UP NEXT FOR NORTH DAKOTA
On March 6, the University of North Dakota will celebrate SENIOR DAY as it wraps up both the home and regular-season schedule. The Fighting Sioux will look to send off its seniors with a victory over Great West Conference opponent Texas-Pan American. Tip-off between the Sioux and the Broncos is slated for 1 p.m. at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.

2010 GREAT WEST CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS!
With the 80-66 win over Houston Baptist on Thursday, the University of North Dakota women's basketball team clinched the inaugural Great West Conference title. The UND volleyball team was the first to pick up an NCAA Division I conference title after going 22-6 this past season.

The Fighting Sioux are the only conference member with a winning record overall and the only to go without a loss on the road. If you want to get overly technical, the Sioux has also gone without a loss at home against league opponents. UND is 4-0 in the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center, which is its primary home court, but listed 4-1 at home. The lone defeat, a 57-72 loss to South Dakota on Jan. 23, happened in the Ralph Engelstad Arena, which is the home of UND hockey ... not basketball.

THANK YOU FOR THE MEMORIES
Following Saturday's game, head coach Gene Roebuck and the rest of the University of North Dakota women's basketball team will recognize the four seniors who have made major contributions to the basketball program and on Thursday, helped the Fighting Sioux take hold of the Great West Conference title.

Senior captains Kayla Bagaason (G, Clearbrook, Minn.) and Whitney Ledger (F, Bismarck, N.D.) have both been with the Sioux since the 2005-06 season. Due to injury, Bagaason was forced to sit the 2007-08 season and Ledger was five games into the 2006-07 before being sidelined.

Jossy Bergan (G, Valley City, N.D.) and Alys Seay (G, Grand Forks, N.D. ) both joined the team during the 2006-07 season.

As members of the Fighting Sioux women's basketball team, these players have tallied an overall record of 126-33 and have captured three conference titles (one Division I).

UND FIGHTING FOR HAITI
The University of North Dakota Student Government, SAAC, Greek Life, Hope Across Borders, and Beta Alpha Psi have collaborated with the American Red Cross in an effort to raise money for Haiti. A campus-wide rally is schedule to take place during the women's and men's basketball doubleheader on March 6 at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. The Fighting Sioux women will tip-off at 1 p.m. and the men will follow at 3 p.m. Doors open at Noon.

This event is open to the community and surrounding areas. "FIGHTING FOR HAITI" t-shirts will be available at all home games and at the Memorial Union starting Feb. 18 for a minimum donation of $20 or $10 with a UND student ID. A raffle and silent auction will also take place at the games as an additional source for fundraising.

Please join the Fighting Sioux women's and men's basketball teams and the rest of the University of North Dakota campus community as they strive to raise over $50,000 for those affected by the earthquakes in Haiti.

Fans are also encouraged to join the Facebook group "UND Fighting for Haiti".

XCEL ENERGY TO DONATE
In addition to the fundraising efforts already put into place for Saturday's 'UND FIGHTING FOR HAITI', Xcel Energy has agreed to donate $50 for every three-pointer made by both the women's and men's teams. All proceeds will go to the 'UND FIGHTING FOR HAITI' fund.

NOTING THE FIGHTING SIOUX
The University of North Dakota extended its winning-streak to nine games and grabbed sole possession of the inaugural Great West Conference title with an 80-66 victory over Houston Baptist on Thursday evening.

With the win over HBU, the Fighting Sioux now hold a winning, 14-13 record against NCAA Division I opponents since the start of the transition last year.

For the thrid game in a row, junior Mallory Youngblut (G, Davenport, Iowa) led the Fighting Sioux to victory. She finished with 12 points and 14 rebounds for her second-consecutive double-double. With the addition of a new career-high nine assists, Youngblut fell just shy of her first triple-double and the program's first since Katie Richards recorded 13 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds in the 94-51 home victory over Morningside (Jan. 15, 2000).

Youngblut is averaging 12.3 ppg overall and 14.8 ppg in league play. She leads the team with 204 rebounds (136 defensive) and an average of 7.3 rpg overall and 8.5 rpg in conference games. Youngblut has also recorded a team-high 24 blocked shots and 56 steals.

Senior Kayla Bagaason, who scored 18 points against Houston Baptist, leads the Sioux averaging 14.1 ppg overall and 16.4 ppg against GWC opponents. She is shooting a team-best .400 at three-point range.

The guard from Clearbrook, Minn., is currently on a 12-game, double-figure streak and has scored at least 20 points in four of the last eight games. She has shot 23-for-24 at the free throw line since the game in Drake on Dec. 13, 2009.

Senior forward Whitney Ledger (Bismarck, N.D.) finished with 15 points and five rebounds against the Huskies. She is averaging 10.9 ppg overall and 12.1 ppg in league play and 6.7 (7.3 GWC) rebounds per contest. She leads the team with a .492 shooting percentage from the field.

Ledger has registered double-digits in the past three games.

Senior Jossy Bergan (G, Valley City, N.D.) is averaging 9.9 ppg when against league foes. She boasts a team-high 90 assists and is one shy of Youngblut's team-high 56 steals.

Freshman Nicole Smart (G, Ada, Minn.) has seen time in every game this season for the Sioux, including her first career-start at Houston Baptist (Jan. 30). She went 3-for-3 at three-point range against the Huskies to finish with nine points.

Senior Alys Seay (G, Grand Forks, N.D.) has grabbed at least two rebounds in all but one game of UND's streak and has seen time in every game this season.

Against HBU, freshman Carly Rothfusz (G, Eden Prairie, Minn.) tallied her first field goals since the Jan. 4, 2010 game at Eastern Michigan.

The Fighting Sioux set a new season-high with 13 three-pointers against Chicago State. While on the winning-streak, they have netted an average of 9.8 treys per game.

North Dakota currently boasts the longest winning-streak in the conference and is the only team above the .500 mark overall.

SERIES HISTORY ... UTPA
The 186th new opponent in Fighting Sioux women's basketball history, North Dakota opened the series with Texas-Pan American (UTPA) with a 63-47 conference victory in Edinburg, Texas on Jan. 28. Junior Mallory Youngblut (G, Davenport, Iowa) led the Sioux with 14 points and nine rebounds. Seniors Kayla Bagaason (G, Clearbrook, Minn.), Jossy Bergan (G, Valley City, N.D.), and Whitney Ledger (F, Bismarck, N.D.) all finished with 11 points.

WE'RE GOING STREAKING!
North Dakota is currently on a nine-game winning streak. Its the longest streak of the season for the Fighting Sioux and in the Great West Conference. The streak includes four wins at home (CSU, UVU, NJIT, HBU) and five wins on the road (UTPA, HBU, Seattle, CSU, NJIT).

This is the longest winning streak for UND since beginning the transition to the NCAA Division I level. 

STAND UP AND CHEER
Released by the NCAA earlier this week, North Dakota ranks 80th among the 345 NCAA Division I schools in average home attendance. Through 11 homes games, a total of 20,703 fans-an average of 1,882 per game-have shown up to watch the Fighting Sioux on the hardwood. Tennessee tops the list with an average attendance of 13,219 (198,289 through 15 games).

Here is where the rest of this season's opponents rank:
10. Texas Tech (119,631; 7,037 avg.),
14. Wisconsin (78,884; 5,635 avg.)
36. Wyoming (38,806; 3,234)
40. Arizona State (42,259; 3,019 avg.)
44. Gonzaga (44,032; 2,935)
48. Toledo (36,213; 2,786 avg.)
65. Green Bay (27,393; 2,283 avg.)
67. Drake (24,763; 2,251 avg.)
104. Western Kentucky (19,857; 1,418 avg.)
119. New Mexico State (20,514; 1,207 avg.)
123. South Dakota (11,547; 1,155 avg.)
167. Ball State (10,934; 841 avg.)
213. Eastern Michigan (7,231; 603 avg.)
243. Seattle (7,483; 535 avg.)
266. Houston Baptist (7,061; 471 avg.)
278. Long Island (6,389; 426 avg.)
285. Chicago State (5,349; 411 avg.)
313. Northern Arizona (3,552; 355 avg.)
315. NJIT (4,957; 354 avg.)
316. Texas-Pan American (3,888; 353 avg.)
337. Utah Valley (2,994; 250 avg.)

Of note, South Dakota State is listed 57th (31,817; 2,447 avg.) and North Dakota State is listed 110th (16,815; 1,293 avg.).

2010 NCAA BASKETBALL RPI
In the most current release of the 2010 NCAA women's basketball RPI, North Dakota (14-13, 9-1 GWC is ranked 200th among the 345 total schools listed. While UND sits behind the majority of its non-conference opponents, it is ranked well above all of the current Great West Conference members.

Here is where North Dakota's opponents rank:
31. Wisconsin (Big Ten)-20-9
34. #17 Gonzaga (West Coast)-25-4
35. Texas Tech (Big 12)-17-11
53. Arizona State (Pacific-10)-17-10
64. Green Bay (Horizon)-24-3
70. Toledo (Mid-American)-22-6
84. Western Kentucky (Sun Belt)-20-9
95. Eastern Michigan (Mid-American)-20-7
104. Wyoming (Mountain West-16-10
129. New Mexico State (Western Ath)-17-11
139. Long Island (Northeast)-20-9
155. Drak (Missouri Valley)-13-13
185. Ball State (Mid-American)-12-16
290. NJIT (Great West)-11-14
307. Texas-Pan American (Great West)-11-15
309. Chicago State (Great West)-11-18
314. South Dakota (Great West)-12-14
318. Seattle (Independent)-6-22
324. Northern Arizona (Big Sky)-5-22
343. Utah Valley (Great West)-6-22
344. Houston Baptist (Great West)-3-22

Of note, South Dakota State is ranked 120th (18-10) and North Dakota State is ranked 209th (15-12).

NOTING THE BRONCOS
The Broncos are on a two-game winning streak after picking up a pair of one-point, conference road victories, first at Houston Baptist (77-76) and then at South Dakota (57-56). The last three games for UTPA have been decided by less than five points.

Freshman Bianca Torre (G, 5-5) leads the Broncos with 13.1 ppg (15.5 ppg GWC) and has tallied a team-high 119 assists and 54 steals. At USD, she led the team with 17 points with the help of 8-for-8 shooting at the free throw line.
Senior Aleeya Grigsby (F, 6-0) is second on the team with an average of 10.3 ppg (13.9 ppg GWC). She leads the team shooting .547 from the field and has pulled down a team-high 226 rebounds (8.4/game), including 144 on the defensive. At South Dakota, Grigsby finished with 13 points on 5-for-8 shooting from the field and a 3-for-4 performance at the free throw line.

Senior Marah Guzman (G, 5-2) is averaging 12.5 ppg against league opponents (7.4 ppg overall) and junior Maria Ben Erlingsdottir (C, 6-2) is averaging 10.3 ppg GWC (8.8 ppg overall).

UTPA's longest winning streak (four games) spanned from the 75-37 win over Letourneau (Jan. 4) to the 70-60 victory over Chicago State (Jan. 16). The Broncos played just one road game and two league games during that span. Since then, UTPA has gone 3-1 at home and 3-2 on the road. The lone home loss came at the hands of North Dakota.

texas-pan american HEAD COACH denny downling
Denny Downing is in his first season as head coach of The University of Texas-Pan American women's basketball program.

Downing comes to the Rio Grande Valley after spending seven seasons at Texas A&M-Commerce where he compiled a 106-99 (.517) overall record. He led the Lady Lions to the programs first ever Lone Star Conference North Division Championship, Lone Star Conference Tournament title and NCAA South Central Regional Championship in 2006-07. That same season, Downing was named Lone Star Conference North Division Coach of the Year.

RECORD REWIND
The University of North Dakota women's basketball program holds a 766-281 (.732) record all-time since the first game was played in 1974. Under head coach Gene Roebuck, UND is 590-117 (.835).

The 76-54 win over Chicago State on Feb. 13 marked the 701st Fighting Sioux women's basketball game coached by Roebuck.
PROTECT AND SERVE
All-time, the Fighting Sioux are 414-78 (.841) when it comes to defending their own court and are 321-35 (.902) under the tutelage of Gene Roebuck.

North Dakota is just EIGHT games away from playing its 500th home game.

Since the program's beginning in 1974, the Green and White have gone undefeated in Grand Forks six times, including back-to-back seasons from 1997-1999. In those years, the Sioux were national champions.

LET'S GET BETTY TO RUMBLE
UND is 83-10 (.892) all-time at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center, which opened prior to the 2004-05 season.

In just SEVEN home games, UND will celebrate their 100th game played in the friendly confines of 'The Betty'.

MEDIA INFORMATION
Saturday's 1 p.m. game vs. Texas-Pan American will be broadcast on 100.3 FM (CatCountry) with Paul Ralston handling the play-by-play.

All Fighting Sioux women's basketball games - home and away - can be heard on CatCountry 100.3 FM and on stations across the Fighting Sioux radio network.

Stay tuned for any schedule changes.

Links for live stats, an audio/video webcast (selected games), live chat (selected games), and streaming audio (selected games) can be found on the Official Site of Fighting Sioux athletics, FightingSioux.com.

- Go Sioux -