Box Score

BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings Women's Basketball team won their game against Western Oregon University 79-57 Saturday, Jan. 25.
 
At the half-way point in the conference schedule, Montana State University Billings (14-5, 7-2 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) had every player on the team score points, and all but one tally a rebound on a night where balance was the key to the Yellowjacket's performance.
 
"I was pleased with our performance tonight," Head Coach Kevin Woodin said.  "I thought we were very consistent and our players worked hard on both ends of the floor."
 
MSUB steadily built-up a lead in the first half, moving the ball around the perimeter and utilizing some good defense to work all ends of the court.  In the middle of the first half the Yellowjackets went on a 15-2 run to draw-out the score to 27-14 with six minutes left.  Western Oregon University (5-12, 2-7 GNAC) would continue to push back, but MSU Billings had an answer and sent the game into the locker room with a 12 point-edge, 38-26 at half-time. 
 
"Defensively we did a nice job on the boards and I thought our communication was very good."  Head Coach Kevin Woodin said.  "I give a lot of credit to Western Oregon.  Their patience on offense and how they made us guard them for extended periods of time really had us on our toes.  I do think our team made some improvements in the second half where offensively we made the extra pass and we had a very balanced attack."
 
Montana State University Billings would return to the court and lead by as many as 23 points in the second half.  Five players for MSU Billings finished the game with points in the double-digits. 
 
The Yellowjackets shot 44.8 percent for the game and 32 percent from three-point territory.  Western Oregon finished 39 percent from the field and 25 percent from the three-point arc.  MSUB scored 19 points off of 14 forced turn-overs from the Wolves.  MSUB was better on second-chance points 19-4 and points in the paint 34-26.  The Yellowjackets also had more points from their bench, 25-9.
 
The Yellowjackets were led by Bobbi Knudsen who had 15 points and five assists. 
 
Janiel Olson was one shy of a double-double as she finished the game with 11 rebounds and nine points. 
 
Quinn Peoples had 10 points and tied her season-high of five rebounds for the fifth time year.  Chelsea Banis was 5-6 from the field for 10 points.  Banis also pulled down eight rebounds on the night.
 
MSUB outrebounded WOU 42-23.
 
Alisha Breen was 4-5 from the field and 4-4 from the free-throw line for 13 points.  Breen also had six rebounds and two assists.
 
"I thought it was a great team win," Coach Woodin stated. "I also thought Alisha Breen had a really great game, maybe the best of her season so far."
 
Western Oregon was led by Dana Goularte who had a game-high 21 points.  Goularte was 6-15 from the field, but 8-9 from the free-throw line.  Melissa Fowler and Elise Miller both had 10 points.  Katie Goddard had a team-high four assists for the Wolves.
 
Montana  State University Billings stays atop the GNAC at No. 1.  and next week the Yellowjackets are back on the road as they travel to No. 2 in the conference Western Washington University on Thursday, Jan. 30 and then head to British Columbia to take on Simon Fraser University on Saturday, Feb. 1.  Both games are part of double-headers and both will have an early start-time of 5:15 Pacific Time.  Live video and live stats will be available at MSUBSports.com.
 
"We are excited about the upcoming challenge of playing on the road against WWU and SFU" Coach Woodin said. "They are two very good opponents.  It will be a great challenge for us, but one we are looking forward too."
 

Western Oregon vs Montana State Billings

1/25/14 5:15 PM at Alterowitz Gymnasium

At Alterowitz Gymnasium

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS 79, WESTERN OREGON 57

WESTERN OREGON (5-12, 2-7 GNAC)

Goularte,Dana 6-15 8-9 21; Miller,Elise 4-8 1-1 10; Fowler,Melissa 5-11 0-0

10; Divilbiss,Chantel 2-5 0-0 5; Steiger,Jackie 2-6 0-1 4; Goddard,Katie 1-3

0-0 3; Akins,Shyla 1-3 0-0 2; Mottershaw,Jordan 1-2 0-0 2; Nicklason,Leah

0-2 0-0 0; Reade,Amber 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 22-56 9-11 57.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS (14-5, 7-2 GNAC)

Knudsen,Bobbi 5-12 2-3 15; Breen,Alisha 4-5 4-4 13; Olson,Janiel 4-7 1-2 11;

Peoples,Quinn 4-9 0-0 10; Banis,Chelsea 5-6 0-0 10; Goggins,Kayleen 4-13 0-0

8; Kumm,Brandy 1-5 2-2 5; Capouch,Tenika 2-4 0-0 4; Hanser,Austin 1-6 0-0 3.

Totals 30-67 9-11 79.

Western Oregon................   26   31  -   57

Montana State Billings........   38   41  -   79

3-point goals--Western Oregon 4-16 (Miller,Elise 1-2; Divilbiss,Chantel 1-3;

Goularte,Dana 1-3; Goddard,Katie 1-3; Nicklason,Leah 0-1; Akins,Shyla 0-1;

Steiger,Jackie 0-2; Fowler,Melissa 0-1), Montana State Billings 10-31

(Knudsen,Bobbi 3-7; Olson,Janiel 2-4; Peoples,Quinn 2-5; Breen,Alisha 1-2;

Hanser,Austin 1-4; Kumm,Brandy 1-5; Goggins,Kayleen 0-4). Fouled

out--Western Oregon-None, Montana State Billings-None. Rebounds--Western

Oregon 23 (Goddard,Katie 5; Goularte,Dana 5; Fowler,Melissa 5), Montana

State Billings 42 (Olson,Janiel 9). Assists--Western Oregon 11

(Steiger,Jackie 4), Montana State Billings 15 (Knudsen,Bobbi 5). Total

fouls--Western Oregon 15, Montana State Billings 12. Technical

fouls--Western Oregon-None, Montana State Billings-None. A-512