Friday, December 29
Vermillion, S.D.
7 p.m.
North Dakota State Athletics
at
South Dakota
Photo by: Zachary Lucy
NDSU Women’s Basketball Begins Summit League Play at South Dakota on Friday
12/27/2023 12:31:00 PM | Women's Basketball
THIS WEEK
The North Dakota State (5-6) women's basketball team is set to begin Summit League play at South Dakota (10-3) on Friday night. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m., at Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
GAME COVERAGE
Watch: The contest will be available on the Summit League Network for subscribers.
Radio: Andy Rieckhoff (play-by-play) will be on the call on Bison 1660.
GoBison.com: Live statistics, audio and video links are available on GoBison.com.
BISON QUICK HITS
NDSU grinded out a 67-57 victory over Central Michigan back on Dec. 20. Abbie Draper led the way for NDSU with a game-high 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field and tying a career-high six free throws on six attempts. She also added five rebounds with one block and one assist to her stat line. Abby Krzewinski netted a season-high 14 points after shooting 6-of-6 from the field, while Elle Evans chipped in 11 points and a team-best six rebounds.
SUMMIT LEAGUE PLAY IS HERE
NDSU has won each of its last two Summit League openers and is 2-2 overall under fifth-year head coach Jory Collins. Last year, NDSU topped Western Illinois, 84-60, after Heaven Hamling totaled a team-best 13 points with six rebounds and two assists.
THE SERIES VS. SOUTH DAKOTA
This will be the 83rd all-time meeting between NDSU and South Dakota dating back to 1977 with the Bison leading the series, 44-38. The Bison have won each of the last two meetings and snapped a 13-game losing skid against the Coyotes last season after picking up a 79-76 win in Vermillion. Last season marked the first time NDSU swept the regular season series against South Dakota since 1990-00.
GOT THE THREE LOCKED IN
The Bison have found their rhythm from beyond the arc after notching a season-high 13 triples against Eastern Michigan and Mayville State. That mark is tied for the eighth-most in Bison history. NDSU ranks third in the Summit League shooting 33.6 percent from beyond the arc.
YOUNG BISON PRODUCING
All four true freshmen on the roster have seen action in at least eight games and average at least 8.0 minutes per game this season. The Bison have totaled 783 points as a team through the first 11 games with 29.2 percent (229 points) of that total coming from true freshmen. Abby Krzewinski, who has started each of the last eight games, leads the freshmen group with 7.7 points over 20.8 minutes per game.
AMONG THE TOP THREE
Through the first 11 games, Heaven Hamling and Elle Evans both rank in the top three in multiple categories in the Summit League. Hamling is positioned in the top three in three-point percentage (1st, 38.2), three-pointers (2nd, 26), three-pointers per game (2nd, 2.36) and steals per game (3rd, 1.82). Evans also ranks in the top three in blocks (3rd, 15), blocks per game (3rd, 1.36) and three-pointers per game (3rd, 1.36)
THE THREE-POINT CHASE IS ON
Heaven Hamling has connected on a team-best 26 three-pointers and pushed her career total at NDSU to 225 over four seasons, which ranks second all-time in Bison history. Hamling is 54 triples away from passing Taylor Thunstedt (2014-18) for the top spot with 279. Thunstedt connected on 278 triples over four seasons from 2014-18.
COLLEGE INSIDER MID-MAJOR TOP 25 POLL
NDSU debuted at No. 24 in the College Insider Mid-Major Preseason Top 25 Poll earlier this season after climbing as high as No. 19 last year. South Dakota enters the week No. 21 in the latest poll.
HIGH SCORING HOME OPENER
NDSU rolled past Jamestown in its home opener at Scheels Center, 112-59, with all 13 players on the roster reaching the scoring column. It ranks tied as the third-most points in NDSU history and is the most scored under head coach Jory Collins over the last five seasons.
THE STARTING FIVE
NDSU has shuffled up the starting five in four of the first 11 games this season. Abby Krzewinski made her first career start with 10 points in the win over Northern Colorado and has been in the lineup each of the last eight games, while Abby Graham also made her first career start against Mayville State. Prior to not playing against Mayville State, Abby Schulte appeared in 90 straight games and made 53 consecutive starts. Abbie Draper, Heaven Hamling and Elle Evans are the only Bison to start all 11 games this season.
SUMMIT LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL
NDSU was selected second in the Summit League Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Bison garnered 526 total points and five first-place votes to earn their highest ranking in the preseason poll since joining the Summit League in 2007-08. South Dakota State was picked first with 577 points and 27 first-place votes. South Dakota closed out the top three in third place with 485 points and two first-place votes.
PRESEASON ALL-SUMMIT LEAGUE FIRST TEAM
Heaven Hamling and Elle Evans were also both selected to the Preseason All-Summit League First Team making NDSU the only team in the Summit League to have multiple first team selections. Hamling, who was named to the All-Summit League First Team last season, ranked fourth in scoring in the conference in 2022-23 after averaging a team-best 16.5 points per game. Evans, who was named the Summit League Freshman of the Year last season, averaged 13.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game in her freshman season.
LOOKING BACK AT LAST SEASON
NDSU put together one of the most successful seasons in the Division I era last season after posting its most wins since 2004-05 with an 18-12 overall record and advancing to the WNIT for the first time in program history. The Bison also notched a 12-6 mark in Summit League play and finished in second place in the conference.
PLENTY OF EXPERIENCE IN THE LINEUP
The Bison return six players this season, including three seniors: Heaven Hamling, Kristina Ekofo Yomane and Abby Schulte. Hamling and Schulte provide the most experience in the lineup combining for 155 career starts entering the season. Hamling has started a team-high 83 games (includes one start at Stephen F. Austin State) over four seasons, while Schulte has started 72 games over three seasons at NDSU.
WELCOME TO THE SQUAD
The roster features four newcomers to the roster this season: Taryn Hamling, Avery Koenen, Miriley Simon and Abby Krzewinski.
TWICE THE HAMLING FUN
Heaven Hamling is joined by her sister, Taryn Hamling, on the roster this season. The two were briefly teammates at Grand Rapids High School in basketball when Heaven Hamling was in her senior season and Taryn Hamling was in seventh grade. The duo also played tennis together with Heaven Hamling on varsity and Taryn Hamling on junior varsity.
GEISSERT ELEVATED
Dylan Geissert was elevated to associate head coach over the offseason. He has spent the last four seasons with the Bison as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. Prior to joining NDSU in 2019, Geissert was a graduate student manager at the University of Kansas from 2017-19. He got his start in coaching as a male practice player for the Emporia State women's basketball program and served as a student assistant under current NDSU head coach Jory Collins for three seasons.
250 CAREER WINS
Following the victory over South Dakota on Feb. 2, 2023, head coach Jory Collins earned his 250th career win. He has currently amassed a 259-122 overall record spanning 13 seasons. He notched a 199-58 mark during eight seasons at Emporia State. Collins has posted a 60-64 mark at NDSU over his first four seasons. His 60 wins at NDSU rank third all-time in Bison history behind Amy Ruley (671 wins) and Carolyn DeHoff (72 wins).
HEAVEN DOING HEAVEN THINGS
Heaven Hamling enters the 2023-24 season with the chance to leave her mark in NDSU history and currently ranks in the top 10 in scoring average (6th, 14.5), three-point field goals made (2nd, 225), three-point field goal percentage (3rd, .381), free throw percentage (4th, .854), defensive rebounding average (T7th, 3.7), defensive rebounds (9th, 352), assists average (10th, 3.0) and minutes average (T4th, 32.2).
Hamling has also surpassed the 1,500 career points scoring mark with 1,534. She started her career at Stephen F. Austin State for one season in 2018-19 and netted 174 points. Hamling has totaled 1,360 points over the last four seasons at NDSU.
Among active players in NCAA Division I women's basketball and including one season at Stephen F. Austin State, Hamling has drained 265 three-pointers, which ranks 19th in the nation. Caitlin Clark (Iowa) leads the country with 407 career triples.
HISTORIC FRESHMAN SEASON
Elle Evans wasted no time making an impact in her freshman season after becoming the first player in program history to be named the Summit League Freshman of the Year. The Edwardsville, Ill., native was also the first player to earn Summit League All-Defensive Team honors in program history.
Evans ranked fifth in the Summit League shooting 43.8 percent from the field and averaged 13.4 points with 4.9 rebounds per game. She reached double digits in scoring in 26 of 30 games, including 14 straight to close the season. She was also a force on the defensive side of the floor and ranked second in the Summit League with a team-high 42 blocks.
BALL MOVEMENT
Heaven Hamling and Abby Schulte both reached the 100-assist mark last season and it marked the first time since the 2003-04 season that NDSU had two different players record 100 or more assists in a single-season. Hamling passed out the most assists by a Bison player since 2018 with a career-high 112, while Schulte handed out a career-best 103 assists of her own.
STARTING A NEW 3-POINT STREAK
NDSU shot 1-of-17 from three against Central Michigan on Dec. 20 and ended a streak of 61 straight games that the Bison have netted at least two triples.
NDSU has a recent history of assembling lengthy three-point streaks. The Bison went 0-of-14 from three-point range against Valparaiso on Nov. 15, 2019, ending a streak of 113 straight games with at least two 3-pointers.
THIS IS OUR HOUSE
NDSU is 476-142 all-time at home dating back to 1977-78. NDSU finished last season with an 11-1 mark at Scheels Center after starting the season 9-0. It marked the most home wins since 2009-10.
NDSU has started this season winning each of its first four home games and has won six straight dating back to last season. The Bison have scored 85 or more points in five games over that span, including two 100-point performances.
UP NEXT
NDSU will travel to Montana State for the Big-Sky Summit League Challenge on Wednesday, Jan. 3. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. CT
The North Dakota State (5-6) women's basketball team is set to begin Summit League play at South Dakota (10-3) on Friday night. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m., at Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
GAME COVERAGE
Watch: The contest will be available on the Summit League Network for subscribers.
Radio: Andy Rieckhoff (play-by-play) will be on the call on Bison 1660.
GoBison.com: Live statistics, audio and video links are available on GoBison.com.
BISON QUICK HITS
- NDSU begins the week after picking up a 67-57 win over Central Michigan on Dec. 20.
- The Bison begin Summit League play at South Dakota on Friday night and are 2-2 in conference openers under fifth-year head coach Jory Collins.
- The Bison are on a stretch of only two games in 19 days between playing at Iowa State on Dec. 10 and beginning Summit League play at South Dakota on Friday.
- This will be the 83rd all-time meeting between NDSU and South Dakota with the Bison leading the series, 44-38.
- South Dakota enters the week on top of the Summit League standings with a 10-3 overall record and were slotted No. 21 in the latest College Insider Mid-Major Top 25 Poll.
- Heaven Hamling has totaled 225 three-pointers over four seasons and moved into second place on the all-time NDSU list. She's 54 triples away from passing Taylor Thunstedt (2014-18) for the top spot in NDSU history with 279.
- Elle Evans saw her 17-game double digit scoring streak snapped after netting eight points at Northern Colorado. She has reached double digits in 10 of the first 11 games this season and finished her freshmen season with 14 straight double figure scoring efforts.
- NDSU posted its most wins in a single-season since 2004-05 with an 18-12 (12-6 Summit) overall record and advanced to the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) for the first time in program history last season.
- NDSU enters the season picked second in the Summit League Preseason Coaches' Poll, which is the highest ranking since joining the conference in 2007-08.
- Heaven Hamling and Elle Evans were also both selected to the Preseason All-Summit League First Team making NDSU the only team in the conference to have multiple first team selections.
NDSU grinded out a 67-57 victory over Central Michigan back on Dec. 20. Abbie Draper led the way for NDSU with a game-high 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field and tying a career-high six free throws on six attempts. She also added five rebounds with one block and one assist to her stat line. Abby Krzewinski netted a season-high 14 points after shooting 6-of-6 from the field, while Elle Evans chipped in 11 points and a team-best six rebounds.
SUMMIT LEAGUE PLAY IS HERE
NDSU has won each of its last two Summit League openers and is 2-2 overall under fifth-year head coach Jory Collins. Last year, NDSU topped Western Illinois, 84-60, after Heaven Hamling totaled a team-best 13 points with six rebounds and two assists.
THE SERIES VS. SOUTH DAKOTA
This will be the 83rd all-time meeting between NDSU and South Dakota dating back to 1977 with the Bison leading the series, 44-38. The Bison have won each of the last two meetings and snapped a 13-game losing skid against the Coyotes last season after picking up a 79-76 win in Vermillion. Last season marked the first time NDSU swept the regular season series against South Dakota since 1990-00.
GOT THE THREE LOCKED IN
The Bison have found their rhythm from beyond the arc after notching a season-high 13 triples against Eastern Michigan and Mayville State. That mark is tied for the eighth-most in Bison history. NDSU ranks third in the Summit League shooting 33.6 percent from beyond the arc.
YOUNG BISON PRODUCING
All four true freshmen on the roster have seen action in at least eight games and average at least 8.0 minutes per game this season. The Bison have totaled 783 points as a team through the first 11 games with 29.2 percent (229 points) of that total coming from true freshmen. Abby Krzewinski, who has started each of the last eight games, leads the freshmen group with 7.7 points over 20.8 minutes per game.
AMONG THE TOP THREE
Through the first 11 games, Heaven Hamling and Elle Evans both rank in the top three in multiple categories in the Summit League. Hamling is positioned in the top three in three-point percentage (1st, 38.2), three-pointers (2nd, 26), three-pointers per game (2nd, 2.36) and steals per game (3rd, 1.82). Evans also ranks in the top three in blocks (3rd, 15), blocks per game (3rd, 1.36) and three-pointers per game (3rd, 1.36)
THE THREE-POINT CHASE IS ON
Heaven Hamling has connected on a team-best 26 three-pointers and pushed her career total at NDSU to 225 over four seasons, which ranks second all-time in Bison history. Hamling is 54 triples away from passing Taylor Thunstedt (2014-18) for the top spot with 279. Thunstedt connected on 278 triples over four seasons from 2014-18.
COLLEGE INSIDER MID-MAJOR TOP 25 POLL
NDSU debuted at No. 24 in the College Insider Mid-Major Preseason Top 25 Poll earlier this season after climbing as high as No. 19 last year. South Dakota enters the week No. 21 in the latest poll.
HIGH SCORING HOME OPENER
NDSU rolled past Jamestown in its home opener at Scheels Center, 112-59, with all 13 players on the roster reaching the scoring column. It ranks tied as the third-most points in NDSU history and is the most scored under head coach Jory Collins over the last five seasons.
THE STARTING FIVE
NDSU has shuffled up the starting five in four of the first 11 games this season. Abby Krzewinski made her first career start with 10 points in the win over Northern Colorado and has been in the lineup each of the last eight games, while Abby Graham also made her first career start against Mayville State. Prior to not playing against Mayville State, Abby Schulte appeared in 90 straight games and made 53 consecutive starts. Abbie Draper, Heaven Hamling and Elle Evans are the only Bison to start all 11 games this season.
SUMMIT LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL
NDSU was selected second in the Summit League Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Bison garnered 526 total points and five first-place votes to earn their highest ranking in the preseason poll since joining the Summit League in 2007-08. South Dakota State was picked first with 577 points and 27 first-place votes. South Dakota closed out the top three in third place with 485 points and two first-place votes.
PRESEASON ALL-SUMMIT LEAGUE FIRST TEAM
Heaven Hamling and Elle Evans were also both selected to the Preseason All-Summit League First Team making NDSU the only team in the Summit League to have multiple first team selections. Hamling, who was named to the All-Summit League First Team last season, ranked fourth in scoring in the conference in 2022-23 after averaging a team-best 16.5 points per game. Evans, who was named the Summit League Freshman of the Year last season, averaged 13.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game in her freshman season.
LOOKING BACK AT LAST SEASON
NDSU put together one of the most successful seasons in the Division I era last season after posting its most wins since 2004-05 with an 18-12 overall record and advancing to the WNIT for the first time in program history. The Bison also notched a 12-6 mark in Summit League play and finished in second place in the conference.
PLENTY OF EXPERIENCE IN THE LINEUP
The Bison return six players this season, including three seniors: Heaven Hamling, Kristina Ekofo Yomane and Abby Schulte. Hamling and Schulte provide the most experience in the lineup combining for 155 career starts entering the season. Hamling has started a team-high 83 games (includes one start at Stephen F. Austin State) over four seasons, while Schulte has started 72 games over three seasons at NDSU.
WELCOME TO THE SQUAD
The roster features four newcomers to the roster this season: Taryn Hamling, Avery Koenen, Miriley Simon and Abby Krzewinski.
TWICE THE HAMLING FUN
Heaven Hamling is joined by her sister, Taryn Hamling, on the roster this season. The two were briefly teammates at Grand Rapids High School in basketball when Heaven Hamling was in her senior season and Taryn Hamling was in seventh grade. The duo also played tennis together with Heaven Hamling on varsity and Taryn Hamling on junior varsity.
GEISSERT ELEVATED
Dylan Geissert was elevated to associate head coach over the offseason. He has spent the last four seasons with the Bison as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. Prior to joining NDSU in 2019, Geissert was a graduate student manager at the University of Kansas from 2017-19. He got his start in coaching as a male practice player for the Emporia State women's basketball program and served as a student assistant under current NDSU head coach Jory Collins for three seasons.
250 CAREER WINS
Following the victory over South Dakota on Feb. 2, 2023, head coach Jory Collins earned his 250th career win. He has currently amassed a 259-122 overall record spanning 13 seasons. He notched a 199-58 mark during eight seasons at Emporia State. Collins has posted a 60-64 mark at NDSU over his first four seasons. His 60 wins at NDSU rank third all-time in Bison history behind Amy Ruley (671 wins) and Carolyn DeHoff (72 wins).
HEAVEN DOING HEAVEN THINGS
Heaven Hamling enters the 2023-24 season with the chance to leave her mark in NDSU history and currently ranks in the top 10 in scoring average (6th, 14.5), three-point field goals made (2nd, 225), three-point field goal percentage (3rd, .381), free throw percentage (4th, .854), defensive rebounding average (T7th, 3.7), defensive rebounds (9th, 352), assists average (10th, 3.0) and minutes average (T4th, 32.2).
Hamling has also surpassed the 1,500 career points scoring mark with 1,534. She started her career at Stephen F. Austin State for one season in 2018-19 and netted 174 points. Hamling has totaled 1,360 points over the last four seasons at NDSU.
Among active players in NCAA Division I women's basketball and including one season at Stephen F. Austin State, Hamling has drained 265 three-pointers, which ranks 19th in the nation. Caitlin Clark (Iowa) leads the country with 407 career triples.
HISTORIC FRESHMAN SEASON
Elle Evans wasted no time making an impact in her freshman season after becoming the first player in program history to be named the Summit League Freshman of the Year. The Edwardsville, Ill., native was also the first player to earn Summit League All-Defensive Team honors in program history.
Evans ranked fifth in the Summit League shooting 43.8 percent from the field and averaged 13.4 points with 4.9 rebounds per game. She reached double digits in scoring in 26 of 30 games, including 14 straight to close the season. She was also a force on the defensive side of the floor and ranked second in the Summit League with a team-high 42 blocks.
BALL MOVEMENT
Heaven Hamling and Abby Schulte both reached the 100-assist mark last season and it marked the first time since the 2003-04 season that NDSU had two different players record 100 or more assists in a single-season. Hamling passed out the most assists by a Bison player since 2018 with a career-high 112, while Schulte handed out a career-best 103 assists of her own.
STARTING A NEW 3-POINT STREAK
NDSU shot 1-of-17 from three against Central Michigan on Dec. 20 and ended a streak of 61 straight games that the Bison have netted at least two triples.
NDSU has a recent history of assembling lengthy three-point streaks. The Bison went 0-of-14 from three-point range against Valparaiso on Nov. 15, 2019, ending a streak of 113 straight games with at least two 3-pointers.
THIS IS OUR HOUSE
NDSU is 476-142 all-time at home dating back to 1977-78. NDSU finished last season with an 11-1 mark at Scheels Center after starting the season 9-0. It marked the most home wins since 2009-10.
NDSU has started this season winning each of its first four home games and has won six straight dating back to last season. The Bison have scored 85 or more points in five games over that span, including two 100-point performances.
UP NEXT
NDSU will travel to Montana State for the Big-Sky Summit League Challenge on Wednesday, Jan. 3. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. CT
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