Kolpack: Women's hoops is hot, and Bison are part of the party

That was a party at Scheels Center at Sanford Health Athletic Complex. The official attendance for the WNIT second round game against the University of Montana was 2,254, it just sounded at times like 22,540. At least it did to the Bison players.

The final was 72-63 and NDSU’s first postseason win since 2000 has the Bison playing the winner of Tuesday’s Pacific at University of Minnesota game. It’s been a moment, or 23 years, but NDSU picked a fine time to still be playing at the end of March.

Women’s basketball is hot across the country right now.

“It was an amazing environment, it was everything we could have asked for,” said Bison guard Elle Evans. “So thankful for the Fargo community for showing out and showing your support. Just super grateful we were able to get it done for everyone that showed out tonight.”

Would it be too much to ask to make all crowds at women’s games general admission? Yes it would but for one night, it was cool to see the three main sections behind the team benches full of real, live people instead of season tickets owned by people hanging out in Arizona, or wherever.

Thank you Derrick Dinger and Northwestern Mutual for helping provide the free admission. Nicer weather might have helped the numbers but the experience seemed real for fans who hadn’t seen this team play this year.

“Just walking out there and seeing really full stands,” said Bison head coach Jory Collins. “Women’s basketball right now is on fire. It’s everywhere. It’s really good right now and for us to be able to create some of the things that our kids are seeing on TV. Everything is just amped up and for us to be able to do that on our home floor was awesome.”

Yes, it’s the WNIT and not the NCAA tournament, but I don’t care. I’ve been at press row in this building watching this program struggle for the better part of two decades. It reached a point for a while where The Forum didn’t cover the team because, well, if nobody really cared, why should we?

They cared in 2022 at South Dakota State when the Jackrabbits swept through the WNIT in front of packed crowds at Frost Arena and won it. Kansas, the blue blood basketball program, drew almost 12,000 in its title-winning game last year at Allen Fieldhouse. Indiana set an attendance record in the 2018 WNIT.

There was some juice in the renovated SHAC. Which, by the way, give a standing O to the former players from the 1980s, ‘90s and early 2000s who stood by the program all these years through thick and thin, with an emphasis on thin.

Several were at courtside against the Grizzlies. Angie Froelich wasn’t there, but Bison guard Heaven Hamling represented her wizardry with a behind-the-back pass to Avery Koenen for a bucket in the third quarter.

This Bison team has a thing about it.

“We’re big competitors and we play hard against each other in practice,” said Bison forward Abbie Draper, who led her team with 18 points. “I think it helps us overall.”

The Bison needed every ounce of help. Montana hit 5 of its first 6 shots from 3-point range, showing why it came in second in the country in 3-pointers made, just behind Caitlin Clark and Iowa.

Draper is from Iowa. She’s seen the women’s basketball frenzy across the country, specifically with one of the most recognizable players in college basketball, men or women, in Clark.

A sportswriter colleague attending Iowa's NCAA game on Monday night said it was one of the loudest arenas he's ever seen. Or heard. Said he may have hearing problems on Tuesday.

“It’s always fun to play basketball in March,” Draper said. “The longer we can play, the better and it’s really fun to keep on going.”

The Griz had the lead for just 1:46 of the game, but they also had the arsenal to hit from 3. The Bison had a five- to seven-point lead for what seemed like forever, yet …. no advantage was safe.

Not until Draper’s field goal with 1:01 remaining that made it 72-60. The Super 16 is scheduled between Wednesday and Friday. The date and site will be determined after the Gophers’ game.

“We would give anything to play another game in the SHAC,” Evans said. “We play so well here. The crowd was phenomenal tonight. If we’re able to do that, that would be an amazing experience for us.”