THIS WEEK         
The North Dakota State (16-9, 10-2 Summit) women's basketball team travels to St. Thomas (14-12, 6-6 Summit) on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m., before hosting North Dakota (9-17, 5-8 Summit) on Saturday afternoon. Tip-off is set for 4:00 p.m., at Scheels Center.
 
GAME COVERAGE
Watch: Both games will be available on the Summit League Network, while the Saturday contest against North Dakota will also broadcast on WDAY Xtra 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.
 
PROMOTIONS
The game against North Dakota will be a gold rush theme with the first 500 fans set to receive a free gold t-shirt.
 
BISON QUICK HITS         

• NDSU enters the week on a season-best five-game win streak and most recently cruised past Denver, 86-65. It marks the longest win streak since the Bison won six straight last season.
• St. Thomas begins the week on a three-game losing streak and most recently fell short at South Dakota, 75-61. The Tommies are 8-4 at home this season.
• North Dakota is 2-3 over its last five games and most recently dropped a 102-57 decision against Oral Roberts. The Fighting Hawks are idle on Thursday night.
• The Bison are receiving votes in the latest College Insider Top 25 Poll for the second straight week.
• Elle Evans enters the week leading the Summit League and ranks 20th in the nation in three-point percentage shooting 43.1 percent from behind the arc.
• Heaven Haming has totaled 255 three-pointers over four seasons and moved into second place on the all-time NDSU list. She's 24 triples away from passing Taylor Thunstedt (2014-18) for the top spot in NDSU history with 279.
• Heaven Hamling is the leading scorer in the NDSU Division I era and ranks fifth on the all-time Bison scoring list with 1,589 points.
• 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.

LAST TIME OUT
NDSU extended its season-best win streak to five games after downing Denver, 86-65, on Saturday afternoon at Scheels Center. Elle Evans led the way for the Bison logging her sixth 20-point game of the season with 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field. She also grabbed seven rebounds with one steal and one assist. Heaven Hamling added in 11 points with a team-best eight rebounds and five assists.
 
THE SERIES VS. ST. THOMAS      
This will be the seventh all-time meeting between NDSU and St. Thomas dating back to 1979 with the Bison leading the series, 5-1. NDSU has won the last four meetings and most recently rolled past St. Thomas earlier this season, 85-52, after Elle Evans notched 29 points on 7-of-7 shooting from three.
 
THE SERIES VS. NORTH DAKOTA              
Under fifth-year head coach Jory Collins, NDSU is 9-1 against North Dakota dating back to 2019-20 season. However, North Dakota holds the slight edge in the all-time series, 49-47, that dates back to 1967. In their most recent meeting earlier this season, Elle Evans netted a career-high 33 points to help lift NDSU to a 101-85 win over North Dakota. It marked the most points the Bison have scored against the Fighting Hawks in program history dating back to 1967.
 
FIVE IN A ROW
The Bison are currently on a season-best five-game win streak after rolling past Denver last week, 86-65. It marks the longest win streak for NDSU since winning six straight to start last season. Over the last five games, Elle Evans (17.2), Heaven Hamling (16.4) and Abby Schulte (10.8) are all averaging double digits in scoring.
 
BY THE NUMBERS IN SUMMIT LEAGUE PLAY
80.0 - NDSU ranks second in conference play in scoring with 80.0 points per game.
55.8 - Elle Evans is slotted third in Summit League play shooting 54.3 percent from the field.
52.5 - Elle Evans leads the Summit League shooting 52.5 percent from three in conference play.
44 - Elle Evans has drained 44-of-46 free throws in conference play.
37.9 - The Bison pace the Summit League in conference play shooting 37.9 percent from three.
23 - Heaven Hamling ranks second in Summit League play with 23 steals.
18.8 - Elle Evans ranks second in conference play averaging 18.8 points per game.
 
HOME SWEET HOME
The Bison boast a 10-1 mark in Scheels Center this season and started the season winning the first eight straight before falling short against South Dakota State. Over the last two seasons, NDSU is 21-2 at home. NDSU is 482-143 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.
 
CAREER DAY IN GRAND FORKS
Elle Evans posted a career-high 33 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the field and 11-of-12 from the free throw line in the 101-85 win over North Dakota. The Edwardsville, Ill., native also snatched a game-high 10 rebounds to log her third double-double of the season. Her 33 points rank tied for the eighth-most in a single-game in NDSU history.
 
PEAK PERFORMER OF THE WEEK
Elle Evans was named the TicketSmarter Summit League Peak Performer of the Week for the first time in her career on Jan. 29. She logged her third straight 20-point game with a career-high 29 points on 7-of-7 shooting from three and 9-of-14 from the field against St. Thomas. Her seven triples rank tied for the fourth-most in a single-game in NDSU history and were two shy of the program record of nine, which was set by Beth Bue against Northern Colorado on Feb. 26, 2002. Evans also connected on all four free throw attempts and notched a game-high three blocks.
 
GOT IT DONE ON BOTH ENDS
The Bison put together one of their best offensive and defensive performances of the season in the 85-52 win over St. Thomas. NDSU shot a season-best 64.7 percent (11-17) from three, which marked first time since 2015 that the Bison shot 60.0 percent or better from downtown. NDSU shot 61.5 percent (8-13) against Cal State Fullerton on Dec. 28, 2015. The Bison also limited St. Thomas to only six points in the third quarter and held the Tommies to a season-low 52 points.
 
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 35.8 percent from beyond the arc. Elle Evans leads the Summit League and ranks 20th in the nation shooting 43.1 percent from three.
 
YOUNG BISON PRODUCING
All four true freshmen on the roster have seen action in at least 21 games this season and average at least seven minutes per game. Abby Krzewinski, who has started each of the last 22 games, leads the freshmen group with 7.5 points over 22.2 minutes per game.
 
MOVING UP THE ALL-TIME SCORING LIST
Heaven Hamling has begun her ascent of the NDSU all-time scoring list and has surpassed 1,500 career points with 1,589, which is the most in the NDSU Division I era. She currently ranks fifth on the Bison all-time scoring list behind Lori Knetter (1978-82), who scored 1,647 career points.
 
THE THREE-POINT CHASE IS ON
Heaven Hamling has connected on 56 three-pointers and pushed her career total at NDSU to 255 over four seasons, which ranks second all-time in Bison history. Hamling is 24 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 earlier this season.
 
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.
 
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 270-125 overall record spanning 13 seasons. He notched a 199-58 mark during eight seasons at Emporia State. Collins has posted a 71-67 mark at NDSU over his first four seasons. His 71 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 points (5th, 1,589), scoring average (6th, 14.7), three-point field goals made (2nd, 255), three-point field goal percentage (3rd, .382), free throw percentage (5th, .848), defensive rebounds (4th, 406), defensive rebounding average (7th, 3.8), games started (9th, 107) and minutes average (4th, 32.2).
 
Hamling has also reached the 1,700 career points scoring mark with 1,763. She started her career at Stephen F. Austin State for one season in 2018-19 and netted 174 points. Hamling has totaled 1,589 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 295 three-pointers, which ranks 13th in the nation. Caitlin Clark (Iowa) leads the country with 487 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.
 
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. The Bison have bounced back hitting at least two triples in each of the last 14 games.
 
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.
 
UP NEXT
NDSU will be back in action hosting South Dakota on Thursday, Feb. 29. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m., at Scheels Center.