NDSU Begins Three-Game Road Swing at SDSU Saturday
        NDSU women's basketball will begin a three-game road trip to close out the regular season Saturday, Feb. 22, at Summit League rival South Dakota State. Tip-off at Frost Arena in Brookings is set for 4 p.m.
 
The Series Against SDSU
        Saturday's contest at South Dakota State will be the 79th meeting in the all-time series. The Jackrabbits lead the series, 40-38, and have won the last seven meetings. The Bison's last victory against the Jacks occurred in the 2010-11 season when NDSU won in Brookings, 78-71.
        NDSU's first meeting with the Jacks in Summit League play this season was Jan. 25 in Fargo, with SDSU taking a 73-53 victory. 
 
About the Jackrabbits
        The Jacks enter Saturday's contest ranked 15th in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major poll. They are 19-8 overall and 10-1 in Summit League play after defeating Western Illinois Saturday, Feb. 15, 83-79 in Brookings. SDSU has won 16-straight home games inside Frost Arena, tied for 8th-best in the nation.
        SDSU is led by two players averaging double figures. Megan Waytashek leads the team with 11.1 points per game (ppg) while Steph Paluch is second on the team in scoring with 10 ppg. Waytashek is ranked second in The Summit League in free throw percentage, making 89.8 percent of her foul shots. The leading rebounder for the Jacks is Mariah Clarin with 6.6 rebounds per game (rpg).
        As a team, SDSU averages 69.5 ppg while limiting its opponents to just 66.2 per game, second-lowest in the league. The Jacks have outrebounded their opponents 40.6 to 36.1 rpg.
 
Last Time Out: Bison Women's Basketball Falters Against Omaha in Bison Sports Arena Finale, 68-57
      The North Dakota State women's basketball team (6-20, 2-9 Summit) went just 21-for-66 (32 percent) from the field and 6-for-26 (23 percent) from three in a 68-57 loss to the Omaha Mavericks (10-14, 2-8 Summit) Saturday, Feb. 15, in Summit League play.
        The game marked the final women's basketball game ever played in the Bison Sports Arena and the final home contest for NDSU seniors Catavia Jones and Miki Stephenson. 
        Marena Whittle led the Bison with a double-double, scoring 18 points to go along with a game-high 11 rebounds. Brooke LeMar scored 13 points, all in the second half, while Holly Johnson rounded out the Bison in double digits, tallying 11 points, respectively.
        The Mavs' Ericka House paced all-scorers in the contest, scoring 23 points on 8-for-16 shooting.
        Omaha shot 42 percent (21-for-50) from the field and 50 percent from three, going 3-for-6.
        NDSU outrebounded UNO in the contest, 42-37, but turned the ball over 16 times.
 
Last Time Against SDSU: Bison Women Falter Against No. 22 South Dakota State in Katherine Burgum Classic, 73-53
        The North Dakota State women's basketball team (5-15, 1-4 Summit) fell to the 22nd-ranked South Dakota State Jackrabbits (14-7, 5-0 Summit), 73-53, Saturday, Jan. 25, in the eighth-annual Katherine Burgum Classic at the Bison Sports Arena.
        NDSU fell behind early in the game by as much as 12 but used an 11-4 run the final seven minutes of the first half to pull within one of the Jackrabbit lead at halftime, 31-30.
        SDSU responded in the second half, using a 17-6 run spanning 6:07 to take a 53-41 lead with 8:50 remaining. The Bison pulled within nine, 56-47, with 5:15 to go in the stanza, but that was as close as they could get the remainder of the game. 
        Brooke LeMar paced the Bison with 20 points on 6-for-14 shooting, the eighth time this season the California native has scored at least 20 in a single game.
        Holly Johnson was the other Bison to reach double figures, netting 13 points. Johnson and Marena Whittle each pulled down eight rebounds in the contest for NDSU.
        The Jacks were led by Kerri Young with a game-high 23 points.
        Both LeMar and Young garnered Katherine Burgum Classic Most Valuable Player Honors.
        NDSU was 18-for-66 (27 percent) from the field and 5-for-23 (22 percent) from three-point range. The Bison attempted 16 free throws, making 12, for 75 percent.
        The Bison struggled on the glass and were out-rebounded by the Jacks, 57-35, in the contest.
        LeMar started the Bison's late first-half run with a layup at the 6:08 mark. Whittle scored six straight points for NDSU to trim the SDSU lead to 29-25 with 1:43 remaining. LeMar converted another layup with 1:05 to go in the stanza and Johnson drilled a three with 15 seconds remaining to pull the Bison within one going into the break.
 
Missed Opportunities
        NDSU is shooting 74.5 percent from the free throw line this season, second-best in The Summit League. However, the Bison have only been able to get to the line 376 times compared to 623 trips for their opponents. NDSU has been outscored at the foul line this season, 446-280, including a 204-102 deficit in league play.
 
The Summit Scoring Blues
        NDSU has struggled shooting the basketball in Summit League play this season, making only 270 shots out of 729 attempts for 37 percent. The Bison are just 61-for-209 (29.2 percent) from three in league play.
        NDSU's opponents are shooting 44 percent (284-646) from the field and 31.4 percent from beyond the arc in conference play, going 53-for-169.
 
30+ Scoring Performances
        With Brooke LeMar's 33 point game against Denver Saturday, Feb. 1, the Bison have now had a player score at least 30 points in three games this season. Holly Johnson had NDSU's first 30+ point performance, scoring a career-high 31 points against Wyoming in the Air Force Classic Dec. 7. Marena Whittle followed Johnson, tallying a career-best  33 points in the double-overtime contest with Fort Wayne Jan. 9 to open Summit League play before LeMar posted 33 Saturday.
 
Exceeding the 20 Point Threshold
        Brooke LeMar has scored at least 20 points in nine of NDSU's 24 games this season. She scored 24 against Northern Iowa Nov. 20, 25 at Milwaukee Nov. 23, 21 versus Montana Nov. 29 in the DoubleTree LA Westside Thanksgiving Classic, 21 against SEC foe Mississippi State Dec. 17, 25 against Northern Colorado Jan. 2, 21 against Western Illinois and Valley City State Jan. 18 and 22, 20 against South Dakota State Jan. 25 and a career-best 33 against Denver Feb. 1.
 
Distributing the Ball
        Brooke LeMar leads the Bison and is second in The Summit League in assists, tallying 134 in 26 games. She averages an impressive 5.2 assists per game and has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.5 (134 assists to 88 turnovers). LeMar has dished out at least four assists in nine of NDSU's 11 league games.
       
Standing Tall
        NDSU has four players with double digit blocked shots through 26 games, led by Marena Whittle with 26 blocks. Miki Stephenson is second with 17 while Emily Spier and Holly Johnson round out the Bison with double figure blocks with 11 each, respectively. As a team, the Bison are averaging 3.3 blocks per game.
 
Takeaway Leaders
        The Bison have six players with at least 12 steals through 26 games, led by Marena Whittle with 28 steals. Brooke LeMar is second with 26 while Kahla Becken is third with 19. Holly Johnson is fourth with 17 while Miki Stephenson and Bree Whatman are tied for fifth with 16 each.
 
Taking Care of the Ball
        Bison women's basketball has been exceptional at taking care of the basketball and are among the national leaders in fewest turnovers per game. Through 26 contests, NDSU is averaging a Summit League-best 13.1 turnovers per game and ranks 25th nationally out of 343 NCAA Division I women's basketball programs for fewest turnovers per game.
 
Bison in The Summit League Statistics
Relevant Team Statistics:

• Scoring Offense: 8th (67.6 points per game)
• Scoring Defense: 6th (72.9 points per game)
• Free Throw Percentage: 2nd (280-376, 74.5 percent)
• Field Goal Percentage: 8th (663-1687, 39.3 percent)
• Three Point Field Goal Percentage: 5th (152-477, 31.9 percent)
• Rebounding: 4th (38.8 per game)
• Blocked Shots: 3rd (3.3 per game)
• Assist-to-Turnover Ratio: 2nd (1.0 ratio)
• Assists: T-5th (13.7 per game)

Relevant Individual Statistics:

• Scoring Offense: Brooke LeMar (5th, 15.4 points per game)
• Rebounding: Marena Whittle (4th, 7.0 per game)
• Assists: Brooke LeMar (1st, 5.3 per game)
• Three Point Field Goal Percentage: Brooke LeMar (5th, 40.0 percent)
• Blocked Shots: Marena Whittle (4th, 1.0 per game), Miki Stephenson (9th, 0.7 per game)
• Assists-to-Turnover Ratio: Brooke LeMar (3rd, 1.5 ratio)
• Minutes Played: Brooke LeMar (4th, 34.5 per game)

Crunching the Numbers
        Through 26 games, North Dakota State is averaging 67.6 points per game (ppg) and 38.8 rebounds per game (rpg). The Bison are shooting 39.3 percent from the field, going 663-1687, and are 152-477 from three for 31.9 percent. NDSU is excelling at the free throw line, going 280-376 for 74.5 percent. NDSU only averages 13.1 turnovers per game.
        Individually, Brooke LeMar paces NDSU in scoring, averaging 15.4 ppg and also has a team-high 134 assists. She has led the Bison in scoring in 13 games this season. The leading rebounders for the Bison are Marena Whittle (7.0 rpg) and Miki Stephenson (5.8 rpg). Whittle also has a team-high 26 blocks and 28 steals and has been NDSU's top rebounder in 12 contests this season.
 
NDSU at Home
        North Dakota State has compiled a 410-84 (.830) record at home, including a 106-45 mark inside the "Friendly Confines" over the past 10 seasons good for a .702 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.
        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.
 
The DeHoff File
        Carolyn DeHoff begins her sixth season as head women's basketball coach at North Dakota State University. She has compiled a 72-101 record overall including a 48-49 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
        Saturday's game will be broadcast live on KVOX 740-AM "The Fan" in Fargo-Moorhead beginning at 3:40 p.m. Jack Michaels will provide play-by-play.
 
Up Next
        The Bison trek to Vermillion, S.D., for a 7 p.m. Summit League contest against South Dakota Feb. 27.