, Jan. 25, 2014; vs. North Central, Nov. 15, 2013; vs. St. Cloud State, Nov. 20, 2012; vs. North Central, Nov. 15 2013

Jenna Goldsmith - #41
Points:12 vs UW-La Crosse, Jan. 15, 2014
Rebounds: 6 (2x) vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 11, 2014; 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 (3x) vs. St. Joseph's, Jan. 1, 2014; vs. East Texas Baptist University, Dec. 30, 2012; vs. UW-La Crosse, Feb. 6, 2013

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