Thursday, January 21
Fargo, N.D.
7 p.m.
North Dakota State
vs
Western Illinois
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's BasketballPhoto by: Kim Hill
Bison Women Battle Western Illinois Thursday in 10th Annual Katherine Burgum Classic
1/20/2016 4:01:00 PM | Women's Basketball
NDSU Women's Basketball on Twitter
Full Game Notes (PDF)
North Dakota State vs. Western Illinois | Jan. 21 | 7 p.m.
Live Stats | Live Audio (Free) | Live Video (PPV)
Radio - 740 The Fan (Scott Miller, play-by-play; Jeremy Jorgenson, color commentary)
Bison Women Battle Western Illinois Thursday in 10th-Annual Katherine Burgum Classic
The North Dakota State women's basketball team will host the Western Illinois University Leathernecks in the 10th annual Katherine Burgum Classic on Thursday, Jan. 21, at 7 p.m. inside the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse.
Summit League Food Fight Challenge Tips-Off Thursday
The Summit League's Food Fight Challenge scheduled for North Dakota State University athletics will begin on Thursday, Jan. 21, with the women's basketball game against Western Illinois. Summit League food bags will be passed out during the women's basketball game for individuals to return Saturday, Jan. 23, when the Bison women host Fort Wayne at 2 p.m. Drop boxes will be available on the south side of the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse Thursday and Saturday.
Series History:
Thursday's game against the Leathernecks will be the 18th meeting in the all-time series ... NDSU leads the series, 9-8, but has dropped the last three meetings ... Last season, the Bison fell to WIU at home, 66-60, and on the road, 88-66.
About Western Illinois
Entering the week, the Western Illinois University Leathernecks are 10-8 overall and 3-2 in Summit League play after defeating Denver on Jan. 15 at home in Macomb, Ill., 63-60 ... Through 18 games, senior forward Sophie Reichelt leads WIU with 14 points and 7.4 rebounds per game ... Senior guard Michelle Maher (13.5 points per game), freshman guard Taylor Higginbotham (13.5 points per game) and sophomore guard Emily Clemens (10.1 points per game) are also averaging in double figures for WIU ... The Leathernecks rank second in The Summit League in scoring with 76.1 points per game and average the fewest turnovers per game in the league with 12 ... Western Illinois is under the leadership of fifth season head coach JD Gravina.
Catching Up with the Bison
The Bison enter Thursday with an overall record of 5-14 and are 0-6 in Summit League play after falling at IUPUI on Jan. 16, 67-44 ... NDSU has dropped its last six games ... Through 19 games, Marena Whittle leads the Bison in scoring with 17.2 points per game ... Whittle leads the team and The Summit League on the boards with 10.2 rebounds per game ... Taylor Thunstedt is also averaging in double figures for NDSU with 16.7 points per game ... Thunstedt leads the league in three-point field-goal percentage (43.5 percent) and ranks fourth in points per game ... NDSU ranks second in The Summit League in three-point field-goal percentage at 36.5 percent ... The Bison are averaging 63.5 points per game, but surrendering 70.7 per game ... North Dakota State is outrebounding its foes, 37.1 to 35.8.
Last Time Out: IUPUI Defeats NDSU Women's Basketball Saturday, 67-44
The North Dakota State University women's basketball team fell at IUPUI, 67-44, on Saturday, Jan. 16, in front of 422 spectators inside The Jungle in downtown Indianapolis.
Taylor Thunstedt scored 14 points and tallied a game-best five steals to lead the Bison (5-14, 0-6 Summit League), while Brooke Yaggie also reached double figures with 11 points.
Brianna Jones pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds to lead NDSU on the boards.
North Dakota State shot just 32 percent from the field and 18 percent from three-point range in the game.
Mikale Rogers paced the Jaguars (13-5, 4-1 Summit League) with a game-high 19 points on 9-for-13 shooting from the field to go along with a team-high eight rebounds.
IUPUI outrebounded the Bison, 38-34, and posted a 36-20 advantage in points scored in the paint.
The Jags shot 45 percent from the field and 50 percent from beyond the arc in the contest.
Last Time Out Against WIU: Late Rally Falls Short as Bison Women Fall to Western Illinois Friday, 66-60
In a game that featured 12 lead changes and five ties, the North Dakota State women's basketball team (9-13, 5-5 Summit League) came up short, falling 66-60 to the Western Illinois Leathernecks (15-8, 7-3 Summit League) on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015, at the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse.
Three Bison reached double figures in the contest, paced by Brooke LeMar, who led all scorers with 25 points, while Taylor Thunstedt tallied 12 points on 4-for-9 shooting. Liz Keena rounded out the double-figure scoring for NDSU, tallying her first double-double of the season with 10 points and a career-high 14 rebounds. Holly Johnson also snagged 14 boards for North Dakota State, matching her career-best.
NDSU shot 36 percent from the field for the game, going 25-for-70, and were 36 percent from three-point range, making nine of 25 attempts. The Bison went just 1-for-3 from the free-throw line.
North Dakota State outrebounded Western Illinois in the game, 52-50.
Sophie Reichelt (18 points, 11 rebounds) and Ashley Luke (17 points, 19 rebounds) paced the Leathernecks in the game.
Western Illinois shot 32 percent from the field, going 24-for-74, and made eight of 25 three-pointers for 32 percent. WIU went 10-for-15 from the foul line for 67 percent.
From Downtown!
The Bison rank 24th out of 344 teams in three-point field-goal percentage at 36.5 percent in the latest NCAA Division I Women's Basketball National Rankings.
Whittle Among National Leaders in Double Doubles
Marena Whittle ranks 28th in double doubles in the latest NCAA national statistics with eight.
Whittle Controlling the Glass
Marena Whittle holds the career record for defensive rebounding average at NDSU with 5.5 boards per game and ranks eighth in overall career rebounding average with 7.7 per game. The Victoria, Australia, native leads the Bison and The Summit League and ranks 22nd in the latest NCAA women's basketball national statistics in rebounding through 19 games with 10.2 boards per game.
Thunstedt Ascending the NDSU Career Record Books
Taylor Thunstedt already ranks second in career three-point field goal percentage at North Dakota State as a sophomore, going 112-of-270 for 42 percent. Through 19 games this season, the Spicer, Minn., native leads the Bison and in The Summit League in three-point field goal percentage at 43.5 percent. In the most recent NCAA national statistics, Thunstedt ranks third in three-point field goals made with 57 treys.
Sophomores Excelling in League Play
Sophomores Taylor Thunstedt (42.7 percent) and Brooke Yaggie (43.8 percent) lead the Bison in field-goal percentage in Summit League play through six league contests.
Thunstedt Making the Pass
Taylor Thunstedt leads the Bison through 19 games with 3.2 assists per game. The sophomore guard dished out a career-best seven assists in NDSU's season opener against New Mexico State on Nov. 13.
Jones Crashing the Boards
Through 19 games, Brianna Jones ranks second on the team and third in The Summit League with 8.7 rebounds per game. The Indianapolis native snagged 19 boards in the season opener against New Mexico State, the most rebounds in a single game since Marena Whittle pulled down 20 boards at Omaha last season. She also tallied double-digit rebounds against San Diego State (12), Delaware (14), Grand Canyon (13) and IUPUI (11).
Takeaway Leader
Marena Whittle leads the Bison and ranks second in The Summit League with 2.4 steals per game. Whittle has tallied at least three steals in nine of NDSU's 19 contests this season, including a career-high tying six takeaways against Prairie View A&M on Dec. 19 in the Wichita State Shocker Winter Classic.
Whittle Nets 1,000th Career Point
Marena Whittle scored her 1,000th career point in the Bison's win over Prairie View A&M on Dec. 19 in the Shocker Winter Classic. Whittle became the 32nd member of the NDSU women's basketball 1,000 point club after she converted a layup with 4:53 to go in the third quarter.
Summit League Player of the Week
Double-Double Performances
Getting to the Line
Marena Whittle (84 percent) ranks third and Taylor Thunstedt (73 percent) ranks seventh in The Summit League in free-throw percentage through 19 contests. Thunstedt tied her career-high with eight made free throws against South Dakota Jan. 14.
Summit Scoring Slump
Through six Summit League games, the Bison are being outscored, 72.8 to 58.0. NDSU is shooting just 36 percent from the field, compared to 45 percent for its adversaries.
Turnover Woes
North Dakota State has struggled taking care of the basketball this season. The Bison are averaging 17.3 turnovers per game and have surrendered an average of 17.5 points off turnovers.
NDSU Women's Hoops Inks Seven High School Standouts on National Signing Day
North Dakota State University women's basketball head coach Maren Walseth announced on Wednesday, Nov. 11, that high school seniors Rylee Nudell (Buffalo, N.D./Maple Valley HS), Tyrah Spencer (Oakdale, Minn./Bloomington Kennedy HS), Anna Goodhope (Sioux Falls, S.D./Sioux Falls Washington HS), Autumn Ogden (Marshall, Wis./Monona Grove HS), Liz Bulver (Belton, Mo./Belton HS), Sarah Jacobson (Fargo, N.D./Shanley HS) and Reilly Jacobson (Waukee, Iowa/Waukee HS) have signed National Letters of Intent to continue their education and play women's basketball for North Dakota State beginning in the fall of 2016.
The 2016 class brings a tremendous amount of prep success to the Bison. Seven total championships and multiple runner-ups highlight the class and each player's ability to elevate their team's success.
The 2016 class of Bison will be the first recruiting class to play in the newly renovated Sanford Health Athletic Complex beginning in the fall.
NDSU in The Summit League Statistics (as of Jan. 20)
Team:
Points - 7th (63.5/game), Rebounds - 5th (37.1/game), Assists - 6th (12.2/game), Steals - 8th (7.1/game), Blocks - 6th (2.5/game), Field-Goal Percentage - 6th (.403), Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage - 2nd (.365), Free-Throw Percentage - 6th (.674), Turnovers - 8th (17.3/game)
Individual:
Marena Whittle - Points: 2nd (17.2/game), Free-Throw Percentage: 3rd (.841), Rebounds: 1st (10.2/game), Turnovers: 4th (3.7/game), Steals: 2nd (2.4/game), Blocks: 10th (0.8/game); Taylor Thunstedt - Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 1st (.435), Points: 4th (16.7/game), Assists: 6th (3.2/game), Turnovers: 2nd (4.1/game), Free-Throw Percentage: 7th (.726); Brianna Jones - Rebounds: 3rd (8.7/game), Turnovers: 9th (2.7/game)
Bison Women Sixth in Summit League Preseason Poll
The North Dakota State University women's basketball team was picked to finish sixth in The Summit League preseason poll.
The Bison tallied 250 points in the poll.
South Dakota State was selected to capture the 2015-16 Summit League women's basketball championship after winning The Summit League tournament last season. The Jackrabbits collected 17 first-place votes and 508 points in a vote of the league's head coaches, SIDs and select media. South Dakota's Nicole Seekamp was tabbed as the preseason Player of the Year.
South Dakota, last season's regular season champion, earned 15 first-place votes and 502 points to place second in the poll. IUPUI was picked third with 379 points followed by Oral Roberts in fourth with one first-place vote and 317 points. Western Illinois came in fifth followed by the Bison in sixth and Omaha in seventh. Denver and Fort Wayne rounded out the poll in eighth and ninth.
Six NDSU Women's Basketball Games to be Televised During 2015-16 Regular Season
The North Dakota State women's basketball team will be featured on television six times during the 2015-16 regular season, NDSU athletics and The Summit League announced Friday, Nov. 6.
The Bison's game at North Dakota on Dec. 12 will be carried on Midco Sports Network (MidcoSN), while NDSU's Summit League contest against South Dakota State at Scheels Arena on Jan. 3 will be televised regionally on MeTV. The television network is available via over-the-air channels in Bismarck (5.2), Minot (10.2), Williston (8.2) and Dickinson (7.2) as well as through additional providers.
The Bison's Feb. 20 league contest at Scheels Arena against Denver will air in high definition on NBC North Dakota and ESPN3, and NDSU's league game at Western Illinois Feb. 25 will be televised on WIUTV and ESPN3.
North Dakota State will also have a pair of Summit League contests carried on MidcoSN and ESPN3 through the league's television package. The game on Jan. 30 at South Dakota and the contest on Feb. 6 at South Dakota State will be broadcast.
Head Coach Maren Walseth
Maren Walseth is in her second season as the head coach of the North Dakota State University women's basketball team.
In her inaugural season at NDSU, she helped guide the Bison to an 11-17 overall record and a 7-9 Summit League mark. North Dakota State finished sixth in The Summit League, the highest finish for NDSU women's basketball since the 2011-12 season.
Walseth joined the Bison in April, 2014, after spending seven years as an assistant coach at Big Ten power Penn State University in State College, Pa., where she helped the Lady Lions to three Big Ten championships, four NCAA tournament appearances and two NCAA Sweet 16 appearances.
Prior to becoming an assistant at Penn State, Walseth spent three years as an assistant coach at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. While at Navy, she assisted with recruiting as well as on-court player development and scouting, and was also the academic liaison for the Midshipmen.
A native of Bloomington, Minn., Walseth was a two-time All-Big Ten selection and a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree as a forward at Penn State from 1997-2002. She was also a key member of the 2000 Lady Lion team that advanced to the Final Four and claimed the Big Ten conference championship. Walseth also was a member of the 1998 WNIT championship team. She graduated from Penn State in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in communications.
Walseth was drafted by the Sacramento Monarchs in the third-round of the 2001 WNBA draft and spent four years playing professionally. She played for the Washington Mystics of the WNBA in 2002 before spending two years playing professionally in France. Walseth also spent a season with the Women's National Basketball League's (NWBL) Colorado Chill.
Walseth's sister, Annika, played for NDSU during the 2007-08 season.
Full Game Notes (PDF)
North Dakota State vs. Western Illinois | Jan. 21 | 7 p.m.
Live Stats | Live Audio (Free) | Live Video (PPV)
Radio - 740 The Fan (Scott Miller, play-by-play; Jeremy Jorgenson, color commentary)
Bison Women Battle Western Illinois Thursday in 10th-Annual Katherine Burgum Classic
The North Dakota State women's basketball team will host the Western Illinois University Leathernecks in the 10th annual Katherine Burgum Classic on Thursday, Jan. 21, at 7 p.m. inside the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse.
Summit League Food Fight Challenge Tips-Off Thursday
The Summit League's Food Fight Challenge scheduled for North Dakota State University athletics will begin on Thursday, Jan. 21, with the women's basketball game against Western Illinois. Summit League food bags will be passed out during the women's basketball game for individuals to return Saturday, Jan. 23, when the Bison women host Fort Wayne at 2 p.m. Drop boxes will be available on the south side of the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse Thursday and Saturday.
Series History:
Thursday's game against the Leathernecks will be the 18th meeting in the all-time series ... NDSU leads the series, 9-8, but has dropped the last three meetings ... Last season, the Bison fell to WIU at home, 66-60, and on the road, 88-66.
About Western Illinois
Entering the week, the Western Illinois University Leathernecks are 10-8 overall and 3-2 in Summit League play after defeating Denver on Jan. 15 at home in Macomb, Ill., 63-60 ... Through 18 games, senior forward Sophie Reichelt leads WIU with 14 points and 7.4 rebounds per game ... Senior guard Michelle Maher (13.5 points per game), freshman guard Taylor Higginbotham (13.5 points per game) and sophomore guard Emily Clemens (10.1 points per game) are also averaging in double figures for WIU ... The Leathernecks rank second in The Summit League in scoring with 76.1 points per game and average the fewest turnovers per game in the league with 12 ... Western Illinois is under the leadership of fifth season head coach JD Gravina.
Catching Up with the Bison
The Bison enter Thursday with an overall record of 5-14 and are 0-6 in Summit League play after falling at IUPUI on Jan. 16, 67-44 ... NDSU has dropped its last six games ... Through 19 games, Marena Whittle leads the Bison in scoring with 17.2 points per game ... Whittle leads the team and The Summit League on the boards with 10.2 rebounds per game ... Taylor Thunstedt is also averaging in double figures for NDSU with 16.7 points per game ... Thunstedt leads the league in three-point field-goal percentage (43.5 percent) and ranks fourth in points per game ... NDSU ranks second in The Summit League in three-point field-goal percentage at 36.5 percent ... The Bison are averaging 63.5 points per game, but surrendering 70.7 per game ... North Dakota State is outrebounding its foes, 37.1 to 35.8.
Last Time Out: IUPUI Defeats NDSU Women's Basketball Saturday, 67-44
The North Dakota State University women's basketball team fell at IUPUI, 67-44, on Saturday, Jan. 16, in front of 422 spectators inside The Jungle in downtown Indianapolis.
Taylor Thunstedt scored 14 points and tallied a game-best five steals to lead the Bison (5-14, 0-6 Summit League), while Brooke Yaggie also reached double figures with 11 points.
Brianna Jones pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds to lead NDSU on the boards.
North Dakota State shot just 32 percent from the field and 18 percent from three-point range in the game.
Mikale Rogers paced the Jaguars (13-5, 4-1 Summit League) with a game-high 19 points on 9-for-13 shooting from the field to go along with a team-high eight rebounds.
IUPUI outrebounded the Bison, 38-34, and posted a 36-20 advantage in points scored in the paint.
The Jags shot 45 percent from the field and 50 percent from beyond the arc in the contest.
Last Time Out Against WIU: Late Rally Falls Short as Bison Women Fall to Western Illinois Friday, 66-60
In a game that featured 12 lead changes and five ties, the North Dakota State women's basketball team (9-13, 5-5 Summit League) came up short, falling 66-60 to the Western Illinois Leathernecks (15-8, 7-3 Summit League) on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015, at the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse.
Three Bison reached double figures in the contest, paced by Brooke LeMar, who led all scorers with 25 points, while Taylor Thunstedt tallied 12 points on 4-for-9 shooting. Liz Keena rounded out the double-figure scoring for NDSU, tallying her first double-double of the season with 10 points and a career-high 14 rebounds. Holly Johnson also snagged 14 boards for North Dakota State, matching her career-best.
NDSU shot 36 percent from the field for the game, going 25-for-70, and were 36 percent from three-point range, making nine of 25 attempts. The Bison went just 1-for-3 from the free-throw line.
North Dakota State outrebounded Western Illinois in the game, 52-50.
Sophie Reichelt (18 points, 11 rebounds) and Ashley Luke (17 points, 19 rebounds) paced the Leathernecks in the game.
Western Illinois shot 32 percent from the field, going 24-for-74, and made eight of 25 three-pointers for 32 percent. WIU went 10-for-15 from the foul line for 67 percent.
From Downtown!
The Bison rank 24th out of 344 teams in three-point field-goal percentage at 36.5 percent in the latest NCAA Division I Women's Basketball National Rankings.
Whittle Among National Leaders in Double Doubles
Marena Whittle ranks 28th in double doubles in the latest NCAA national statistics with eight.
Whittle Controlling the Glass
Marena Whittle holds the career record for defensive rebounding average at NDSU with 5.5 boards per game and ranks eighth in overall career rebounding average with 7.7 per game. The Victoria, Australia, native leads the Bison and The Summit League and ranks 22nd in the latest NCAA women's basketball national statistics in rebounding through 19 games with 10.2 boards per game.
Thunstedt Ascending the NDSU Career Record Books
Taylor Thunstedt already ranks second in career three-point field goal percentage at North Dakota State as a sophomore, going 112-of-270 for 42 percent. Through 19 games this season, the Spicer, Minn., native leads the Bison and in The Summit League in three-point field goal percentage at 43.5 percent. In the most recent NCAA national statistics, Thunstedt ranks third in three-point field goals made with 57 treys.
Sophomores Excelling in League Play
Sophomores Taylor Thunstedt (42.7 percent) and Brooke Yaggie (43.8 percent) lead the Bison in field-goal percentage in Summit League play through six league contests.
Thunstedt Making the Pass
Taylor Thunstedt leads the Bison through 19 games with 3.2 assists per game. The sophomore guard dished out a career-best seven assists in NDSU's season opener against New Mexico State on Nov. 13.
Jones Crashing the Boards
Through 19 games, Brianna Jones ranks second on the team and third in The Summit League with 8.7 rebounds per game. The Indianapolis native snagged 19 boards in the season opener against New Mexico State, the most rebounds in a single game since Marena Whittle pulled down 20 boards at Omaha last season. She also tallied double-digit rebounds against San Diego State (12), Delaware (14), Grand Canyon (13) and IUPUI (11).
Takeaway Leader
Marena Whittle leads the Bison and ranks second in The Summit League with 2.4 steals per game. Whittle has tallied at least three steals in nine of NDSU's 19 contests this season, including a career-high tying six takeaways against Prairie View A&M on Dec. 19 in the Wichita State Shocker Winter Classic.
Whittle Nets 1,000th Career Point
Marena Whittle scored her 1,000th career point in the Bison's win over Prairie View A&M on Dec. 19 in the Shocker Winter Classic. Whittle became the 32nd member of the NDSU women's basketball 1,000 point club after she converted a layup with 4:53 to go in the third quarter.
Summit League Player of the Week
- Marena Whittle - Dec. 20
Double-Double Performances
- Brianna Jones - 12 rebounds, 10 points at San Diego State, Nov. 27; 14 rebounds, 10 points vs. Delaware, Nov. 29
- Marena Whittle - 32 points, 10 rebounds vs. Valley City State, Nov. 19; 23 points, 10 rebounds vs. Delaware, Nov. 29; 24 points, 17 rebounds vs. Prairie View A&M, Dec. 19; 24 points, 13 rebounds at NJIT, Dec. 22; 20 points, 17 rebounds vs. Cal State Fullerton, Dec. 28; 19 points, 15 rebounds at Omaha, Dec. 30; 14 points, 12 rebounds vs. South Dakota State, Jan. 3; 21 points, 10 rebounds vs. South Dakota, Jan. 14
Getting to the Line
Marena Whittle (84 percent) ranks third and Taylor Thunstedt (73 percent) ranks seventh in The Summit League in free-throw percentage through 19 contests. Thunstedt tied her career-high with eight made free throws against South Dakota Jan. 14.
Summit Scoring Slump
Through six Summit League games, the Bison are being outscored, 72.8 to 58.0. NDSU is shooting just 36 percent from the field, compared to 45 percent for its adversaries.
Turnover Woes
North Dakota State has struggled taking care of the basketball this season. The Bison are averaging 17.3 turnovers per game and have surrendered an average of 17.5 points off turnovers.
NDSU Women's Hoops Inks Seven High School Standouts on National Signing Day
North Dakota State University women's basketball head coach Maren Walseth announced on Wednesday, Nov. 11, that high school seniors Rylee Nudell (Buffalo, N.D./Maple Valley HS), Tyrah Spencer (Oakdale, Minn./Bloomington Kennedy HS), Anna Goodhope (Sioux Falls, S.D./Sioux Falls Washington HS), Autumn Ogden (Marshall, Wis./Monona Grove HS), Liz Bulver (Belton, Mo./Belton HS), Sarah Jacobson (Fargo, N.D./Shanley HS) and Reilly Jacobson (Waukee, Iowa/Waukee HS) have signed National Letters of Intent to continue their education and play women's basketball for North Dakota State beginning in the fall of 2016.
The 2016 class brings a tremendous amount of prep success to the Bison. Seven total championships and multiple runner-ups highlight the class and each player's ability to elevate their team's success.
The 2016 class of Bison will be the first recruiting class to play in the newly renovated Sanford Health Athletic Complex beginning in the fall.
NDSU in The Summit League Statistics (as of Jan. 20)
Team:
Points - 7th (63.5/game), Rebounds - 5th (37.1/game), Assists - 6th (12.2/game), Steals - 8th (7.1/game), Blocks - 6th (2.5/game), Field-Goal Percentage - 6th (.403), Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage - 2nd (.365), Free-Throw Percentage - 6th (.674), Turnovers - 8th (17.3/game)
Individual:
Marena Whittle - Points: 2nd (17.2/game), Free-Throw Percentage: 3rd (.841), Rebounds: 1st (10.2/game), Turnovers: 4th (3.7/game), Steals: 2nd (2.4/game), Blocks: 10th (0.8/game); Taylor Thunstedt - Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 1st (.435), Points: 4th (16.7/game), Assists: 6th (3.2/game), Turnovers: 2nd (4.1/game), Free-Throw Percentage: 7th (.726); Brianna Jones - Rebounds: 3rd (8.7/game), Turnovers: 9th (2.7/game)
Bison Women Sixth in Summit League Preseason Poll
The North Dakota State University women's basketball team was picked to finish sixth in The Summit League preseason poll.
The Bison tallied 250 points in the poll.
South Dakota State was selected to capture the 2015-16 Summit League women's basketball championship after winning The Summit League tournament last season. The Jackrabbits collected 17 first-place votes and 508 points in a vote of the league's head coaches, SIDs and select media. South Dakota's Nicole Seekamp was tabbed as the preseason Player of the Year.
South Dakota, last season's regular season champion, earned 15 first-place votes and 502 points to place second in the poll. IUPUI was picked third with 379 points followed by Oral Roberts in fourth with one first-place vote and 317 points. Western Illinois came in fifth followed by the Bison in sixth and Omaha in seventh. Denver and Fort Wayne rounded out the poll in eighth and ninth.
Six NDSU Women's Basketball Games to be Televised During 2015-16 Regular Season
The North Dakota State women's basketball team will be featured on television six times during the 2015-16 regular season, NDSU athletics and The Summit League announced Friday, Nov. 6.
The Bison's game at North Dakota on Dec. 12 will be carried on Midco Sports Network (MidcoSN), while NDSU's Summit League contest against South Dakota State at Scheels Arena on Jan. 3 will be televised regionally on MeTV. The television network is available via over-the-air channels in Bismarck (5.2), Minot (10.2), Williston (8.2) and Dickinson (7.2) as well as through additional providers.
The Bison's Feb. 20 league contest at Scheels Arena against Denver will air in high definition on NBC North Dakota and ESPN3, and NDSU's league game at Western Illinois Feb. 25 will be televised on WIUTV and ESPN3.
North Dakota State will also have a pair of Summit League contests carried on MidcoSN and ESPN3 through the league's television package. The game on Jan. 30 at South Dakota and the contest on Feb. 6 at South Dakota State will be broadcast.
Head Coach Maren Walseth
Maren Walseth is in her second season as the head coach of the North Dakota State University women's basketball team.
In her inaugural season at NDSU, she helped guide the Bison to an 11-17 overall record and a 7-9 Summit League mark. North Dakota State finished sixth in The Summit League, the highest finish for NDSU women's basketball since the 2011-12 season.
Walseth joined the Bison in April, 2014, after spending seven years as an assistant coach at Big Ten power Penn State University in State College, Pa., where she helped the Lady Lions to three Big Ten championships, four NCAA tournament appearances and two NCAA Sweet 16 appearances.
Prior to becoming an assistant at Penn State, Walseth spent three years as an assistant coach at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. While at Navy, she assisted with recruiting as well as on-court player development and scouting, and was also the academic liaison for the Midshipmen.
A native of Bloomington, Minn., Walseth was a two-time All-Big Ten selection and a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree as a forward at Penn State from 1997-2002. She was also a key member of the 2000 Lady Lion team that advanced to the Final Four and claimed the Big Ten conference championship. Walseth also was a member of the 1998 WNIT championship team. She graduated from Penn State in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in communications.
Walseth was drafted by the Sacramento Monarchs in the third-round of the 2001 WNBA draft and spent four years playing professionally. She played for the Washington Mystics of the WNBA in 2002 before spending two years playing professionally in France. Walseth also spent a season with the Women's National Basketball League's (NWBL) Colorado Chill.
Walseth's sister, Annika, played for NDSU during the 2007-08 season.
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