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Home > Bison Media Zone > 3 players leave Bison women's basketball team during middle of season
Podcast: Bison Media Zone
Episode:

3 players leave Bison women's basketball team during middle of season
Category: Sports & Recreation
Duration: 00:00:00
Publish Date: 2024-01-03 20:50:13
Description: FARGO As conference play has begun for the North Dakota State women's basketball team, the roster is down to just ten players after three departures over the last month.

Grace Massaquoi was in her first season playing at North Dakota State after transferring from North Dakota State College of Science. The sophomore forward played in seven games, scoring 25 points, 11 rebounds and four steals. She played an average of 9.6 minutes per game. In December, Massaquoi decided her time as a Bison was done and has entered her name into the transfer portal.



NDSU head Coach Jory Collins tells WDAY Sports that Massaquoi didn't think it was the right fit for her.



Earlier last week sophomore forward Marwa Bedziri and senior forward Kristina Ekofo Yomane also left the team. Both were in their second seasons playing under Collins.



Bedziri, a native from Stockholm, Sweden, decided to return to her home country due to a family matter, Collins tells WDAY Sports. She was a player Collins talked highly of throughout the offseason as a player he's looking forward to developing and will be a big contributor down the line.



The sophomore played in seven games and started in two this season. She averaged 2.1 points, 1.3 rebounds and 9.4 minutes per game. Collins says that there have been open talks about her returning to NDSU next season.



Ekofo Yomane, a student-athlete from Brussels, Belgium, also is no longer on the roster. Collins says her departure is due to mental health reasons.



During her debut season as at junior at NDSU, Ekofo Yomane average 11.6 minutes per game throughout her 29 game appearances. The forward averaged 3.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. This season, the now senior has played in 10 games, averaging 8 minutes per game. During those games she's scored 23 points and had 18 boards.



Last weekend, NDSU pulled off a 84-69 win in Vermillion, S.D. against the University of South Dakota with just ten players.



Heading into tonight's Big Sky-Summit Challenge game against Montana State, the Bison are 6-6, 1-0 in conference play.



"It's not ideal to only have 10 players," Collins said. "I would've loved to have all three players stay, but it is what it is. Every player on the roster is now getting reps with our new rotation. We're trying to make the most out of the situation."



NDSU (6-6) plays at Montana State tonight at 6:30 p.m. in Bozeman.

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