ROLLA, Mo. - The Missouri S&T women's basketball team begins the calendar year by resuming Great Lakes Valley Conference play, hosting Maryville University Thursday at 5:30 p.m and McKendree Saturday afternoon in Gibson Arena. 

The Miners (7-5, 3-1 GLVC) enter the game on a four-game winning streak, with their latest victory coming against Principia College on Dec. 30 as Anna Finley (Owensville, MO/Owensville) and Laura Rodriguez (Gran Canaria, Spain/Baloncesto Torrelodones) led S&T with 12 points apiece; Finley also recorded a team-high five steals. Kristen Keys (St. Louis, MO/Westminster Christian Academy) contributed 11 points while shooting five-of-14 from the field and Alex Kerr (St. Louis, MO/St. Joseph's Academy) secured her 27th career double-double as she added 10 points and a team-high 15 rebounds. Kerr finished the month of December by averaging 15 points and 12.8 rebounds in S&T's four contests. Addyson Kent (North Vernon, IN/Jennings County) finished the decision with a career-high five assists while Eryn Puett (Columbia, MO/Rock Bridge) added a career-high eight points while securing a career-high five rebounds while matching her season-high two assists. Every Miner player received at least two minutes of action in this decision.

In the month of December, the Miners went 4-0 with three victories coming in Gibson Arena. As a team, S&T has shot 39 percent from the field while shooting 72 percent from the free throw line and recording 43 total assists. On the defensive side, the Miners stole the ball 31 times while blocking 11 shots; holding its four opponents to an average of 54.5 points per game. 

The Saints (9-3, 4-1 GLVC) enter this decision currently tied for second in the GLVC standings and coming off a 88-45 victory over Cardinal Stritch on Dec. 31.  The Saints were led by Hunter Stidham with 22 points as she went six-of-seven from behind the arc. Haidyn Pitsch contributed 13 points while knocking down three-of-six attempts from three-point land. Maryville's only GLVC loss came to Drury on Dec. 3 where the Saints were defeated 74-56 by the seventh-ranked Lady Panthers. This matchup will be the first of 16 straight GLVC games that will close out the regular season.

On Saturday, the Miners will conclude their five-game homestand by hosting McKendree University at 1 p.m. The Bearcats (6-5, 3-1 GLVC) will face third-ranked Drury in Springfield on Thursday before coming to Gibson Arena for Saturday's matchup. This season, McKendree has defeated William Jewell, Rockhurst, and Southwest Baptist with their only GLVC loss to Truman State on Nov. 26, where the Bearcats were defeated 79-72 in Kirkville, Mo. Naomi McDaniel, a transfer from Parkland Community College, leads McKendree in scoring averaging 13.4 points per game while shooting 54.3 percent from the field and adding 14 blocks which ranks second in the GLVC. Clare Breden is the top returning scorer from last season as she is averaging 10.5 points per game while leading the Bearcats with 18 steals.