Bison Sports Update: December 22nd

This was kind of a back and forth week. 

Football
North Dakota State announced that former Bison assistant, and current Wyoming offensive coordinator, Tim Polasek will be the next head coach of the football team on Sunday. Polasek previously spent time in Fargo from 2006-12 and 2014-16 under coaches Craig Bohl and Chris Klieman. He would also spend time at Northern Illinois and Iowa, before reuniting with Bohl in Wyoming the last few seasons until Bohl retired after this past season. Polasek has already finalized his staff, and head coaching candidate Tyler Roehl will stay with the team as offensive coordinator and is expected to call plays next season. In fact, the entire offensive staff is expected to be unchanged. The defensive staff will have a shakeup, with first year defensive coordinator Jason Petrino, hired by Entz last offseason, not expected to be retained with the team. Instead, Polasek is promoting Grant Olson to defensive coordinator, and Nick Goeser to co-defensive coordinator. The team has seen very few transfers out so far, with only two expected transfers announced already. Feature back TaMerik Williams has announced he is declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft. National signing day has also gone through now, with 21 recruits signing on to be the next great Bison! 

Men's Basketball
NDSU Men's Basketball had two games on the road this week, both against Missouri Valley teams. They started with Illinois State on Sunday. They played a great first half against the Redbirds, leading by as much as 12. However, after a late 1st half run that continued in the 2nd half would doom the Bison. Once the Redbirds tied it up with around 7 minutes to go in the game, NDSU would go completely cold from the field and wouldn't make another shot until just under a minute remaining. Hard to win when you go on a 6 minute drought late in the 2nd half. The Bison would fall, 65-75. Then, in Carbondale on Tuesday, NDSU never really played well from the opening tip. The Bison would fall again, this time falling 63-76.
This week, the Bison will take most of the week off for the Christmas holiday. They will be back in action on Friday, December 29th when they open Summit League play against South Dakota. Tipoff is at 7 PM CT in the Shac, and like all Summit League games this year, will be broadcast on the Summit League Network and locally on WDAY Xtra.
North Dakota State Men's Basketball is 7-6 on the season.

Women's Basketball
NDSU Women's Basketball had a decent enough week. They only played once and hosted Central Michigan on Wednesday at the Shac. The Bison would look like the better team from the opening tip and would wind up winning, fending off a late game push by CMU, by a score of 67-57.
This week, like the men's team, they will take the bulk of the week off with the Christmas holiday. Since the league is doing mirror scheduling, the Bison women will also be starting Summit League play with a game against the Coyotes in Vermillion on Friday, December 29th at 7 PM CT. The game will be on Summit League Network.
North Dakota State Women's Basketball is 5-6 on the season.

Go Bison!