NORTH DAKOTA vs KANSAS CITY
DATES:  Saturday, Jan. 2 | 1 p.m. CT
SITE:  Grand Forks, N.D. (Betty Engelstad Sioux Center)
RADIO:  100.3 FM, 740 AM (Jack Michaels)
TV/VIDEO:  MidCoSN2; UND Insider (Alex Heinert, Val Sussex '09)
LIVE STATS:  FightingHawks.com
TWITTER: @UNDWBasketball

QUICK JUMPERS
*The University of North Dakota and Kansas will only play one game this weekend.
*North Dakota has played its best defense in the last two games, holding North Dakota State to 61 points and Toledo to 64 in regulation.
*The Fighting Hawks held the Bison to 0-of-16 from the field in the first quarter, a feat last accomplished before the 2006-07 season.
*UND is 2-0 in Summit League openers and 4-0 in its first two League games since joining The Summit League.
*Juliet Gordon is coming off her first collegiate double-double at Toledo (12 points, 10 rebounds).
*Saturday's game will be the first meeting between UND and Kansas City.
*With its forward heavy starting lineup the last two games, UND is averaging 44.5 rebounds per game. 
*The Fighting Hawks were +11 on the boards against the Rockets, their best margin since going +13 at Montana State.
*In 19 minutes on the floor, Jaclyn Jarnot shot 50-percent from the field and accounted for 10 points and eight rebounds.
*The Fighting Hawks were picked to finish eighth in The Summit League's Preseason Coaches Poll.
*Three of the Fighting Hawks losses have come at the hands of teams receiving votes, 
ranked or formerly ranked in the Mid-Major Top 25 Poll (Montana State, North Dakota State, Toledo).
*South Dakota State enters the week ranked 25th in the USA Today Coaches Poll for the second-consecutive week.

ON TAP
In an abbreviated non-conference season that saw the University of North Dakota log over 5,200-miles on a bus, the Fighting Hawks return home to The Betty Engelstad Sioux Center to host Kansas City in its Summit League opener. UND is undefeated in Summit League openers (2-0).

A MESSAGE FOR ONE OF OUR OWN
On Dec. 29, Interim Head Coach Mallory Bernhard made a Twitter statement on Matt Bishop's passing, husband of former UND women's basketball player Katie (Houdek) Bishop, who played for and alongside Coach Bernhard from 2009-14. Matt was an announcer for KROX Radio in Crookston, Minn., calling games for the University of Minnesota, Crookston among other duties.
 

Our @UNDwbasketball family is grieving the loss of one of own today. @mattbishop2 is an incredible person. So unbelievably positive when he had every obstacle thrown at him and such a good example of love and faith in God. We love you @ktbishop32 and all the Bishop family.

— Mallory Bernhard (@coach_bernhard) December 29, 2020

FOLLOW THE HAWKS THIS SUMMIT LEAGUE CAMPAIGN
Fans can follow the University of North Dakota women's basketball team for the remainder of the season by listening to Jack Michaels' radio call on 100.3 FM The CAT in Grand Forks. Fans can also watch North Dakota's series against Kansas City (Jan. 2-3), North Dakota State (Jan. 15-16), South Dakota State (Jan. 22-23), Western Illinois (Jan. 29-30), and South Dakota (Feb. 12-13) on MidcoSN or MidcoSN2 with Alex Heinert and Val (Sannes) Sussex '09 calling the games. Visit FightingHawks.com for up to date broadcast schedules.

DIGITAL GAME PROGRAMS RETURN IN 2021!
Fans are encouraged to view game programs digitally on game days. The men's and women's teams will have a combined game program for the fans' convenience this season. Look for the QR codes around The Betty Engelstad Sioux Center or visit FightingHawks.com to view the game programs.

SCOUTING THE ROOS
Kansas City returns to The Summit League in 2021, where it was a member from 1994-2013. The Roos left The League to join the WAC, where they resided for eight seasons. KC is 3-3 so far in 2020-21, recording its lone road win at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville on Dec. 12. The Roos last played on Dec. 17 at Southern Illinois, four days before the Fighting Hawks previous contest. In her fourth season, Head Coach Jacie Hoyt has led Kansas City to a 24-13 record over the last two seasons and guided KC to a Western Athletic Conference Championship in 2020 with a 13-3 record. The Roos have three scorers averaging double figures, led by Naomie Alnatas' 13.8 points per game. Paige Bradford (11.5) and Emily Ivory (11.2) round out the group, while Bradford leads the Roos in rebounds at 8.5 per game.

NEXT UP
The Fighting Hawks will hit the road for a bird fight in Tulsa, Okla., when they take on the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles on Jan. 8 and Jan. 9 for a 5 p.m. tipoff.