Box Score

Banis Interview
Woodin Interview

BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings Women's Basketball team won their game against Montana State University Northern 76-59 on Wednesday Nov. 27.
 
MSU Billings (5-2, 0-0 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) finished up their busy pre-conference play with a win over the Northern Skylights the Wednesday before the Thanksgiving break.  Four players for the Yellowjackets scored in double-digits and Alisha Breen had a career-high 16 in the contest.
 
The first half was a close game as MSUB led MSUN by only two, 21-19 at 5:39; but a jump shot from inside the paint by Bobbi Knudsen would spark the Yellowjackets on a 20-3 point-run in less than five minutes.  A lay-up by Montana State Northern' s Taylor Cummings at the :40 second mark would then send the two teams into the locker room, MSUB 41, MSUN 24.
 
"For most of the first half, it was a close battle.  We had a nice run over the last few minutes to get a double digit lead," Head Coach Kevin Woodin.  "Bobbi played extremely well in the first half and was aggressive offensively; she did a nice job of attacking the key and was able to hit shots and also make the right pass."
 
The second half saw the Skylights come out strong.  Northern would bring the game back to within four until a foul by MSU Northern's (6-0, 0-0 Frontier) Megan Feldman sent Breen to the line for the 'Jackets.  She would make one of two, and the Yellowjackets would go on another scoring run 12-3 to take the clock down to 8:37 and take their lead to 13 points, 55-42.
 
"I liked how we started the second half," Coach Woodin said.  "I felt we were getting good shots but they just weren't falling and MSUN made a nice run at us to cut into our lead." 
 
For MSU Billings, Breen was 5-7 from the field, 3-4 from the three-point arc to score her first collegiate three-point baskets, and 3-7 from the free-throw line for 16 points.
 
Annie DePuydt matched her season-high of 17 points.  She was 7-10 from the field including a perfect 3-3 from beyond the arc.  MSU Billings would score a season-high 10 (10-23) three-point shots in the game.
 
MSUB's Chelsea Banis went 4-9 from the field and 5-6 from the charity stripe for 13 points.  Bobbi Knudsen had a double-double with 12 points and a team-high 11 assists.  Knudsen also had two of the teams' five blocked shots in the game.
 
"Alisha Breen really stepped up tonight and hit some nice shots," Coach Woodin said.  "Both Annie DePuydt and Chelsea Banis were especially good on offense in the second half and defensively we got some key stops late in the game."

The Yellowjackets would score 26 points off of 16 turn-overs by the Skylights.   Montana State Northern would out-score Montana State Billings in the paint 26-20.

 The 'Lights were led by Rachelle Bennett; she had 14 points, including 2-2 from three-point territory and a team-high six rebounds.  A'Jha Edwards was also in double-digits; she was 5-8 with 10 points.  Cummings led the team with 4 assists.

"We beat a very good team tonight," Coach Woodin stated.  "Chris [Mouat] does a great job with his team.  They run their offensive sets so well and they are very hard to defend.  My assistant coaches did a great job of preparing our team and I thought our players executed what was expected of them."

The Montana State Billings' team will get Thanksgiving break off from play, and then travel to Alaska to start their conference play next week in Anchorage and Fairbanks.

"It will be a great challenge to play the Alaska schools next week," Coach Woodin said.  "Both of them are off to great starts this season.  We are looking forward to starting GNAC play."

MSU Billings will face Alaska Anchorage on Thursday Dec. 5 at 7 PM Alaska Standard Time and Alaska Fairbanks on Saturday Dec. 7 at 7 PM Alaska Standard Time.  Live video and live stats will be available at MSUBSports.com

Note: This was a counted game for Montana State Billings, and an exhibition game for MSU Northern.
 
Montana State Northern vs Montana State Billings
11/27/13 5:30 PM at Alterowitz Gymnasium
At Alterowitz Gymnasium
MONTANA STATE BILLINGS 76, MONTANA STATE NORTHERN 59
MONTANA STATE NORTHERN (6-0,(0-0)Frontir)
Bennett,Rachelle 4-11 4-6 14; Edwards,A'Jha 5-8 0-0 10; Faupel,Natalee 4-5
0-0 8; McKeon,Kacie 3-12 0-0 7; Feldman,Megan 2-3 1-2 6; Cummings,Taylor 2-6
2-2 6; Barta,Kassie 2-4 0-0 5; Teeters,Taybra 0-1 2-2 2; Kreycik,Molly 0-0
1-2 1. Totals 22-50 10-14 59.
MONTANA STATE BILLINGS (5-2,(0-0)GNAC)
DePuydt,Annie 7-10 0-0 17; Breen,Alisha 5-7 3-7 16; Banis,Chelsea 4-9 5-6
13; Knudsen,Bobbi 4-9 2-2 12; Goggins,Kayleen 3-7 1-2 8; Kumm,Brandy 1-1 0-0
3; Hanser,Austin 1-3 1-1 3; Peoples,Quinn 0-5 2-2 2; Capouch,Tenika 0-2 2-2
2. Totals 25-53 16-22 76.
Montana State Northern........   24   35  -   59
Montana State Billings........   41   35  -   76
3-point goals--Montana State Northern 5-15 (Bennett,Rachelle 2-2;
Barta,Kassie 1-2; McKeon,Kacie 1-6; Feldman,Megan 1-1; Cummings,Taylor 0-2;
Faupel,Natalee 0-1; Edwards,A'Jha 0-1), Montana State Billings 10-23
(Breen,Alisha 3-4; DePuydt,Annie 3-3; Knudsen,Bobbi 2-5; Kumm,Brandy 1-1;
Goggins,Kayleen 1-4; Capouch,Tenika 0-1; Peoples,Quinn 0-4; Hanser,Austin
0-1). Fouled out--Montana State Northern-None, Montana State Billings-None.
Rebounds--Montana State Northern 23 (Bennett,Rachelle 6), Montana State
Billings 26 (Peoples,Quinn 5; Goggins,Kayleen 5; Banis,Chelsea 5).
Assists--Montana State Northern 11 (Cummings,Taylor 4), Montana State
Billings 18 (Knudsen,Bobbi 11). Total fouls--Montana State Northern 19,
Montana State Billings 19. Technical fouls--Montana State Northern-None,
Montana State Billings-None. A-750