There was plenty of excitement on the North Dakota State women’s basketball team’s bench as the clock ticked down Friday night in its 58-50 win over Vermont.
The comeback win advanced NDSU to Saturday’s final of the 2024 Great Alaska Shootout, pushing the team’s record to 3-1 on the young season.
But the Bison had even more reason to celebrate.
Associate coach Dylan Geissert was engaged on Thursday, popping the question to his girlfriend Taylor during a romantic outing to Flattop Mountain.
On the floor, NDSU erased a nine-point halftime deficit with a more energized approach in the second half.
“Just energy plays, the hustle plays,” NDSU guard Molly Lenz said. “We weren’t making them in the first half. That was our emphasis going into the second half. We knew we were going to make basketball plays eventually but it was just those 50/50 balls and charges, stuff like that.”
Bison head coach Jory Collins said the team was able to change the pace of the game after being limited to just 28.6% from the floor in the first half.
“They play low-scoring games,” Collins said of Vermont. “They play at some of the slowest pace in the country, and we didn’t want to be in that half-court game because they’re very talented at what they do on both ends. Our pace in the first half was definitely in their favor.”
Lenz, a sophomore guard, led all scorers with 15 points, and was part of a quick Bison comeback early in the third quarter that included a pair of 3-pointers by sophomore guard Abby Krzewinski.
“It helps a ton,” Lenz said. “It’s contagious. Once you see one go in, the whole team starts rolling. (Krzewinski) hit a few big shots.”
Collins coached eight years at Division II Emporia State and knew UAA head coach Ryan McCarthy.
“I knew how good his teams have always been,” Collins said. “He called and said they had a spot open and it’s a place the kids have never been before. I’m all about that, getting to experience different things, and we knew it was going to be good teams. The quality of competition is high.”
The team spent part of Thursday visiting the Anchorage Museum and taking in some other sights. While she was initially hesitant, Lenz said the trip has been a lot of fun.
“My first reaction is I don’t want to go from Fargo to Alaska in November, it’s going to be even more cold,” she joked. “But then I thought, this is going to be super cool. Alaska isn’t somewhere I’d come on my own but I’m glad to be able to say I’ve been here.”
While the players were roaming around Anchorage, Geissert was preparing his big moment. He worked with local wedding and event planner Saige Stefanski for a couple months leading up to the trip.
“She helped me pick some spots and she helped me with the set-up to make things nice and pretty and with some flowers,” Geissert said.
Geissert was confident the proposal would be successful, but that didn’t mean the process was pressure-free.
“The biggest stressor was, don’t lose the ring on the way,” he said.
Geissert and his fiancée are both from Kansas, so proposing in an atmosphere where family would be nearby to celebrate wasn’t going to be possible. A beautiful location on a once-in-a-lifetime trip was a great alternative.
Geissert said the players on the Bison were excited for the news. And reports are that the bride-to-be wasn’t expecting the proposal.
“She said she was surprised,” he said. “I’m not sure I believe her but I hope it was a big surprise. I feel like I did a good job hiding it from her.”
Troy 80, UAA 73 (OT)
UAA played like a team shot out of a cannon in the early going of the other Great Alaska Shootout semifinal on Friday. The Seawolves played stellar defense and led 18-7 after the first quarter. UAA continued to build its advantage, taking a 39-19 lead into the halftime break.
But Division I Troy continued to chip away, and when Shaulana Wagner drove baseline and scored on a layup and free throw on an and-one, the game was tied at 67-67 with 23.5 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
The Seawolves struggled to find the basket in the overtime session and Troy pulled off an 80-73 comeback win.
“We came out on fire and they seemed flat in the first half,” UAA head coach Ryan McCarthy said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the roles were reversed in the second half. Credit to Troy, and we will look to bounce back from this with a renewed energy when we hit the court tomorrow.”
Troy coach Chanda Rigby said the Seawolves worked their game plan to perfection early on and dominated in virtually all areas on the floor.
“Alaska Anchorage had an amazing game plan and the girls did a great job of execution at the beginning of that game,” she said. “They took that game plan and they took it to another level, and they did a great job.”
UAA limited Troy to just 25.9% shooting in the first half. Troy started narrowing the gap in the third quarter and used some pressure defense of its own to make things tougher on UAA ball-handlers. By the time the fourth quarter started, Troy had cut UAA’s lead to 68-59.
“We said we need to cut it to single digits in the third quarter,” Rigby said. “Don’t try to win the whole game. And we did. We cut it to nine in the third quarter, and then we felt like we were going to be able to do it.”
Wagner led all scorers with 20 points and Fortuna Ngnawo added 18.
Jazzpher Evans led the Seawolves with 14 points and senior post Tori Hollingshead added 13 points, six rebounds and four steals for the Seawolves.
UAA guard Emilia Long had a fine all-court game with 11 points, eight assists and five rebounds.
In Saturday’s third-place game, UAA plays Vermont at 6:15 p.m. while Troy and NDSU tip off in the championship game at 8:30 p.m.