NDSU Women’s Basketball Concludes Regular Season at IPFW Saturday

Saturday, February 27

Fort Wayne, Ind.

1 p.m.

North Dakota State Athletics

Fort Wayne

Photo by: Richard Svaleson

NDSU Women’s Basketball Concludes Regular Season at IPFW Saturday

2/26/2016 1:36:00 PM | Women's Basketball

NDSU Women's Basketball on Twitter
Full Game Notes (PDF)
North Dakota State at IPFW | Feb. 27 | 2 p.m. ET (1 p.m. CT)
Gates Sports Center | Fort Wayne, Ind.
Live Stats | Live Audio | Live Video
Radio - 790 KFGO/740 The Fan (Jack Michaels, play-by-play)

NDSU Women's Basketball Concludes Regular Season at IPFW Saturday
        The North Dakota State University women's basketball team wraps up the 2015-16 regular season on Saturday, Feb. 27, at IPFW. Tip-off inside the Gates Sports Center in Fort Wayne, Ind., is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET (1 p.m. CT). The winner of the contest will advance to The Summit League tournament, while the loser will see their season come to a close as only the top eight teams in the league standings qualify for the tournament.

Series History
        Saturday's regular season finale at IPFW will mark the 23rd meeting in the all-time series ... NDSU leads the series, 15-7, after defeating the Mastodons earlier this season on Jan. 23 in Fargo, 94-85 ... The Bison have won the last three meetings against IPFW, including a 72-66 victory in Fort Wayne last season.

About IPFW
        The IPFW Mastodons enter Saturday with an overall record of 6-22 and a Summit League mark of 2-13 after falling to South Dakota at home Thursday, 90-63 ... IPFW has lost five of its last six games ... Senior guard Kamilah Carter (16 points per game) and freshman guard Josie Fisher (10.6 points per game) lead the 'Dons in scoring through 28 games, while redshirt sophomore forward Keanna Gary paces IPFW on the boards with 7.2 rebounds per game ... The Mastodons have struggled shooting the basketball this season and rank last in The Summit League in field-goal percentage at 37.9 percent ... IPFW is averaging 65 points per game but giving up 70.4 points per game ... The Mastodons are being outrebounded, 38.5 to 34.6 ... The 'Dons are under the leadership of 11th season head coach Chris Paul.

Catching Up with the Bison
        North Dakota State comes into Saturday with an overall record of 7-21 and a Summit League record of 2-13 after losing at Western Illinois Thursday, 100-89 ... Through 28 games, Marena Whittle leads the Bison and ranks second in The Summit League in scoring with 16.9 points per game ... Whittle leads the team and the league on the boards with 10.5 rebounds per game ... Taylor Thunstedt is also averaging in double figures for NDSU with 16.9 points per game ... Thunstedt leads the team and ranks third in the league in three-point field-goal percentage at 39.7 percent ... NDSU ranks second in The Summit League in three-point field-goal percentage at 35.1 percent ... The Bison are averaging 64.7 points per game, but surrendering 72.5 per game ... North Dakota State is outrebounding its foes, 36.8 to 36.0.

Last Time Out: NDSU Women's Basketball Drops High-Scoring Contest at Western Illinois Thursday, 100-89
        In a game that saw both teams score a combined 189 points, the North Dakota State University women's basketball team fell to Western Illinois, 100-89, in front of 904 spectators at Western Hall in Macomb on Thursday, Feb. 25.
        Sophomore Taylor Thunstedt scored 30 points to lead the Bison in scoring, while junior Emily Spier netted a career-high 27 points on a career-best 12-of-13 shooting from the field. Senior Marena Whittle rounded out the NDSU players in double figures, notching her team-high 13th double-double of the season with 17 points and a game-high 15 rebounds.
        The Bison shot 46 percent from the field, including a 36 percent effort from three-point range, but were outrebounded in the game, 43-40.
        North Dakota State led Western Illinois (15-13, 8-7 Summit League) at the half, 48-42, after outscoring the Leathernecks in the second quarter, 34-26. Thunstedt led the offensive surge for NDSU, scoring 21 of her 26 first-half points in the stanza.
        Paced by senior Michelle Maher's 27 second-half points, Western Illinois outscored the Bison in the final 20 minutes, 58-41, to secure the comeback win.
        Maher finished the contest with a Western Illinois single-game record 41 points on 14-of-19 shooting from the floor, while senior Sophie Reichelt added a double-double with 27 points and 10 boards.
        WIU shot 51 percent from the field and 37 percent from beyond the arc in the contest and posted a 42-40 edge in points in the paint.

Last Time Out Against IPFW: Whittle, Yaggie Lead NDSU Women's Basketball to 94-85 Victory over IPFW
        Marena Whittle matched her career-high with 33 points and added 18 rebounds for her team-high 10th double-double of the season, and Brooke Yaggie added a career-best 25 points and went a perfect 12-of-12 at the free-throw line to lead the North Dakota State University women's basketball team to a 94-85 win over the IPFW Mastodons in front of 459 spectators on Saturday afternoon, Jan. 23, inside the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse.
        Whittle went 11-of-18 from the floor, including a 2-for-4 effort from three-point range, and 9-of-11 at the free-throw line and added a game-high six assists to go along with three blocks for the Bison.
        Taylor Thunstedt chipped in 19 points, and Emily Spier snagged 10 rebounds.
        NDSU shot 50 percent from the field for the game, including a 37 percent performance from beyond the arc, and went a season-best 86 percent from the free-throw line in the contest, making 31 of 36 attempts.
        The Bison outrebounded IPFW, 42-33, and tallied a 21-8 advantage in assists.
        After the Dons' Josie Fisher converted a layup with 11 seconds to go in the third quarter, Yaggie drilled a three at the buzzer off a Whittle assist to put the Bison in front for good, 60-58.
        North Dakota State continued to gradually increase its lead in the fourth quarter and led by 10 with 3:55 to go after Whittle splashed home a trey and Yaggie made a pair of free throws.
        The Bison went 13-of-14 from the charity stripe in the final two minutes of the game to seal the victory.
        Fisher led IPFW with 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field.

From Downtown!
        The Bison rank 39th out of 344 teams in three-point field-goal percentage at 35.1 percent in the latest NCAA Division I Women's Basketball National Rankings.

Whittle Among National Leaders in Double Doubles
        Marena Whittle ranks 27th in double doubles in the latest NCAA national statistics with 13.

Whittle Controlling the Glass
        Marena Whittle holds the career record for defensive rebounding average at NDSU with 5.6 boards per game and ranks fifth in overall career rebounding average with 8.0 per game. The Victoria, Australia, native leads the Bison and The Summit League and ranks 20th in the latest NCAA women's basketball national statistics in rebounding through 28 games with 10.5 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 134-of-338 for 39.6 percent. Through 28 games this season, the Spicer, Minn., native leads the Bison and ranks third in The Summit League in three-point field-goal percentage at 39.7 percent. In the most recent NCAA national statistics, Thunstedt ranks 15th in three-point field goals made with 75 treys.

Post Presence
        Emily Spier is averaging 12.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game and shooting a team-best 61.8 percent (42-of-68) from the field in her last seven games. The Buffalo, Minn., native scored a career-high 27 points on a career-best 12-of-13 shooting in NDSU's contest at Western Illinois Thursday.

Thunstedt, Spier Excelling in League Play
        Taylor Thunstedt (40.9 percent) and Emily Spier (50.4 percent) lead the Bison in field-goal percentage in Summit League play through 15 league contests.

Thunstedt Making the Pass
        Taylor Thunstedt leads the Bison through 28 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 28 games, Brianna Jones ranks second on the team is sixth in The Summit League with 7.7 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), IUPUI (11) and Denver (11).

Takeaway Leader
        Marena Whittle leads the Bison and ranks third in The Summit League with 2.1 steals per game. Whittle tallied a career-high tying six takeaways against Prairie View A&M on Dec. 19 in the Wichita State Shocker Winter Classic.

Summit League Player of the Week

Marena Whittle - Dec. 20, Jan. 25

Double-Double Performances

Brianna Jones - 12 rebounds, 10 points at San Diego State, Nov. 27; 14 rebounds, 10 points vs. Delaware, Nov. 29
Emily Spier - 17 points, 12 rebounds vs. Western Illinois, Jan. 21
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; 16 points, 14 rebounds vs. Western Illinois, Jan. 21; 33 points, 18 rebounds vs. IPFW, Jan. 23; 21 points, 10 rebounds vs. IUPUI, Feb. 12; 14 points, 12 rebounds vs. Omaha, Feb. 14; 17 points, 15 rebounds at Western Illinois, Feb. 25

Getting to the Line
        Marena Whittle (83.2 percent) ranks fourth, Taylor Thunstedt (78 percent) ranks fifth and Brooke Yaggie ranks seventh (77.2 percent) in The Summit League in free-throw percentage through 28 contests.

Clutch at the Foul Line
        Brooke Yaggie is shooting 83.3 percent from the free-throw line in the last five minutes of games this season, going 25-of-30.

Turnover Woes
        North Dakota State has struggled taking care of the basketball this season. The Bison are averaging a Summit League-high 17.7 turnovers per game and have surrendered an average of 18.2 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.

NDSU in The Summit League Statistics (as of Feb. 25)
Team:
Points - 6th (64.7/game), Rebounds - 6th (36.8/game), Assists - 5th (12.3/game), Steals - 9th (6.5/game), Blocks - 7th (2.8/game), Field-Goal Percentage - 5th (.408), Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage - 2nd (.351), Free-Throw Percentage - 4th (.718), Turnovers - 9th (17.7/game)

Individual:
Marena Whittle - Points: 2nd (16.9/game), Free-Throw Percentage: 4th (.835), Rebounds: 1st (10.5/game), Turnovers: 3rd (3.7/game), Steals: 3rd (2.1/game), Blocks: 8th (1.0/game); Taylor Thunstedt - Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 3rd (.397), Points: 3rd (16.9/game), Assists: 5th (3.2/game), Turnovers: 2nd (3.8/game), Free-Throw Percentage: 5th (.780); Brianna Jones - Rebounds: 6th (7.7/game); Brooke Yaggie - Free-Throw Percentage: 7th (.772)

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.

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.