**NDSU Women’s Basketball Rolls to Ninth Straight Win, Longest Streak in Two Decades**
FARGO — Putting together a women’s basketball schedule for North Dakota State in the 2004-05 season was more of an open invitation than anything, with no school deemed unworthy of a game. That original schedule even included a team in South Dakota—the now-defunct Si Tanka-Huron—that then-head coach Amy Ruley had never heard of. Si Tanka-Huron came to Fargo for a Saturday afternoon game in February, just a few months before the college permanently closed.
That season, the Bison notched 28 wins, starting with an impressive 26-game winning streak until a trip to high-major Texas Christian University (TCU) ended their run.
Why does that history matter now?
On Monday, NDSU defeated Saint Mary’s University (Minn.) 94-36 to secure its ninth straight victory, marking the longest winning streak for the program since that landmark 2004-05 reclassification season two decades ago.
Bison head coach Jory Collins emphasized focusing on the present, especially with Summit League play kicking off this week. Still, he acknowledged the significance of the streak in the program’s recent history.
“That’s something to be proud of,” said Bison forward Avery Koenen. “It doesn’t really surprise me with this team and I’m just super proud of how we’ve handled everything. To go on the road the last few weeks and come out with those wins is huge.”
Twenty years ago, after leaving the Division II North Central Conference, the Bison played as an independent without a league affiliation.
“But we still went after each game as if it were an important conference game,” Ruley recalled.
This year’s squad has adopted a similar mentality and has not lost since mid-November, when they fell to the University of Nebraska.
Others are taking notice of NDSU’s hot streak. The Bison were ranked 15th in the latest mid-major poll, which comprises the 23 Division I leagues outside the Power 4 conferences plus four others.
**Key Players Leading the Charge**
– *Avery Koenen* is averaging a double-double with 18.5 points and 10.2 rebounds per game.
– *Karrington Asp*, a 6-2 freshman forward, has emerged as a key contributor, averaging 12.4 points and 5.7 rebounds.
– *Guard Marisa Frost* is also putting up 12.4 points per game.
The addition of transfer guard *Jocelyn Schiller* running the point guard position has provided the team with greater completeness and balance.
“I liken them to some of our teams of old,” Ruley said. “I feel like they like each other as far as playing together, and you see that enthusiasm and camaraderie that seems to be out there. You have all the pieces.”
**Looking Ahead to Summit League Play**
The pieces now turn their attention toward Summit League play, which begins Thursday at Oral Roberts University and continues Saturday at the University of Denver. The conference home opener is scheduled for January 8 against Kansas City.
Oral Roberts enters league play with a 6-6 record after enduring an early five-game losing streak. Defending champion South Dakota State (10-4) is once again the league favorite, while the University of South Dakota is off to a solid 9-4 start.
“We start Summit League play and I think it’s pretty obvious what you’re up against and what’s won the league the last few years,” Collins said. “We’re going to have to win a whole bunch of games if we want to be in contention.”
Koenen added, “These are the games that matter a lot more going forward. You have to focus on what’s ahead.”
**Dominant Performance Against Saint Mary’s**
On Monday, the Division III Cardinals of the MIAC, who came in with a 9-1 record, faced a sharp NDSU team that hadn’t played in 12 days. The Bison jumped out early with a dominant 22-2 lead after the first quarter.
Koenen finished with 19 points and 7 rebounds in just 21 minutes, ending a streak of six straight games with a double-double. Five NDSU players reached double figures in scoring.
NDSU held backup guard Abby Graham out as a precaution following a minor injury.
“I think our confidence is really high right now, especially coming after a break and playing that hard,” Frost said.
With momentum building, the Bison hope to carry this energy into the crucial stretch of Summit League competition ahead.
https://www.jamestownsun.com/sports/bison-media-zone/womens-sports/bison-women-forge-best-winning-streak-in-20-years