FARGO, N.D. – Making their first trip to the Dakotas, the IUPUI women’s basketball team will look to keep their momentum rolling when they face off against North Dakota State on Saturday at 2 p.m. CT from the Bison Sports Arena.
IUPUI (11-12, 7-4 Summit) has steadily climbed near the top of The Summit League standings over the last four weeks, winning six of seven games to move into third place. The Jaguars are one-half game ahead of Oral Roberts and a full game ahead of North Dakota State, Oakland and IPFW.
Julia Whitted is coming off of her best game as a Jaguar, finishing with 27 points on 13-for-21 shooting in a 71-46 win over Southern Utah on Monday. The Staunton, Ind.-native averaged 23.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.0 blocks in the two-game sweep of UMKC and Southern Utah.
The Jaguars will need Whitted’s inside presence against North Dakota State (11-10, 6-5 Summit), who swept through Oakland and IPFW last weekend. The Bison’s Jerri Penley took home Summit League Player of the Week honors after averaging 18.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.5 blocks while hitting the game-winning baskets in both games.
North Dakota State will look to senior Lisa Bue as well. The Austin, Minn.-native is fourth in The Summit with 16.3 points per game and seventh in rebounding at 7.2 boards.
IUPUI will counter with Whitted and
Jernisha Cann on the interior. Cann ranks in the top 15 of the conference in points (12.4 ppg – 14
th), rebounds (9.6 – 1
st), assists (3.22 – 9
th), steals (3.35 – 1
st) and minutes (35.65 – 2
nd).
Both teams will ‘Think Pink’ prior to the game, in which North Dakota State will be raising money for Breast Cancer Research. The Jaguars will host a similar event next Saturday, Feb. 16 at 4:30 p.m. versus Oral Roberts.
The Jaguars will bus down to Brookings, S.D., Sunday morning to prepare for the back end of the road trip against South Dakota State. That contest will be at 7 p.m. CT Monday evening.
