GAME 26
NO. 3 NORTH DAKOTA (12-13, 7-2 GWC) vs.
NO. 1 CHICAGO STATE (18-9, 9-1 GWC)
Monday, February 28, 2011
6 p.m. (central)
Betty Engelstad Sioux Center | Grand Forks, N.D.
UND radio: 100.3 FM (CatCountry)
Web audio
Web audio/video
Live stats
Live chat
UP NEXT FOR NORTH DAKOTA
The University of North Dakota (12-13, 7-2 GWC) will look to knock off top-ranked Chicago State (18-9, 9-1 GWC) as it hosts the Cougars on Monday, Feb. 28 for a 6 p.m. tip-off at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.
As it is the final home game of the season, senior co-captains Mallory Youngblut (Davenport, Iowa) and Corey Lof (Detroit Lakes, Minn.) will be honored with a brief on-court celebration.
LIVE FROM GRAND FORKS
Monday's Great West Conference game against Chicago State will be broadcast live on KSNR 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 KSNR 100.3 FM (CatCountry) and on select stations across the Fighting Sioux radio network. Stay tuned for schedule changes.
Links for live radio, a live audio/video webcast, live chat, and live stats can be found on the home of UND athletics, FightingSioux.com.
Want to listen to the game, but don't have access to a computer? KSNR 100.3 (CatCountry) can be accessed using the iheartradio application on your mobile device .
SERIES HISTORY ... CHICAGO STATE
League-leading Chicago State proved to be too much for North Dakota to handle as UND fell 78-57 in Chicago (Feb. 12).
The Fighting Sioux led by as many as 13 points in the first half, but with a hot streak just before the break, the Cougars staged a comeback and an eventual takeover. Led by Courtney Waldon's 19 points, CSU finished with four players in double figures. The Fighting Sioux were led by the freshmen trio of Madi Buck (F, Bismarck, N.D.), Megan Lauck (F, Arden Hills, Minn.) and Allyssa Wall (C, North Sioux City, S.D.). Buck led the way with 14 points while both Lauck and Wall finished with 13.
In its home meeting with the Cougars last year, UND shot 43.3 percent from the field, 46.4 percent beyond the arc, and 68.8 percent at the free throw line. When it comes to overall scoring, North Dakota and Chicago State are dead even as both teams have recorded 203 points through the first three meetings.
SCOUTING THE COUGARS (18-9, 9-1 GWC)
Picked to finish fourth in the Great West Conference, Chicago State's perfect 9-0 conference run and its 12-game winning streak ended when South Dakota dealt it a 66-56 loss on Saturday (Feb. 26) at the DakotaDome. Junior forward Amber Hegge scored a game-high 25 points on the night to lead USD. Caila Desroches led CSU with 16 points followed by Tressa Beckel, the GWC's leading scorer, with 14 points.
Beckel is averaging 17.7 ppg to lead the Cougars. She is shooting 46.3 percent from the field, 58.3 percent from three-point range, and 68.7 percent at the free throw line. Beckel also leads the team with 8.1 rpg and 1.5 bpg.
Second on the list for CSU is Courtney Waldon, who is averaging 16.7 ppg and 4.4 rpg. She is shooting 40.6 percent from the field and 80.6 percent at the line.
Natalie Marlowe leads with 4.3 apg and Janay Dockery tops the roster with 2.6 rpg.
As a team, Chicago State is shooting 42.3 percent from the field, 37.4 percent from three-point range, and 70.8 percent at the free throw line. The team is averaging 39 rpg while allowing opponents to grab 35.2 rpg. CSU has out-scored its opponents by an average score of 72-62.
CHICAGO STATE HEAD COACH ANGELA JACKSON
Angela Jackson is in her eighth season as head coach of the Chicago State women's basketball team and has amassed the most victories of any bench boss in program history.
The Cougars posted a 12-19 record last season and finished the first year of Great West play in third place with a 7-5 record. In addition, the Cougars produced a 5-1 mark at home versus conference opponents and Courtney Waldon (first team), Tressa Beckel (honorable mention/All-Newcomer), Natalie Marlowe (honorable mention) and Alyssa Waldon (honorable mention) earned All-Great West Conference recognition at the end of the season.
CSU won its inaugural Great West Conference game on Jan. 9, 2010 when it defeated Utah Valley in Orem, Utah. It was the Cougars' first conference win since the 2005-06 season when it was a member of the Summit League (formerly Mid-Continent Conference).
CSU finished the season ranked fourth among the NCAA Division I leaders in three-point field-goal percentage, while Waldon was ranked nationally in three-point field-goal percentage for the second year in a row (11th).
In addition to their accomplishments on the hardwood, the Cougars were also been recognized for their work in the classroom, thanks to a multiyear Academic Progress Rate of .962. CSU has graduated over 91 percent of the players that have suited up for coach Jackson.
NOTING THE SIOUX (12-13, 7-2 GWC)
Picked to repeat as Great West Conference champions in the 2010-11 preseason coaches poll, the University of North Dakota women's basketball team is in its third year of transition towards NCAA Division I status.
The Fighting Sioux picked up their seventh conference win of the season as it shut down NJIT 58-37 at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center (Feb. 26). The Sioux were led by senior forward Mallory Youngblut (Davenport, Iowa) and Corey Lof (Detroit Lakes, Minn.). Youngblut finished with a 19-point, 10-rebound double-double, while Lof registered nine points, including seven from the free throw line.
Youngblut leads the team in scoring averaging 13.3 ppg overall and 14.6 ppg in league play. She is shooting a team-best 41.4 percent from behind the arc and leads the conference with an 85.5 percent shooting average at the free throw line.
Lof is UND's top rebounder with an average of 5.3 rpg. In conference action, she averages 6.8 rpg. Lof also leads the team in steals where she is averaging 1.9 spg overall and in conference play.
As a team, UND is shooting 40.7 percent at the field, 37 percent from three-point range, and 74.4 percent at the free throw line. In conference-only games, the team is shooting 42.9 percent from the field, 39.7 percent behind the arc, and 75.3 percent at the free throw line.
In GWC games, the Sioux are winning by an average score of 69-59.
TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE FRESHMEN
From the get-go, this season's freshmen class has stepped in, stepped up, and had a major impact on the Fighting Sioux basketball season. The trio of Allyssa Wall (North Sioux City, S.D.), Megan Lauck (Arden Hills, Minn.), and Madi Buck (Bismarck, N.D.) are listed 2-3-4 on the team in scoring average, respectively, and have combined for 38.7 percent (626-for-1,636) of UND's total points this season.
They are shooting a combined 44.3 percent (222-for-501) from the field and are 73.8 percent (144-for-195) at the free throw line.
Led by Wall's 115 boards (78 defensive), the trio have brought down 21.9 percent of UND's rebounds.
STANDINGS ROOM ONLY
It is a pivotal final two weeks in the Great West Conference for North Dakota. Unlike last year, UND is not guaranteed a regular season title and a top seed in the GWC Tournament. This year's championship and tournament rankings could come down to the very last game on UND's schedule.
With the current standings - No. 1 Chicago State (9-1), No. 2 South Dakota (8-2), and No. 3 North Dakota (7-2) - here is what could happen ...
>> IF North Dakota wins its final three games, Chicago State defeats NJIT, and South Dakota wins its final two games, UND, CSU, and USD would be in a three-way tie for first
>> IF North Dakota wins its final three games, Chicago State loses to NJIT, and South Dakota wins its next two games, UND and USD would tie for first
>> IF North Dakota wins its final three games, Chicago State loses to NJIT, and South Dakota loses any one of its final two games, UND would claim the title
>> IF North Dakota loses either of its final three games, South Dakota would need Chicago State to fall to NJIT in order to share the title with CSU
LAST ACTION
It was a shaky start in the opening minutes for both teams, but with a trio of big runs, two in the second half, the University of North Dakota women's basketball team completed the sweep over NJIT with a 58-37 Great West Conference victory at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center (Feb. 26).
In the opening half, UND (12-13, 7-2 GWC) and NJIT (7-18, 3-7 GWC) shot a combined 13-for-57 (22.8 percent) from the field. But with a bit of an edge at the free throw line and a 10-0 run to close the half, the Sioux went into the break leading the Highlanders 23-17.
UND hit the first four points of the second half to increase the run to 14-0 and move into a 27-17 lead. The Sioux added runs of 12-0 and 11-0 late in the game to pick up its second straight league win and tie South Dakota for second place in the conference standings.
The Fighting Sioux were led by a 19-point, 10-rebound double-double by senior forward Mallory Youngblut. The Davenport, Iowa, native went 6-for-14 from the field, including three three-pointers to finish with her 12th career double-double.
Fellow senior Corey Lof (Detroit Lakes, Minn.) led the Sioux at the line with a career-high seven free throws. She finished the game with nine points, seven rebounds and four assists.
NJIT finished with two players in double figures. Rayven Johnson led the way with a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double and Jessica Gerald finished with 14 points, the most since coming back from injury just one week ago. Ivana Seric was held to just two points, but managed to bring down 10 rebounds.
BANDAGED, BRUISED, BUT NOT BEATEN
At 7:10 in the first half of Saturday's game against NJIT, senior forward Mallory Youngblut took an elbow to the head and had to be taken back to the training to be stitched up. The Davenport, Iowa, native emerged over four minutes later and then hit four of UND's next six points. Two came at the free throw line and the other two were scored on a high-flying tip-in.
With the bandage on her forehead, Youngblut scored 15 points and brought down four boards to lead the Fighting Sioux with a 19-point, 10-rebound double-double. She went 6-for-14 from the field, including three three-pointers to finish with her 12th career double-double.
UNDER 50 NOT PERMITTED
North Dakota has tallied an undefeated 2-0 record when holding teams to under 50 points. In game two of the season, UND held Vermont (Nov. 15) to 49 points to win 76-49, and just this past Saturday (Feb. 26), the Fighting Sioux shut down NJIT for a 58-37 victory.
SMART SHOOTING AT THE LINE
After going without a chance at the free throw line for three games, sophomore guard Nicole Smart swished a perfect 6-for-6 during UND's 58-37 win over NJIT (Feb. 26).
The Ada, Minn, native has registered four other perfect marks at the line all season and all four have come with a 2-for-2 finish.
RECORD REWIND
The University of North Dakota women's basketball program holds a 780-295 (.726) record all-time since the first game was played in 1974. Under head coach Gene Roebuck, UND is 604-131 (.822).
PROTECT AND SERVE
All-time, the Fighting Sioux are 427-83 (.837) when it comes to defending their own court and are 331-39 (.895) under the tutelage of Gene Roebuck.
LET'S GET BETTY TO RUMBLE
North Dakota is 93-14 (.869) all-time at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center, which opened prior to the 2004-05 season.
Click the PDF link above for the complete game notes release ...
- Go Sioux -
