The North Dakota State women’s basketball team returns to action for a pair of games this weekend against Green Bay. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at the Scheels Center inside the Sanford Health Athletic Complex in Fargo, N.D.

Green Bay series history

The Bison and Phoenix have met five times previously, with Green Bay winning all five games. Saturday will be the first meeting since a 72-37 Green Bay victory on Dec. 18, 2012 in Green Bay. The two teams have met in Fargo twice, with Green Bay winning 82-59 on Nov. 11, 2011 and 81-70 on Feb. 7, 2006 in the first meeting between the two teams.

Bison notes

North Dakota State improved to 34-21 all-time in season openers with an 85-68 win over Northern Iowa on Wednesday. The Bison have won the opener four of the last five years, falling at Northern Iowa 95-63 in the season opener last year.

Four Bison scored in double figures, led by 20 points each from redshirt sophomore Heaven Hamling and senior Emily Dietz, who led the Bison with a game-high eight rebounds, while Hamling added six boards.

NDSU returns three starters from last year in seniors Dietz and Michelle Gaislerova, along with sophomore Ryan Cobbins. Olivia Skibiel comes off the bench for the Bison as the only remaining player that stepped on the court last season. NDSU welcomes five newcomers and three players that redshirted last season.

The Bison were picked to finish fifth in the Summit League preseason poll. It was the highest preseason selection for the Bison since being picked fourth in 2012.

Young and ready to run

The Bison enter the 2020-21 season as one of the youngest teams in America. The Bison average 19.769 years old (year only), which ranks as the 11th youngest team in the country. Oral Roberts, LaSalle, Incarnate Word and Montana State all average 19.3 years.

Seniors Emily Dietz and Michelle Gaislerova are the only two players on the NDSU roster with more than two years experience playing at the NCAA Division I level. With 84.6 percent of the NDSU roster having two years or less experience, the Bison rank 16th in the country. Murray State, Ole Miss and Indiana State all have a roster complete with players with two or less years of NCAA Division I experience.

Gaislerova, Cobbins honored by the Summit League

Michelle Gaislerova and Ryan Cobbins were honored by the Summit League last year. Gaislerova earned a spot on the All-Summit League Honorable Mention team, while Cobbins was named to the Summit League All-Newcomer Team.

Gaislerova led the Bison with 13.1 points per game in league play, ranking 10th in the league. She ranked seventh in the league in 3-point percentage at 39.4, while leading the Summit League in free throw percentage at 97.4 percent. Her 28 3-pointers were the sixth most in the league.

Cobbins averaged 10.1 points per game in league play, ranking third among newcomers to the league. She also averaged 3.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game in league play. Cobbins ranked 10th in the league in free throw percentage at 78 percent.

Gaislerova joins 1,000 point club and makes NCAA history

Gaislerova, a junior, scored 18 points against Purdue Fort Wayne on Feb. 13, becoming the 34th member of the 1,000 point club. Needing just one point to start the game, Gaislerova scored the opening basket of the game. She is the seventh player to have done so with all years being played during the NCAA Division I era.

With her third made free throw against Purdue Fort Wayne, Gaislerova broke the NCAA Division I women’s record for most consecutive free throws made with 71. Gaislerova extended the streak to 75 before missing her second attempt against North Dakota on Feb. 23. Her total is the third longest streak in all NCAA women’s divisions.

Last time against Green Bay

The Green Bay women’s basketball team raced out to a 17-0 start and never looked back, topping North Dakota State 72-37 in a non-conference game at the Kress Center on Tuesday, December 18, 2012.

NDSU (3-8) struggled from the floor, shooting 13-for-56 (23.2 percent) on the game and 2-for-20 (10 percent) from beyond the arc. Green Bay (7-2) shot 56 percent and led by as many as 25 points in the first half and 40 in the second half. The Phoenix were ranked No. 25 in the nation to open the season.

Sarah Eichler scored 20 points, pulled down six rebounds, and dished out five assists to lead Green Bay. Senior guard Katie Birkel led the Bison in scoring with 12 points. Dani DeGagne recorded a career-high 11 rebounds. Green Bay outscored NDSU 46-16 in the paint and 21-0 in bench scoring. The Bison did not register their first points until a Jamie Van Kirk jumper halted Green Bay’s 17-0 opening run with 10:03 to play in the first half.

NDSU trimmed the deficit to 16 points at 33-17 on a three-point play by Van Kirk with 3:19 remaining in the first half.

On the horizon

The Bison will hit the road for the first time next week, as they travel to 23rd-ranked Iowa State on Saturday, Dec. 12. Tipoff is set for 12 p.m. at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa.