Bison turn to true freshman in win over ORU, advance to title game

The Bison accomplished that feat for the first time in school history. It wasn’t textbook, it was a ratty old book at times actually, but a 75-66 semifinal victory over Oral Roberts has the Bison playing South Dakota State on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. for the league’s automatic berth to the NCAA tournament.

The old steadies were there in Heaven Hamling and Abbie Draper with 18 points each. But it was perhaps forward Avery Koenen who provided the difference. The 6-foot-2 true freshman looked nothing like a rookie on a big stage with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

“I feel more settled in, more comfortable and more confident in the game,” she said.

And more aggressive, something that Draper addressed to her after the first quarter. Koenen didn’t have a rebound at that point.

“I said this is your job, this is your role,” Draper said. “I was like, you’re getting 10 today and she in fact did do that today. I was just so proud of her for taking that in and she was like, ‘I need to do my job’ and that was a big part of our win today.”

Koenen played 27 minutes, third most on the team, committing just one turnover against the ball-hawking Golden Eagles.

“I never know what the game plan is,” Koenen said. “I know when I get in I have to make it count.”

Her performance was made even more important with leading scorer Elle Evans in foul trouble most of the game. Evans had all eight of her points in the fourth quarter with most of those of the clutch variety.

The Bison never really had it under control until Evans’ two free throws with 23 seconds remaining, which made it 74-66. NDSU spent most of the second half living in the area of a 10-point lead.

Yet, the constantly pressing Eagles helped force 20 Bison turnovers.

“It didn’t feel safe, I was worried the entire game,” said head coach Jory Collins of his team’s lead. “They’re only two or three turnovers and a made 3 in making it a one- or two-possession game. We didn’t handle some things well and other times we did. Those games are chaotic and people like to do those things against us, make us individual players but we also have some talented players who can finish those plays.”

Those players took command in the first half grabbing a 26-12 lead. They did that despite Evans and Draper each picked up their second foul before the second quarter was two minutes old. Both played less than nine minutes in the first two quarters, which ended with NDSU leading 38-28.

Hamling picked up her second later in the quarter. NDSU had trouble hitting from deep, finishing the half 1 of 11 from 3-point range. The Bison were 4 of 18 from that distance for the game.

“They were pretty physical and their press is hard to break,” Koenen said. “But it was about keeping our composure, handling the ball well and taking it as it goes.”

Evans played just one minute in the third quarter after being whistled for her third foul. Still, the Bison maintained their advantage at 53-44 heading into the fourth quarter.

Draper’s 3-pointer in the first minute gave the Bison a 12-point advantage. Evans finally got going and her three-point play with 4:41 left put NDSU up 64-51. Miriley Simon followed with two free throws and the Bison had their biggest lead of the game.

“The ball didn’t really fall for us today, we missed a lot of shots,” said ORU head coach Kelsi Musick. “But our players didn’t back down and we fought until the bitter end.”

The Golden Eagles cut it to a two-possession game pulling within 72-66 with under a minute. But Evans, a 94% free throw shooter, iced the game with three straight free throws.

ORU 12 28 44 66

NDSU 22 38 53 75

ORU (21-10): Udoumoh 10-13 1-2 21, Robinson 1-6 1-2 3, Cooper 5-16 4-6 14, Jones 6-15 8-8 20, Weinrich 0-1 1-2 1, Baldwin 0-3 0-0 0, Oglesby 3-12 0-1 6, Tramble 0-3 1-2 1. Totals: 25-69 16-23 66.

NDSU (21-10): Draper 6-9 5-8 18, H. Hamling 6-14 3-4 18, Evans 2-6 4-5 8, Schulte 4-10 1-1 9, Krzewinski 3-6 0-1 6, Koenen 4-6 2-4 10, Simon 1-2 2-2 4, Mackenzie 0-1 0-0 0, T. Hamling 0-1 0-0 0, Draper 1-3 0-0 2. Totals: 27-58 17-25 75.

Total fouls: ORU 25, NDSU 22. Fouled out: Weinrich, Draper, Schulte. Rebounds: ORU 35 (Udoumoh 12); NDSU 40 (H. Hamling 11). 3-point goals: ORU 0-8 (Robinson 0-1, Cooper 0-2, Jones 0-4, Tramble 0-1); NDSU 4-18 (Draper 1-1, H. Hamling 3-6, Evans 0-3, Schulte 0-2, Krzewinski 0-1, Simon 0-1, Mackenzie 0-1, T. Hamling 0-1, Graham 0-2). Assists: ORU 8 (Cooper 6); NDSU 11 (Schulte 4). Turnovers: ORU 15 (Cooper 5): NDSU 20 (Schulte 6).