North Dakota State Athletics
Valley City State
NDSU WBB Hosts Valley City State Wednesday in Non-Conference Tilt
1/21/2014 12:46:00 PM | Women's Basketball
|
Wednesday, Jan. 22: Valley City State Vikings (10-6) at North Dakota State Bison (4-14) Bison Sports Arena (5,830) | Fargo, N.D. | 7:05 p.m. |
|
Media Coverage: Live Stats | Live Audio (Free) | Live Video (PPV) | Radio: KFGO 790-AM (Scott Miller, play-by-play / Jeremy Jorgenson, color commentary) | TV: None NDSU Game Notes (PDF) | NDSU Season Stats | VCSU Season Stats |
|
Social Media: @NDSUAthletics | @NDSUwbb |
Bison to Face Vikings in Non-Conference Tilt
Fresh off an 83-77 victory at Western Illinois Saturday, Jan. 18, the North Dakota State women's basketball team returns to the Bison Sports Arena to begin a four-game homestand Wednesday, Jan. 22, with a non-conference contest against Valley City State University at 7 p.m.
The Series Against Valley City State
Wednesday's game against the Vikings will be the 33rd meeting in the all-time series. The Bison have a 24-8 lead in the series that dates back to 1968.
NDSU last faced Valley City State in the 2011-12 season, coming away with an 85-64 victory in Fargo.
About the Vikings
The Vikings, a member of the NAIA, enter the week riding a six-game winning streak. They are 10-6 overall after a 95-84 win against Johnson & Wales (Colo.) Jan. 15.
Valley City State is led by Brittany Lehner, who averages 18.2 points per game and 6.9 rebounds per game.
As a team, the Vikings are averaging 71.8 points per game while allowing 65.1 per game from their opponents. Valley City is out-rebounding its opponents, on average, 39.3 to 35.6.
Last Time Out: Bison Women Snap Losing Skid with 83-77 Win at Western Illinois Saturday
The North Dakota State women's basketball team (4-14, 1-3 Summit) used a strong second half to snap a 10-game losing skid and pick-up an 83-77 victory at Western Illinois (9-9, 1-2 Summit) Saturday afternoon inside Western Hall in Macomb.
Miki Stephenson began the big second half rally for the Bison, converting a layup 17 seconds into the stanza to give NDSU its first lead since early in the first half, 30-29.
Western Illinois battled back though, regaining a two-point lead twice, before Stephenson drained a jumper to knot the contest at 45 with 11:18 to go in the second half. A layup from Holly Johnson three minutes later gave the Bison the lead for good, 54-52.
NDSU's lead grew to 10 after Brooke LeMar sank a pair of free throws at the 3:59 mark and the Bison hit key free throws down the stretch to ice the 83-77 victory.
The Bison outscored the Leathernecks in the second stanza, 55-48.
LeMar led four Bison in double figures with 21 points, marking the sixth time this season the Canyon Country, Calif., native has eclipsed 20 points in a game. Marena Whittle scored 19 points while Johnson and Alisa Brown had 13 each. Brown's 13 points is a new career-high.
NDSU was 30-for-67 (45 percent) from the field and 10-for-25 (40 percent) from three in the game. The Bison made 13 of 18 free throws attempted for 72 percent.
Ashley Luke was the top scorer and rebounder for WIU with a game-high 27 points and 13 boards.
NDSU fell behind early in the first half, 4-0, but jumpers from Marena Whittle and LeMar tied the game at four with 17:49 to go. LeMar drilled a three at the 17:14 mark to give the Bison their first lead of the game, 7-6.
Western Illinois was able to regain a five-point lead, 26-21, after a layup from Ashley Luke with 1:41 remaining in the opening stanza, but the Bison closed the half on a 7-2 spurt, capped-off by a layup from Brittany Wiebe at the buzzer, to go into halftime trailing the Leathernecks, 29-28.
Taking Care of the Basketball
The Bison lead the league in fewest turnovers per game, averaging just 13.2, while forcing their opponents into 13.4 miscues per contest. NDSU is ranked 23rd out of 343 women's basketball programs in fewest turnovers per game in the latest NCAA Division I Women's Basketball national statistics rankings released Monday, Jan. 20.
Taking Advantage of the Charity Stripe
The Bison are second in the league in free throw percentage, going 206-277 for an impressive 74.4 percent. NDSU is ranked 38th nationally in free throw percentage in the latest NCAA national rankings.
Individually, Marena Whittle leads the team in free throw percentage, going an impressive 34-for-41 from the charity stripe for 82.9 percent.
New Milestone
Alisa Brown netted a career-best 13 points and was a perfect 5-for-5 from the field in the Bison victory at Western Illinois Saturday, Jan. 18. The Sioux Falls, S.D., resident went an impressive 3-for-3 from three-point range. She also had seven rebounds and two steals in the contest.
Scoring at Will
Brooke LeMar scored 21 points at Western Illinois Saturday, Jan. 18. It marked the sixth time this season she has eclipsed the 20-point threshold.
LeMar previously scored 20 or more points against Montana (21), Milwaukee (25), Northern Iowa (24), Mississippi State (21) and Northern Colorado (25).
Distributing the Basketball
Brooke LeMar had seven assists in NDSU's win against Western Illinois. It's the eighth time in 2013-14 she has dished out at least five assists in a single game. The Canyon Country, Calif., native leads the herd in assists with 89, and averages 4.9 per game.
Shot Blocker
Marena Whittle leads the Bison in blocked shots with 18. She has swatted at least one shot in three of NDSU's four Summit League games. The Victoria, Australia, native averages one block per game.
Miki Stephenson is second on the team in blocked shots with 13.
Steal Leader
Whittle not only leads the team in blocks, she also has a team-high 18 steals in 18 games. She has at least one steal in three of NDSU's four league games.
LeMar (14), Bree Whatman (13), Kahla Becken (12), Stephenson (11) and Holly Johnson (10) have also recorded double figure steals through NDSU's 18 games.
Crashing the Boards
Marena Whittle leads the Bison in rebounding, averaging 6.9 per game. After four games of Summit League play, Whittle is averaging an impressive 9.3 boards in league play. Miki Stephenson is second on the team with 5.7 per game.
Bison in The Summit League Statistics
Relevant Team Statistics:
- Scoring Offense: 6th (68.8 points per game)
- Scoring Defense: 6th (73.4 points per game)
- Free Throw Percentage: 2nd (206-277, 74.4 percent)
- Field Goal Percentage: 8th (462-1171, 39.5 percent)
- Three Point Field Goal Percentage: 3rd (108-328, 32.9 percent)
- Rebounding: 4th (39.8 per game)
- Blocked Shots: 3rd (3.3 per game)
- Assist-to-Turnover Ratio: 3rd (1.0 ratio)
- Assists: 5th (13.6 per game)
Relevant Individual Statistics:
- Scoring Offense: Brooke LeMar (5th, 14.7 points per game)
- Rebounding: Marena Whittle (4th, 6.9 per game), Miki Stephenson (10th, 5.7 per game)
- Assists: Brooke LeMar (2nd, 4.9 per game)
- Three Point Field Goal Percentage: Brooke LeMar (4th, 42.5 percent), Marena Whittle (9th, 35.7 percent)
- Blocked Shots: Marena Whittle (T-4th, 1.0 per game), Miki Stephenson (10th, 0.7 per game)
- Assists-to-Turnover Ratio: Brooke LeMar (4th, 1.6 ratio)
- Minutes Played: Brooke LeMar (6th, 33.1 per game)
Crunching the Numbers
Through 18 games, North Dakota State is averaging 68.8 points per game (ppg) and 39.8 rebounds per game (rpg). The Bison are shooting 39.5 percent from the field, going 462-1171, and are 108-328 from three for 32.9 percent. NDSU is excelling at the free throw line, going 206-277 for 74.4 percent. NDSU only averages 13.2 turnovers per game.
Individually, Brooke LeMar paces NDSU in scoring, averaging 14.7 ppg and also has a team-high 89 assists. She has led the Bison in scoring in eight games this season. The leading rebounders for the Bison are Marena Whittle (6.9 rpg) and Miki Stephenson (5.7 rpg). Whittle also has a team-high 18 blocks and 18 steals and has been NDSU's top rebounder in eight contests this season.
NDSU at Home
North Dakota State has compiled a 408-80 (.836) record at home, including a 104-41 mark inside the "Friendly Confines" over the past 10 seasons good for a .717 winning percentage.
Bison Eighth in Summit League Preseason Poll
The North Dakota State women's basketball team was tabbed eighth in The Summit League preseason poll released Tuesday, Oct. 15 by the league office. The Bison received 74 points in the poll.
NDSU returns nine student-athletes from last season's team, including one starter in sophomore forward Marena Whittle. She started 26-of-29 games in 2012-13, averaging 6.7 points and 7.1 rebounds.
South Dakota State was picked to win the league after claiming its record fifth-consecutive Summit League tournament title and fourth regular season title in six years. The Jackrabbits collected 27-of-30 first-place votes and 319 points in the voting conducted by the league's head coaches, SIDs and media.
IUPUI was picked to finish runner-up in the poll, collecting three first-place votes and 276 points, after finishing second in the regular season a year ago. South Dakota was third with 224 points followed by Fort Wayne in fourth with 179. League newcomer Denver, Western Illinois, Omaha and the Bison rounded out the poll.
Fort Wayne's Amanda Hyde was voted as the league's preseason Player of the Year after garnering Player of the Year and first team All-Summit League honors last season.
Accompanying Hyde on the first team are IUPUI's DeAirra Goss, 2013 Newcomer of the Year Western Illinois' Ashley Luke, last season's Tournament MVP South Dakota's Nicole Seekamp, Denver's Morgan Van Riper-Rose and South Dakota State's Megan Waytashek.
The second team is composed of reigning Defensive Player of the Year in IUPUI's Dee-Dee Bellamy, South Dakota's Polly Harrington, Omaha's Ericka House, South Dakota State's Steph Paluch and Fort Wayne's Haley Seibert.
The DeHoff File
Carolyn DeHoff begins her sixth season as head women's basketball coach at North Dakota State University. She has compiled a 70-95 record overall including a 47-45 ledger in The Summit League.
The Bison finished the 2013 season with an overall record of 10-19 and were 6-10 in league play. Seniors Dani DeGagne and Katie Birkel were both named to the All-Summit League second team.
NDSU once again excelled in the classroom in 2013. The Bison placed 10th on the WBCA Academic Top 25 Honor Roll in NCAA Division I and had eight student-athletes named to The Summit League Commissioner's List of Academic Excellence. Nine Bison were also selected to the Winter/Spring Summit League Academic Honor Roll.
DeHoff was introduced as North Dakota State University's ninth head women's basketball coach in the program's 48-year history at a press conference in April 2008.
DeHoff replaced Women's Basketball Hall of Fame coach Amy Ruley, who resigned in March 2008 to accept an associate athletic director for development position at North Dakota State.
DeHoff completed her first season as associate head coach in 2007-08 and fifth overall on Elaine Elliott's Utah staff. The Utes finished 27-5 overall and won the Mountain West Conference regular season championship with a 16-0 record. Utah lost in the first round of the 2008 NCAA tournament. Her duties at Utah included coordinating recruiting efforts, point guard development, organization and planning of the schedule, coordination of academic affairs and directing summer camps.
During her stay in Salt Lake City, the Utes won 123 games, three regular season conference championships and one MWC tournament title. Utah made three trips to the NCAA tournament including an Elite Eight berth in 2006 and a WNIT appearance in 2007. The Utes also had a pair of WNBA first round draft picks, along with second round pick in the 2008 draft.
Her 18-year coaching resume includes a five-year stop at Weber State. The Wildcats went from a sub-.500 program to a back-to-back NCAA tournament participant. Weber State won consecutive Big Sky titles and posted back-to-back 20 win seasons.
Prior to Weber State, DeHoff was the top assistant at Wyoming for seven seasons and also was an assistant coach at Coronado High School in Scottsdale, Ariz.
A standout high school player at Cheyenne (Wyo.) East, DeHoff was a Street & Smith's All-America her senior year. She played at Arizona State University from 1987-90, where she was a captain.
A native of Cheyenne, DeHoff graduated from Arizona State in 1991 with a bachelor's degree in exercise science and physical education. She was inducted into her high school athletic hall of fame during the fall of 2008.
Bison Basketball on the Radio
Wednesday's game will air live on KFGO 790-AM in Fargo-Moorhead beginning at 6:40 p.m. Scott Miller will provide play-by-play while Jeremy Jorgenson will handle color commetary duties.
Following The Herd
- NDSU women's basketball games can be heard live on KVOX 740-AM "The Fan" or KFGO 790-AM throughout the season.
- Free live audio is also available for every NDSU women's basketball game at GoBison.com/allaccess.
- The Bison's home game against South Dakota State, Jan. 25, will be aired throughout the state of North Dakota on MeTV. In addition, all games in The Summit League Women's Basketball Championship, Mar. 8-11, will be televised on Fox College Sports and Midco Sports Network.
- All home North Dakota State women's basketball games will be streamed live on a pay-per-view basis at GoBison.com/allaccess. Live stats are available free of charge for every home basketball game. Postgame video highlights, recaps and interviews will also be available at GoBison.com following each home game.
Up Next
The Bison return to Summit League play, hosting rival and 24th-ranked South Dakota State inside the Bison Sports Arena at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25. The game will air statewide in North Dakota on MeTV.
