FARGO, N.D. – The North Dakota State women's basketball team stayed unbeaten in Summit League play after picking up a 74-56 win over St. Thomas on Wednesday afternoon at Scheels Center.
With the win, the Bison improve to 8-4 (2-0 Summit) on the season and are off to their first 2-0 start in conference play since the 2014-15 season.
Heaven Hamling led the way for NDSU putting up a game-high 17 points, six assists and five steals. She also grabbed six rebounds over 28 minutes of action.
Elle Evans also hit double figures in scoring for the ninth straight game with 10 points to go along with three rebounds and two steals.
Emily Behnke hauled in a game-high eight rebounds with five points.
As a team, NDSU shot 43.4 percent (23-53) from the field and 36.4 percent (8-22) from three with 10 different players contributing in the scoring column. The bench also poured in 27 points and the Bison netted 30 points in the paint.
Evans got off to a quick start for NDSU draining a triple and a layup to make the score 5-2 at the 8:34 mark of the first. The Bison continued to apply pressure finishing the first quarter with five unanswered points to open up a 19-11 lead following a triple from Hamling.
NDSU then increased its edge into double figures in the second frame putting together a 6-0 run capped off by layup from
Abbie Draper to make the score 32-14 with 3:53 to play in the half. The Bison led at the intermission, 37-23.
St. Thomas (5-7, 0-2 Summit) attempted to come back in the third trimming the deficit down to nine, 39-30, by the 7:46 mark. NDSU responded to push the lead back into double figures, 44-32, after
Abby Graham connected on a fast break layup with 5:59 to play in the third.
The Bison continued surge into the fourth growing their largest lead of the day, 65-41, following a pair of free throws from
Abby Schulte. NDSU went on to close out the rest of the time to earn the 74-56 win.
The Bison will be back in action hosting North Dakota on Saturday, Dec. 31. Tip-off is set for 1:00 p.m. at Scheels Center.
