We are heading down the homestretch of the 2021-2022 basketball season. It is hard to believe that there is still two weeks left in the regular season and teams will be gearing up for the conference tournament.
For the North Dakota Women’s Basketball team, this season has nothing but a rejuviation for a program that historically has had great success. After a few rather lean years and roster turmoil since their last conference championship in 2016-17, it appears that things are going in the right direction once again.
Coach Mallory Bernhard has done a great job with creating a solid 8 player rotation this season, led by talented guard Kacie Borowicz. After a injury-plagued season, she has bounced back strong, averaging 18.9 points per game on 41% shooting from the field. Most impressive? She is 2nd in the Nation in free throw shooting at 96.7% (117/121 shooting). At this point, you might as well put the 2 points on the board if she gets to the free throw line. She certainly has been a night and day difference for North Dakota this year, especially at the point guard position. She should find herself on a All-Summit League team for sure when the awards come out.
Another player who has stepped up nicely this season was Claire Orth. With as many departures the team had last year, she was someone that stepped into the void and has had success. She has nearly tripled her scoring from last year (averaging 11.2 ppg and shooting 46% from the field) and lead the team in steals (41 steals).
Olivia Lane has also taken a big step forward, leading the team in rebounding (8.3 rebounds per game) and averaging 12 points a game. She has racked up 8 double-doubles so far this season, including the last 4 games in a row. Her growth at the 4 spot of the line has given UND a solid 1-2 punch in the post, alongside Melissa Leet.
Melissa Leet has used her COVID year to put together her best season yet. Fully healthy, she has set career highs in points, rebounding, shooting percentage, blocked shots, steals, and free throw shooting. She has provided UND with a 5 that made things difficult on the defensive end and showed massive improved on the offensive end. She hasn’t been afraid to step out and hit the mid-range and 3 point shot this season.
Maggie Manson has certainly settled into her role as UND’s 3 point threat to the starting lineup, shooting 34% from 3, which is getting back to her form from her freshman year. She certainly isn’t afraid to launch it from deep and when she does get it going, UND becomes tough to beat.
The bench has developed nicely throughout the season. Jolene Daninger, Sammiyah Hoskin, and Deja Davis have all had their moments this season. Davis has shown her prowless on the defensive side of the basketball but started to show her 3 point shooting in the last few games. Hoskin has shows great energy and guarding multiple positions down in the post. She certainly showed her moments against Oral Roberts and Kansas City with her rebounding and assists. Jolene Daninger has been a solid rebounder, 3rd on the team with 5.4 rebounds per game, and 2nd on the team on assists (around 2 assists a game). These three have played well in their roles and has really helped to give the starting players a break when they needed and still keep up the high level of play.
With a team that only had 2 seniors honored on Senior Day on Saturday (with decisions pending on Claire Orth and Jolene Daninger) and a talented freshman class incoming, there is reason to be optimistic that UND is ready to take the next step.
That doesn’t mean that things have gone easy for a program that is trying to regain its former glory. Last Saturday’s game against Western showed that while they have come very far this season, there is still room for growth. They did an excellent job in coming back in the game and briefly taking the lead, but the 3 point barrage was too much to overcome. This loss also dropped UND to a game and half deficit to Kansas City for the 3rd seed.
However, like the saying goes, when one door closes, another one opens. UND has a chance to close that gap this weekend with a huge road trip to Kansas City and Oral Roberts. These will be two important games that will go a long way in determining UNDs fate in the seedings for the conference tournament. A road sweep would give them a very good chance of getting the 3rd seed (KC and ORU have the South Dakota schools to finish and they would have the tiebreaker on both teams due to head-to-head). Two losses and that could bring them in danger of slipping as low as the 6th seed (depending on what NDSU does this weekend). A split will probably be enough to keep them in the 4/5 seed range with an outside chance of the 3rd seed.
Then the following week: The Big one in Fargo. UND has lost 5 straight to the Bison and as UND fans knows: that is not acceptable. It is time to reclaim the state for the Flagship University, and who knows… depending on how the next two weeks turn out, could there be a potential 3rd meeting in the Summit League Quarterfinals?
Lots to decide, lots of basketball left to play. Can’t wait to see how this turns out.