Freshman London Harris to return to starting lineup as UND kicks off three-game home stand

Harris scored a career-high 11 points against St. Thomas on Saturday and will make her first start since Nov. 18 this Thursday against Oral Roberts.

Jan. 28, 2026 at 8:39pm

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UND freshman guard London Harris will return to the starting lineup on Thursday against Oral Roberts, her first start since Nov. 18. Harris has come off the bench since Nov. 21 but scored a career-high 11 points in the team's last game against St. Thomas. Head coach Dennis Hutter believes Harris is now more prepared to handle the starting role and that her defensive intensity and toughness are key reasons for the move.

Why it matters

Harris' return to the starting lineup comes as UND kicks off a three-game home stand, offering the team a chance to measure its growth since earlier conference losses to Oral Roberts and Denver. While UND's record stands at 4-16, Hutter says the team's culture and competitiveness have improved, even if the wins haven't materialized yet.

The details

Harris started the first five games of the season but has come off the bench since Nov. 21. Hutter believes she is now more prepared to handle the starting role, citing her growth mindset and tough, competitive mentality. In the team's last game against St. Thomas, Harris scored a career-high 11 points, second only to senior center Walker Demers' 12. Hutter praised Harris' defensive effort, saying "She's a dog; she can flat out defend."

  • Harris will make her first start since Nov. 18 on Thursday against Oral Roberts.
  • UND kicks off a three-game home stand this Thursday against Oral Roberts, followed by games against Denver on Saturday and Bismarck State on Sunday.

The players

London Harris

A freshman guard for the UND Fighting Hawks women's basketball team.

Dennis Hutter

The head coach of the UND Fighting Hawks women's basketball team.

Walker Demers

A senior center for the UND Fighting Hawks women's basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“She brings that mindset that we're looking for to start the game off. I thought maybe we threw a little too much on her early, so we kind of pulled it back a little bit. And it's interesting to see how they handle that adversity, because some of them haven't dealt with a lot of adversity going through, but what she showed me was A, she does have a growth mindset, that she wasn't ready and she knew that she had to grow.”

— Dennis Hutter, Head Coach

“She's a dog; she can flat out defend. She's got the mentality I'm looking for. She is tough-minded, competes at a high level, no excuses, wants to show up every day, wants to be better, doesn't cause problems, doesn't make excuses. Just the kind of kid where, 'Hey coach, here's my game, shape it and mold it in any way you want, let's take this thing and move forward with it.'”

— Dennis Hutter, Head Coach

What’s next

The stretch will offer a measuring stick of sorts to Hutter and his program. The tilts against the Golden Eagles and Pioneers will offer UND its first two rematches of the conference season, allowing the team to see if it has grown since the earlier losses.

The takeaway

Harris' return to the starting lineup highlights the growth and development of a young player who has embraced the coaching staff's vision and shown the competitive mentality they are looking for, even as the team continues to work through a challenging season in Year 1 of the program's rebuild.