Bison Sports Update: November 5th

Its been an up and down week for the Bison.

Football
NDSU Football visited Brookings on Saturday for the annual Dakota Marker matchup with arch-rival South Dakota State. NDSU broke the ice first, and scored on their first possession, but missed the extra point to go up 6-0. SDSU answered on their next possession, taking a 7-6 lead. In the 2nd quarter both teams started by trading field goals, until SDSU blew the game open. After allowing a touchdown and a field goal the Bison found themselves down 20-9 at halftime. It didn't get much better in the 3rd quarter. SDSU scored another TD to go up 27-9. They would also kick another field goal to go up 30-9. NDSU would finally find the endzone again to bring the game closer at 30-16. SDSU would cap it off with a 26 yard field goal to defeat the Bison 33-16. 
This week, the Bison return home for the final time in the regular season to host Southern Illinois in the annual Harvest Bowl game. Kickoff is at 2:30 PM CT.
North Dakota State Football is 6-3 overall on the season and 3-3 in MVFC play.

Volleyball
NDSU Volleyball had a much different week then football did. The Bison hosted arch-rival South Dakota State on Thursday. NDSU roared out to a 2-0 set lead. SDSU would take 2 sets to tie it. The Bison were even down in the 5th set, but came back to take the match 3-2. 
This week, the Bison finish out their home schedule on Thursday when they host Kansas City for Senior Night. Then, on Saturday, NDSU heads to Vermillion to play South Dakota. There are only 3 games left in the regular season before the Summit League tournament, should be fun! Speaking of the tournament, NDSU has now clinched not only a tournament berth, but also no worse then a 5 seed in the tournament!
North Dakota State Volleyball is 17-7 overall on the season and 9-4 in Summit League play.

Men's Basketball
NDSU Men's Basketball returns to the floor this week!!! To recap what has happened in the past, last year the Bison finished 3rd in the league and made it all the way to the Summit League tournament final, but fell convincingly to Oral Roberts. Over the offseason the team lost a few players, including star forward Grant Nelson who transferred to Alabama. PGs Dezmond McKinney and Luke Yoder both transferred out as well. 
The team already played their exhibition match for the season, defeating Division III St. Olaf on Friday, October 27th at the SHAC. This season will feature a less frightening non-conference schedule then last year by a long shot. The Bison will begin the year on the road on Monday, November 6th when they visit Western Michigan in Kalamazoo at 6 PM CT. This is also one of the few games that NDSU will play on ESPN+. Over the offseason, the Summit League signed a new multi-year media deal with national TV games coming to CBS Sports Network and a new local-friendly deal with Midco Sports that created the new Summit League Network hosted by Midco Sports Plus. All men's basketball conference games not on CBSSN will be on Summit League Network. It will also extend to all home games by conference members will be on SLN. Therefore, NDSU will host Mount Marty on November 8th for their inaugural game on SLN. All NDSU home games will also be on local WDAY Xtra. Then on November 11, the Bison will visit 8th ranked Creighton to complete the 2 game series. The game will be broadcast on FS2. To continue November, the Bison will head to Missoula, Montana for the Basketball Travelers Mike Montgomery Classic, and will play UC Davis and classic host Montana. Both games will be on ESPN+. NDSU will host Division III UW-Stout. Then the Bison will play a new opponent in Grand Canyon University. They will visit GCU Arena in Phoenix for the first time in program history. That game will also be on ESPN+. Then NDSU will play a historic in season home and home series against Mountain West-San Jose State. SJSU is lead by former Bison head coach Tim Miles and will feature his 2nd return to Fargo since coaching here. November 27th will be the game in San Jose and then the series moves to Fargo on December 4th. This will begin a home slate for the Bison in December that will then see Portland and Oak Hill Christian come to town.
Then the start of two home and home series against Missouri Valley teams. First the Bison will play Illinois State on ESPN+ and then will play Southern Illinois. After that the Bison will start conference play with one game hosting South Dakota. However, after that, NDSU will play two games in the new Big Sky-Summit Challenge. They will host Montana at the SHAC and then go visit Eastern Washington in Cheney. After that the Bison will play the rest of their Summit League conference schedule. It will include a home matchup with UND on February 24th that will be NDSU's first game on CBS Sports Network. The Summit League tournament is scheduled for March 8-12, 2024 back in Sioux Falls. The first three rounds will be on SLN and then the final will be on CBSSN. 
NDSU begins their season on Monday, November 6th at 6 PM CT in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Women's Basketball
​NDSU Women's Basketball begins their season this week as well. Last season, the Bison finished the season 2nd in the league but lost to Kansas City in the quarterfinals of the Summit League tourney. They made the WNIT but lost to Oregon in the opening round. 
This season the Bison will begin their quest with a highlight game down in Sioux Falls at the Sanford Pentagon. They will host 22nd ranked Creighton on Monday, November 6th at 6 PM CT. Their non-conference schedule continues on November 9th with a home game against Jamestown, and it is also their inaugural game on Summit League Network. After that is the other end of the home and home against Minnesota down in Minneapolis. Then they will go to Greeley to play Northern Colorado. The Bison have a Thanksgiving Classic this year again as well, going down to San Diego to play Harvard and Toledo in the San Diego Classic. 
In December, the Bison will play a couple of home games, the first is the home side of the series with Eastern Michigan that started last season. Then they welcome in NAIA Mayville State.  NDSU will then head on the road to Iowa to play Drake and Iowa State. The Bison will return home to play Central Michigan before hitting the road for their first conference game of the year in Vermillion against South Dakota. Then NDSU will play their Big Sky-Summit Challenge slate, which features an away game at Montana State and a home game hosting Northern Arizona. After that the Bison will play the rest of their Summit League conference schedule.
The Bison begin on Monday, November 6th against 22nd ranked Creighton at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota at 6 PM CT. It is not being broadcasted on any television network or streaming service.

​Go Bison!!