NORTH DAKOTA at PURDUE FORT WAYNE
DATE:  Thursday, Feb. 28  | 4:00 PM CT
SITE:  Fort Wayne, Ind. (Gates Sports Center)
RADIO:  100.3 FM, 740 AM (Jack Michaels)
WEB VIDEO: Mastodon All-Access
LIVE STATS:  FightingHawks.com
TWITTER: @UNDWBasketball
 
NORTH DAKOTA at SOUTH DAKOTA
DATE:  Saturday, March 2 | 1:00 PM CT
SITE:  Vermillion, S.D. (Sanford Coyote Sports Center)
TV: MidcoSN 2
RADIO:  100.3 FM, 740 AM (Jack Michaels)
WEB VIDEO: ESPN 3
LIVE STATS:  FightingHawks.com
TWITTER: @UNDWBasketball
 
QUICK JUMPERS
*With a UND win and an NDSU loss this weekend, the Fighting Hawks would clinch a six seed in the Summit League Tournament next weekend.
*Both Faith Dooley and Lexi Klabo pulled down 10+ rebounds for UND against Denver as the team recorded a season-best 59 boards.
*Lexi Klabo is second in the NCAA in FTs made (165) and is UND's career leader (514).
*Only four active NCAA Division I players in the country currently have 500 made free throws.
*Klabo registered her third 30-point game of the season against Denver. She is the first UND player since Ashley Langen (2004-08) to score 30+ points four times in a career.
 
ON TAP
The University of North Dakota will hit the road for its final games of the regular season when it heads to Purdue Fort Wayne (Feb. 28) and South Dakota (March 2).
 
LAST ACTION
Down by 18 points with 8:31 left in the third quarter, the UND women's basketball team mounted a defensive charge versus Denver on Senior Day, and took the lead with 26.4 seconds left, 76-75. However, a buzzer-beater by Denver forced overtime, where the Pioneers defeated the Fighting Hawks, 92-91.
 
THE SERIES WITH FORT WAYNE
Thursday night's showdown will be just the second meeting between the two squads and the first ever in Fort Wayne. The Fighting Hawks and Mastodons opened Summit League play against each other on Dec. 30, a 79-60 win by UND at Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.
 
All-time vs. Purdue Fort Wayne
UND leads 1-0
Home: 1-0, Away: 0-0, Neutral: 0-0
12/30/18    W    79-60 (H)
 
THE LAST MEETING IN BRIEF
North Dakota put four scorers in double figures, including Lexi Klabo with a game-high 21 points, as the team posted a 49.2-percent field goal percentage (31-of-63). Outscoring PFW 45-23 in the first half, with 40 total points in the paint, UND won the contest, 79-60. Melissa Dailey and Jill Morton each scored 13 points while Julia Fleecs added 11.
 
THE SERIES WITH SOUTH DAKOTA
North Dakota enters the series with a 49-27 series edge over the Coyotes but is winless in its last five meetings with South Dakota. The Fighting Hawks last defeated the Yotes on Nov. 17, 2013 at The Betty, 65-61. The last win in Vermillion took place Jan. 16, 2010.
 
All-time vs. South Dakota
UND leads 49-27
Home: 29-10, Away: 19-17, Neutral: 3-0
Last five meetings
12/21/14    L    81-86 (A)
12/19/15    L    70-73 (H)
3/16/17    L    55-78 (A)
12/21/17    L    71-76 (A)
1/24/19    L    50-80 (H)
 
THE LAST MEETING IN BRIEF
South Dakota's fast start proved the difference in the last contest versus the old North Central Conference rivals as it nearly shot 50-percent from the field and was a perfect 8-of-8 at the charity stripe. While North Dakota paced USD on the glass, 39-37, the Yotes eight three-pointers and 18 made free throws were too much for the Hawks as they fell, 80-50. Lexi Klabo and Jill Morton each added 10 points in the contest. Mikayla Reinke led all rebounders with 10.
 
WHAT A MONTH!
Lexi Klabo's exploits have been well documented this season: new season-highs, a UND top-10 scoring mark, as well as new program records in free throws made and the NCAA's leader at the line for most of the season. However, her play in February has been a testament to Klabo's abilities as she has averaged 21.8 points and 8.8 rebounds in six games this month, despite facing constant double and triple teams. She's scored in double figures five times and accounted for at least 20 in four games. The Fargo, N.D., native accounted for a career-high 33 points versus Denver last time out. Most impressively, Klabo has done this kind of damage averaging just over 30 minutes per game (30.3).
 
SO CLOSE!
North Dakota was a mere seven seconds away from its largest comeback of the season at last dead ball versus Denver last Saturday. With the ball in play and just seconds left, DU forward Madison Nelson quickly kicked the ball from the key back out to Haley Simental - stepping onto the floor in place of fouled out guard Lauren Loven - who drained a deep three at the buzzer to force overtime. UND trailed by 18 points in the third quarter and outscored the Pioneers 43-31 in the second half, holding them to 10 points in the final period. The Fighting Hawks overcame double-digit deficits versus San Francisco (13) and Omaha (12) this season.
 
THE BIG EFFORTS IN FINALE AT THE BETTY
It was a team effort against Denver as several players set new career-highs. While Lexi Klabo set a high in points (33), Faith Dooley crashed 10 boards for the first time in her career while finishing just three points shy of her first double-double. Melissa Dailey filled the stat sheet with 14 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals. On the glass, six players pulled down six-or-more rebounds.
 
FLEECS' SOFT TOUCH
Finishing with 15 points and six boards against the Pioneers, Julia Fleecs' efforts were a large part of the Fighting Hawks comeback effort. The sophomore scored nine points in the second half, adding her final basket with 1:30 left in regulation that lifted UND to within one point, 75-74, and forced Denver to burn a timeout.
 
LOCKING UP THE SIX SPOT
Following last Saturday's loss, North Dakota can now finish as high as the No. 6 seed for the Summit League Tournament. With one more win and a North Dakota State loss, the Fighting Hawks would lock up a date with the No. 3 seed, currently held by Oral Roberts, on March 9 in Sioux Falls, S.D.'s Denny Sanford PREMIER Center. The Golden Eagles, Denver or Western Illinois could all occupy the third seed depending on how the final week of the season plays out.
 
KLABO AMONGST NATIONS BEST FORWARDS
On Feb. 13, senior Lexi Klabo was named one of the top-10 finalists for the Cheryl Miller Award, given annually to one of the nation's top forwards. As the only mid-major player on the list, Klabo stacks up with the competition, ranking third in points (19.1) and second rebounds (8.4). She's only one of two players averaging 18 points and eight rebounds.
Listed alphabetically by school, here is the Top-10 list as selected by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association with points and rebounds per game averages included.
 
Player                        School                PPG    RPG
Bridget Carleton *         Iowa St.               21.8    8.4
Rhyne Howard              Kentucky            16.7    6.7
Erika Davenport            Marquette            11.4    9.3
Kaila Charles                Maryland             16.2    6.1
Sophie Cunningham      Missouri              17.3    5.9
Lexi Klabo *                North Dakota      19.1    8.4
Jackie Young                Notre Dame         14.2    6.9
Satou Sabally               Oregon                17.2    5.8
Rennia Davis                Tennessee           14.6    8.0
Borislava Hristova          Washington St.    20.8    5.7
 
* - Indicates leading scorer in conference
 
EFFECTIVE ON THE GLASS
In 17 of the last 18 games, North Dakota has outrebounded its foes on the glass. It's coming off a season-high 59 boards versus Denver, finishing +12 to the Pioneers 47. The Fighting Hawks were previously bested on Dec. 9 at Iowa State. North Dakota State equaled UND's rebounding total (37); however, the Hawks defeated the Bison, 70-58.
 
UP NEXT
Following this weekend's action, UND will head to Sioux Falls, S.D., for the Summit League Tournament March 9-12.