UMAC Game of the Week: Bethany Lutheran vs. Wisconsin-Superior - Women's Basketball
The UMAC Game of the Week runs each Thursday during the conference regular season and breaks down one key matchup from one sport.
MANKATO, Minn.---For the third year in a row, the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) women's basketball title race comes down to the same two teams as Bethany Lutheran College and the University of Wisconsin-Superior face off in the final game of the regular season to determine the regular season champion with the winner earning both the hardware and the top seed in the UMAC postseason tournament. The winner-take-all game is set for 4:45 p.m. in Mankato Saturday.
***UPDATE***
Bethany Lutheran won 71-48
Matchup History
- Bethany Lutheran has won the last two games between the two teams by one point each. The Vikings won the UMAC tournament game 55-54 in Superior last year and took the earlier game this year. The Yellowjackets' last two losses to UMAC opponents at home are both courtesy of the Vikings.
- The Vikings have won three of the last four matchups between the two teams as they went 2-1 in 2018-19.
- Prior to last season, the Yellowjackets had defeated the Vikings in every game since joining the UMAC in 2015-16 season (8 wins).
- The Yellowjackets have won four-consecutive regular season UMAC titles since their inaugural season in the conference. A win Saturday would make them 5-for-5. A win for the Vikings would be the first regular season title in program history.
This Season
- In their first matchup of the year, the Vikings defeated the Yellowjackets 69-68 on a late-game layup with 12 seconds left on Dec. 14 in Superior.
- Last game out the Vikings defeated Crown College 82-63 at home on Wednesday to start a new two-game winning streak. Their last loss came to the University of Northwestern on the road, and prior to that loss, the Vikings had won 13-consecutive games.
- The Yellowjackets' last outing was Wednesday at home when they found revenge from an early season loss against Northwestern taking down the Eagles 85-58. That extends the 'Jackets' winning streak to four-straight games and seven-straight conference games. Their last loss was to the Eagles on Jan. 22.
- This season in conference play, the two squads are in the top three in team scoring with Bethany Lutheran topping the league with 77.7 points per game (ppg) and Wisconsin-Superior third with 74.9 ppg. The Yellowjackets own the top scoring margin though at 16.3 ppg, while the Vikings are second at 14.7 ppg.
Bethany Lutheran Key Players (conference stats)
- Hanna Geistfeld, F - 21.8 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 64.0%, 78.9 FT%
- Abby Olson, G - 17.8 ppg, 44.4%, 39.1 3-pt%, 78.3 FT%, 3.2 apg, 1.7 spg
- Kenlie Pytleski, G - 9.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.1 bpg
Wisconsin-Superior Key Players (conference stats)
- Emily Carpenter, G - 14.7 ppg, 43.2 3-pt%, 3.7 apg, 1.4 A/TO, 2.8 spg
- Eva Reinertsen, F - 20.2 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 48.6%, 83.9 FT%, 4.1 apg, 2.3 A/TO, 1.6 bpg, 1.8 spg
- Marissa Ruiz, G - 12.9 ppg, 32.6 3-pt%, 2.6 apg, 1.9 spg
Game Information
UMAC Game of the Week Archives