MANKATO, Minn. – The Bethany Vikings are the #2 seed in the upcoming Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) tournament. The Vikings clinched the two-seed after defeating North Central University last Wednesday by 37 points, their largest margin of victory this season. The win for the Vikings was their 19th of the season which ties the school record for most wins in a season.
The Vikings will play at home in the semi-finals against the #3 MN-Morris Cougars. The Vikings and Cougars split during the regular season. The Vikings won the first matchup in Mankato back on January 3rd by a score of 92-83 while the Cougars won the second matchup on February 3rd in Morris by a score of 74-66.
The #2 Vikings boast the highest scoring offense in the conference this season, averaging 74.9 points per game. Part of their dominance has come with their ability to get to the free throw line at a dominant rate. The Vikings have made 264 free throws during conference play, over 50 more than their closest competitor. The Vikings also average the fewest number of turnovers per game and shoot the highest percentage from three-point range. Junior guard Haley Sandin leads the conference in scoring at 18.4 points per game and freshman guard Abby Olson is ninth in the conference in scoring at 13.3 points per game.
The #3 Cougars are third in the UMAC in scoring, averaging 69.4 points per game. They are also fourth in fewest points allowed, giving up under 60 points a game. The Cougars have made more three-pointers than any other team in the league this season, averaging over seven makes per game. With that, the Cougars also lead the league in assists per game at 18.9. Junior guard Elli Stevenson is the leading scorer for the Cougars in conference play, averaging 14.9 points per game which is eighth best in the league. Junior forward Kendra Raths is not far behind her with 12.7 points per game which is 11th in league play. The Cougars are currently riding an eight game win-streak.
The Vikings and Cougars will tipoff at 7:30 PM on Wednesday, February 21 following the men's game.
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MEDIA: If you need further information, please feel free to contact Dan DeWitt at 507-344-7856 or email ddewitt@blc.edu
