Bison Women Travel to #24 Iowa State Saturday

Scene Setter
              The North Dakota State women’s basketball team hits the road for the first time on Saturday, Dec. 12, as the Bison travel to 24th-ranked Iowa State. Tipoff is set for 12 p.m. at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. John Walters (Play-By-Play) and Lyndsey Fennelly (Analyst) will have the call on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. Keith Brake will have the radio call on Bison 1660.
 
Iowa State Series History
                The Cyclones lead the all-time series 2-0. Iowa State defeated NDSU 80-51 on Jan. 4, 2011, while also picking up an 86-58 victory in Fargo on Nov. 22, 2019. NDSU is 0-6 all-time against Big 12 schools.
 
Bison Against the Top 25
                NDSU is 0-11 all-time against teams ranked in the USA Today-WBCA and Associated Press polls. The Bison dropped two games against a ranked South Dakota squad last season. This will be the second meeting against a ranked Iowa State team, as the Cyclones were ranked 16/17 in the 2011 meeting.
 
NDSU ranked in College Insider Mid-Major Top 25 Poll
                For the first time in school history, the North Dakota State women’s basketball team is ranked in the College Insider Mid-Major Women’s Top 25 Poll. The Bison enter the poll ranked 16th. NDSU was the highest ranked newcomer to the poll this week. The Bison are one of three Summit League teams ranked in the poll, as South Dakota State is number two and South Dakota is number four. The Summit League and the MAC are the only two leagues with three teams ranked in the top 16.
 
Bison Notes

• North Dakota State improved to 3-0 on the year with a pair of wins over Green Bay last weekend. The Phoenix entered ranked 10th in the College Insider Mid-Major Top 25.
• Saturday’s 59-51 win was the first over a team ranked in the mid-major poll since beating fifth-ranked South Dakota 83-73 on Jan. 14, 2017.
• The Bison tied a school record for the fourth time on Sunday, hitting 16 3-pointers in the 82-66 victory. NDSU nailed 11 long balls in the opening half.
• North Dakota State improved to 34-21 all-time in season openers with an 85-68 win over Northern Iowa on Dec. 2. The Bison have won the opener four of the last five years, falling at Northern Iowa 95-63 in the season opener last year.
• Four Bison scored in double figures, led by 20 points each from redshirt sophomore Heaven Hamling and senior Emily Dietz.
• Dietz led the Bison with a game-high eight rebounds, while Hamling added six boards.

Scouting Iowa State

• After a 2-1 start to the season, the Cyclones have dropped back-to-back games. Iowa State lost 82-80 on Wednesday night at in-state rival Iowa after dropping an 83-65 decision against top-ranked South Carolina on Sunday.
• The Cyclones held 73-56 lead going into the fourth quarter against Iowa, but went 2-of-10 from the field as the Hawkeyes went 6-of-9 from 3-point range in the final frame for the win.
• Junior Ashley Joens leads the nation in scoring, averaging 32.2 points per game. In last year’s game against NDSU, Joens went for 26 points and 14 rebounds.
• The Cyclones start three freshman guards. All three were part of a 2020 recruiting class that ranked eighth in the nation by ESPN.
  
   

Young and Ready to Run
              The Bison enter the 2020-21 season as one of the youngest teams in America. The Bison average 19.769 years old (year only), which ranks as the 12th youngest team in the country. Oral Roberts, LaSalle, Incarnate Word and Montana State all average 19.3 years.
 
Experience on the Fly
              Seniors Emily Dietz and Michelle Gaislerova are the only two players on the NDSU roster with more than two years experience playing at the NCAA Division I level. With 84.6 percent of the NDSU roster having two years or less experience, the Bison rank 16th in the country. Murray State, Ole Miss and Indiana State all have a roster complete with players with two or less years of NCAA Division I experience.
 
Tickets Available for Dec. 16 Game Against North Dakota
              Beginning with the Dec. 16 women’s basketball game vs. North Dakota, NDSU anticipates a fan capacity limited to 1,000 people per game. All seating will be general admission and limited to designated, socially distanced areas. Masks are required for all in attendance.
              Tickets for the single women’s game Dec. 16 vs. North Dakota will be $13, and tickets for all doubleheader dates in January and February will be $21 – good for admission to both games of the doubleheader. Admission remains free for NDSU students. Tickets for the game with North Dakota are on sale now at GoBison.com/Tickets.
 
Gaislerova, Cobbins Honored by The Summit League
              Michelle Gaislerova and Ryan Cobbins were honored by the Summit League last year. Gaislerova earned a spot on the All-Summit League Honorable Mention team, while Cobbins was named to the Summit League All-Newcomer Team.
              Gaislerova led the Bison with 13.1 points per game in league play, ranking 10th in the league. She ranked seventh in the league in 3-point percentage at 39.4, while leading the Summit League in free throw percentage at 97.4 percent. Her 28 3-pointers were the sixth most in the league.
              Cobbins averaged 10.1 points per game in league play, ranking third among newcomers to the league. She also averaged 3.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game in league play. Cobbins ranked 10th in the league in free throw percentage at 78 percent. 
 
Gaislerova Joins 1,000 Point Club
              Junior Michelle Gaislerova scored 18 points against Purdue Fort Wayne on Feb. 13, becoming the 34th member of the 1,000 point club. Needing just one point to start the game, Gaislerova scored the opening basket of the game. She is the seventh player to have done so with all years being played during the NCAA Division I era.
 
A New 3-Point Streak
              The Bison went 0-of-14 from 3-point range against Valparaiso last year, ending a streak of 113-straight games with at least two 3-pointers. The last time NDSU didn’t hit a 3-pointer in a game was Nov. 29, 2015 against Delaware. Since the game against Valparaiso, the Bison have hit at least two in each of the last 30 games.
 
Gaislerova Makes NCAA History
              With her third made free throw against Purdue Fort Wayne on Feb. 13, junior Michelle Gaislerova broke the NCAA Division I women’s record for most consecutive free throws made with 71. Gaislerova extended the streak to 75 before missing her second attempt against North Dakota on Feb. 23. Her total is the third longest streak in all NCAA women’s divisions.
 
Last Time Against Iowa State
              The North Dakota State women’s basketball team dropped an 86-58 decision to Iowa State at the Scheels Center. It was the first time in NDSU history that the Bison played a school from the Big 12 in Fargo.        NDSU dropped to 0-5 on the year, while the Cyclones improved to 3-1.
              With 12 points, freshman Ryan Cobbins made NDSU history. Cobbins became the first NDSU player in the NCAA Division I era to score in double figures in the first five games of her career as a freshman. Olivia Skibiel had a season-high 13 points, while Michelle Gaislerova finished with 10 points. Fresh off a 30 point, 20 rebound effort for the Cyclones on Tuesday afternoon, Iowa State sophomore Ashley Joens finished with 26 points and 14 rebounds.
              Emily Dietz finished with 12 rebounds, while Sofija Zivaljevic added five boards and five assists. Cobbins and Raquel Terrer van Gool each had a season-high in assists with three and two respectively. Terrer van Gool also had a team-high two steals.
              The Bison were 23-of-67 (34.3%) from the field and 9-of-30 (30%) from 3-point range, while the Cyclones were 29-of-64 (45.3%) from the floor and 9-of-20 (45%) from 3-point range. NDSU’s 30 3-point attempts are tied for the ninth most in school history. Iowa State was 19-of-21 (90.5%) at the free throw line, while NDSU was 3-of-5 at the charity stripe. The Cyclones held a 36-1 advantage in the paint and 13-3 in second chance points, thanks to a 51-27 advantage on the glass.
              NDSU held a 4-3 lead 2:03 into the game before the Cyclones went on an 11-3 run over a 5:07 span to take the lead for good. The Bison trimmed the lead to 30-25 with 3:57 to play in the first half after eight-straight points, but the Cyclones closed the half on a 14-7 run to take a 44-32 lead at the break. Iowa State closed the game with a 10-3 run over the final 2:47.
 
Last Time Out
              For the second straight day, the North Dakota State women’s basketball team took down Green Bay Sunday at the Scheels Center. NDSU tied a school record with 16 3-pointers, as the Bison beat the 10th-ranked team in the College Insider Mid-Major Poll 82-66. The Bison improved to 3-0 overall, while the Phoenix dropped to 1-2. It is the first time the Bison have won the first three games of the year against NCAA Division I opponents.
              NDSU received 40 points from three players off the bench on Sunday. Sophomore Olivia Skibiel had a career-high 17 points, while freshman Abby Schulte dropped in 16. Junior Reneya Hopkins added seven points. Redshirt-sophomore Heaven Hamling added 17 points, while senior Michelle Gaislerova had 11 points. Caitlyn Hibner led Green Bay with 21 points.
              Britney Epperson led the Bison with four rebounds, while Emily Dietz, Schulte and Skibiel each had three. Hamling had a career-high six assists, while adding two steals. Schulte had three steals, while Epperson added a pair of blocked shots.
              The Bison were 26-of-47 (55.3%) from the field and 16-of-32 from 3-point range, tying the school record for the fourth time. NDSU was also perfect on 14 trips to the free throw line, which was the most trips to the line without a miss in school history. Green Bay was 20-of-48 (41.7%) from the floor and 4-of-15 (26.7%) from downtown. The Phoenix were 22-of-27 (81.5%) at the free throw line. Green Bay held a 30-16 advantage in the paint.
              Green Bay led 17-9 with 4:04 left in the first quarter before the Bison closed the frame on a 14-4 run to take a 23-21 lead after the opening quarter. Green Bay opened the second quarter on an 11-2 run, but NDSU closed the half on a 25-7 run to take a 50-39 lead at the break. NDSU hit six 3-pointers in the final 3:55 of the half. The Phoenix cut the lead to 62-60 with 9:23 to play, but the Bison went on a 14-4 run over a 5:01 span to put the game away.
 
NDSU Women’s Basketball Picked Fifth In Summit League Preseason Poll
              The North Dakota State Bison women’s basketball team was voted fifth in the Summit League preseason poll. This is the first time NDSU has been picked inside the top five since being projected for fourth in 2012. Defending champion South Dakota was tabbed the preseason favorite with 25 first-place votes, while South Dakota State was picked second with 11 first-place votes. Western Illinois was picked for third, while Oral Roberts was tabbed fourth. NDSU was picked for fifth, followed by Kansas City and Denver. North Dakota and Omaha round out the poll in eighth and ninth, respectively. The Bison received 371 points, sitting just five behind Oral Roberts for fourth. Kansas City, the defending WAC Champion who returns to the league this year, had 323 points.
 
Bison Add Four on National Signing Day
              The North Dakota State women’s basketball team has announced four additions to the roster, beginning in the 2021-22 season. Ellie Dague, a 5-10 guard from Henning, Minn., Katie Hildebrandt, a 6-2 forward from McFarland, Wis., Abbey Kubas, a 5-11 forward from Dickinson, N.D. and Sophie Olson, a 5-10 guard/forward from El Dorado Hills, Calif. are all set to join the Bison.
              Dague is ranked the fifth-best guard in Minnesota and the 13th best player overall. She was named to the Minnesota 1A All-State team while averaging 20.7 points and 5.3 rebounds as a junior.
              Hildebrandt is ranked the 18th best player and second-best small forward in Wisconsin. She averaged 14.5 points and 9.6 rebounds per game as a junior.
              Kubas is ranked the 12th best player and fourth-best small forward in North Dakota. She hit the 1,000 point mark as a junior, while averaging 20 points and 11 rebounds per game.
              Olson is ranked the 10th best shooting guard and 43rd player overall in California. She led Oak Ridge High School to the state tournament in 2018 and 2020. Olson is the younger sister of Bison redshirt-sophomore Marie Olson.
 
The Jory Collins Show
              Tune in every Monday night to the Bison Basketball Radio Show with Jory Collins on Bison 1660. Collins and Keith Brake recap the last few games and preview the upcoming schedule. The show airs at 7 p.m. on the following dates: Dec. 14, Dec. 28, Jan. 11, Jan. 18, Jan. 25, Feb. 1, Feb. 8, Feb. 15, Feb. 22, March 1 and March 15.
 
On The Horizon
              NDSU will return home on Wednesday, Dec. 16 for a non-conference game against North Dakota. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at the Scheels Center.