Bobcat Women Head to North Dakota

Thursday, January 12

Grand Forks, ND

6 p.m.

Montana State University

North Dakota

Photo by: Adrian Sanchez-Gonzalez

1/11/2017 4:29:00 PM | Women's Basketball

MSU WBB NOTES

The Bobcats will travel to North Dakota and Northern Colorado this weekend. It will mark the only regular-season match-up between the squads this season, as UND & UNC will not make the return trip to Bozeman due to the 18-game Big Sky schedule.

By: Tom Schulz

MONTANA STATE (10-4, 3-1 BSC) at NORTH DAKOTA (9-5, 4-0 BSC)
    Date:                     Jan. 12, 2017
    Tipoff: 6 p.m. (MST)
    Site:                      The Betty (3,300) * Grand Forks, ND
    Radio: KMMS 1450 AM; Play-by-Play with Jason Alvine
    Live Video: WatchBigSky.com
    Live Stats: undsports.com

MONTANA STATE (10-4, 3-1 BSC) AT NO. COLORADO (12-3, 4-0 BSC)
    Date:                     Jan. 14, 2017
    Tipoff: 2 p.m. (MST)
    Site: Bank of Colorado Arena (2,734) * Greeley, CO
    Radio: KMMS 1450 AM; Play-by-Play with Jason Alvine
    Live Video:           WatchBigSky.com
    Live Stats: uncbears.com

NEXT UP: The Bobcats will travel to North Dakota and Northern Colorado this weekend. It will mark the only regular-season match-up between the squads this season, as UND & UNC will not make the return trip to Bozeman due to the 18-game Big Sky schedule. Thursday's game at North Dakota is televised on Fox Sports North, which can been seen in the Bozeman area - check your local listings for channel.

ON A SERIES NOTE: Montana State holds an 8-5 lead in its all-time series with North Dakota. The two rivals have split their season series the last two seasons, each winning on its home court. UND won the last meeting 77-76 on March 4, 2016 in Grand Forks. The Bobcats own a slight 12-10 lead in series with Northern Colorado.

STATE OF THE LEAGUE: The Big Sky is currently ranked 18th in the most recent RPI. According to this week's NCAA Nitty-Gritty RPI the Bobcats are the highest ranked Big Sky team; listed at No. 92. MSU is followed by Northern Colorado 111, Idaho 126, North Dakota 139, Eastern Washington 141, Idaho State 196, Southern Utah 208, Portland State 226, Weber State 236, Northern Arizona 276, Sacramento State 290, and Montana 339.

BIG SKY PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Peyton Ferris averaged 26 points, 7.5 rebounds and two assists per game as the Bobcats defeated Eastern Washington and Idaho. For her efforts she was named Big Sky Player of the Week. Ferris shot an impressive 64.5 percent from the field, 75 percent from beyond the arc and 75 percent from the free throw line. Ferris had her best outing in MSU's overtime win over EWU with a season-high 30 points. Against the Eagles she also added a game-high nine rebounds and chipped in three assists. Ferris posted 22 points against Idaho, despite foul trouble which saw her play only 18 minutes. Against the Vandals, she connected on nine-of-14 from the floor, which included a three-of-four effort from long distance.

SCOUTING THE FIGHTING HAWKS: North Dakota is on a five-game winning streak heading into Thursday night's game with the Bobcats. UND escaped its road trip last weekend winning at Northern Arizona 80-78 and Southern Utah 68-65. The Fighting Hawks sit atop the Big Sky standings at 4-0, along with Northern Colorado. North Dakota is 9-6 overall and is led in scoring by four players: Makailah Dyer, 14.7 ppg, Leah Szabla, 12.3 ppg, Lexi Klabo 11.3 ppg., and Samantha Roscoe, 10.5 ppg. Szabla, who has been a mainstay in the UND backcourt, has missed the last six games with an undisclosed illness. Under the boards, the Fighting Hawks are paced by Klabo, a 6-2 sophomore, at 8.2 rebounds per contest.

SCOUTING THE BEARS: Northern Colorado is 12-3 overall and 4-0 in Big Sky play heading into its game with Montana on Thursday night. Savannah Smith and Savannah Scott guide the Bears averaging 14.5 and 14.2 points, respectively.

BUELLER: Peyton Ferris, a two-time Big Sky Top Reserve of the Year, came off the bench in all 31 games last season. This year, Ferris has started every game. She leads the team in scoring averaging 16.8 points per game and is third in rebounding at 6.8 per contest. Her points per game average ranks third in the Big Sky, while she is also listed eighth in rebounds. She was voted 2016-17 Preseason Big Sky MVP. Ferris recorded her only double-double of the year with 11 points and ten boards vs. Great Falls. The Twin Bridges product posted a season-high 30 points in MSU's win over Eastern Washington on Thursday night, connecting on 11-of-17 from the field and eight-of-10 at the line. She has 22 points and shot 64 percent against Idaho on Saturday afternoon. Last year, Ferris finished eighth in the nation in field-goal percentage shooting at a 58 percent clip.

THE LIFE OF RILEY: Riley Nordgaard, the 2015-16 Big Sky Newcomer of the Year, made her debut on Nov. 23 at UC Davis. Nordgaard made an immediate impact earning Big Sky Player of the Week kudos, after averaging 12.7 points and 8.7 rebounds in three games. The Canby, Minnesota product has recorded two doubles-doubles (UC Davis & Pacific). Last Thursday, she posted a season-high 22 points, which included a career-best 13-of-14 effort from line vs EWU. In addition, she had seven rebounds. Against Idaho on Saturday, Nordgaard hauled down a season-best 13 rebounds. She is currently second on the team with 21 3-pointers and is third shooting 40 percent from beyond the arc. Nordgaard has been in double-digit scoring in 10-of-11 games this season.

DISHING THE ROCK: Junior Hannah Caudill is averaging 4.2 assists per game, which ranks third in the Big Sky Conference. Her +1.3 assist-turnover ratio is eighth in the league. The graduate of Gonzaga Prep in Spokane, Washington posted a career-high 20 points at Weber State on Dec. 29. Last winter, Caudill led the Big Sky averaging 5.4 assists per contest. She dished out 166 assists, which was second most ever recorded in a single-season at Montana State. Caudill is currently 12 assists away from breaking onto MSU's all-time career assists chart. She had 8 assists last weekend. Her lone 3-pointer on Saturday, gives her 105 career triples, which ranks ninth on Montana State's all-time three-point makes list.

DISHING THE ROCK: Junior Hannah Caudill is averaging 4.2 assists per game, which ranks third in the Big Sky Conference. Her +1.3 assist-turnover ratio is eighth in the league. The graduate of Gonzaga Prep in Spokane, Washington posted a career-high 20 points at Weber State on Dec. 29. Last winter, Caudill led the Big Sky averaging 5.4 assists per contest. She dished out 166 assists, which was second most ever recorded in a single-season at Montana State. Caudill is currently 12 assists away from breaking onto MSU's all-time career assists chart. She had 8 assists last weekend. Her lone 3-pointer on Saturday, gives her 105 career triples, which ranks ninth on Montana State's all-time three-point makes list.

THAT AINT NO LIE: Sophomore Annika Lai started four games this season filling in during the absence of Riley Nordgaard. The 6-1 product of Boulder, Colorado posted a career-high 15 points against Idaho on Saturday afternoon, connecting on seven-of-13 from the field. The double-figure scoring game was her fifth of the season. Lai opened the 2016-17 campaign with a pair of double-digit scoring outings. In Montana State's 83-68 win at Weber State, Lai grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds. She combined the performance with 13 points for her first-ever double-double. On the season, Lai is averaging 7.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. She is averaging 24.5 minutes per contest. Lai is currently fifth in the Big Sky Conference and third on the Bobcat squad shooting 48.4 percent from the field.

FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS: Senior Margreet Barhoum has had a knack for answering the bell when MSU has needed a three-pointer this season. Barhoum answered the call and dialed up a key three-pointer in Montana State's win over Pacific on Nov. 25 with 41-seconds remaining in the game. She hit another big triple at Portland on Dec. 11 with 2:21 left to give the Bobcats the lead for good in its win over the Pilots. Against Cal Poly on Dec. 20, her 3-pointer ignited a MSU fourth quarter run. The Edmonds, Washington product, who is averaging 3.4 points per contest, finished with a season-high ten points - connecting on three-of-five from the field and two-of-two from beyond the 3-point line at Portland on Dec. 11. She also added two assists and a rebound against the Pilots. Barhoum is currently shooting 40 percent from long distance. On Saturday against Idaho, she dished out a season-best three assists.

FAB FRESH: All three Bobcat true-freshmen - Blaire Braxton. Oliana Squires and Madeline Smith - have made an impact in the early going. Braxton, a native of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, has started all 14 games and is averaging 4.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Braxton is seventh in the Big Sky in rebounding and seventh with 1.1 blocks per game. Squires has played in all 14 games and is averaging 6.9 points per game, which is fifth best on the team and the second best output of any Bobcat bench player. Squires is third on the squad shooting 81.5 percent (22-27) from the line. She is averaging 14.9 minutes per game and is third on the team with 15 three-pointers. On Saturday against Idaho, Squires notched a season-best five rebounds and five assists. Madeline Smith, a 6-2 post from Snohomish, Washington is averaging 16.1 minutes per game and is chipping in 6.4 points and 4.3 rebounds per contest. She posted her sixth double-digit scoring game with 13 points against Idaho on Saturday. In her last four games, she is averaging 11 points per game, while shooting 62 percent from the field. Against Cal Poly on Dec. 20, Smith had a season-high 10 boards.

BOZEMAN DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION: After the first 14 games, the Bobcats have connected on 91-of-274 from beyond the three-point arc. MSU is paced from long distance by Hannah Caudill with 24 triples. The Spokane product is followed by Riley Nordgaard 21, Oliana Squires 15, Delany Junkermier nine and Margreet Barhoum eight. MSU is shooting 33 percent from beyond 20-feet, 9-inches, which is third best in the Big Sky Conference. Last year, the Bobcats went 179-of-498 (35.9%) from three-point territory. As a team, Montana State has recorded at least one 3-pointer in the last 116 consecutive games. The last time Montana State was held without a three-pointer was Jan. 24, 2013 (0-9) at Weber State in Ogden, UT.

STINGY D: The Bobcat defense has evolved into one of the best units in the Big Sky. MSU is first in scoring margin (+10.1), field goal percentage defense (.356), 3-point field goal defense (.272), rebounding offense (44.4), rebounding margin (+7.4), defensive rebounds (31.3 and defensive rebounding percentage (.740). Nationally, the Bobcats are ranked No. 9 in defensive rebounds; No. 18 in rebounds per game; No. 32 in field-goal percentage defense; No. 38 in rebound margin; No. 38 in 3-point field-goal percentage; and No. 72 in scoring margin.