WBB Preview: Blue Devils host UW-River Falls Saturday at 3 p.m.

Home Games: Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio |

THIS WEEK'S GAMES: The Blue Devils (6-6, 0-1 WIAC) will kick off WIAC home action Saturday, Jan. 9 when they host UW-River Falls (10-2, 1-0 WIAC) at 3 p.m. Stout lost to undefeated UW-Whitewater Wednesday in the conference opener, while the Falcons upended conference favorite UW-Oshkosh Wednesday in their season opener.

WEBCASTS: All UW-Stout home games will be available in a live video stream by Blue Devil Video, with Sam Ripp on the call. WMEQ 880 Radio, with Pete Knutson, Jay Fahl 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.

A LOOK AT UW-STOUT: Jenna Goldsmith is leading the Blue Devils with 12.7 points and 8.1 rebounds. Goldsmith put together back-to-back double-doubles during Stout's trip to Nashville, Tenn. Kyleigh Hebert is averaging 11.1 points and Sarah Schoch 10.1 points. Schoch had a stretch of three consecutive games where she scored 14 points. Hebert is pulling down 4.8 rebounds and leads the team in assists with 5.1 per game. Hebert has had five or more assists in nine of the Blue Devils' 12 games. Freshman Bailey Diersen is averaging 8.5 points, and had another good night in the loss to undefeated UW-Whitewater Wednesday. The Blue Devils' first year players (freshmen and transfers) are averaging 35.7 combined points.Stout is averaging a conference-best 75.7 points and are giving up 70.0 points. | 2015-16 Statistics

CONFERENCE STANDINGS: The Blue Devils are the top scoring team in the WIAC (75.7) and lead the WIAC in steals (10.75) and assists (15.58). Jenna Goldsmith is seventh in scoring, Kyleigh Hebert is 13th and Sarah Schoch is 18th. Goldsmith is fourth in rebounds and Hebert is 17th. Goldsmith, who led the conference in shooting percentage last season, is currently second (.517). Hebert leads the league in assists (5.08) and is second in steals (2.75). Sophomore Nicole Schaub is seventh in 3-point field goals made (1.42) and eighth in 3-point field goal percentage (.347). Goldsmith is second in blocks (2.75) and had eight against St. Mary's University.

A UW-STOUT PREVIEW: UW-Stout has six letterwinners back from a year ago and a roster that includes four seniors, four juniors, three sophomores and seven freshmen - these totals include three transfers (one sophomore, one junior, one senior). Three of the top-five scorers return, including junior forward Jenna Goldsmith, who led the WIAC with a .542 field goal percentage and topped the team with 12.0 points per contest. Senior guard Kyleigh Hebert contributed 9.0 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. The Blue Devils will play three of their first eight games at home - all three in November. Jenna Goldsmith earned All-WIAC honors last season and averaged 12 points per game and was second on the team in rebounds with 6.0 rebounds. Goldsmith scored a career-high 21 points against UW-Oshkosh. Kyleigh Hebert has been a regular since transferring to Stout midway through her freshman year and last season led the team in assists and averaged 9.0 points. Hebert will work some at the point, but will predominately be out on the wing. Sarah Schoch led the team in 3-point shots, dropping in 31 to finished ninth in the WIAC. | 2014-15 Statistics

STOUT LAST TIME OUT: UW-Whitewater used a 12-0 run midway through the third period to put some separation between themselves and UW-Stout and went on to a 72-60 win Wednesday at Kachel Gymnasium in a WIAC opener for both teams.  Stout's Kyleigh Hebert led all scorers with 15 points, going 6-of-7 from the field. Bailey Diersen came off the bench to score 12 points. | Story and Box Score


SCOUTING UW-RIVER FALLS: UW-River Falls embraces the return of all five starters from the 2014-15 campaign, as well as all 11 of its top scorers. Junior forward Kate Theisen led the squad with 11.8 points per contest, while sophomore forward Taylor Karge was second with 11.2 points per game and senior guard Richell Mehus third with 10.2 points per contest. Theisen was fourth in the conference with a .488 field goal percentage and fifth with a .830 free-throw percentage. Karge was third in the league with 35 blocked shots, while Mehus was fourth with 57 steals. The Falcons will play five of their first nine games at Karges Center. During the 2015-16 season, Taylor Karge ranks fourth in the WIAC in scoring with 14.2 points and leads the league in field goal percentage (.537). Brynn Liljander is close behind with 12.3 points. Karge is averaging 4.8 rebounds and Liljander 4.3. The duo also are on top of the league in free throw percentage with Karge dropping 83.7 percent of her charity shots. Richell Mehus leads the WIAC in steals (3.0). The Falcons are averaging 66.8 points and are giving up 58.6 points. The Falcons' only losses have been to Luther College and Messiah College.   | 2015-16 Falcon Statistics

FALCONS LAST TIME OUT: On the road in a hostile environment, the UW- River Falls women's basketball team knocked off  No. 13 ranked UW-Oshkosh Titans 76-69, led by senior Richell Mehus with a career high 30 points on 12-18 shooting. Two clutch free throws by Kate Theisen the Falcons were back up by seven points with just over a minute to go, and eventually made enough free throws down the stretch to win the game by a score of 76-69 on the road. With Mehus stealing the spotlight with 30 points, Taylor Karge scored 15 on the night and had six rebounds. Theisen scored 15 points and completed the double-double with 10 rebounds, four of which were offensive. Katie Messman scored seven points, Brynn Liljander scored four points and Hannah Pignato and Taylor Augustine had three and two points respectively. | Game Story and Statistics

LAST TIME STOUT AND RIVER FALLS MET: The two teams split last year's series, with both teams winning on their own floor. The Blue Devils captured a 57-55 win in Johnson Fieldhouse last January, but dropped a 51-49 decision at River Falls in February.  | Game One Story and Statistics | Game Two Story and Statistics


SCOUTING UW-WHITEWATER: The Warhawks are led by Abbie Reeves with 11.5 points per game and Brooke Trewyn with 10.8 points. Trewyn is the team's leading rebounder, pulling down 6.8. Andrea Meinert is averaging 9.0 points, coming off the bench in 10 of 11 games. The Warhawks were ranked 12th in the December 13 D3hoops.com Top 25 poll. As a team, the Warhawks are scoring 73.8 points and giving up 55.6 points. UW-Whitewater brings back all five starters from a year ago and is slotted for second in the eight-team league race. The Warhawks have won four of the last eight WIAC regular-season titles and had a 24-game conference regular-season win streak spanning 2012-14. Senior guard Abbie Reeves started all 26 games last season and led the league with 59 three-point field goals made and a .415 three-point field goal percentage (59-of-142). She topped the team with 10.7 points per game. Senior forward Lisa Palmer topped the squad with 7.7 rebounds per contest and added 7.4 points per game. UW-Whitewater will play just two home games prior to the calendar turning to 2016 – a span of 11 games. The Warhawks have made NCAA Division III appearances seven of the last eight years. | 2015-16 Statistics

WARHAWKS LAST TIME OUT: Senior guard Jaya Perkins hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 35 seconds remaining Dec. 31 to lead the No. 12 Whitewater to a 76-73 double overtime victory over 25th-ranked Luther (Iowa) in a non-conference contest at JustaGame Fieldhouse in Wisconsin Dells. The Warhawks improved to 11-0 with the win in their non-conference finale, entering Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play next week with an unblemished mark for the first time since the 2007-08 season. The Luther win was by far the Warhawks closest game of the season. Whitewater has been outscoring their opponents by an average of just over 18 points. Whitewater took a 61-42 win over Edgewood College a day earlier. | Luther Game Story and Statistics

LAST TIME STOUT AND WHITEWATER MET: UW-Stout's Katelynne Folkers was not about to go away quietly, Feb. 21, 2015, in Whitewater. Playing in her final game as a Blue Devil and in Stout's final game of the season, Folkers scored a career-best 20 points to lead all scorers, but Whitewater would prevail, 69-66, at Kachel Gym. The Warhawks won the team's first meeting in Menomonie, 74-69.  | Game Two Story and Statistics | Game One Story and Statistics


JOINING THE MIAC?: When the Blue Devils play St. Mary's University, it will mark the final regular season game with a member of the MIAC. With the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) freeing up their schedule to allow for more non-conference games, and UW-Superior leaving the WIAC, freeing up two game spots, it became obvious the Stout would play more MIAC schools in the future. Stout will face off against six MIAC schools - St. Benedict, Gustavus Adolphus, Augsburg College, Hamline University, St. Catherine and St. Mary's University - that's half of the 12 MIAC women's basketball teams.

AWARDS AND HONORS: Jenna Goldsmith was selected as the UW-Stout/Northwestern Mutual Athlete of the Week, Dec. 1......Jenna Goldsmith was a first team all-conference selection in 2014-15 (last season) Brea Boomer was selected as the UW-Stout/Northwestern Mutual Athlete of the Week, Jan. 13...Kyleigh Hebert was named to the all-tournament team at the DePauw University Amy Hasbrook Classic in December...Jenna Goldsmith was selected as the UW-Stout/Northwestern Mutual Athlete of the Week, Dec. 8...Sarah Schoch was selected to the all-tournament team at the St. Norbert Tip-Off Classic... Kyleigh Hebert and Katelynne Folkers were All-WIAC honorable mention selections in 2013-14.

TEAM CAPTAINS: Team captains for the 2015-16 season are Maygan Mitchell, Kyleigh Hebert, Jenna Goldsmith and Sarah Schoch.

THE COACHES: UW-Stout: Mark Thomas (454-300) 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 under Thomas' tutelage. 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-Whitewater: Keri Carollo (258-120) is in her 14th season at UW-Whitewater. Carollo guided the Warhawks to back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Division III Tournament semifinals in 2013 and 2014. UW-Whitewater finished as national runner-up in 2013 and in third place in 2014 to earn two of the four highest national finishes in program history. Carollo also led the team to a third-place finish in 2008, when the program made its first of seven consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament. Carollo was an assistant coach (1999-01) and associate head coach (2001-02) at UW-Stout before moving to Whitewater. While at Stout, the team ranked in the top three of the WIAC during each season and won a conference championship in the 2001-02 season. Associate head coach Amy Zelinger played for the Blue Devils from 1999-2002 and is a member of the UW-Stout Athletic Hall of Fame.  UW-River Falls: Cindy Holbrook (213-188) is in her 16th season at River Falls. Holbrook is the only person to have been named a WIAC Coach of the Year (2001) and WIAC Player of the Year (1994). Holbrook, playing as Cindy Hovet, was a two-time All-WIAC selection for UW-Stout, is currently fourth on the Blue Devils all-time scoring list (1231) and was inducted into the UW-Stout Hall of Fame in 2005. She also holds the school record for most points in a single game with 39.

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, and UW-Whitewater. Superior left the WIAC after last season.

UP NEXT: The Blue Devils will host UW-Eau Claire, Wednesday, Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. as the league begins its second week of play. The Blue Devils will be at UW-Platteville, Saturday, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m.


UW-Stout 2015-16 Season Highs (Updated January 7, 2016)

Points: 25, Sarah Schoch vs. Hamline University, Nov. 24, 2015
3-Pointers Made: 5, Sarah Schoch vs. Hamline University, Nov. 24, 2015
Rebounds: 12, Jenna Goldsmith vs. Simpson College, Nov. 21, 2015
Assists: 8, (2x) Kyleigh Hebert vs. Hamline University, Nov. 24, 2015 and vs. Simpson College, Nov. 21, 2015
Steals: 5, (2x) Kyleigh Hebert vs. Hamilton, Dec. 30, 2015; Sarah Schoch vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 15, 2015
Blocks: 8, Jenna Goldsmith vs. St. Mary's, Jan. 2, 2016
Double-Doubles: Jenna Goldsmith 16 pts, 11 rbs vs. Hamilton, Dec. 30, 2015; Jenna Goldsmith 21 pts, 12 rbs vs. Penn State-Behrend, Dec. 29, 2015; Jenna Goldsmith 23 pts, 12 rbs vs. Simpson College, Nov. 21, 2015; (2014-15) Jenna Goldsmith (3x) 14 pts, 10 rbs vs. UW-La Crosse, Dec. 6, 2014; 13 pts, 14 rbs, vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 3, 2015; 21 pts, 10 rbs vs. UW-Oshkosh, Jan. 31, 2015; Katelynne Folkers (2x) 14 pts, 10 rbs, vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 3, 2015; 10 pts, 12 rbs vs. UW-River Falls, Jan. 21, 2015; Brea Boomer 18 pts, 12 rbs vs. UW-Eau Claire, Jan. 7, 2015.

UW-Stout 2015-16 Team Season Highs (Updated January 7, 2016)

Points: 87 vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 15, 2015
Points in First Half: 48 vs. Penn State Behrend, Dec. 29, 2015
Points in Second Half: 43 vs. Augsburg College, Nov. 23, 2015
Points in First Quarter: 26 (2x) vs. Penn State Behrend, Dec. 29, 2015; vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 15, 2015
Points in Second Quarter: 27 vs. Simpson College, Nov. 21, 2015
Points in Third Quarter: 26 vs. University of Duquque, Dec. 8, 2015
Points in Fourth Quarter: 25 vs. Simpson College, Nov. 21, 2015
Field Goals Made: 33 vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 15, 2016
Field Goal Percentage: .500 vs. Augsburg College, Nov. 23, 2015
3-Pointers Made: 10 (2x) vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 15, 2015; vs. Hamline University, Nov. 24, 2015
Free Throws Made: 24 (2x) vs. Hamilton, Dec. 30, 2015; vs. Simpson College, Nov. 21, 2015
Free Throw Percentage: .786 vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 15, 2015
Rebounds: 53 vs. St. Mary's, Jan. 3, 2016
Assists: 24 vs. Hamline University, Nov. 24, 2015
Steals: 16 (3x) vs. Penn State-Behrend, Dec. 30, 2015; vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 15, 2015; vs. Gustavus Adolphus, Nov. 20, 2015

UW-Stout Collegiate Career Highs (Updated January 7, 2016)

Dana Karlstad - #2
Points: 5 vs. Hamline University, Nov. 24, 2015
Rebounds: 2 vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 15, 2015
Assists: x

Kyleigh Hebert - #4
Points: 22 vs. UW-Superior, Feb. 25, 2014
Rebounds: 9 vs. Hamline, Nov. 25, 2014
Assists: 8 (2x) vs. Hamline University, Nov. 24, 2015; vs. Simpson College, Nov. 21, 2015

Kyncaide Diedrich - #5
Points: 10 vs.Gustavus Adolphus, Nov. 20, 2015
Rebounds: 4 vs. Gustavus Adolphus, Nov. 20, 2015
Assists: 4 (2x) vs. St. Kate's, Nov. 29, 2015; vs. Hamline University, Nov. 24, 2015

Haley Seifert - #10
Points: 11 vs. Simpson College, Nov. 21, 2015
Rebounds: 4 vs. Hamilton, Dec. 30, 2015
Assists: 5 vs. Hamline University, Nov. 24, 2015

Shannan Watkins - #11
Points: 13 vs. Augsburg College, Nov. 23, 2015
Rebounds: 6 vs. Dubuque, Dec. 8, 2015
Assists: 4 vs. Penn State Behrend, Dec. 29, 2015

Hunter Hickey - #13
Points: 4 vs. Dubuque, Dec. 8, 2015
Rebounds: 2 vs. Hamline University, Nov. 24, 2015
Assists: 1 (2x) vs. Hamline University, Nov. 24, 2015' vs. Augsburg College, Nov. 23, 2015

Bailey Diersen - #20
Points: 19 vs. St. Kate's, Nov. 29, 2015
Rebounds: 7 vs. Gustavus Adolphus, Nov. 20, 2015
Assists: 3 vs. Hamline University, Nov. 24, 2015

Maygan Mitchell - #22
Points: x
Rebounds: x
Assists: x

Sarah Schoch - #23
Points: 25 vs. Hamline University, Nov. 24, 2015
Rebounds: 9 vs. St. Benedict, Nov. 14, 2015
Assists: 4 vs. Simpson College, Nov. 21, 2015

Danielle Adams - #25
Points: 9 vs. Simpson College, Nov. 21, 2015
Rebounds: 7 vs. St. Kate's, Nov. 29, 2015
Assists: 2 (2x) vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 15, 2015; vs. St. Benedict, Nov. 14, 2015

Carolyn Feddema - #30
Points: 5 (2x) vs. Dubuque, Dec. 8, 2015; vs. Hamline University, Nov. 24, 2015
Rebounds: 6 vs. Dubuque, Dec. 8, 2015
Assists: 1 (2x) vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 15, 2015; vs. Dubuque, Dec. 8, 2015

Anna Brown - #32
Points: 6 (2x) vs. Hamilton, Dec. 30, 2015; vs. St. Kate's, Nov. 29, 2015
Rebounds: 5 (2x) vs. St. Kate's, Nov. 29, 2015; vs. Augsburg College, Nov. 23, 2015
Assists: 1 (3x) vs. St. Kate's, Nov. 29, 2015; vs. Millsaps College, Dec. 28, 2014; vs. University of Dubuque, Nov. 30, 2014

Nicole Schaub - #33
Points: 15 vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 15, 2015
Rebounds: 5 vs. Gustavus Adolphus, Nov. 20, 2015
Assists: 2 vs. St. Benedict, Nov. 14, 2015

Stephanie Kastens - #35
Points: 13 vs. Hamilton, Dec. 30, 2015
Rebounds: 4 (5x) vs. UW-Whitewater, Jan. 6, 2016; vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 15, 2015; vs. Gustavus.Adolphus, Nov. 20, 2015; UW-Platteville, Jan. 3, 2015; vs. UW-Oshkosh, Jan. 18, 2014
Assists: 2 vs. Hamline, Nov. 25, 2014

Jenna Goldsmith - #41
Points: 23 vs. Simpson College, Nov. 21, 2015
Rebounds: 14 vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 3, 2015
Assists: 2 (2x) vs. St. Kate's, Nov. 29, 2015; vs. Carroll University, Nov. 16. 2014

Breanna Vyskocil - #44
Points: 2 (3x) vs. Hamline Unviersity, Nov. 24, 2015; vs. Augsburg College, Nov. 23, 2015; vs. Simpson College, Nov. 21, 2015
Rebounds: 2 vs. Hamline University, Nov. 24, 2015
Assists: 1 vs. Augsburg College, Nov. 23, 2015