Box Score
Box Score
Billings, Mont. – Following their first road conference win against Saint Martin's, the Montana State Billings women's basketball team headed into Monmouth, Ore. with a seven game winning streak. The Yellowjackets had a rough shooting night and fell to Western Oregon 73-65.
Entering the contest, MSUB had won the previous five matchups, and owned a 16-4 advantage in the all-time series against the Wolves.
Shooting was the major difference in the contest; Western Oregon arguably had their best shooting output of the season, going 52.9 percent from the field, and 58.8 percent from behind the arch (10-17). MSUB struggled shooting, going 33.8 percent from the field, and 20.0 percent from three-point territory (5-25). The Jackets did however shoot 80.0 percent from the free throw line.
“I give credit to Western Oregon, they shot the ball much better than us today,” stated head coach
Kevin Woodin. “They got out to a great start, and we were playing catch up the whole game.”
Montana State Billings out-rebounded the Wolves 37-32, and committed fewer turnovers 15-19. The Yellowjackets had three players score in double figures with junior guard
Bobbi Knudsen scoring a game high 21 points. She also had four assists and two steals on the night. Sophomores
Kayleen Goggins and
Janiel Olson tallied 12 and 16 points respectively. Olson also grabbed nine rebounds and registered four steals. Goggins finished with six rebounds and two blocks.
Western Oregon had a very balanced scoring attack with three players landing in double figures. Lorrie Clifford was on fire all afternoon leading the team with 18 points on 6-7 from behind the arch. Chantel Divilbiss finished with 17, while Mariah Durian came off the bench to score 13.
The Wolves jumped out to an 11 point lead (18-7) with 11:10 remaining in the first half. Western Oregon's early advantage would keep the Yellowjackets at bay as they would be unable to effectively cut into their opponents lead for the majority of the contest.
MSUB came within nine of Western Oregon (29-20) at the 4:46 mark, and both teams traded baskets for the remainder of the half and the Wolves would enter the break with a seven point advantage (34-27).
Western Oregon's Durian led all scorers at the half with 11 points.
The Wolves were equally efficient in the second half and pushed their lead to 14 (48-34) within the first four minutes of the half. A jumper and free throw by Knudsen, and three-pointer by Olson helped the Yellowjackets cut Western Oregon's lead back down to single digits (48-40) with 14:24 left in the contest.
Clifford drained a three at 12:49 to push the Wolves' lead back up to 11. Both teams traded baskets until there was 4:47 remaining in the contest. With Western Oregon owning a comfortable 70-60 lead, MSUB went on a 5-0 run to come within five of the Wolves advantage and 1:56 left in regulation.
The five point difference between the two would be the closest the Jackets would get to the opposition's lead, and Western Oregon used clutch free throws to close out the contest and earn their first conference victory of the season.
“We started to play good basketball as the game continued but just could not get over the hump after we cut into their lead,” Woodin said. “It was just one of those nights where the ball didn't go into the basket for us, and I believe we will respond accordingly in our next matchup.”
MSUB now stands at 9-3 overall and 3-1 in the GNAC, while the Wolves improve to 6-8 overall and 1-3 in the conference. The Yellowjackets will return home to Alterwoitz Gymnasium for their next pair of GNAC games against the University of Alaska Anchorage and the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
