WBB Preview: Blue Devils at St. Kate's Thursday, St. Mary's Friday

St. Catherine:  Live Stats | Live Video | St. Mary's:  Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio.

THIS WEEK'S GAMES:  The Blue Devils (0-2, 0-0 WIAC) will be at the  St. Catherine University (2-0, 0-0 MIAC), Thursday, Nov. 20 at 7:30 p.m. and at defending MIAC champion St. Mary's University (3-0, 0-0 MIAC), Friday, Nov. 21 at 7 p.m. St. Mary's downed UW-Eau Claire, Nov. 18.

MARK THOMAS INTERVIEWS: Throughout the season, Jimmie Kaska of Sports Radio 1400 AM will speak with head women's basketball coach Mark Thomas about the season. Listed are each of the interviews throughout the season. This week's interview  |  Listen to Interviews

WEBCASTS:  All UW-Stout home games will be available in a live video stream by Blue Devil Video, with Sam Ripp or Tom Schmelze  on the call. WMEQ 880 Radio, with Pete Knutson, 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. Any WIAC Championship Tournament basketball games will be not be video streamed live.

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.

STOUT THIS SEASON:  The Blue Devils come into the 2014-15 season with six seniors, the largest group of returning seniors in quite a few years. With two games under their belt this season, it is a newcomer that is leading the team in scoring. Sarah Schoch, a sophomore transfer, has scored in double digits in both games so far, tallying 14 in the opener and improving on that with 17 the next afternoon. Schoch is averaging 15.5 points per contest, shooting 61.1 percent (11-18) from the floor and 64.3 percent (9-14) from 3-point range. Jenna Goldsmith is averaging 9.5 points. The Blue Devils have been outscored 69-58.  | Complete 2014-15 Preview  | 2014-15 Statistics

STOUT LAST TIME OUT:  Several times, the UW-Stout women's basketball team would find themselves trailing by double digits. And several times the Blue Devils would pull to within striking range. But in the end, Carroll University pulled ahead enough to take a 74-59 win over the Blue Devils Sunday at the St. Norbert Tip-Off Classic.  Sarah Schoch led all scorers with 17 points. Haley Froehlich added 10.  |  Story and Box Score | Sophomore Jenna Goldsmith scored a career-best 15 poiints and Sarah Schoch  broke into double figures with 14 points in her first game as a UW-Stout player, but the Blue Devils fell to host St. Norbert College, 64-57, Saturday at the St. Norbert Tournament. | Story and Box Score

STOUT LAST SEASON:  Virtually out of the playoff picture as the season wore down, UW-Stout (11-5, 7-9 WIAC) put together a four-game winning streak to conclude the regular season and earned the fourth seed in the WIAC tournament. Sami Schoeder, Katelynne Folkers and Kyleigh Hebert earned All-WIAC honorable mention honors.

ST. CATHERINE UNIVERSITY:  St. Kate's took a trip to Boston, Mass., to open their season and came away a pair of wins over the Wentworth Instititure of Technology (W 81-58) and host Emerson College (W 59-47). St. Kate's is coming off a 4-21 overall finish, and a 3-19 finish in the MIAC. Gabby Zeher leads the Wildcats, averaging 15.0 point per contest and 6.5 rebounds. LaShay Holt has tossed in 13.5 points and 12 rebounds and Audra Clark has added 10.5 points.   | Wildcat Statistics

LAST TIME OUT:  The Wildcats took a pair of wins and LaShay Holt dominated the glass in the two contests, pulling down nine rebounds vs. Wentowrh and 15 boards against Emerson. Holt had 17 points in the season opener as the Wildcats ran out to a 43-24 halftime lead over Wentworth.  The score was tied at 19 apiece at halftime with Emerson, but St. Kate's limited Emerson to only 18 percent shooting in the second half to take the contest.   |  Wentworth Game Story and Stats | Emerson Game Story and Stats

LAST TIME STOUT AND ST. KATE'S MET:  Separated by only 75 miles, UW-Stout and St. Catherine have not played each other since the 1987-88 season, coach Mark Thomas' first year, with St. Kate's taking a 48-46 decision. St. Catherine has won all five meetings, with four meetings coming in the 1970s.  | Game Story and Stats 

THE SERIES:  St. Catherine leads the series, 5-0.

ST. MARY'S UNIVERSITY:  St. Mary's got one first place vote and has been selected to finish second in the MIAC behind St. Thomas. The Cardinals last season won the MIAC title and are ranked No. 23 in the D3hoops.com Preseason Top 25, while coming in at No. 24 in the USA Today Sports Coaches Preseason Poll. The Cardinals kicked off their season with a pair of nonconference wins last weekend at the St. Benedict Quinlivan & Hughes Tip-Off Tournament in St. Joseph, Minn. Saint Mary's opened with a 72-62 win over UW-River Falls last Saturday, and followed that up by holding off UM-Morris 68-65 on Sunday. Shelby Auseth has averaged 15.3 point over the Cardinals' three games, and had yanked down 7.3 rebounds. Bridget Pethke is averaging 13.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists, while Emma Schaefer is averaging 10.3 points and 4.0 rebounds. The Cardinals have outscored their opponents, 70.3-63.0.  | Cardinal Statistics

LAST TIME OUT:  After dominating the first half game in their first two games of the season, the Cardinals were staring at a 13 point first half deficit at UW-Eau Claire Tuesday, but pulled to a 29-29 first half tie. Eau Claire took a lead again early in the second half, but the Cardinals tied the score with six minutes left before taking control down the stretch, outscoring Eau Claire 19-8 the rest of the way for a 71-62 win.   |  Game Story and Stats

LAST TIME STOUT AND ST. MARY'S MET:  UW-Stout and St. Mary's have not played each other since the 1989-90 season with Stout taking a 79-64 win.   | Game Story and Stats 

THE SERIES:  St. Mary's leads the series, 3-2, winning the first three meetings of the two teams in the 1970s and Stout taking the two meetings during the 1980s.

AWARDS AND HONORS: Sarah Schoch was selected to the all-tournament team at the St. Norbert Tip-Off Classic...Sami Schoeder, Kyleigh Hebert, and Katelynne Folkers were All-WIAC honorable mention selections in 2013-14...Sami Schoeder was selected as the UW-Stout/Northwestern Mutual athlete of the week, Feb. 18...Kyleigh Hebert was selected as the UW-Stout/Northwestern Mutual athlete of the week Jan. 6.

TRADITION: In 10 of the last 15 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 12 of the last 15 years.

TEAM CAPTAINS:  Seniors Brea Boomer, Haley Froehlich and Katelynne Folkers, along with junior Kyleigh Hebert, are 2014-15 team captains.

THE COACHES: UW-Stout: Mark Thomas (443-277) is in his 28th 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.   St. Catherine University:  Sean Pinkerton is in his third year as the head coach at St. Catherine.   St. Mary's University: Mandy Pearson is in her eighth season as the head coach at St. Mary's, last year leading the Cardinals to their first MIAC title since the 1985-86 season.  Hamline University: xxx

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-Oshkosh, UW-La Crosse, UW-Stevens Point, UW- Platteville, UW-River Falls, UW-Superior, and UW-Whitewater.  Superior will be leaving the WIAC after this season.

UP NEXT:  The Blue Devils will be at Hamline University, Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m., then will host the UW-Stout Thanksgiving Turkey Shootout, Saturday, Nov. 29 and Sunday, Nov. 30. The tournament will be in a championship format and Stout will play St. Scholastica, Nov. 29 at 5 p.m. Gustavus Adolphus and the University of Dubuque will play at 1 p.m. to open the tournament. The consolation game will be Nov. 30 at 11 a.m. and the championship game at 3 p.m.


UW-Stout 2014-15 Season Highs (Updated November 18, 2014)

Points: 17, Sarah Schoch vs. Carroll University, Nov. 16, 2014
3-Pointers Made: 5 Sarah Schoch vs. Carroll University, Nov. 16, 2014
Rebounds: 10, Katelynne Folkers vs. St. Norbert College, Nov. 15, 2014
Assists: 3 (2x), Becca Smith vs. Carroll University, Nov. 16, 2014; Katelynne Folkers vs. St. Norbert College, Nov. 15, 2014
Steals: 3 (2x), Katelynne Folkers vs. Carroll University, Nov. 16, 2014; Jenna Goldsmith vs. St. Norbert College, Nov. 15, 2014

UW-Stout 2014-15 Team Season Highs (Updated November 18, 2014)

Points: 59 vs. Carroll University, Nov. 16, 2014
Field Goals Made: 21 vs. Carroll University, Nov. 16, 2014
Field Goal Percentage: .421 (21-51) vs. Carroll University, Nov. 16, 2014
3-Pointers Made: 6 vs. St. Norbert College, Nov. 15, 2014
Free Throws Made: 12 vs. Carroll University, Nov. 16, 2014
Free Throw Percentage: ..917 (11-12) vs. St. Norbert College, Nov. 15, 2014
Rebounds: 34 vs. St. Norbert College, Nov. 15, 2014
Assists: 13 vs.Carroll University,  Nov. 16, 2014
Steals: 12 vs. St. Norbert College, Nov. 15, 2014

UW-Stout Collegiate Career Highs (Updated November 18, 2014)

Becca Smith - #2
Points: 10 (2x) vs. UW-La Crosse, Feb. 19, 2014; vs. St. Joseph's, Jan. 1, 2014
Rebounds: 2 vs. St. Joseph's, Jan. 1, 2014
Assists: 3 vs. Carroll University, Nov. 16, 2014

Kyleigh Hebert - #4
Points: 22  vs. UW-Superior, Feb. 25, 2014
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: 7 vs. UW-Superior, Feb. 25, 2014
Rebounds: 6 (2x) vs. UW-Superior, Feb. 25, 2014; vs. Dubuque, Nov. 27, 2011
Assists: 1 (4x)

Haley Seifert - #10
Points: x
Rebounds: 1 vs . Carroll University, Nov. 16, 2014
Assists: x

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

Sarah Schoch - #23
Points: 17 vs. Carroll University, Nov. 16, 2014
Rebounds: 3 vs. St. Norbert College, Nov. 15, 2014
Assists: 1 vs. Carroll University, Nov. 16, 2014

Jessica Kreitz - #24
Points: 6 vs. North Central, Nov. 15, 2013
Rebounds: 7 vs. North Central, Nov. 15, 2013
Assists: 1 (3x) vs. Carroll University, Nov. 16, 2014; 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 (2x) vs. UW-Sueprior, Feb. 25, 2014; vs. UW-Eau Claire, Jan. 25, 2014
Rebounds: 1 (3x) vs. UW-Superior, Feb. 25, 2014; vs. UW-River Falls, Dec. 11, 2013; vs. St. Cloud State, Nov. 23, 2013
Assists: 2 vs.St. Cloud State, Nov. 23, 2013

Ann Rysavy - #31
Points: x
Rebounds: x
Assists: x

Anna Brown - #32
Points: x
Rebounds: 1 vs. Carroll University, Nov. 16, 2014
Assists: x

Katelynne Folkers - #34
Points: 16 vs. Hamline, Nov. 17, 2012
Rebounds: 20 vs. UW-La Crosse, Jan. 15, 2014
Assists: 6 vs. UW-Stevens Point, Feb. 22, 2014

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:15 vs. St. Norbert College, Nov. 15, 2014
Rebounds: 6 (3x) vs. UW-Whitewater, Feb. 1, 2014; vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 11, 2014; vs. Northwestern, Nov. 16, 2013
Assists: 2 vs. Carroll University, Nov. 16. 2014

Laura Sikora - $43
Points: 1 vs. Carroll University, Nov. 16, 2014
Rebounds: x
Assists: x

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 (4x) vs. UW-La Crosse, Feb. 19, 2014; vs. St. Joseph's, Jan. 1, 2014; vs. East Texas Baptist University, Dec. 30, 2012; vs. UW-La Crosse, Feb. 6, 2013

Anna Bunyan - #50
Points: x
Rebounds: x
Assists: x