THIS WEEK
The North Dakota State (0-0) women's basketball team is set to open the 2021-22 season on the road at Milwaukee (0-1) on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. The Bison will then close the road trip on Saturday at Green Bay (0-1). Tip-off is set for 1:00 p.m.
 
GAME COVERAGE
Both contests will be streamed on ESPN+. The season opener at Milwaukee will also be available on the radio on Bison 1660 , while the game at Green Bay will live on The City 94.5 FM. Keith Brake will be on the call on the radio for both contests. Additionally, live statistics for both games are also available on GoBison.com
 
BISON QUICK HITS

• NDSU begins the 2020-21 season after being picked third in the Summit League preseason poll. It marked the highest ranking in the poll since 2009-10.
• Heaven Hamling was named to the Summit League Preseason All-League Second Team.
• NDSU is 1-1 in season openers under third-year head coach Jory Collins.
• The Bison finished last season with a 15-9 (9-7 Summit) overall record and advanced to the second round of the Summit League Tournament before falling to Denver.
• For the first time in program history, NDSU had four players earn All-Summit League selections last season and all four return this season.
• Hamling was the second Bison to earn Summit League Newcomer of the Year and was also named to the All-Summit League Second Team and All-Newcomer Team.
• Emily Dietz and Ryan Cobbins were named All-Summit League Honorable Mention.
• Reneya Hopkins was also named to the Summit League All-Newcomer Team.

 
IN SEASON OPENERS
Under head coach Jory Collins, NDSU is 1-1 overall in season openers. Last season, NDSU rolled past Northern Iowa at Scheels Center, 85-68. Heaven Hamling and Emily Dietz each netted 20 points to pace the Bison.
 
GOIN' BACK TO WISCONSIN
The Bison are set to travel back to the state of Wisconsin for the first time since 2018-19 when NDSU fell short against Wisconsin, 64-53, in Madison. Emily Dietz registered six points with three rebounds for the Bison.
 
WISCONSIN CONNECTIONS
Four Bison are from the state of Wisconsin: Katie Hildebrandt (McFarland, Wis.), Kylie Strop (River Falls, Wis.), Emily Behnke (Two Rivers, Wis.) and Kadie Deaton (Wausau, Wis.).
 
SUMMIT LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL
NDSU was picked third in the Summit League preseason poll announced on Oct. 12. South Dakota, who won its second straight Summit League title last season, picked up 20 first place votes to take the top spot, while South Dakota State garnered 18 total first place votes to be positioned second. NDSU rounded out the top three picked third. The Bison were picked inside the top five for the second consecutive season and it also marks highest ranking in the poll since 2009-10 when NDSU was positioned third.
 
PRESEASON ALL-SUMMIT LEAGUE SECOND TEAM
Heaven Hamling earned a spot on the preseason All-League Second Team after being named the Summit League Newcomer of the Year, selected to the All-Summit League Second Team and All-Newcomer Team last season. The Grand Rapids, Minn., native appeared in all 24 games and tallied double digits in points in 17 games. Hamling also shot 41.9 percent from behind the arc, which ranked 27th in the country.
 
WHO'S BACK THIS YEAR?
NDSU returns seven starters this season, including two seniors: Reneya Hopkins and Emily Dietz.
 
WELCOME TO THE SQUAD
The roster features five newcomers this season: Ellie Dague, Gabrielle Robinson Forde, Abbey Kubas, Sophie Olson and Katie Hildebrandt.
 
DIETZ IS BACK FOR MORE
Emily Dietz is back for her fifth season and looking to leave her mark in the Bison record book with plenty of milestones within reach. Last season, she became the 31st player in school history, and fifth during the NCAA Division I era, to join the 800 points/500 rebounds club. The Fargo native has also played in 102 games with 82 starts over four seasons
 
She enters the season in the top 50 in Bison history in games started (18th, 82), rebounds (25th, 542), blocked shots (t-32nd, 37), field goals made (36th, 367) and scoring (43rd, 902).
 
HAMLING FROM DOWNTOWN
Heaven Hamling enters the season positioned second in NDSU history in career three point percentage shooting 41.9 percent. Last season, she connected on 57 triples, which ranked 46th in the nation and tied for ninth on the Bison all-time single season list. Hamling also ranked 69th in the country in with 2.38 three pointers per game.
 
SCOUTING MILWAUKEE
Milwaukee, who began the season receiving votes in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll,  enters the contest with an 0-1 overall record after dropping their season opener at Ball State, 84-75, on Tuesday afternoon.
 
This will be the ninth all-time meeting in a series that dates back to 2006 with Milwaukee leading the series, 5-3. In their most recent encounter in 2018, the Panthers edged the Bison, 57-55, at Scheels Center. Emily Dietz was one of three Bison to reach double digits in the scoring column netting 10 points on 4-of-11 shooting from the field.
 
SCOUTING GREEN BAY
Green Bay also enters the weekend with an 0-1 overall record after falling short in their season opener at South Dakota State, 70-49, on Tuesday night.
 
This will be the eighth all-time meeting in a series that goes back to 2006 with Green Bay leading, 5-2. NDSU picked up back-to-back wins over Green Bay last season at Scheels Center. In the most recent contest, the Bison rolled past the Phoenix, 82-66. The Bison tied the program record with 16 3-pointers. Heaven Hamling (17), Olivia Skibiel (17) and Abby Schulte (16) all reached double digits in scoring and combined for 13 made 3-pointers.
 
UP NEXT
NDSU will make its home debut hosting Northern Iowa (1-0) next Wednesday at Scheels Center. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.