North Dakota State Athletics
5-3, 2-0Summit
Western Illinois
2-6, 0-2Summit
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota State | 28 | 29 | 57 |
| Western Illinois | 18 | 13 | 31 |
Defense Lifts North Dakota State to 57-31 Win Over Western Illinois
12/8/2009 12:30:00 AM | Women's Basketball
MACOMB, Ill.--A stifling defensive effort led North Dakota State University to a 57-31 win over Western Illinois in a Summit League women's basketball game played Monday, Dec. 7, before 223 spectators at Waste Management Court in Western Hall. The Bison have won four straight.
The 31 points is the lowest total allowed since the 40 given up against Centenary College in December 2008 (as a Division I school against a Division I opponent). The 31 points allowed matches the lowest total allowed in a Summit League game over the past four seasons. IUPUI held WIU to 31 on Feb. 10, 2007, and South Dakota State held WIU to 31 on Feb. 7, 2009.
North Dakota State (5-3, 2-0 Summit) is scheduled to play at New Mexico State (4-3) at 8 p.m. (Central) Saturday, Dec. 12, and Utah State (3-3) at 1 p.m. (Central) Monday, Dec. 14. Both teams are members of the Western Athletic Conference.
A defensive flurry midway in the first half created distance between NDSU and the Fighting Leathernecks (2-6, 0-2 Summit). The Bison stepped up the defense in the second half and pulled away.
Danielle DeGagne scored off an offensive rebound, then hit Abby Plucker for a layup, and Jill Zaruba found Whitney Trecker for an easy two to put the Bison ahead 18-7 with 9:42 left.
NDSU led 28-18 at halftime as Inger Hodgson hit a three-pointer at the shot clock buzzer with 5 seconds left. The Bison opened the second half with a 13-0 run. The Fighting Leathernecks went 11 minutes without a field goal.
The Bison limited Western Illinois to 22.4 percent shooting from the field including 15.6 percent in the second half. Led by Katie Birkel's career-high four steals NDSU forced 20 turnovers that led to 21 points.
Hodgson scored 11 points including a pair of three-pointers to lead an opportunistic NDSU offense that scored from both inside and out. The Bison connected on 42.4 percent from the field.
North Dakota State held a 46-36 rebounding edge sparked by Zaruba's six rebounds. Ashley Lord had a game-high 10 for the Western Illinois.
Trecker hit 5 of 7 from the field to share game-high scoring honors with Hodgson. Trecker has hit 9 of her last 11 field goal attempts. Birkel added 10 points, while Plucker tied a career-high with five assists and added six rebounds.
