NDSU Set For Road Encounter With St. Thomas And Western Illinois

THIS WEEK
The North Dakota State (6-9, 2-3 Summit) women's basketball team is back on the road this week at St. Thomas (5-8, 2-1 Summit) on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. The Bison will conclude the trip at Western Illinois (11-3, 2-1 Summit) on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m.

GAME COVERAGE
Radio: Keith Brake (play-by-play) will be on the call for both games on The City 94.5 FM.

Watch: The contest at St. Thomas will available on Tommies All-Access. The game at Western Illinois will be available on Letherneck All-Access.

GoBison.com: Live statistics, audio and video links are available on GoBison.com.

BISON QUICK HITS

NDSU begins the week with a 6-9 (2-3 Summit) overall record and most recently fell short against Omaha, 68-54.
The Bison are 2-6 on the road this season.
St. Thomas enters the week with a 5-8 (2-1 Summit) overall record and has won its last two games. The Tommies are 2-4 at Schoenecker Arena.
Western Illinois begins the week with an 11-3 (2-1 Summit) overall record and is 4-1 over its last five games . The Leathernecks are 8-1 at Western Hall this season.
The Bison are limiting their opponents to 64.5 points per game, which ranks sixth in the Summit League.
Heaven Hamling (13.1) and Ryan Cobbins (12.3) are both averaging double digits in scoring.
Heaven Hamling ranks in the top five in the Summit League in three-point field goal percentage (1st, 40.5), three-point field goals per game (5th, 2.13) and three-point field goals made (5th, 32).
Emily Dietz recently became the 35th player in NDSU history and only the ninth in the Division I era to reach 1,000 career points.

LAST TIME OUT
NDSU couldn't pull off the comeback against Omaha on Saturday afternoon at Scheels Center falling 68-54. Heaven Hamling paced the Bison reaching double figures in scoring for the 12th time this season with a team-high 19 points. The Grand Rapids, Minn., native knocked down a season-high five triples on 12 attempts over 40 minutes of action. Ryan Cobbins also hit double digits in scoring with 12 points and matched a season-best four three pointers on 10 attempts.

MINNESOTA CONNECTIONS
Ellie Dague (Henning, Minn.), Heaven Hamling (Grand Rapids, Minn.) and Abby Schulte (Maple Grove, Minn.) are all natives of the state of Minnesota.

ONE OF THE BEST FROM THREE
Heaven Hamling enters the week positioned inside the top five in the Summit League in three categories: three-point field-goal percentage (1st, 40.5), three-point field goals per game (5th, 2.13) and three-point field goals made (5th, 32). She knocked down a season-high five triples against Omaha and has connected on four or more in five games this season.

DIETZ CONTINUES TO HIT MILESTONES
In the win over Denver, Emily Dietz reached 1,000 career points and became the 35th player in NDSU history and only the ninth in the Division I era to accomplish the feat. She has totaled 1,013 points over five seasons and ranks 35th on the NDSU all-time scoring list.

Dietz, who recently played in her 100th straight game, has grabbed 617 total rebounds and is slotted 18th on the NDSU all-time rebounding list. She only the third player in the Division I era to surpass 600 or more rebounds.

THE BISON ON DEFENSE
The Bison are positioned sixth in scoring defense in the Summit League limiting their opponents to 64.5 points per game. NDSU has held opposing teams to 60 points or less in four games this season.

GOT IT GOING FROM DOWNTOWN
NDSU has connected on 10 triples in three games this season and most recently shot 10-of-27 from deep against Omaha last week. The Bison are shooting 35.0 percent from three this season and are slotted fourth in the Summit League.

OVERCOMING SLOW STARTS
NDSU has been outscored in the first quarter this season, 242-198. However, the Bison have bounced back and outscored their opponents a combined 753-725 over the final three quarters.

SCOUTING ST. THOMAS
St. Thomas enters the week with a 5-8 (2-1 Summit) overall record and has won its last two games. In their most recent contest, the Tommies went on the road and upended Western Illinois in double overtime, 66-64. Erin Norling registered a double-double with a career-high 16 rebounds to go along with 13 points.

THE SERIES VS. ST. THOMAS
This will mark only the second all-time meeting between NDSU and St. Thomas. The Bison topped the Tommies, 86-61, at the Mankato State Invitational in Mankato, Minn., in their only meeting in 1980.

SCOUTING WESTERN ILLINOIS
Western Illinois enters the week with a 11-3 (2-1 Summit) overall record and is 4-1 over its last five games. In their most recent contest on Jan.1, the Leathernecks fell short against St. Thomas in double overtime, 66-64. Danni Nichols paced Western Illinois with a game-high 18 points on 7-of-18 shooting from the field.

THE SERIES VS. WESTERN ILLINOIS
This will be the 30th all-time meeting in a series that dates back to 2008 with Western Illinois leading, 18-11. In their most recent encounter last season, the Bison rolled past Leathernecks, 93-60. Six players reached double figures in scoring for NDSU and Emily Dietz notched a double-double with a career-high 14 rebounds and 15 points.

UP NEXT
NDSU will return to Scheels Center on Thursday, Jan. 20 hosting Kansas City (11-3, 1-2 Summit). Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.

Print Friendly Version