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BILLINGS, Mont. – Behind an improved shooting performance, compared to the previous couple of weeks, the Montana State Billings women's basketball team (5-4) buried the Hardrockers of South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (3-5) 76-66 Saturday night with four Yellowjackets recording double-digit outings.
 
“We were very inconsistent in the first half,” head coach Kevin Woodin stated shortly after the game. “I know we were fatigued from playing last night and having to turn around so quickly, but I thought we made a lot of mental errors on both ends of the ball. Both teams played very hard, especially in the second half, and I was proud of our team for competing and finding a way to win.”
 
The Yellowjackets put together their best shooting performance of the season, hitting on 47.4% (27-57) of their shots from the field that included seven three-pointers. The 76 points were the most points since the second game of the season, a win over the University of Montana – Western. MSUB was also extremely solid from the free throw line, hitting just over 88% (15-17) of their opportunities at the charity stripe.
 
Of the four Yellowjackets who recorded double-digit outings, sophomore point guard Bobbi Knudsen had a game-high-tying 20 points to go along with four steals and five rebounds. It is the second time this season the Malta High School product has recorded at least 20 points as she already had 11 of her points in the opening stanza.
 
Freshman Kayleen Goggins continued her strong weekend by adding 12 points (4-8) and seven rebounds in the win. Goggins averaged 12.5 points per contest between MSUB's two victories on Friday and Saturday.
 
The final two Yellowjackets in double-digits by the final horn were senior guard Kalli Stanhope with 11 points and freshman forward Janiel Olson with 10. Stanhope was perfect at the charity stripe, going 6-6, while Olson matched Goggins' game-high seven boards.

Freshman two-sport athlete Monica Grimsrud had a career-high nine points and had two solid blocked shots.
 
For the Hardrockers, Katie Strandholm matched Knudsen with 20 points while Hillary Hawkins added 13 points of her own.
 
MSUB opened the game by scoring the first four points before SDSM&T could get a shot to fall in their favor. By the 10:44 mark, the Yellowjacket lead was seven.
 
But the Hardrockers battled back in the closing minutes of the half, keeping the deficit no more than six the rest the first half as MSUB took a two-point lead (33-31) into the locker room.
 
“Their defensive pressure forced us into 11 turnovers in the first half, and that is way too many,” said Woodin. “Both Strandholm and Hawkins were tough to guard, they were able to really penetrate and the team did a great job of spacing the floor to the point where I felt fortunate to be ahead at halftime.”
 
Out of the intermission, Olson swished a jumper in under a minute to extend the lead to four, but that would be MSUB's largest lead for some time as SDSM&T was able to pull even with 15:12 left in regulation off a Janelle Strampe layup. Shalane Hampp would push the Hardrockers ahead with a jumper 30 seconds later.
 
S.D. Tech would continue to hold the lead for almost seven minutes before freshman Quinn Peoples was able to swish a trey from the top of the key to give the lead back to MSUB.
 
The Yellowjackets would go on a hot-streak from there, steadily extending their lead out to as many as 12 before settling for the final 10-point victory.
 
For only the second time this season, MSUB lost the turnover battle as they relinquished the rock 21 times while the Hardrockers were not much better, committing 17 turnovers of their own.
 
That was the only battle MSUB lost in the contest as they outscored SDSM&T 15-11 off the bench, scored 21 points off of turnovers to the Hardrockers' 20 and successfully out-rebounded the Hardrockers 41-30, including 28 off the defensive glass.
 
The Yellowjackets will next travel to the “Aloha State” for a quartet of important, West Region matchups before the holiday break.
 
“Our players are very excited about going to Hawaii,” Woodin said. “We are looking forward to the trip and we will be playing four important West region games. I think the trip will be a great experience for our young team.”
 
The young Yellowjackets will be facing off against Hawaii Pacific University, Chaminade University, the University of Hawaii at Hilo and Brigham Young University – Hawaii over the six-day stretch starting with a Thursday, Dec. 15 match in Kaneohe, HI against HPU. MSUB will then travel to Honolulu the next day to take on Chaminade.
 
The Yellowjackets will close out their time in Hawaii with a pair of matches on Dec. 18 and 19 against UH - Hilo and BYU – Hawaii.