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Podcast: Bison Media Zone
Episode:

Bison women down in numbers, but remain high in optimisim
Category: Sports & Recreation
Duration: 00:00:00
Publish Date: 2024-01-05 20:48:56
Description: FARGO The words were notable from North Dakota State head women’s basketball coach Jory Collins, calling a victory at the University of South Dakota last week one of the most impressive since he’s been involved with while at NDSU. But in a testament to the ups and downs of the game, the ensuing trip to Montana State started with issues and ended with a lopsided loss.

Add to that the departure of three backup players in December and the Bison go into Saturday’s home game against Northern Arizona …



“Good,” Collins said. “We couldn’t have come back and practiced any better.”



The Bison stomped the Coyotes 84-69. They lost 65-45 at Montana State, although the NDSU flight the day before got canceled and the Bison flew to Bozeman the day of the game.



They did get there at mid-morning and went right to the arena for a shootaround. But there’s something about an interruption to an itinerary in college athletics that doesn’t always go well.



“The older you are the easier you’re able to handle those things,” Collins said. “I don’t know with our youth we were mature enough to handle that adversity and just looked like we were running in quicksand for a game. But I was glad that it happened in a non-con game.”



NDSU’s last non-conference game against NAU at 1 p.m. Saturday is the back half of a Big Sky-Summit League Challenge. At 6-7, 1-0 in the Summit, the Bison have as good of a resume, including the strength of schedule in the equation as anybody in the conference.



South Dakota State is considered the favorite and has played the toughest non-conference schedule in the league. The Bison will resume Summit play next Thursday with a 10-player roster after the departures of senior forward Kristina Ekofo Yomane and sophomore forwards Grace Massaquoi and Marwa Bedziri.



In response, Collins said the Bison are “practicing” differently with the emphasis of maintaining a healthy roster all the while getting the younger players the necessary teaching tools. The players have handled that situation, Collins said, just fine.



“The conversations were open and I don’t think it was a surprise to anyone with the exception of Marwa,” said Collins, with Bedziri leaving because of family reasons. “And those were some things that were out of her control and really unfortunate for her and her experience. But I know the group that’s here is really tight and they like what our locker room is right now. The kids that we are coaching are fantastic, very coachable and fast learners.”



In Northern Arizona, the Bison will see a team that lost in double overtime to SDSU earlier this week. Collins calls the Lumberjacks one of the most talented offensive teams the Bison will see this year.



Senior Heaven Hamling and sophomore Elle Evans, as expected, lead the team in scoring at 13.5 and 11.3 points per game respectively. But as the season progresses, four true freshmen including forward Miriley Simon from West Fargo will be part of the mix in a league race that appears more open than in the past.



“Obviously South Dakota State is still fantastic but the depth (is good) in our league,” Collins said. “I think maybe the teams that have been at the bottom are better, the teams that have been in the middle have gotten better and I don’t know that there’s any separation. This should make for a pretty interesting Summit League race.”


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