THIS WEEK         
The North Dakota State (6-6, 1-0 Summit) women's basketball team is set for the inaugural Big Sky-Summit Challenge this week. The Bison will travel to Montana State (7-6, 2-0 Big Sky) on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. CT before hosting Northern Arizona (9-3, 1-0 Big Sky) on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 1:00 p.m., at Scheels Center.
 
GAME COVERAGE
Watch: The game at Montana State will be available on ESPN+ for subscribers, while the contest against Northern Arizona will be broadcasted on WDAY Xtra and the Summit League Network for subscribers.
 
Radio: Andy Rieckhoff (play-by-play) will be on the call on Bison 1660 for both games.
 
GoBison.com: Live statistics, audio and video links are available on GoBison.com.
 
BISON QUICK HITS         

• NDSU begins the week after topping South Dakota on the road, 84-69, to begin Summit League play. The Bison have now won three straight Summit League openers.
• Montana State has won each of its last four games and has notched a 7-6 (2-0 Big Sky) overall record. This will be sixth all-time meeting between the two teams with NDSU leading the series, 4-1.
• Northern Arizona has won each of its last five games and has registered a 9-3 (1-0 Big Sky) overall record. This will be the fifth all-time meeting between NDSU and Northern Arizona with the Lumberjacks leading the series, 3-1.
• Heaven Hamling has totaled 229 three-pointers over four seasons and moved into second place on the all-time NDSU list. She's 50 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 posted double figures in each of the last eight games 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.

BIG SKY-SUMMIT CHALLENGE
This season will be the inaugural Big Sky-Summit Challenge with the two leagues playing for a combined trophy, taking both men's and women's results into consideration equally from 36 total games being played on Wednesday, Jan. 3 and Saturday, Jan. 6. Victories in the challenge will be weighted differently based on whether they occur at home or on the road. Teams will be awarded one (1) point for a victory on their home floor, while if a road team emerges with a win, it will be awarded one and one-half (1.5) points for the result. The conference with the most total points combined between men's and women's results will be declared the winner.
 
LAST TIME OUT
NDSU opened up a double-digit lead in the first quarter and never looked back to earn an 84-69 win over South Dakota to begin Summit League play last Friday. Heaven Hamling led the way with a season-high 24 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field to go along with three rebounds and three assists. Elle Evans registered her first double-double of the season with 14 points and a season-high 10 rebounds. Abby Krzewinski closed out the top performers tying a season-high 14 points with six rebounds.
 
THE SERIES VS. MONTANA STATE            
This will the sixth all-time meeting between NDSU and Montana State dating back to 1976 with the Bison leading the series, 4-1. In their most recent meeting in 2007, NDSU cruised past Montana State, 82-59, in Fargo.
 
THE SERIES VS. NORTHERN ARIZONA
This will be the fifth all-time meeting between NDSU and Northern Arizona dating back to 2006 with the Lumberjacks holding the slight edge in the series, 3-1. In their most recent encounter in 2010, Northern Arizona topped NDSU, 76-69, in Flagstaff, Ariz.
 
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 second in the Summit League shooting 33.7 percent from beyond the arc.
 
YOUNG BISON PRODUCING
All four true freshmen on the roster have seen action in at least nine games and average at least 8.0 minutes per game this season. The Bison have totaled 867 points as a team through the first 12 games with 29.1 percent (253 points) of that total coming from true freshmen. Abby Krzewinski, who has started each of the last nine games, leads the freshmen group with 8.3 points over 20.8 minutes per game.
 
KRZEWINSKI IS IN RHYTHM
Abby Krzewinski has produced back-to-back season-high performances after recording 14 points against Central Michigan and South Dakota. She's been efficient from the field shooting 6-of-6 against the Chippewas and 6-of-7 against the Coyotes. Krzewinski has hit on 12 of her last 13 attempts from the field.
 
AMONG THE TOP THREE
Through the first 12 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, 39.5), three-pointers (2nd, 30) and three-pointers per game (1st, 2.50). Evans also ranks in the top three in blocks (3rd, 15) and blocks per game (3rd, 1.25).
 
THE THREE-POINT CHASE IS ON
Heaven Hamling has connected on a team-best 30 three-pointers and pushed her career total at NDSU to 229 over four seasons, which ranks second all-time in Bison history. Hamling is 50 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. The Bison earned their first win over a team ranked in the poll since 2020 after downing then-ranked No. 21 South Dakota last week.
 
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 used five different starting five combinations this season. Miriley Simon was the most recent addition to the lineup after she made her first career start in the win over South Dakota. The West Fargo, N.D., native notched seven points over 21 minutes of action.
 
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 two seniors: Heaven Hamling 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 260-122 overall record spanning 13 seasons. He notched a 199-58 mark during eight seasons at Emporia State. Collins has posted a 61-64 mark at NDSU over his first four seasons. His 61 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, 14.6), three-point field goals made (2nd, 229), three-point field goal percentage (3rd, .382), free throw percentage (4th, .855), defensive rebounding average (T7th, 3.7), defensive rebounds (9th, 353), assists average (10th, 3.0) and minutes average (4th, 32.2).
 
Hamling has also surpassed the 1,500 career points scoring mark with 1,558. She started her career at Stephen F. Austin State for one season in 2018-19 and netted 174 points. Hamling has totaled 1,384 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 269 three-pointers, which ranks 14th in the nation. Caitlin Clark (Iowa) leads the country with 415 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 be back in action hosting Kansas City on Thursday, Jan. 11. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.