HELENA, Mont. – The 24th-ranked Carroll women have played five ranked teams in the early part of the season so when a pair of ranked teams come into the PE Center to open the bulk of Frontier Conference play; the Saints will be ready.
 
Carroll opens the new year with No. 10 Montana Western Thursday before playing seventh-ranked Lewis-Clark Saturday.
 
Carroll comes into the game having won four of the last five games, with the one loss coming at the hands of Saints Xavier (Ill.), the top-ranked team in NAIA DII in a three-point game.
 
Hannah Dean leads the Saints in points (12.08 PPG), rebounds (8.62 RPG), Steals (1.62 SPG) and blocks (1.69 BPG).
 
Carroll ranks third in the NAIA DI in rebound defense, seventh in total blocks and seventh in scoring defense.
 
The Saints average 63.5 points per game but hold opponents to a measly 53.9 PPG.
 
Carroll opens the weekend with a game against a Western team that enters the weekend with an 11-3 mark. The Bulldogs three losses came against NCAA DII opponent MSU Billings, LCSC and La Sierra in a true road game.
 
Junior college transfer Brianna King has been impressive in the early going. She leads Western with 18.4 PPG. She had a season-high 37 in an impressive win against Eastern Oregon. She is the only Bulldog to average double figures.
 
Saturday, the Saints host the national runner-up Lewis-Clark. Carroll was the only team to knock off LCSC last season until they fell in the national championship game. This team, ranked among the best in the country, already has two losses on the year, both against Eastern Oregon.
 
Lauren Johnson leads the Warriors at 10.9 points per game, but three other LC players average double figures.
 
Both games are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at the PE Center. Fans are encouraged to call ahead at 406-447-4480 or stop by for tickets as both games are expected to be near sellouts, and the line for walk-up tickets will be long.
 
The game will be broadcast on 94.9 ESPN Montana and online at ESPNMontana.com. Live stats are available via Dakstats, and live video will be available on the Carroll youtube channel.