Women's Basketball Preview: Stout at Hamline before the holidays

at Hamline University: Live Stats | Live Video | WIAC Weekly Release

THIS WEEK'S GAMES: The Blue Devils (5-3, 0-0 WIAC) are coming off their biggest break of the season. Stout last played at Martin Luther College, Dec. 5 before returning to action Saturday, Dec. 16 when they travel to Hamline University (2-6, 1-3 MIAC) for a 1 p.m. start. Stout will then be off until they travel to Las Vegas, Nev., to compete in the D3Hoops.com Classic

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:

• The Blue Devils have nine returners, with four starters back for the 2017-18 season. Stout has one senior, five juniors, five sophomores and 12 freshman.
• Bailey Diersen is having a banner season and leads the team and is second in the WIAC in scoring, averaging 17.4 points per contest. Diersen has scored in double digits in all eight games this season, with a career-high 27 points in the season opener against the University of Dubuque. Diersen leads the team and the WIAC in steals with 22.
• Kyncaide Diedrich has simply picked up where she left off last year. The All-WIAC honorable mention pick is averaging 15.9 points per game and is the team's leading rebounder at 7.0 caroms per contest. Diedrich leads the team in assists with 27. Diedrich is third in the WIAC in scoring, ffith in rebounding, third in assists and fifth in steals.
• Sophomore transfer Amber Fabeck is averaging 9.0 points and 5.3 rebounds. The 6-foot-2 post player also has 11 blocked shots on the season, recording five against Martin Luther, ranking fourth in the WIAC. Fabeck showed some range against St. Olaf College. stepping outside to attempt four 3-pointers and buried three.
• Stout is outshooting their opponents from the 3-point line, collecting 54 3-pointers made, compared to 25 made for their opponents. Diersen has hit 12 3-pointers and Diedrich 11. Stout is second in the WIAC in 3-pointers made at 6.75.
• Stout leads the WIAC in steals, averaging 11.38 per game. UW-Stevens Point is second at 10.83. Diersen leads the conference in steals (2.75/game).
• Stout is averaging 69.8 points per game and are giving up 61.6 points for a plus-8.2 point advantage.
• Kyncaide Diedrich and Bailey Diersen averaged more than 10 points per contest last season. Diedrich led the Blue Devils with 13.4 points, finishing fifth in the conference. Diersen averaged 10.9 points, finishing 13th in the league in scoring.
• Diedrich finished first in the league in assists, averaging 3.8. Diedrich was an All-WIAC honorable mention pick.
• The Blue Devils' lone senior, Anna Brown, started 24 games last season, averaging 8.5 points and 3.8 rebounds.
• The Blue Devils were picked to finish seventh in a preseason poll conducted by WIAC coaches and sports information directors.
• An injury kept Shannan Watkins off the court after nine games. Watkins averaged 10.9 points and is expected to return to the Blue Devil lineup second semester as she completes an internship.
• Speaking of internships, Haley Seifert returns to the Blue Devils after completing an internship last season. The point guard saw action in 26 games in the 2015-16 season
• 2017-18 Statistics

CONFERENCE STANDINGS:

• The Blue Devils are projected to finish seventh in the WIAC according to a WIAC preseason poll by conference coaches and sports information directors.

STOUT LAST TIME OUT:

• Kyncaide Diedrich scored all 19 of her points in the second half as UW-Stout defeated Martin Luther College, 75-64, Dec. 4.
• The Blue Devils led 28-23 at halftime, but Stout doubled their numbers with a 28-point third quarter effort, while Martin Luther scored 21 points in the third quarter as Stout led 56-42 at the end of the third period. Diedrich scored nine points in the third quarter and 10 in the final stanza.
• The Knights got as close as three points, 66-63, with 1:51 remaining in the game. Stout closed out the game on a 9-1 run. Diedrich scored four points, Bailey Diersen three and Anna Brown two free throws in the final run.
• Amber Fabeck scored 14 points and Diersen scored 13 for Stout to back up Diedrich's team-high 19 points. Carstyn Osterman scored a collegiate-best six points, all in the first half. Diedrich and Emily Jacques pulled down nine rebounds and Brown hauled in eight. Fabeck notched a collegiate-best five blocked shots.
• Grace Schultz notched a double-double for Martin Luther with 24 points and 11 rebounds. Moriah Hackbarth chipped in 12 points and Hailey Johnson 10 points. Jade St. Germaine recorded a game-high 16 rebounds as MLC edged Stout in rebounds, 54-53.
• Martin Luther College Story and Box Score

SCOUTING HAMLINE UNIVERSITY

• Reilly Geistfeld leads the Pipers with 9.8 points per contest and 5.6 rebounds. The senior opened the season with a 24-point effort against Crown College. Alaina Quaranta is averaging 8.6 points. Freshman Molly Wampler is averaging 8.1 points and leads the team in assists with 3.4 per game. The Eau Claire native has scored in double digits two of the last three games.
• The Pipers are averaging 57.8 points and are giving up 64.9.
• Pipers 2017-18 Statistics

PIPERS LAST TIME OUT

• The Pipers are scheduled to play at Gustavus Adolphus, Dec. 9, then host St. Benedict, Dec. 13.
• Molly Wampler is rapidly becoming a major offensive force for . The freshman uncorked a career high 14 points and added a team high four assists Wednesday as the Pipers held tough in a 73-58 loss to St. Benedict at Hutton Arena. Alaina Quaranta and Kaeli Stayer added 10 each for Hamline.
• Although the Pipers never led in the game, they made life dicey for the Blazers on several occasions. HU doubled up CSB, 20-10, in points off turnovers, led in steals by a 10-5 margin and held firm in second chance points (nine each). CSB started fast, jumping to a 20-10 advantage after seven and a half minutes of play. HU narrowed that to 20-14 by quarters end. The Blazers went back to the 10-point advantage only to see Stayer drill a three-pointer and Violet Kennedy add a pair of baskets to cut the margin to three. It was 35-26 at halftime and the lead ballooned to 15 midway in the third quarter.
• Hamline responded with a 13-2 run in a three-minute span to get back within four points with Quaranta, Reilly Geistfeld and Heather Moore all hitting three-pointers. (HU had eight in the game). The Blazers, who are 9-1 overall and 4-0 in MIAC play, pulled away for good in the fourth quarter.
• St. Benedict Game Story and Stats
• Morgen Coleman and Reilly Geistfeld scored nine points each but Gustavus Adolphus shot 51.7 percent from the field and defeated the HU women's basketball team, 82-50, Saturday in St. Peter. Jayda Bagstad added eight for Hamline. In addition to her points, Coleman was the top rebounder in the game with six and was the top thief on the court with five steals. Geistfeld was close behind with five boards. The Pipers outrebounded the Gusties, 36-32.
• GAC started fast, grabbing a 22-11 first quarter lead, extending it to 43-18 at halftime. The Pipers improved offensively as the game went on, outscoring GAC, 22-21, in the final 10 minutes of play.
• Gustavus Game Story and Stats

LAST TIME STOUT AND HAMLINE MET

• Led by Kyncaide Diedrich, UW-Stout had three players in double figures as the Blue Devils evened their record with a 70-63 win at Hamline University Nov. 22, 2016.
• Diedrich reached another career-high, dropping in 22 points, hitting 9-of-18 from the floor and 2-of-6 from 3-point range. Diedrich also had five rebounds, four assists and four steals.
• Fellow guard Shannan Watkins added 10 points and pulled down a team-high seven rebounds to go along with her game-high and career-best seven assists. Jenna Goldsmith chipped in 10 points, two blocked shots and six rebounds.
• The Pipers also had three players in double figures, led by Alaina Quartana with 17. Chloe Graves and Reilly Geistfeld each scored 13.
• Stout held a slight 46-45 lead in rebounds..
• Game Story and Statistics

SCOUTING TRINE UNIVERSITY

• Stout will meet Trine University at the D3Hoops.com Classic, Thursday, Dec. 28, in Las Vegas, Nev.
• Trine is 9-0 heading into a Dec. 18 matchup at Heidelberg College. The Thunder were ranked sixth in the Dec. 10 D3Hoops.com Top 25 poll. the Thunder are averaging 67.7 points and giving up a lowly 43.8 points.
• 2017-18 Trine University Statistics

SCOUTING OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE

• Stout will meet Occidental College at the D3Hoops.com Classic, Saturday, Dec. 30 in Las Vegas, Nev.
• The Tigers (4-2, 1-1 SCIAC) host St. Kates Dec. 17 and the Pacific University, Dec. 19. The Tigers play Hamline University, Dec. 29 in their first game of the D3Hoops.com Classic.
• 2017-18 Occidental College Statistics

A DEFENSIVE EFFORT NOT SEEN IN MORE THAN 35 YEARS

• If the Blue Devils were smarting after seeing a 10-game winning streak stopped last season against Northland College, Stout made the Lumberjills pay for the transgression Dec. 2 with a 68-26 win in Johnson Fieldhouse.
• The 26 points by the Lumberjills was the fewest points Stout has allowed during the Mark Thomas era. The school mark stretches back to the 1970s when women's basketball games were not nearly as high scoring on either side, with both teams at times scoring in the 20s and 30s. During the 1976-77 season, Stout defeated UW-Barron County by scores of 40-19 and 62-26. The next year, the Blue Devils defeated Barron County, a two-year school, 53-26.During the 1972-73 season, Stout's wins of the season came in back-to-back wins over a pair of two-year UW schools, a 38-16 win at UW-Waukesha, followed by a 36-18 win over UW-Fond du Lac. The 16 points is the fewest allowed in school history.
• During Thomas' 31 seasons, the fewest points allowed by Stout was 33 in a 95-33 win over Crown College, Nov. 15, 2011.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Amber Fabeck, So, Cottage Grove, Minn. (Park)

AWARDS AND HONORS: 2017-18: Bailey Diersen was selected as the UW-Stout/Toppers Athlete of the Week, Nov. 20, after scoring 27 points against the University of Dubuque and 17 points against UW-Superior to open the weekend.


TEAM CAPTAINS: Team captains for the 2017-18 season are Anna Brown, Kyncaide Diedrich and Bailey Diersen.

THE COACHES:
UW-STOUT:

• Mark Thomas (470-331) is in his 31st year as the coach of the Blue Devils and is the longest tenured head coach in Blue Devil history. Terry Petrie coached the Blue Devil baseball team for 30 seasons
• 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. .
• Thomas surpassed former baseball coach Terry Petrie as the longest tenured coach at UW-Stout. Petrie was the baseball head coach for 30 seasons.

HAMLINE UNIVERSITY:

• Alex Focke is in his first year as the Hamline University women's basketball coach. Focke had spent the previous four seasons serving as the main men's basketball assistant to head coach Jim Hayes. Working with Hayes, Focke played a major role in helping to recruit several of the players that helped turn the program around. This past season, Hamline went 14-12 overall, had their longest MIAC winning streak in 57 years and advanced to the conference playoffs for the first time in six seasons. The Pipers recorded road wins at MIAC co-champion St. Thomas (for the first time in 37 seasons) and UMAC titlist Northwestern. They also swept Gustavus Adolphus, St. Olaf and Concordia. In addition to the on-court success, the team has improved academically. It had its first MIAC All-Academic player in several seasons last year and had a cumulative 3.15 GPA last semester.

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.

CONFERENCE: UW-Stout is a member of the eight-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.

UP NEXT: Stout takes a trip to Las Vegas, Nev., where they will face Trine University, Thursday, Dec. 28 at 10 a.m. (PT) and Occidental University, Saturday, Dec. 30 at 12 p.m. (PT). Stout opens the WIAC schedule Wednesday, Jan. 3 when they travel to UW-Platteville and to UW-Stevens Point, Saturday, Jan 6.


UW-Stout 2017-18 Season Highs (Updated December 5, 2017)

Points: 27, Bailey Diersen vs. the University of Duqubue, Nov. 17, 2017
3-Pointers Made: 4, (2x) Bailey Diersen vs. UW-Superior, Dec. 1, 2017; Bailey Diersen vs. the University of Duqubue, Nov. 17, 2017
Rebounds: 10, Amber Faback vs. Ripon College, Nov. 21, 2017; Kyncaide Diedrich vs. the University of Duqubue, Nov. 17, 2017
Assists: 6, Kyncaide Diedrich vs. Northland College, Dec. 2, 2017
Blocks: 5, Amber Fabeck vs. Martin Luther College, Dec. 4, 2017
Double-Doubles: Kyncaide Diedrich (17 pts, 10 rbs) vs. the University of Duqubue, Nov. 17, 2017;

UW-Stout 2017-18 Team Season Highs (Updated December 5, 2017)

Points: 84 vs. the University of Dubuque, Nov. 17, 2017
Points in First Half: 39 vs. Northland College, Dec. 2, 2017
Points in Second Half: 47 (3x) vs. Martin Luther College, Dec. 4, 2017; vs. St. Olaf, Nov. 28, 2017; vs. the University of Dubuque, Nov. 17, 2017
Points in First Quarter: 24 vs. Northland College, Dec. 2, 2017
Points in Second Quarter: 29 vs. the University of Dubuque, Nov. 17, 2017
Points in Third Quarter: 28 vs. Martin Luther College, Dec. 4, 2017
Points in Fourth Quarter: 24 vs. St. Olaf, Nov. 28, 2017
Field Goals Made: 30 (2x) vs. St. Olaf, Nov. 28, 2017; vs. the University of Dubuque, Nov. 17, 2017
Field Goal Percentage: .492 vs. the University of Dubuque, Nov. 17, 2017
3-Pointers Made: 12 vs. University of Dubuque, Nov. 17, 2017
Free Throws Made: 24 vs. St. Catherine, Nov. 26, 2017
Free Throw Percentage: 909 vs. UW-Superior, Dec. 1, 2017
Rebounds: 54 vs. the University of Dubuque, Nov. 17, 2017
Assists: 19 vs. the University of Dubuque, Nov. 17, 2017
Turnovers: 32 vs. the University of Dubuque, Nov. 17, 2017
Blocked Shots: 7 vs. Martin Luther College, Dec. 4, 2017
Steals: 18 vs. St. Catherine, Nov. 26, 2017

UW-Stout Collegiate Career Highs (Updated December 5, 2017)

Liz Oswald - #1
Points: 6 vs. UW-Superior, Dec. 1, 2017
Rebounds: 2 vs. Martin Luther College, Dec. 4, 2017
Assists: 3 vs. the University of Dubuque, Nov. 17, 2017

Lizzy Olsem - #2
Points: 2 vs. UW-Superior, Nov. 18, 2017
Rebounds: 3 vs. Ripon College, Nov. 21, 2017
Assists: x

Becky Fesenmaier- #4
Points: 7 vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 4, 2017;
Rebounds: 4 (2x) vs. UW-Stevens Point, Feb. 11, 2017; vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 28, 2017;
Assists: 3 vs. UW-River Falls, Jan. 25, 2017

Kyncaide Diedrich - #5
Points: 22 (3x) vs. St. Olaf College, Nov. 28, 2017: vs. Carleton College, Dec. 30, 2016; vs. Hamline, Nov. 22, 2016
Rebounds: 10 (3x) vs. the University of Dubuque, Nov. 17, 2017; vs. UW-Whitewater, Feb. 4, 2017: vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 4, 2017;
Assists: 9 (2x) vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 28, 2017; vs. UW-Eau Claire, Jan. 18, 2017;

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: 21 vs. UW-Superior, Dec. 6, 2016
Rebounds: 7 (2x) vs. UW-Superior, Dec. 6, 2016; vs. St. Mary's, Nov. 19, 2016
Assists: 7 vs. Hamline, Nov. 22, 2016

Katie Sukanen - #13
Points: 2 (2x) vs. Ripon College, Nov. 21, 2017; vs. the University of Dubuque, Nov. 17, 2017
Rebounds: 2 vs. the University of Dubuque, Nov. 17, 2017
Assists: 1 vs. UW-Superior, Nov. 18, 2017

Carsyn Osterman - #14
Points: 6 vs. Martin Luther College, Dec. 4, 2017
Rebounds: 1 (3x) vs. Northland College, Dec. 2, 2017; vs. UW-Superior, Dec. 1, 2017; vs. St. Catherine, Nov. 26, 2017
Assists: 1 vs. Ripon College, Nov. 21, 2017

Bailey Diersen - #20
Points: 27 vs. the University of Dubuque, Nov. 17, 2017
Rebounds: 7 (3x) vs. St. Catherine, Nov. 26, 2017; vs. UW-Eau Claire, Jan. 13, 2016; vs. Gustavus Adolphus, Nov. 20, 2015
Assists: 5 (2x) vs. UW-Whitewater, Feb. 4, 2017: vs. UW-Eau Claire, Feb. 1, 2017

Brianna Banks - #22
Points: 6 vs. St. Catherine, Nov. 26, 2017
Rebounds: 4 vs. St. Catherine, Nov. 26, 2017
Assists: 4 vs. the University of Dubuque, Nov. 17, 2017

Wynia Mintz - #24
Points: x
Rebounds: x
Assists: x

Kara Griswold - #25
Points: 8 vs. the University of Dubuque, Nov. 17, 2017
Rebounds: 4 vs. St. Catherine, Nov. 26, 2017
Assists: 2 vs. UW-Superior, Nov. 18, 2017

Carolyn Feddema - #30
Points: 14 vs. University of Dubuque, Dec. 10, 2016
Rebounds: 9 (3x) vs. UW-La Crosse, Feb. 15, 2017); vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 4, 2017; vs. University of Dubuque, Dec. 10, 2016
Assists: 2 vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 4, 2017;

Shayna Hohlfelder - #31
Points: 1 vs. St. Olaf, Nov. 28, 2017
Rebounds: 1 (2x) vs. St. Olaf, Nov. 28, 2017; vs. UW-Whitewater, Feb. 4, 2017:
Assists: x

Anna Brown - #32
Points: 18 vs. Gustavus Adolphus, Dec. 13, 2016:
Rebounds: 9 vs. University of Dubuque, Dec. 10, 2016
Assists:4 vs. Martin Luther College, Dec. 4, 2017

Claire Thorn - #33
Points: x
Rebounds: x
Assists: x

Keysha Hazelton - #34
Points: 3 vs. Northland College, Dec. 2, 2017
Rebounds: 2 vs. Northland College, Dec. 2, 2017
Assists: x

Courtney Oleson - #35
Points: 2 (2x) vs. Northland College, Dec. 2, 2017; vs. UW-Whitewater, Feb. 4, 2017:
Rebounds: x
Assists: x

Amber Fabeck - #41
Points: 14 vs. St. Olaf, Nov. 28, 2017
Rebounds: 10 vs. Ripon College, Nov. 21, 2017
Assists: 4 vs. St. Olaf, Nov. 28, 2017
Blocks: 5 vs. Martin Luther College, Dec. 4, 2017

Alexa Gravunder - #42
Points: x
Rebounds: 2 vs. Ripon College, Nov. 21, 2017
Assists: x

Ayesha Paskert - #43
Points: 2 vs. St. Olaf, Nov. 28, 2017
Rebounds: 2 vs. St. Olaf, Nov. 28, 2017
Assists: x

Emily Jacques - #44
Points: 9 vs. UW-Whitewater, Feb. 4, 2017:
Rebounds: 9 (2x) vs. Martin Luther College, Dec. 4, 2017; vs. UW-Superior, Nov. 18, 2017
Assists: 2 vs. Carleton College, Dec. 30, 2016

Emme Osmonson - #45
Points: x
Rebounds: x
Assists: x