Box Score

FAIRBANKS, Alaska – Behind five players recording double-digit point totals, the Montana State University Billings women's basketball team rolled to an 84-58 road Great Northwest Athletic Conference victory over the University of Alaska Fairbanks at the Patty Center Saturday afternoon.
 
With the win to split their trip through Alaska, the Yellowjackets improve to 11-6 overall and move to an even 3-3 in the league while Fairbanks falls to 4-11 overall and 0-5 in conference play.
 
“I was very impressed with Fairbanks in the first half and how they kept up with us,” said head coach Kevin Woodin. “We had a hard time defending them as they were beating us off the dribble a lot, but I feel like we made a nice adjustment in the second half. We were very fortunate to have our lead going into halftime off our mini-run there to end the half.”
 
As a team, MSUB was able to shoot .433 (29-67) from the field including a nearly 50% (14-29) performance in the opening half of play. For the second game in a row, the Yellowjackets lost the turnover battle 15-13, but they were able to convert those 13 turnovers into 19 points compared to the Nanooks' 10 points off of turnovers.
 
Where MSUB really won the game was off bench points as the 'Jacket bench supplied 30 points compared to just 11 by Fairbanks.
 
Malta High School product Bobbi Knudsen recorded 13 of her 17 total points in the first half of play to lead MSUB in scoring with a 7-12 shooting performance that included hitting both of her attempts from beyond the three-point arc. The sophomore point guard also added five rebounds, four assists and two steals.
 
Just behind Knudsen, freshmen Quinn Peoples and Kayleen Goggins both finished the game with 15 points. Similar to Knudsen, most of Goggins' points, 11, came in the opening stanza and she finished the game with seven rebounds. Peoples came on strong in the second half to finish the game with three treys in a 5-9 outing.
 
Off the bench, two-sport athletes Monica Grimsrud and Brooke Tolman provided an impressive offensive spark for the Yellowjackets, particularly in the second half. A freshman forward from Montana City, MT, Grimsrud finished the 26-point victory with 13 points, including hitting a career-best three three-pointers, while Tolman ended her effort with 11 points.
 
For Alaskas Fairbanks, Nicole Bozek finished the loss with a double-double that included a game-high 19 points and 11 rebounds. Most of her points came at the charity stripe as she went 11-13 while Nicole Hartzog finished her effort with 16 points.
 
The score was knotted at 25-all with three minutes remaining in the opening half of play, but MSUB went on an 18-8 run to end the half with a five-point (38-33) lead heading into intermission. Knudsen ended the drive by converting a three-point-play as she was fouled while making a layup and then converted the resulting foul shot.
 
Peoples and senior Kalli Stanhope opened the second half by draining a pair of three-pointers to spur a 16-6 run through the first four minutes of play, and MSUB would never look back as they would go up by as many as 31 (80-49) with four minutes remaining in the game.
 
The Yellowjackets were able to hold the Nanooks to a dismal .250 (7-28) shooting performance in the second half to open up the game.
 
“When we came out of halftime, I felt like our starters really responded and came out strong,” stated Woodin. “We were able to get good transition baskets as well as some good, open looks from three-point range because our defense really stepped up. Our bench played extremely well, particularly Monica and Brooke. I feel like our depth is really starting to show itself and is helping us wear down our opponents.”
 
From here, the 'Jacket women will head back to Billings for a pair of league games next weekend. On Thursday, Jan. 12, the Crusaders of Northwest Nazarene University will come to town for a 7 p.m. game and then the Wildcats of Central Washington University will arrive on Saturday, Jan. 14 for their 7 p.m. matchup.