BILLINGS, Mont. – On Saturday, Nov. 12, the 2011-12 regular season will officially be underway for the Montana State University Billings women's basketball team as they will face the Eagles of Chadron State College under the guidance of eighth-year head coach Kevin Woodin at 1:30 p.m.
 
The Yellowjackets wrapped up their pre-season exhibition slate 1-1 after downing the Argos of the University of Great Falls 80-59 on Saturday, Nov. 5 before falling on the road 68-63 to cross-town rival Rocky Mountain College Wednesday night.
 
MSUB was chosen eighth in 2011-12 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Pre-Season Coaches' Poll mostly due to having seven freshman on the 12-player squad, but Woodin and the 'Jackets will be looking to surprise some people during the season as the team, while young, is full of talent.
 
That talent has been on display throughout the two exhibition matches, particularly from lone returner Bobbi Knudsen who led the team with 44 points, 18 field goals made and eight assists. She shot 44% (18-41) from the field during the two warm-up games and went 5-6 (83%) from the charity stripe.
 
Behind Knudsen four other players have recorded double-digit points throughout the two games led by freshman Quinn Peoples with 22 points. The freshman from Butte, Mont. went 9-21 (43%) from the field between the two games including shooting 31% (4-13) beyond the three-point arc and recorded three steals.
 
The lone senior on the squad, Kalli Stanhope had 18 points between the two games while shooting 33.3% (6-18) from the field with three steals and a team second-best six assists. Stanhope had six rebounds including five on defense.
 
Freshman Kayleen Goggins had 17 points between the two contests while making the most trips to the free throw line as she went 7-8 (87.5%) from the charity stripe. The 6-1 forward corralled in a team second-best nine boards.
 
The final Yellowjacket to record double-digit points between the two games, Annie DePuydt, had 10 total points in a 50% (3-7) shooting effort from the field.
 
All 11 active players played in at least one game during the pre-season and recorded at least two points as the team recorded 143 total points, 16 more than their opposition combined. The youthful Yellowjackets combined for 22 steals and forced their opposition to turn the ball over 45 times while committing just 13 turnovers themselves.
 
MSUB enters Saturday's season opener with a 7-3 record over the Eagles in the series. The two programs played twice last season with the Eagles earning the season sweep over the Yellowjackets including a 60-53 win in Alterowitz Gymnasium.
 
Chadron State was chosen 12^th in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference's pre-season poll despite returning eight letterwinners and brining in three transfers and three freshmen.
 
The Eagles will be without standout post player Kelsey Scott but return All-American Kaitlin Petri who missed last season with an injury after averaging 19 points and 7.9 rebounds per game two years ago.
 
MSUB and Chadron State will tip off at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday night as the lead game of a triple-header inside Alterowitz Gymnasium with the Yellowjacket men to follow at 3:30 p.m. against Northern New Mexico College. The MSUB volleyball team will wrap up the triple header with their season finale at 7 p.m. against the Falcons of Seattle Pacific University.