BILLINGS, Mont.  – MSU Billings is set to ring in the New Year in Canada this season as the Yellowjackets are resuming Great Northwest Athletic Conference play with a match-up against Simon Fraser in Burnaby, B.C., on Jan. 1.
 
After taking the NCAA mandatory rest period last week, the Yellowjackets are back to practice this Monday getting set for the resumption of conference play.
 
"The week of rest was much needed and deserved by our players," MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin said regarding the holiday pause in action. "It is so good for them to be able to go home for the holidays for a week. I know we will have some rust, but I believe you have to play through that and our seniors will lead us in the proper direction. The break should give us a new charge mentally and we had several players with some minor aches and pains so I hope they were able to heal those injuries with the rest."
 
Up first, Montana State University Billings (9-3) is in British Columbia for a game against Simon Fraser.
 
Thursday, Jan 1, 7 p.m. PT, West Gymnasium
Live stats/video: msubsports.com
Simon Fraser University Clan
2014-15 Record: 5-4, 1-0 GNAC
Head Coach: Bruce Langford (13th year)
2013-14 Record: 20-10, (12-6 GNAC)
 
The Clan is 5-4, 1-0 GNAC on the season, but has faced some tough competition in the early going, including losses against two nationally-ranked teams in Cal Poly Pomona and Colorado Mesa, and two against perennially-tough Cal State Dominguez Hills. SFU was picked to finish third in the preseason coaches' poll and is ranked third now with a 74-71 win at home over the preseason coaches' poll No. 1 selection, Western Washington.
 
Simon Fraser's offense is the No. 2 highest scoring in the GNAC with 79.1 points per game and is being led by the No. 1 highest scoring player in Erin Chambers who is averaging 24.7 points per game. Nationally, Chambers is ranked No. 2 in offense behind Liz Flowers from West Liberty who is averaging 24.9 points per game. The GNAC Preseason Player of the Year, Chambers is No. 1 in points, No. 16 in rebounds (6.0 per game), No. 5 in assists (4.1 per game), No. 3 in free-throw percentage (53-59, 89.9 percent), and No. 7 in 3-point baskets (1.7 per game).
 
"Simon Fraser has been very good every year since they joined the GNAC," Coach Woodin said. "They return many great players but Erin is a very special player who can score in many ways. We will need to play solid, fundamental basketball on both ends which we are very capable of doing."
 
Also nationally ranked, Ellen Kett is No. 10 in assists with 6.0 per game, and No. 16 in assist/turnover ratio at 2.70. The 5'7" sophomore guard originally from Australia played in all 30 games for the Clan last year, but has moved into a starting role this season.
 
Also returning this season are GNAC preseason all-conference selections junior Meg Wilson and senior Katie Lowen. Wilson, a 6'1" forward is No. 8 in the GNAC in scoring, averaging 14.9 points per game and is No. 2 in rebounding with 8.9 per game, and No. 2 in field goal percentage at 55.6 percent.
 
Lowen, a 5'6" senior guard, is No. 17 in the GNAC in scoring with 12.6 points per game and No. 3 in 3-point shots averaging 3.2 per game.
 
Simon Fraser is shooting 45.1 percent from the field and is No. 10 nationally in 3-point baskets made per game at 8.8.
 
Last season: MSUB played Simon Fraser four times last season and was 3-1 overall against the Clan. MSU Billings won both regular season games, 81-63 at home and 76-61 on the road. The Yellowjackets lost against SFU, 85-74 in the GNAC semifinals in Lacey, Wash., before roaring back for a 76-68 win in the semifinals at the NCAA west region tournament in Pomona, Calif.
 
All-time: The Yellowjackets are 6-5 all-time against the Clan. MSUB is 2-2 on the road.
 
Saturday, Jan. 3, 7 p.m. PT, Sam Carver Gymnasium
Live stats/video: msubsports.com
Western Washington University Vikings
2014-15 Record: 6-4, 0-1 GNAC
Head Coach: Carmen Dolfo (24th year)
2013-14 Record: 19-10, (13-5 GNAC)
 
The GNAC preseason coaches' poll No. 1 Western Washington is 6-4 and 0-1 in the GNAC with its loss coming against SFU. The Vikings' other losses were against two big west region teams Humboldt State (98-88) and Azusa Pacific (79-74), and a one-point overtime loss to nationally ranked West Texas A&M (64-43) two weeks ago in a Las Vegas tournament.
 
The Vikings are averaging 78.8 points per game and are ranked No. 6 in the nation in field goal percentage at 47.7 percent. WWU is also No. 4 in free-throw percentage making 80.0 percent of the team's shots. In 3-point baskets the Vikings are ranked No. 7 making 40.8 percent of those shots taken.
 
"Western is a very deep and talented team," Coach Woodin said on the 31st meeting between the two teams. "They have many of the same characteristics that Simon has. I know we will need to play a complete game on both ends to beat them."
 
Taylor Peacocke, a 5'9" sophomore guard, is leading the team offensively, averaging 14.8 points per game, which has her ranked No. 9 in the GNAC. Right behind her at No. 10 is GNAC preseason all-conference player Katie Colard who is averaging 14.6 points per game. Colard is No. 1 in the GNAC, and No. 8 in the nation, in 3-point baskets made with 3.40 per game. Along with that, Colard is ranked No. 1 in the GNAC, and No. 19 in the nation, in 3-point percentage making just under half of her shots at 48.6 percent.
 
Colard is ranked No. 1 in the GNAC in free-throw percentage making all 20 of her shots, while Peacocke is ranked No. 2 making 40-44 for 90.9 percent.
 
Western Washington's second preseason all-conference player, senior guard Jenni White, is leading the team in assists with 3.1, and steals per game with 2.60.
 
Off the glass, 6'3" junior Kayla Bernsen has the team-high averaging 6.7 per game. Bernsen is also No. 1 in the GNAC in blocked shots, averaging 2.2 per game.
 
Last season: The Yellowjackets were 2-0 last season against the Vikings. MSUB won 82-69 at home and 71-63 in Bellingham, Wash.
 
All-time: MSU Billings is 12-18 all-time against Western Washington. Last season's two wins broke a nine-game losing streak to the Vikings.
 
Montana State University Billings is now 9-3 on the season and 1-1 in conference play. After dropping their opening conference game against Alaska Anchorage, the Yellowjackets have gone onto a 4-game winning streak, and are looking forward to opening the new year against tough GNAC competition.
 
MSU Billings opened the conference season with a hard 76-60 loss against nationally-ranked Alaska Anchorage, but rebounded with a 10-point win over Alaska Fairbanks. The team then won a lopsided victory over Jamestown (88-65) and two contests at their home tournament against South Dakota School of Mines (91-81) and Montana Tech (67-58).
 
Kayleen Goggins set a new career-high in points in the win over SDSMT with 26. Goggins made 11 field goals in the win while pulling down six rebounds. Her 26 points bested her previous record of 25 she had earlier in the season against Chaminade.
 
Behind SFU's Chambers, Goggins is No. 2 in the GNAC in points per game with 18.5. She is also ranked No. 5 in defensive rebounds (5.3 per game), No. 9 in field-goal percentage (45.7 percent), and No. 13 in free-throw percentage (75.0 percent).
 
Behind Goggins in offensive production, MSUB's Alisha Breen is ranked No. 3 in the GNAC with 17.8 points per game. Like Goggins, Breen set a new career record in the Yellowjacket Women's Basketball Classic, scoring 30 points in the win over Montana Tech on Dec. 19. Breen's new total is seven more than the 23 points she scored in the win over Jamestown a week prior.
 
Breen is also making 48.1 percent of her shots (No. 17 in the GNAC), 83.1 percent of her free-throws (No. 12 in the GNAC), and she is averaging 7.5 rebounds per game (No. 5 in the GNAC). Breen is also No. 1 in 3-point field-goal percentage, making 15-30 of her shots for 50.0 percent in the early season.
 
"I like playing both Simon and Western early," Coach Woodin said. "It will show us where we are at this point in the conference as they are consistently two of the top teams in our league."
 
Quinn Peoples for the Yellowjackets leads the team in 3-point baskets (2.42 per game) which has her ranked No. 4 in the conference.
 
The Yellowjackets are averaging 74.2 points per game from shooting 40.6 percent from the floor. In the GNAC, MSUB is second only to Alaska Anchorage in rebounding margin averaging 42.7 per game, and 7.1 more than its opponents.
 
Career Watch
 
Kayleen Goggins set a new career-high in game points with a 26-point, six rebound, and two steal performance in the MSUB win over SDSMT. Goggins was 11-15 from the field for a 73.3 percent shooting percentage. Goggins now has 1,118 career points and 493 career rebounds putting her at No. 19 on both the all-time point and all-time rebound career lists at MSUB. Goggins had 40 points and 13 rebounds in MSUB's two wins last week and was named to the Yellowjacket Women's Basketball all-tournament team.
 
Alisha Breen also set a new career-high in points pouring in 30 points, seven rebounds, two blocks, and two steals in the win over Montana Tech last week. The sophomore had 49 points in the two MSUB games during the 2014 Yellowjacket Women's Basketball Classic on her way to being named the tournament MVP.
 
Quinn Peoples currently has 29 3-point baskets on the season, which takes her career total to 198 at MSUB, and ties her at No. 2 all-time in 3-point baskets with Amy (Winslow) Pfiefle. Peoples needs just one more to gain sole position of second place, but another 96 to catch No. 1 Alira Carpenter who had 294 during her time as a Yellowjacket.
 
 
2014-14 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Standings
 

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL	CONF	PCT	OVERALL	PCT	HOME	AWAY	NEUTRAL	STREAK
Alaska Anchorage	2-0	1.000	12-0	1.000	10-0	2-0	---	W12
Central Washington	2-0	1.000	7-3	.700	5-0	0-1	2-2	L1
Simon Fraser	1-0	1.000	5-4	.556	2-3	2-1	1-0	L2
Seattle Pacific	1-1	.500	9-1	.900	5-1	---	4-0	W3
Montana State Billings	1-1	.500	9-3	.750	5-1	2-2	2-0	W4
Western Oregon	1-1	.500	4-6	.400	0-3	2-3	2-0	W2
Northwest Nazarene	1-1	.500	3-8	.273	2-3	1-3	0-2	L2
Western Washington	0-1	.000	6-4	.600	4-1	0-1	2-2	W1
Alaska	0-2	.000	8-4	.667	3-2	1-2	4-0	W2
Saint Martin's	0-2	.000	3-7	.300	1-0	0-5	2-2	W1