BOZEMAN, Mont.  – MSU Billings was held to 29.2 percent shooting and was outrebounded off the glass, 56-40 as the Yellowjackets dropped an exhibition game against sister-school Montana State, 76-57 Monday night.
 
Kayleen Goggins led Montana State University Billings (7-3) with 16 points and seven rebounds. Alisha Breen threw in 12 points and three assists. Quinn Peoples had seven points and Annie DePuydt four for MSUB.
 
The two in-state schools were tied for the first half of the opening set before Montana State University (6-4) broke open the scoring with a 14-5 run to take the lead, 28-16 with 6:42 left to play in the first half.
 
Early in the first half, both teams traded baskets in their opening possessions. Alexa Dawkins for the Bobcats hit a jumper to give MSU the opening points of the game. The Yellowjackets' Breen scored the next five points of the game, beginning with a driving lay-up followed by a 3-point basket from the outside corner to give MSUB the early 5-2 lead.
 
Both teams continued to fight for control of the game. With 14:12 left in the first half, Goggins was fouled under the basket. She converted both free-throws and tied up the game 11-11 with 14:12 left. The Bobcats then went on a 19-9 run in the next 10 minutes drawing a lead out to 10 points, 30-20.
 
MSU Billings failed to convert on its next four possessions, and MSU took advantage putting together a 10-5 run to draw the Montana State lead out to 17 at halftime, 42-25.
 
"I think MSU is a very talented team, their depth wore us down in the first half, so give them a lot of credit," MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin said. "I felt they really beat us up on the boards in the first half, they led by 13, which is a critical element. We needed to offset that somehow during the game, and our team couldn't tonight -  either on 3-point shooting or in the paint."
 
In the first half, Montana State University Billings was 10-34 from the field for 29.4 percent. They were 2-12 from 3-point territory. MSU shot 18-42 for 42.9 percent, but were not much better from the 3-point arc, finishing the first part of the game, 3-12 and 25.0 percent.
 
In the second half, MSU continued to draw open its advantage, leading by as many as 23 points.
 
The Yellowjackets got as close as 13 early in the second half as DePuydt made a layup to draw the deficit down, 42-29. The Bobcats responded, steadily increasing the point spread finishing the game on a 13-8 run.
 
Kalli Durham had a double-double for MSU with 13 points and 15 rebounds. Jasmine Hommes (16), and Peyton Ferris (12) also finished the game with double-digit figures.
 
"I liked the way our players kept competing," Woodin said. "I thought we played a more balanced second half. I think playing such a tough game will only make us better in the long run."

MSU only outscored the Yellowjackets 34-32 in the second half, but MSUB couldn't overcome the early first-half deficit.
 
The Bobcats had the heavy advantage in rebounds (56-40), points in the paint (40-20), and points from their bench (26-13).
 
For the game, MSUB was 19-65 for 29.2 percent shooting. The 'Jackets were also 5-24 from the 3-point arc for a game 20.8 percent shooting.
 
MSU was 31-72 and 43.1 percent shooting. The Bobcats were 0-8 from 3-point territory during the second half, and ended up shooting 3-20 and 15.0 percent for the game.
 
"It is important for our team to regroup and get ready for our holiday tournament this Thursday and Friday," Woodin commented on MSUB's upcoming games. "It is a quick turn-around for us, but we are really looking forward to playing two games at home later this week."
 
UP NEXT: Montana State University Billings is hosting the Yellowjacket Women's Basketball Classic sponsored by the Billing Hotel & Convention Center and ExxonMobil. The tournament starts this Thursday, Dec. 18. At the tournament MSU Billings will host Central Washington University, Montana Tech and South Dakota School of Mines. There will be four games played during the two-day tournament. The Yellowjackets play Dec. 18 against South Dakota School of Mines, and Dec. 19 against Montana Tech. Both games are scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off. For more information please visit msubsports.com.