Hamling Powers Bison Past Leathernecks, 63-55

MACOMB, Ill. (NDSU Athletics) – Heaven Hamling netted a season-high 25 points to lift the North Dakota State women’s basketball team past Western Illinois, 63-55, on Saturday afternoon at Western Hall.

Hamling notched her third 20-point game of the season with a game-high 25 points on 5-of-10 shooting from three. She also grabbed a career-high nine rebounds and handed out four assists over 40 minutes of action. Olivia Skibiel notched her second straight double-digit scoring performance with a season-best 16 points and eight rebounds.

As a team, NDSU (7-10, 3-4 Summit) shot 87.5 percent (14-16) from the free throw line. Skibiel paced the Bison connecting on all four attempts, while Abby Schulte shot 6-of-8 at the line. NDSU also shot 30 percent (9-30) from behind the arc and 31.7 percent (20-63) from the field.

Western Illinois (11-5, 2-3 Summit) grabbed the early lead in the opening frame, 7-5, at the 3:39 mark. The Bison answered with a momentum swinging 10-3 run capped off by a triple from Skibiel to steal a 15-10 lead with 1:51 to play in the quarter. The Leathernecks made one final surge in the fourth frame cutting the deficit down to three, 50-47, with 7:43 remaining. NDSU responded with five unanswered points to stretch its lead back up to eight, 55-47, after Skibiel drained a three-pointer with 4:51 to play. NDSU was able to hold off Western Illinois the rest of the way to earn the 63-55 road victory.

NDSU returns to Scheels Center on Thursday hosting Kansas City (11-4, 1-3 Summit). Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.