Bison Sports Update: November 6th

Rough weekend for Bison athletics.

Football
NDSU Football traveled to Brookings, SD this Saturday for the annual Dakota Marker matchup with 9th ranked SDSU. It started out with an SDSU run to the endzone. NDSU proceeded to answer 2 drives later to tie the game at 7. This all changed in the 2nd quarter. SDSU drove down several times to go up three scores. NDSU tried to fight back on offense but Cam Miller through an interception on a promising drive midway through the 2nd quarter and the defense really struggled. 
In the second half, NDSU fumbled on the second snap. SDSU capitalized with a field goal. NDSU would then drive down to score a touchdown to make it 27-14 with a minute to go in the 3rd quarter. SDSU then went three and out, giving NDSU the ball back with an opportunity to make it a one score game. NDSU drove the length of the field and was 1st and goal and looked like they might just climb back in. Cam fumbled on 1st down and a weird scramble was called on 2nd down so they faced 3rd down from the 6. They rushed to the 3 to have one last opportunity for the game. Cam rolled out right and tried to throw it to TE Noah Gindorff but was over his head. On the same play, FB Hunter Luepke looked to be open around the goal line. 
NDSU turned it over and SDSU had it at their own 3. Code Green nearly forced a safety after tackling SDSU's QB at the 1. SDSU then took the intentional safety to make it an 11 point game. NDSU got the ball at their own 23 after a holding penalty during the kickoff. The team drove down before they were stalled at SDSU's 25 yard line, and kicked a field goal to officially make it a one score game with 1:12 to go. NDSU lined up for the onside kick, SDSU called 2 timeouts to get a look at the Bison's formations. Finally the Bison kickoff and SDSU recovers. Game over.
Overall, I felt better about the Bison this game then I did last week against Indiana State. This showed more about the Bison then last week's victory. While this team had a terrible 1st half, they were able to hold SDSU's high flying offense to 3 points in the second half and had a chance to win the game. This team didn't quit at half just cause they were down by 20. While the loss stings and may come back to bite us later, it may be just the kick in the ass this team needs to get it going again. 
Now the Bison will travel to Indiana to play Youngstown State next Saturday at 11 am.

North Dakota State Football is 5-1 in MVFC play and 8-1 overall on the year.

Volleyball
NDSU Volleyball had a rough go of things this week. They first visited league-leading Omaha and lost in 3 sets. Then they visited playoff contending Denver and lost also in 3 sets. Currently the Bison sit on the outside looking in for the playoffs. Since only the top 4 teams make the postseason tournament, NDSU needs to climb and have others lose to make it in. 
The Bison have a half bye week this week. They get an off day on Thursday before heading up north to visit in state rival North Dakota on Saturday at 7 PM.

North Dakota State Volleyball is 5-10 in Summit League play, and 11-16 overall on the year.

Men's Basketball
Even though the NDSU Men's Basketball team has played an exhibition game, I am unveiling a season preview.
The Bison come into the year with a strong target for the season: make it back to the Summit League championship game. Last season, the Bison made it all the way to the championship and looked like they would lose big to Oral Roberts, until they brought it back to lose by only 3. Lots has changed for the Summit League this season. First, Division 1 newcomer St. Thomas enters the Summit League. Second, Oral Roberts had a wild offseason. First they lost nation-leading scorer Max Abmas to the draft, and then strong forward Kevin Obanor to a transfer to Texas Tech. Abmas eventually withdrew from the draft and is returning to Oral Roberts this year. While the Golden Eagles aren't favorites this year, they will be in contention all year long. 
NDSU has a much more favorable non-conference schedule then last year, which featured 5 major 7 schools. Senior Rocky Kreuser is on the watch list for Mid-Major Player of the Year and is a Summit League Pre-Season 1st team player. In the pre-season poll, NDSU was picked to be runner up to perennial favorite SDSU to win the Summit League.

The Bison begin their regular season schedule on Tuesday, November 9th at home against city opponent Concordia-Moorhead. Tipoff is at 7 PM in the Scheels Center and will be simulcast on WDAY Xtra and ESPN3 nationally. 
NDSU's November schedule features a visit to the West Coast where they will visit Cal Poly (11/12), UNLV (11/15), and Arizona (11/16). They then come home to host Tarleton State (11/22) and Idaho (11/27). They finish out November with a visit to Big East power Creighton (11/30). 

Women's Basketball
NDSU Women's Basketball enters the 2021-22 season with bigger expectations then usual. After finishing last season with a 15-9 record, their best in the D1 era, this team returns nearly the entire team as last season with a few additions. They also finished the year in Sioux Falls losing to nationally ranked South Dakota in the Summit League semifinals. 
In the Summit League preseason poll, the Bison were picked to finish 3rd behind perennial powers South Dakota and South Dakota State who are both receiving votes nationally. NDSU guard Heaven Hamling received Summit League preseason 2nd team honors. 
NDSU kicks off their 2021-22 campaign with a visit to Milwaukee on Thursday, November 11th at 7 PM. 
Their schedule begins with the Wisconsin trip that concludes with a trip to Green Bay (11/13). Then the Bison come home to host Northern Iowa (11/17), Montana (11/20), and Dickinson State (11/23). The Bison will then visit Big 12 power Kansas State (11/29) to finish out November.

​Go Bison!!!