North Dakota State Claims Share of Summit League Title, Eyes Tournament Success

VERMILLION, S.D. – The North Dakota State women’s basketball team secured at least a share of the Summit League regular season title on Saturday, February 21, 2026, defeating South Dakota 81-68 at the Sanford Coyote Sports Center. This marks the first time in program history the Bison have achieved this milestone. NDSU (25-2, 14-0 Summit League) likewise extended its winning streak to 23 games, the second-longest active streak in the nation and the longest in Summit League history and clinched the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Summit League Tournament.

Bison Dominate in Second Half

Avery Koenen led the Bison with a career-high 30 points, shooting 10-of-14 from the field and 10-of-15 from the free throw line. She also grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds and dished out a game-best five assists, recording her 18th double-double of the season. Koenen’s performance also pushed her season rebound total to 300, the most in the NDSU Division I era and seventh on the NDSU all-time single-season list.

Molly Lenz contributed 11 points, shooting 3-of-6 from three-point range, although Jocelyn Schiller added 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting. Karrington Asp provided 10 points and four rebounds off the bench.

NDSU shot 60.8 percent (31-51) from the field, and 41.2 percent (7-17) from three-point range. The Bison outscored the Coyotes 46-28 in the paint and added 10 points off turnovers.

After trailing at halftime 30-28, NDSU began the second half with a 9-2 run, taking a 48-40 lead after a three-pointer by Abby Graham. The Bison continued to build their lead, extending it to double digits with layups from Abby Krzewinski and Asp, making the score 54-42 with 1:54 remaining in the third quarter. NDSU continued its momentum into the fourth quarter, achieving its largest lead of the game, 78-58, after a layup by Schiller with 3:31 left. The Bison maintained control for the remainder of the game, securing the 81-68 victory.

Next Game

North Dakota State will host South Dakota State on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. Inside the Scheels Center at the Sanford Health Athletic Complex. Live coverage will be available on ESPN.