UND Women’s Basketball Taking Positive Mindset to Roster Challenges

Team played with seven active players last week

GRAND FORKS, N.D. — North Dakota women’s basketball is feeling the worst of playing a season through a pandemic. Only six players on the roster have played in all seven games this year due to COVID-19 issues.

The Fighting Hawks had originally scheduled eight non-conference games ended up only playing seven even adding a new opponent in Wisconsin all together.
UND had to reduce their Summit League opener  with Kansas City last weekend from two games to one having only seven active players.

The Hawks are learning to play under these limitations having leads into the fourth quarter in two — of the their last three contests.

Still searching for that first win, the right mentality will lead them there.

“Of course we’d love to not always be disadvantaged with our numbers like that. We’re not going to use it as an excuse,” head coach Mallory Bernhars said. “Were going to show up with whoever we have, whatever we have, play as hard as we can and make the best of the situation.”

“No excuses. We’ve been given the opportunity to play this season, so if we get a game to play were going to try our hardest and give our best effort,” senior captain Mikayla Reinke said. “I think that it really shines through when we do have women in numbers. Were like wow and it reminds us how grateful we are to have this season so we put forth a little more effort.”

Coach Bernhard didn’t reveal if there would be any players back for this weekend’s games at Oral Roberts.