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BILLINGS, Mont. – Senior forward, Kayla Ryan, became the 19th player in Montana State Billings women's basketball history to score 1,000 career points as she helped lead the Yellowjackets to an 82-55 victory over visiting Western Oregon Thursday evening in Alterowitz Gymnasium. Ryan was one of four Yellowjackets in double figures with 12 points, while senior Jenny Heringer led the way with a game-high 22 points.
“I was really pleased with our start,” MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin said. “I thought we played some very good team defense, we were rebounding well together and making the extra pass on offense.
Heringer had her best outing as a Yellowjacket going 8 of 12 from the field and 4 of 6 from beyond the arc along with two free throws. She also had three assists and two steals. Senior Beata Bak had 14 points off the bench on 6 of 12 from the floor and 2 of 2 from the line. Senior Shantell Marquis led the way with a team-high seven rebounds.
Ryan went 6 of 8 from the field, six rebounds and four assists. She now has 1,007 career points and potentially could catch Robyn Milne (2001-2005) who has 1,066 points.
”Throughout the first half we did some good things, and Jenny (Heringer) got some good looks as she was able to deliver,” Woodin said. “Heringer played very well on both ends, but especially on offense. She can do some things when we space the floor correctly.”
As a team, the Jackets dominated the stat line, shooting 47.8 percent from the field on 32 of 67 from the floor. MSUB was deadly from range, going 10 of 21 for 47.6 percent and was 8 of 10 from the line. The Jackets pulled down 40 rebounds, out-rebounding the Wolves by nine.
MSUB also dominated the specialty stats, outscoring the Wolves 42-32 in the paint, 16-7 in points off turnovers and 20-8 in second chance points. The bench also outscored the Wolves 25-16.
“We had some great bench play in the first half, as we were able to play a lot of people,” Woodin said. “The intensity didn't go down at all. We know it was an off night for their (WOU) shooters, but I would like to think at least part of it was our defense.”
WOU was led by 12 points and 11 rebounds from Rylee Peterson, while Lorrie Clifford led the way with a team-high 13 points. Three other WOU players had eight points each. The Wolves shot 38.6 percent from the field on 22 of 57 from the floor. WOU was just 3 of 14 from beyond the arc and 8 of 9 from the line. The Wolves shot much better in the second half (14 of 27), but shot a dismal 8 of 30 in the first half from the field and 0 of 8 from beyond the arc.
The Jackets came out of the gates firing on all cylinders as they raced out to a 13-2 lead just four minutes into the contest. A triple by senior Mandy Jacobs swelled the lead to 16-2, while back-to-back layups by Bak made the score 20-4 7 ½ minutes in.
Back-to-back jumpers from Heringer gave the Jackets a 24-4 lead moments later as WOU started the game just 2 of 17 from the field.
Hannah Whitsett scored just the third field goal for WOU with 7:20 left in the half. MSUB started the game 11 of 22 through the first 13 minutes.
Ryan scored on a layup from Jacobs with 5:17 left in the first half for the record-breaking points and a 32-10 lead. She then scored the next two field goals for the Jackets, followed by a jumper and a triple from Heringer for a 42-16 lead with 2:07 left in the half.
“I thought Kayla Ryan did a nice job scoring 1,000 points, that's quite an accomplishment,” Woodin said. “She should be very proud.”
A triple by freshman Bobbi Knudsen put the Jackets up 30 with 15:43 left in the game at 50-20. WOU cut the deficit to 23 over the next five minutes, but an 11-4 run swelled the lead for the Jackets back to 30, capped by a triple from Jacobs with 6:55 to play.
MSUB concludes the weekend home stand Saturday at 7 p.m. versus Saint Martin's in Alterowitz Gymnasium.
“We are looking forward to another home game on Saturday versus a very good Saint Martin's team,” Woodin concluded.
