OLATHE – Saturday's meeting between (23) Benedictine Women's Basketball and (24) MNU marks the 71st meeting between the two programs in conference play and has been selected as the Heart Conference Network Game of the Week.
Saturday's game will be streamed on the Heart Network, courtesy of MNU at www.heartconferencenetwork.com/mnu. KAIR Radio will also be streaming the game at https://www.ravenathletics.com/links/fs31tp and will join the game in progress following the conclusion of the Benedictine Football NAIA Football Championship Series Quarterfinal game in Marion, Ind.
Benedictine (7-0, 5-0 Heart) is off to its best start since 2017-18 when it also opened the season at 7-0. MNU (9-2, 7-0 Heart) is riding a 7-game winning streak after starting the year off at 2-2 over its first four games. The Pioneers lead the overall Heart series with the Ravens 40-30.
The meeting features two of Heart's longest-tenured head coaches: Benedictine's Chad Folsom, in his 24th year, and MNU's Jon Lewis, in his 14th season. Under Coach Lewis, the Pioneers hold a 23-6 series lead over the Ravens.
Benedictine leads the Heart in scoring, averaging 82.1 points per game while MNU is fifth at 72.6. The Pioneers lead the Heart in scoring defense, limiting opponents to 55.5 per game while Benedictine ranks fifth, holding opponents to 63.7. The Ravens rank third in field goal percentage (44.4), field goal defense (36.6), and 3-point shooting (33.3). MNU ranks fifth in field goal defense (39.5) and second in 3-point defense (25.1).
Benedictine's Nicole Storck ranks third in the Heart in field goal shooting (58.5), Lauryn Dubbert ranks fifth in free throw percentage (90.0), third in assists per game (5.0), and third in steals per game (2.7). Riley Rottinghaus is second in the Heart in blocks per game (1.3) while Carmen Morales ranks in a three-way tie for fifth (1.0).
MNU is led in scoring by University of Illinois-Chicago transfer Keona Schenck. The grad transfer is averaging 13.3 points per game. She averaged 4.6 points per game over four seasons a UIC, but played in just 6 games last year after a career-high 36 games in 2022-23. Like Benedictine, MNU has used the same starting group in all 11 games this season. Zaylee Worth leads the Pioneers in rebounds a 5.8 per game, steals a 2.2 per game, and is one of three Pioneers with 6 blocks this season.
The Pioneers are coming off a strong road win over Missouri Valley College in Marshall, Mo., on Wednesday night, earning an 89-57 win. The Ravens picked up their third road win of the season on Wednesday night, earning a 74-64 win over Park University in Parkville, Mo.
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