Monday, December 19
Edinburg, Texas
7 p.m.
North Dakota State
at
UT Rio Grande Valley
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
Photo by: Kevin Wolf
UTRGV Battle on the Border Concludes Non-League Slate for NDSU Women's Basketball
12/17/2016 8:24:00 PM | Women's Basketball
NDSU Women's Hoops on Twitter
Complete NDSU Game Notes (PDF)
Texas Rio Grande Valley Battle on the Border
North Dakota State at UT Rio Grande Valley
Monday, Dec. 19 | 7 p.m. | Edinburg, Texas (UTRGV Fieldhouse)
Radio: Bison 1660 AM (Keith Brake, play-by-play)
Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio
North Dakota State vs. UC Santa Barbara
Tuesday, Dec. 20 | 4:30 p.m. | Edinburg, Texas (UTRGV Fieldhouse)
Radio: Bison 1660 AM (Keith Brake, play-by-play)
Live Stats | Live Audio
The Games
The North Dakota State University women's basketball team wraps up non-league play with a pair of games in The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Battle on the Border Monday, Dec. 19, and Tuesday, Dec. 20, at the UTRGV Fieldhouse in Edinburg, Texas. The Bison take on the host UTRGV Vaqueros at 7 p.m. Monday before facing UC Santa Barbara Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.
Series History
Scouting UTRGV
Scouting UC Santa Barbara
Bison Notes
Thunstedt, For Three!
Taylor Thunstedt ranks third in the nation in three-point field goals made through 11 games with 42 treys. The junior from Spicer, Minn., ranks second in NDSU career three-point field-goal percentage at 39.6 percent and three-point field goals made with 179 threes. She is 13 three-pointers away from tying Amanda Gehrke (1998-02) for most three-pointers converted in a career. In her last four games, Thunstedt is shooting 47.4 percent from long range (18-of-38).
Spier Owning the Glass
Emily Spier leads the Bison and is tied for second in The Summit League in rebounding with eight boards per game. The Buffalo, Minn., native has a team-high three double-doubles this season (15 points and 12 rebounds at UMass Nov. 14; 10 points and 14 rebounds against Colorado Nov. 22; 15 points and 12 rebounds against Western Michigan Nov. 30).
Jacobson Making the Pass
Sarah Jacobson leads the Bison and is tied for second in The Summit League with 4.5 assists per game through 11 contests. The Fargo native has dished out 50 assists, including a season-high eight in NDSU's victory over Mayville State Dec. 12.
Field-Goal Percentage Leaders
Emily Spier paces NDSU in field-goal percentage after 11 games at 47 percent. She has made 49 shots in 105 attempts. Brianna Jones is second on the team, going 34-for-83 for 41 percent, and Reilly Jacobson is third, making 20 of 50 shots for 40 percent. In the Bison's last four games, Jones is shooting 49 percent from the floor, converting 19 out of 39 shots.
Last Time Out: Bison Rout Mayville State Monday, 93-44
The North Dakota State University women's basketball team cruised to a 93-44 victory over the Mayville State University Comets on Monday, Dec. 12, inside the Scheels Center at the Sanford Health Athletic Complex in front of 312 spectators.
Brianna Jones compiled a double-double with a career-high 20 points to go along with 18 rebounds, leading five NDSU players in double figures. Taylor Thunstedt netted 19 points and dished out a career-best eight assists, while Kennedy Childers scored 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the field.
Sarah Jacobson posted season highs in points (14) and assists (8), and Reilly Jacobson posted a double-double with 11 points and a season-best 12 boards, rounding out the North Dakota State double figure scoring.
The Bison shot a shot 44 percent from the field and went 21-of-28 at the free-throw line for 75 percent.
NDSU controlled the glass in the game, outrebounding Mayville State, 57-32, and outscored the Comets in the paint, 44-16, and off turnovers, 21-5. The Bison also only turned the ball over six times and dished out 22 assists, while forcing MSU into 20 miscues.
NDSU held Mayville State scoreless the final 6:31 of the fourth quarter.
The 49-point win marked the largest margin of victory for North Dakota State since the 2013-14 season when the Bison defeated the Comets by 50 points, 112-62.
Bison Women Ink Four High School Standouts on National Signing Day
North Dakota State women's basketball head coach Maren Walseth announced Wednesday, Nov. 9, that high school seniors Danneka Voegeli (C, 6-2, Winona, Minn.), Macey Kvilvang (F, 6-4, Cando, N.D.), Emily Dietz (F, 6-3, West Fargo, N.D.) and Michelle Gaislerova (G, 5-11, Trutnov, Czech Republic) have signed National Letters of Intent to continue their education and play women's basketball for the Bison starting in the fall of 2017.
NDSU Women's Basketball Picked Seventh in Summit League Preseason Poll
The North Dakota State women's basketball team was picked to finish seventh in The Summit League Preseason Poll. NDSU tallied 156 points in the poll. Defending Summit League tournament champion South Dakota State was tabbed the preseason favorite with 542 points and 30 first-place votes, while IUPUI was picked second with 438 points. South Dakota, the WNIT champion last season, rounded out the top-three in third with 393 points and three first-place votes. Oral Roberts collected the final first-place vote and was voted fourth with 391 points. Omaha, Western Illinois, NDSU, Denver and Fort Wayne rounded out the poll.
Minimum of 13 NDSU Women's Basketball Games to be Televised in 2016-17
A minimum of 13 North Dakota State University women's basketball games will be televised during the upcoming 2016-17 season as a result of a new broadcast agreement with Midco Sports Network.
MidcoSN will televise 12 of NDSU's 14 home games in high definition inside the new Scheels Center at the Sanford Health Athletic Complex.
MidcoSN will also broadcast North Dakota State's Summit League road game at South Dakota State Feb. 2.
NDSU's non-conference game at Milwaukee Dec. 3 will air on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app.
In addition to its game coverage, MidcoSN will produce and air The Bison Basketball Show during the upcoming season. The weekly, half-hour show will air Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. and will provide an inside look into the NDSU basketball teams with interviews, feature stories, and highlights of home and away contests.
On the Horizon
North Dakota State tips off Summit League play on Wednesday, Dec. 28, at 7 p.m. inside the Scheels Center at the Sanford Health Athletic Complex against the defending Summit League tournament champion South Dakota State University Jackrabbits.
Head Coach Maren Walseth
Maren Walseth is in her third season as the head women's basketball coach at North Dakota State University.
NDSU finished the 2015-16 season with an overall record 7-22 and was 2-14 in Summit League play. Senior Marena Whittle was named to the All-Summit League first team, while sophomore Taylor Thunstedt was tabbed honorable mention all-league.
Walseth graduated from the NCAA Women Coaches Academy in 2015. The academy is an educational training open to coaches of all experience levels that offers non-sport-specific program management strategies.
In her inaugural season at NDSU in 2014-15, 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 helped coach the Bison to several milestone victories during the 2014-15 season. The first occurred on Jan. 2, when NDSU claimed a 77-64 triumph over Oral Roberts at Scheels Arena, marking the first win for the Bison over the Golden Eagles since the 2009-10 season. The win also snapped a five-game losing skid to ORU. Just two days later on Jan. 4, the Bison stunned the then defending Summit League regular season champion South Dakota State Jackrabbits, defeating SDSU in front of 1,782 spectators at Scheels Arena, 83-78. The victory was the first over the Jacks since 2010-11 and the first at home since 2004-05.
North Dakota State also captured the Florida Atlantic Thanksgiving Tournament title with wins over Northeastern (Mass.) and NJIT Nov. 28-29 in Boca Raton, Fla.
Under Walseth's leadership, three student-athletes were named All-Summit League, the most since NDSU joined the league in 2007.
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.
At Penn State, Walseth was primarily responsible for coaching the post players while also playing a significant role in recruiting and opponent scouting efforts. She was the lead academic liaison for the Lady Lions and coached 32 Academic All-Big Ten recipients.
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.
Complete NDSU Game Notes (PDF)
Texas Rio Grande Valley Battle on the Border
North Dakota State at UT Rio Grande Valley
Monday, Dec. 19 | 7 p.m. | Edinburg, Texas (UTRGV Fieldhouse)
Radio: Bison 1660 AM (Keith Brake, play-by-play)
Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio
North Dakota State vs. UC Santa Barbara
Tuesday, Dec. 20 | 4:30 p.m. | Edinburg, Texas (UTRGV Fieldhouse)
Radio: Bison 1660 AM (Keith Brake, play-by-play)
Live Stats | Live Audio
The Games
The North Dakota State University women's basketball team wraps up non-league play with a pair of games in The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Battle on the Border Monday, Dec. 19, and Tuesday, Dec. 20, at the UTRGV Fieldhouse in Edinburg, Texas. The Bison take on the host UTRGV Vaqueros at 7 p.m. Monday before facing UC Santa Barbara Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.
Series History
- UT Rio Grande Valley: Monday's game against the Vaqueros will be the first-ever meeting in the all-time series.
- UC Santa Barbara: Tuesday's showdown with the Gauchos will mark the inaugural meeting in the all-time series.
Scouting UTRGV
- The UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros enter the weekend at 5-6 overall after falling at 16th-ranked Texas Dec. 15, 85-61. UTRGV is scheduled to face Evangel (Mo.) Dec. 17 before taking on the Bison Monday in the Battle on the Border.
- Through 11 games, the Vaqueros are led in scoring by senior guard Shawnte' Goff with 15.3 points per game while junior forward Hildur Björg Kjartansdóttir is averaging a team-best 8.3 rebounds per game. Goff was named the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Preseason Player of the Year.
- As a team, UTRGV is averaging 63.9 points per game while giving up 70.5 points per game. The Vaqueros are being outrebounded by opponents, 47.6 to 37.6.
- UT Rio Grande Valley was picked to finish second in the WAC preseason poll.
- UTRGV is under the direction of fourth season head coach Larry Tidwell (Austin College, 1976).
Scouting UC Santa Barbara
- The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos enter the weekend at 3-7 overall after defeating Fresno State on Friday, 50-49. The Gauchos are scheduled to play Texas A&M Corpus Christi Dec. 19 in the Battle on the Border before facing the Bison Tuesday.
- Through 10 contests, UC Santa Barbara is led in scoring by redshirt sophomore guard Sarah Porter (10.5 points per game) and sophomore guard Coco Miller (10.3 points per game). Redshirt junior forward Drew Edelman paces the Gauchos on the glass with 5.7 rebounds per game.
- As a team, UC Santa Barbara is averaging 58.7 points per game while allowing 65 points per game. The Gauchos are being outrebounded by adversaries, 37.3 to 33.
- UCSB was picked to finish fourth in the Big West Women's Basketball Preseason Poll.
- UC Santa Barbara is under the leadership of second season head coach Bonnie Henrickson (St. Cloud State University, 1986).
Bison Notes
- North Dakota State enters Monday at 2-9 overall after rolling to a 93-44 win over Mayville State University Monday, Dec. 12, at the Scheels Center.
- The victory against Mayville State snapped a nine-game losing streak for the Bison.
- Through 11 games, junior guard Taylor Thunstedt (16 points per game) and senior forward Emily Spier (10.3 points and eight rebounds per game) lead NDSU.
- As a team, NDSU is averaging 63.8 points per game while allowing 73.4 points per game. The Bison are outrebounding opponents, 40.3 to 38.5.
- NDSU has struggled scoring in the second quarter through 11 games. The Bison are being outscored, 198-161, in the second period.
- The Bison were picked to finish seventh in The Summit League preseason poll.
- Taylor Thunstedt was named to the Summit League Preseason All-League Second Team.
Thunstedt, For Three!
Taylor Thunstedt ranks third in the nation in three-point field goals made through 11 games with 42 treys. The junior from Spicer, Minn., ranks second in NDSU career three-point field-goal percentage at 39.6 percent and three-point field goals made with 179 threes. She is 13 three-pointers away from tying Amanda Gehrke (1998-02) for most three-pointers converted in a career. In her last four games, Thunstedt is shooting 47.4 percent from long range (18-of-38).
Spier Owning the Glass
Emily Spier leads the Bison and is tied for second in The Summit League in rebounding with eight boards per game. The Buffalo, Minn., native has a team-high three double-doubles this season (15 points and 12 rebounds at UMass Nov. 14; 10 points and 14 rebounds against Colorado Nov. 22; 15 points and 12 rebounds against Western Michigan Nov. 30).
Jacobson Making the Pass
Sarah Jacobson leads the Bison and is tied for second in The Summit League with 4.5 assists per game through 11 contests. The Fargo native has dished out 50 assists, including a season-high eight in NDSU's victory over Mayville State Dec. 12.
Field-Goal Percentage Leaders
Emily Spier paces NDSU in field-goal percentage after 11 games at 47 percent. She has made 49 shots in 105 attempts. Brianna Jones is second on the team, going 34-for-83 for 41 percent, and Reilly Jacobson is third, making 20 of 50 shots for 40 percent. In the Bison's last four games, Jones is shooting 49 percent from the floor, converting 19 out of 39 shots.
Last Time Out: Bison Rout Mayville State Monday, 93-44
The North Dakota State University women's basketball team cruised to a 93-44 victory over the Mayville State University Comets on Monday, Dec. 12, inside the Scheels Center at the Sanford Health Athletic Complex in front of 312 spectators.
Brianna Jones compiled a double-double with a career-high 20 points to go along with 18 rebounds, leading five NDSU players in double figures. Taylor Thunstedt netted 19 points and dished out a career-best eight assists, while Kennedy Childers scored 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the field.
Sarah Jacobson posted season highs in points (14) and assists (8), and Reilly Jacobson posted a double-double with 11 points and a season-best 12 boards, rounding out the North Dakota State double figure scoring.
The Bison shot a shot 44 percent from the field and went 21-of-28 at the free-throw line for 75 percent.
NDSU controlled the glass in the game, outrebounding Mayville State, 57-32, and outscored the Comets in the paint, 44-16, and off turnovers, 21-5. The Bison also only turned the ball over six times and dished out 22 assists, while forcing MSU into 20 miscues.
NDSU held Mayville State scoreless the final 6:31 of the fourth quarter.
The 49-point win marked the largest margin of victory for North Dakota State since the 2013-14 season when the Bison defeated the Comets by 50 points, 112-62.
Bison Women Ink Four High School Standouts on National Signing Day
North Dakota State women's basketball head coach Maren Walseth announced Wednesday, Nov. 9, that high school seniors Danneka Voegeli (C, 6-2, Winona, Minn.), Macey Kvilvang (F, 6-4, Cando, N.D.), Emily Dietz (F, 6-3, West Fargo, N.D.) and Michelle Gaislerova (G, 5-11, Trutnov, Czech Republic) have signed National Letters of Intent to continue their education and play women's basketball for the Bison starting in the fall of 2017.
NDSU Women's Basketball Picked Seventh in Summit League Preseason Poll
The North Dakota State women's basketball team was picked to finish seventh in The Summit League Preseason Poll. NDSU tallied 156 points in the poll. Defending Summit League tournament champion South Dakota State was tabbed the preseason favorite with 542 points and 30 first-place votes, while IUPUI was picked second with 438 points. South Dakota, the WNIT champion last season, rounded out the top-three in third with 393 points and three first-place votes. Oral Roberts collected the final first-place vote and was voted fourth with 391 points. Omaha, Western Illinois, NDSU, Denver and Fort Wayne rounded out the poll.
Minimum of 13 NDSU Women's Basketball Games to be Televised in 2016-17
A minimum of 13 North Dakota State University women's basketball games will be televised during the upcoming 2016-17 season as a result of a new broadcast agreement with Midco Sports Network.
MidcoSN will televise 12 of NDSU's 14 home games in high definition inside the new Scheels Center at the Sanford Health Athletic Complex.
MidcoSN will also broadcast North Dakota State's Summit League road game at South Dakota State Feb. 2.
NDSU's non-conference game at Milwaukee Dec. 3 will air on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app.
In addition to its game coverage, MidcoSN will produce and air The Bison Basketball Show during the upcoming season. The weekly, half-hour show will air Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. and will provide an inside look into the NDSU basketball teams with interviews, feature stories, and highlights of home and away contests.
On the Horizon
North Dakota State tips off Summit League play on Wednesday, Dec. 28, at 7 p.m. inside the Scheels Center at the Sanford Health Athletic Complex against the defending Summit League tournament champion South Dakota State University Jackrabbits.
Head Coach Maren Walseth
Maren Walseth is in her third season as the head women's basketball coach at North Dakota State University.
NDSU finished the 2015-16 season with an overall record 7-22 and was 2-14 in Summit League play. Senior Marena Whittle was named to the All-Summit League first team, while sophomore Taylor Thunstedt was tabbed honorable mention all-league.
Walseth graduated from the NCAA Women Coaches Academy in 2015. The academy is an educational training open to coaches of all experience levels that offers non-sport-specific program management strategies.
In her inaugural season at NDSU in 2014-15, 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 helped coach the Bison to several milestone victories during the 2014-15 season. The first occurred on Jan. 2, when NDSU claimed a 77-64 triumph over Oral Roberts at Scheels Arena, marking the first win for the Bison over the Golden Eagles since the 2009-10 season. The win also snapped a five-game losing skid to ORU. Just two days later on Jan. 4, the Bison stunned the then defending Summit League regular season champion South Dakota State Jackrabbits, defeating SDSU in front of 1,782 spectators at Scheels Arena, 83-78. The victory was the first over the Jacks since 2010-11 and the first at home since 2004-05.
North Dakota State also captured the Florida Atlantic Thanksgiving Tournament title with wins over Northeastern (Mass.) and NJIT Nov. 28-29 in Boca Raton, Fla.
Under Walseth's leadership, three student-athletes were named All-Summit League, the most since NDSU joined the league in 2007.
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.
At Penn State, Walseth was primarily responsible for coaching the post players while also playing a significant role in recruiting and opponent scouting efforts. She was the lead academic liaison for the Lady Lions and coached 32 Academic All-Big Ten recipients.
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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