Who | Western Illinois (11-3, 2-1) vs. North Dakota (8-8, 2-3) and North Dakota State (6-9, 2-3)
When | Thursday, Jan. 13 — 6 p.m. CT and Saturday, Jan. 15 – 2 p.m. CT
Where | Macomb, Ill. (Western Hall)
Radio | Q98.1 (Thursday) and Leatherneck Sports Network (Saturday)
Social Media | Twitter + Instagram + Facebook + #TRADITIONofTOUGH
Quick Hits
- Following nearly two weeks of no games played, Western Illinois women’s basketball is back in action this week, hosting North Dakota on Thursday (Jan. 13) and North Dakota State on Saturday (Jan. 15).
- Back on Jan. 1, Western suffered a tough, double-overtime loss to league newcomer St. Thomas at home: a 66-64 decision.
- WIU continues to be the only Summit member school holding four players averaging double-figures in points: Danni Nichols (18.9 PPG), Jada Thorpe (12.9 PPG), Evan Zars (11.3 PPG), and Elizabeth Lutz (10.9 PPG).
- Additionally, Western’s 79.7 PPG as a team paces the league.
- Evan Zars has maintained her place as a lethal rebounder, corraling a Summit-best 8.9 boards per night.
- North Dakota and North Dakota State are tied for fourth in league standings.
- Thursday’s (Jan. 13) contest will feature two top four scorers within the Summit between Danni Nichols (first) and Kacie Borowicz (fourth).
- In this year’s preseason poll, North Dakota State and North Dakota were selected third and ninth. The Leathernecks were picked seventh.
Most Recently … | Amid a snowy Saturday, Western Illinois women’s basketball took over its home court on New Year’s Day to host a third Summit League matchup of the season. St. Thomas stepped in as the opponent, and Saturday witnessed plenty of ‘seesaw play’ that resulted in a double-overtime contest. WIU threw plenty of punches admirably, but the visitors ultimately hung for a 66-64 finish.
The game was Western’s first loss at home this season and the first time the program had partaken in a double-overtime matchup since 2019-20 (Jan. 2 at North Dakota State).
Elizabeth Lutz notched a season-high in points (17) and steals (four) while adding four rebounds. Danni Nichols posted 18 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. Evan Zars tied her season-best in rebounds (14) with seven points. Jada Thorpe chipped in 12 points, five rebounds, and two steals. Samantha Pryor pulled down seven boards.
The 47 minutes played by Nichols and Zars apiece were the most of any Leatherneck this season. Additionally, Lutz played 43 minutes – the first time this winter that Western has seen three players play 40 or more minutes in a single game.
“We always have a confidence that we are capable of coming back in any deficit, but I think tonight we relied on that confidence too much,” admitted Lutz. “This was a learning experience that games won’t ever be handed to us, so we need to be more assertive in taking our opportunities instead of hoping that they will fall our way.
“In a way, it is good to have this ‘wake up’ here because we hate losing in general, but especially at home.”
A Look into the Books | At 11-3 overall, WIU is at its best season start since 2005-06, when the team won 15 of its first 17 games.
Having led the Leathernecks in scoring ten times in 14 games, Danni Nichols tops both Western and the Summit League with a scoring average of 18.9 PPG. If the senior guard were to maintain this clip, her mark would be the highest in program history since Emily Clemens’ own 18.9 PPG total in 2016-17.
Swipe ‘Em | As a team, WIU is currently averaging 9.14 steals per outing – a statistic that ranks first in the Summit League. Lead guard Elizabeth Lutz’s 2.2 SPG average ties first among league individuals. Jada Thorpe falls just behind at 2.1 SPG.
A Brief History | There have only been eight meetings between WIU and North Dakota, as the series sits at a 4-4 tie. Last season, the Leathernecks split wins on the road in Grand Forks, ending the two-day slate with an 83-74 win. Danni Nichols (24), Evan Zars (14), Anna Deets (10), and Samantha Pryor (10) all finished in scoring double-figures.
One can note the WIU-North Dakota State all-time series having a longer history, with Western holding an 18-11 advantage. The Leathernecks have won 13 of the last 15 matchups. Back on Jan. 2, 2021, WIU head coach JD Gravina notched his 150th career win in a 77-65 victory over the Bison at home. Similar to the aforementioned UND contest, several Western players scored ten or more points, including Zars (16), Nichols (13), and Elizabeth Lutz (12).
Scouting the Opposition | North Dakota has done well in making its freebies at the charity stripe, tallying a .787 free throw percentage that leads the league. Kacie Borowicz has looked automatic from that spot with a .949 clip (56-59) that is best within all individuals. Additionally, the junior guard leads the team in points (16.4 PPG) and assists (4.8 APG). UND features balanced scoring among its players: Claire Orth (11.7 PPG), Olivia Lane (11.6 PPG), Maggie Manson (8.5 PPG), and Melissa Leet (8.1 PPG). Offensive rebounding is another notable strength of the Fighting Hawks (12.1/game), ranking second in the Summit.
North Dakota State is led by Heaven Hamling, a top-ten league scorer (13.1 PPG), who is shooting over 40% from three-point distance (second-best in the Summit). Ryan Cobbins is another standout (12.3 PPG and 5.5 RPG). The duo has combined to lead NDSU in scoring in all 15 games. The Bison continue to stay strong on the boards as a team with 34.1 rebounds per outing. Emily Dietz and Emily Behnke are two other key contributors on the glass, sporting averages of 5.0 RPG and 4.1 RPG, respectively.
What’s Next? | Western journeys on its first road trip within league play, visiting South Dakota (Jan. 20) and South Dakota State (Jan. 22).
***Report Courtesy of Western Illinois University***
