North Dakota State Athletics
Oral Roberts
Bison Women Host Oral Roberts Thursday, Face Denver Saturday in Annual Pink Game
2/6/2018 5:54:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Thursday, Feb. 8 | 7 p.m. | Fargo, N.D. (Scheels Center)
Radio: Bison 1660 AM, 92.7 FM, Bison1660.com, Bison 1660 app (Keith Brake, pxp; Jeremy Jorgenson, color)
TV: MidcoSN2, ESPN3 (Brian Shawn, pxp; Greg Stemen, color)
Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio | Promotions
NDSU Pink Game for Breast Cancer Awareness
North Dakota State vs. Denver
Saturday, Feb. 10 | 2 p.m. | Fargo, N.D. (Scheels Center)
Radio: Bison 1660, 92.7 FM, Bison1660.com, Bison 1660 app (Keith Brake, pxp; Jeremy Jorgenson, color)
TV: MidcoSN2, ESPN3 (Brian Shawn, pxp; Greg Stemen, color)
Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio | Promotions
NDSU Notes (PDF)
NDSU WBB on Twitter: @NDSUwbb
Scene Setter
The North Dakota State women's basketball team is scheduled to host a pair of key Summit League games Thursday, Feb. 8, and Saturday, Feb. 10, inside the Scheels Center at the Sanford Health Athletic Complex. The Bison are slated to take on Oral Roberts Thursday at 7 p.m. before entertaining Denver for the annual pink game for breast cancer awareness Saturday at 2 p.m.
Series History
- Oral Roberts: Thursday's game against ORU will mark the 20th meeting in the all-time series that dates back to 2006. The Golden Eagles lead the series, 14-5. Oral Roberts defeated the Bison earlier this season in Tulsa, Okla., 71-48.
- Denver: Saturday's contest against Denver will be the 16th meeting in the all-time series that dates back to 1987. NDSU leads the series, 9-6. The Bison lost to the Pioneers earlier this season in Denver, 98-79.
Bison Notes
- North Dakota State enters the week with an overall record of 8-15 and a 1-8 Summit League record after falling at Summit League-leading South Dakota Feb. 3, 80-54.
- Through 23 contests, the Bison are led by sophomores Reilly Jacobson (10.6 points and 5.6 rebounds per game), Rylee Nudell (10.3 points per game, 56 percent field-goal percentage) and Sarah Jacobson (10.2 points and 4.3 assists per game).
- Nudell leads NDSU and ranks third in The Summit League in field-goal percentage at 56 percent.
- Sarah Jacobson's 4.3 assists per game pace the Bison and rank second in the league.
- Freshman Macey Kvilvang leads North Dakota State and is tied for third in the league with 1.3 blocks per game.
- Overall, the Bison are averaging 68.4 points, 36.1 rebounds and 15.2 turnovers per game while their opponents are averaging 72.8 points, 39 rebounds and 13.2 turnovers per game.
- NDSU leads the league in blocks (4.7 per game), and ranks second in three-point field-goal percentage (38 percent) and assists (16.9 per game).
- The Bison were picked to finish sixth in The Summit League preseason poll.
Scouting Oral Roberts
- The Oral Roberts University Golden Eagles enter the week with an overall record of 14-9 and a Summit League tally of 5-4 after losing at home to Western Illinois Feb. 3, 85-63.
- Through 23 games, ORU is led by senior forward Faith Ihim (14.1 points and 7.7 rebounds per game), junior forward Maria Martianez (12.3 points and 7.6 rebounds per game) and freshman guard Maya Mayberry (10.7 points per game).
- Ihim ranks second in The Summit League in both rebounding (7.7 boards per game) and field-goal percentage (62 percent), while Martianez is third in the league on the glass with 7.6 rebounds per game.
- As a team, Oral Roberts is averaging 69.7 points, 38.4 rebounds and 15.3 turnovers per game while its adversaries are averaging 59.4 points, 32.3 boards and 15.5 turnovers per game.
- ORU leads the league in scoring defense, limiting opponents to 59.4 points per game, and both field-goal percentage defense (38 percent) and three-point field-goal percentage defense (31 percent).
- The Golden Eagles were picked to finish fourth in The Summit League preseason poll.
- Oral Roberts is under the leadership of sixth season head coach Misti Cussen.
Scouting Denver
- The Denver Pioneers enter the week at 13-11 overall and 4-5 in Summit League play after defeating Fort Wayne at home Feb. 4, 86-65.
- The Pioneers are scheduled to play at South Dakota State Thursday before facing NDSU Saturday.
- Through 24 contests, Denver is led by freshman guard Claire Gritt (10.6 points per game, 41 percent field-goal percentage) and senior forward Jordyn Alt (7.3 points and 7.7 rebounds per game).
- Alt is tied for The Summit League lead in rebounding with 7.7 boards per game.
- As a team, the Pioneers are averaging 70.8 points, 40.2 rebounds and 14.9 turnovers per game while their opponents are averaging 69 points, 37.4 boards and 16.3 turnovers per game.
- Denver is tied for the league lead in rebounding with 40.2 rebounds per game and ranks third in steals with 7.6 steals per game.
- The Pioneers were picked to finish seventh in The Summit League preseason poll.
- Denver is under the direction of first season head coach Jim Turgeon.
Last Time Out: South Dakota Pulls Away From Bison Women in Second-Half
The University of South Dakota Coyotes outscored the North Dakota State University women's basketball team in the second-half, 48-25, to claim an 80-54 victory over the Bison Saturday, Feb. 3, in front of 2,325 spectators inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
The Coyotes improve to 19-5 overall and remain undefeated in Summit League action at 10-0, while the Bison drop to 8-15 on the season and 1-8 in league play.
Sophomore Rylee Nudell led NDSU with a career-high 18 points to go along with six rebounds. Nudell went 5-of-6 from the floor, 3-of-4 from three-point range and 5-of-7 at the free-throw line in the game.
The Bison outrebounded the Coyotes, 33-30, but committed 16 turnovers and shot just 37 percent from the field and 29 percent from beyond the arc.
NDSU trailed USD by just three points, 32-29, going into halftime and took a 33-32 lead with 8:48 remaining in the third quarter after Reilly Jacobson converted a jump shot and Marina Fernandez drove to the basket for a layup.
The advantage didn't last long though, as the Coyotes went on an 11-2 run to open up an eight-point lead with 6:38 to go in the stanza. The Bison cut the deficit to six a trio of times, but couldn't get any closer the remainder of the game.
Chloe Lamb and Ciara Duffy each scored 20 points to lead South Dakota, while Madison McKeever snagged a team-best six rebounds.
The Coyotes shot 48 percent from the field and made 13 three-pointers for 52 percent. USD only turned the ball over seven times in the contest.
Home Sweet Home
After playing six of its nine league games on the road, NDSU will play four of its final five contests at home in the friendly confines of the Scheels Center. North Dakota State's lone remaining regular season road game is Feb. 15 at Fort Wayne.
Jacobson² Leading Bison in League Play
Sophomores Sarah Jacobson and Reilly Jacobson are averaging a combined 24 points, 11 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game in North Dakota State's nine Summit League games. Reilly Jacobson is averaging a team-high 12.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, and is shooting 50 percent from the floor, while Sarah Jacobson is averaging 11.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and a team-best 3.4 assists per game in league play.
Jacobson among NDSU Career Leaders
Sarah Jacobson ranks in the NDSU career records top 10 in both three-point field-goal percentage and assists average. Jacobson is second in career three-point field-goal percentage at 39 percent and seventh in career assists average with 3.9 assists per game.
Thunstedt Ascends NDSU Career Scoring Chart
Senior Taylor Thunstedt ranks 12th on the NDSU women's basketball career scoring chart with 1,356 career points entering Thursday's game. She holds the NDSU career records for both three-point field goals made (272) and attempted (720), and ranks fourth in career three-point field-goal percentage (38 percent).
From Downtown
The Bison rank second in The Summit League and 22nd nationally in three-point field-goal percentage at 38 percent through 23 games. Individually, NDSU has two players ranked in the top-10 in the league in three-point field-goal percentage. Sarah Jacobson is second at 44.9 percent while Michelle Gaislerova is third at 44.6 percent.
Sharing the Basketball
Through 23 games, North Dakota State ranks second in The Summit League and 26th nationally in assists per game (16.9). The Bison rank 28th nationally in total assists (388).
Fernandez and Jacobson Making the Pass
Sarah Jacobson and Marina Fernandez both rank in the top-10 of The Summit League in assists per game through 23 games. Jacobson leads NDSU and ranks second in the league with 4.3 assist per game while Fernandez is tied for 10th with 2.7 assists per game.
Reilly and Rylee Making an Impact Offensively and Defensively
Through 21 games, Reilly Jacobson and Rylee Nudell are averaging a combined 20.7 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. Jacobson is averaging 10.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game while Nudell is averaging 10.1 points, 3.8 boards and 2.2 assists per game.
Converting Shots
Rylee Nudell leads NDSU and ranks third in The Summit League in field-goal percentage at 56 percent. She has made 94 shots in 168 attempts in 23 games. Nudell shot an impressive 83 percent from the floor (5-of-6) in NDSU's game at South Dakota Feb. 3.
The Bison Block Party
Entering the week NDSU leads The Summit League in blocked shots with 107 blocks and 4.7 blocks per game. Individually, four Bison rank in the top-10 in the league in blocks. Macey Kvilvang is tied for third with 30 blocks and 1.3 blocks per game, Reilly Jacobson is fifth with 24 blocks and 1.1 blocks per game and Marina Fernandez and Autumn Ogden are tied for ninth with 16 blocks and 0.7 blocks per game.
Taking Care of the Basketball
Through 23 games, Sarah Jacobson ranks third in The Summit League in assist-to-turnover ratio. Jacobson has 100 assists and 61 turnovers for a 1.6 ratio.
Bench Contributions
The NDSU bench has outscored opposing benches 692-459 through 23 games. NDSU is averaging 30.1 bench points per game while its opponents are only averaging 20 bench points per game.
