The North Dakota State Bison women’s basketball team is looking to extend its winning streak as it travels to face Kansas City and Omaha this week. The Bison are currently in second place in the Summit League standings with a 12-9 overall record and a 6-2 conference record.
Bison Rally Past Fighting Hawks in Rivalry Game
The Bison are coming off a thrilling 101-85 victory over their in-state rivals, the North Dakota Fighting Hawks, on Saturday. The game was played in front of 2,913 fans at Betty Engelstad Sioux Center in Grand Forks.
The Bison trailed by 16 points in the second quarter, but rallied back with a strong second half performance. They outscored the Fighting Hawks 60-38 in the final two quarters, shooting 56.7% from the field and 50% from the three-point line.
Elle Evans had a career-high 33 points, making 11 of 14 shots, including six of eight from beyond the arc. She also added six rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Heaven Hamling scored 19 points, hitting six of 10 shots, including five of eight from long range. She also had four rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
Abby Schulte contributed seven points and a team-high six assists, while Avery Koenen chipped in nine points off the bench. The Bison had 25 assists on 36 made baskets, showing great ball movement and teamwork.
Bison Face Struggling Roos and Mavericks
The Bison will now face two teams that are at the bottom of the Summit League standings. The Kansas City Roos are 10-14 overall and 1-8 in the conference, while the Omaha Mavericks are 5-17 overall and 1-8 in the conference.
The Bison will play the Roos on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. at Swinney Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The Roos have lost four straight games, including a 75-55 defeat to St. Thomas on Saturday. The Roos are led by Mandy Willems, who averages 14.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. She also ranks second in the conference in steals with 2.4 per game.
The Bison will then play the Mavericks on Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. at Baxter Arena in Omaha, Nebraska. The Mavericks have lost 11 of their last 12 games, with their only win coming against Denver on Jan. 27. The Mavericks are led by Elena Pilakouta, who averages 13.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. She also ranks third in the conference in field goal percentage with 54.5%.
The Bison have already beaten both teams earlier this season at home. The Bison overcame a 16-point deficit to beat the Roos 63-60 on Jan. 11, and cruised past the Mavericks 81-54 on Jan. 13.
Evans and Hamling Lead the Way for Bison
The Bison have two of the best players in the Summit League in Evans and Hamling. The duo has been dominant in conference play, leading the Bison in scoring, shooting, and playmaking.
Evans leads the conference in scoring with 21.5 points per game in Summit League games. She also leads the conference in three-point shooting with 56.5%, making 3.3 triples per game. She is also a perfect 33 of 33 from the free throw line in conference play, leading the conference in free throw percentage with 99.4%.
Hamling is second in the conference in scoring with 18.9 points per game in Summit League games. She also ranks second in the conference in three-point shooting with 46.3%, making 3.1 triples per game. She is also second in the conference in assists with 5.4 per game, and fourth in steals with 2.1 per game.
Hamling has made 245 three-pointers in her four-year career, moving into second place on the all-time NDSU list. She is 34 triples away from passing Taylor Thunstedt (2014-18) for the top spot in NDSU history with 279.
Hamling is also the leading scorer in the NDSU Division I era and ranks seventh on the all-time Bison scoring list with 1,526 points.
Bison Seek to Repeat Last Season’s Success
The Bison are hoping to repeat their success from last season, when they posted their most wins in a single-season since 2004-05 with an 18-12 overall record and a 12-6 conference record. The Bison also advanced to the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) for the first time in program history, losing to Iowa State in the first round.
The Bison were picked to finish second in the Summit League Preseason Coaches’ Poll, which is their highest ranking since joining the conference in 2007-08. Evans and Hamling were also both selected to the Preseason All-Summit League First Team, making NDSU the only team in the conference to have multiple first team selections.
The Bison are coached by Jory Collins, who is in his third season at the helm. Collins has a 37-32 overall record and a 24-14 conference record at NDSU. He was named the Summit League Coach of the Year last season.
The Bison have four games left in the regular season, including two at home against Oral Roberts and South Dakota State. The Bison will then compete in the Summit League Tournament, which will be held from March 6-9 at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The Bison will aim to win their first Summit League title and earn their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2009.
