GRAND FORKS, N.D. –
Elle Evans netted a career-high 33 points to help lift the North Dakota State women's basketball team past North Dakota, 101-85, in front of 2,913 fans at Betty Engelstad Sioux Center on Saturday afternoon.
With the win, NDSU improves to 12-9 (6-2 Summit) on the season. Under fifth-year head coach
Jory Collins, the Bison move to 9-1 against North Dakota (7-15, 3-6 Summit) dating back to 2019-20.
Evans led the way for NDSU with a career-high 33 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the field and 11-of-12 from the free throw line. 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 and marked her fourth game in the last five with at least 20 points.
Heaven Hamling also reached double digits in scoring for the third straight game with 19 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field.
Abby Schulte handed out a team-best six assists with seven points, while
Avery Koenen added in nine points off the bench.
As a team, the Bison netted 100 or more points for the second time this season after scoring 112 against Jamestown on Nov. 9. NDSU shot 47.8 percent (32-67) from the field and 81.8 percent (27-33) from the free throw line with all 10 players reaching the scoring column. The Bison scored 23 points off of turnovers and the bench added in 30 points.
After holding a one-point edge after the first quarter, 17-16, NDSU captured momentum putting together a 19-4 run in the second frame spanning over five minutes to increase its lead to 38-20 after
Miriley Simon drilled a three-pointer with 4:22 to play in the quarter. The Bison led at the intermission, 47-38.
The Bison used an 8-1 run in the third quarter to push their lead into double digits, 58-48, after Evans connected on a jumper at the 5:48 mark. The Fighting Hawks responded chipping the edge back down to two, 64-62, after Kacie Borowicz delivered a layup with 1:38 on the clock. NDSU answered back in the fourth frame with eight straight points to increase its lead to 82-66 following a layup from Koenen with 6:30 to play. The Bison went on to close out the rest of the time to earn the 101-85 victory.
NDSU will be back in action at Kansas City on Thursday. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.
