CHENEY, Wash. – The Road to Reno leads the Eastern Washington University women's basketball team to the Midwest for another week of Big Sky Conference play. The Eagles take their four-game win streak to North Dakota for a rematch against the Fighting Hawks on Thursday (Jan. 25) before taking on Northern Colorado on Saturday (Jan. 27).
 
This is the second time this season that EWU faces off against both programs. During the opening weekend of Big Sky play on Dec. 28, the Bears topped Eastern by a score of 65-70. The following Saturday, the Eagles bounced back and overcame an 11-point fourth quarter deficit to pick up a 74-70 victory over UND.
 
Since then, Eastern has won four of their last five games to move to 5-2 in conference play. The Eagles currently sit in a four-way tie for first place in the conference standings with Northern Colorado, Weber State and Montana.
 
The newly minted Big Sky Conference Player of the Week Delaney Hodgins is just 55 points away from breaking Eastern Washington's all-time career scoring record, as she currently sits in second with 1,811 points. The record is held by her sister and former teammate, Hayley Hodgins, with 1,865 points. The Hodgins sisters own the distinction of being the only Eagles to ever eclipse the 1,800 points mark.
 
Hodgins averages 20.2 points per game, and 23.5 in BSC play, to go with 8.2 rebounds per contest. Violet Kapri Morrow, who has scored in double figures in six out of her last seven games, is the other Eagle in double-digit scoring with 13.1 points per game.
 
Sophomore Symone Starks averages 8.8 points per game, but also ranks first in the conference and 15th in the nation with 3.16 steals per game. As a team, the Eagles rank 28th across the NCAA with 10.8 swipes per game. They have compiled steals into the double digits in 13 games this season.
 
Eastern Washington is averaging 63.5 points and 36.2 rebounds per game. They rank 49th in the nation with 4.7 blocks per game. The Eagles have had at least three blocked shots in all but two games this season, including over five in nine of them.
 
SCOUTING THE FIGHTING HAWKS: With North Dakota making the move to The Summit League next season, this will be the final regular season Big Sky matchup between the two teams. UND was picked to finish second in the Big Sky preseason coaches and media polls, but currently sit in a tie for third with a record of 9-9 and 2-5. The Fighting Hawks have four players who average double figures, including Lexi Klabo who averages 17.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. As a team, UND averages and allows 67.9 points per game. They outrebound their opponents with 42.2 boards per contest compared to 35.3.
 
SERIES HISTORY: EWU narrowly trails the all-time series, 4-5, and are 1-3 in Grand Forks. Eastern snapped a two-game skid against UND this season back on Dec. 30 after a 74-70 victory at Reese Court. Delaney Hodgins (27), Symone Starks (14) and Mariah Cunningham (11) all scored in double figures for the Eagles.
 
SCOUTING THE BEARS: The Bears were picked to finish first in the Big Sky preseason coaches and media poll and are currently ranked No. 20 in the most recent Mid-Major poll. After losing to North Dakota on Saturday, UNC sits in a four-way tie for first with Eastern Washington. UNC has three players that average double figures in Savannah Smith (17.0), Courtney Smith (13.3 and Savannah Scott (17.4). The Bears average 68.8 points per game and limit their opponents to 64.2 points.
 
SERIES HISTORY: Eastern Washington trails the all-time series 9-13 and are 3-7 in Greeley. On Dec. 28, Northern Colorado snapped a three-game losing streak against Eastern Washington with a 70-65 victory, despite the Eagles having four in double figures.
 
HODGINS NAMED PLAYER OF THE WEEK: After a pair of dominating performances this past week, Eastern Washington University women's basketball player Delaney Hodgins has been tabbed the Big Sky Conference Player of the Week as announced today (Jan. 23) for the second time in her career. She won the same honor on Monday from College Sports Madness, also for the second time in her career.

In Thursday's 20-point victory over Northern Arizona, the senior scored a career-high 30 points on 11-for-28 shooting including 5-for-11 from three-point range. She also pulled down eight boards and had three steals in addition to one assist.

The Big Sky Preseason MVP followed up Thursday's performance with her fourth double-double of the season, adding 17 (7-for-14) points and tying her season-high 12 rebounds in the win over Southern Utah. She also had a career-high six blocks and two assists while going a perfect three-for-three from the charity stripe.

On the week, Hodgins scored 47 points and grabbed 20 rebounds to help the Eagles close out a 3-0 home stand, averaging a double-double of 23.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. She also extended her double-digit scoring streak to 15 straight games.  
 
UP NEXT: Eastern Washington returns home for a pair of games against Sacramento State (Feb. 1) and Portland State (Feb. 3).