BILLINGS, Mont.  – A big second half from MSU Billings wasn't quite enough for the Yellowjackets as a first half-deficit of 15 points proved to be too much on opening night of Great Northwest Athletic Conference play. MSUB fell to No. 18 Alaska Anchorage 76-60 on Thursday night in Alterowitz Gymnasium.
 
Coming out onto the court, the Seawolves opened the first two minutes of play using a full court press to score the first six points of the game, including four points off of MSUB turnovers. MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin immediately called for a timeout to regroup the team, but following the break, UAA came up with another steal and two more points to take an 8-0 lead.
 
The first two points for the Yellowjackets came at the 16:42 mark when in inbound pass from Annie DePuydt led to a quick turnaround shot from Kayleen Goggins under the basket for two points. The No. 18 Seawolves used full court pressure to try and frustrate the Yellowjackets, but it also began to prove costly as two offensive charges in the first five minutes of the game from UAA turned the ball over twice for the Seawolves.
 
In the first 10 minutes of the game, Montana State University Billings (5-3, 0-1 GNAC) burned three timeouts in response to the full court press from UAA. After a missed shot from Monica Grimsrud under the basket, the Seawolves drove down the floor passing the ball to Jenna Buchanan who buried a 3-pointer to give UAA a 12-point lead 23-11 with 8:45 left in the first half.
 
In the final five minutes of the first half, the scoring was almost even as the University of Alaska Anchorage (6-0, 1-0 GNAC) put together seven points and MSU Billings six. But, with the early 15-3 run in the half, Alaska Anchorage had built up a lead and into the locker room at half time, the Seawolves held a 34-19 lead.
 
"UAA played great tonight," Woodin said. "They won the game tonight in the first half. Their pressure defense was very effective and I felt we had too many unforced turnovers and our offensive spacing was not very good."
 
MSU Billings was 7-22 shooting for 31.8 percent from the field and only 2-10 from 3-point territory in the opening set. Alaska Anchorage was 13-31 and 41.9 percent overall and 4-12 from 3-point land. The Seawolves had the advantage in rebounds 18-10 and had less turnovers 12-8.
 
Coming back out onto the court, the opening MSUB points of the second half came from Grimsrud on a long 3-pointer. The Seawolves began the second half with an 8-4 run in the first four minutes. MSU Billings closed the point deficit with some inside passing, but two quick possessions from UAA and some fast hands from Kiki Robertson put Alaska Anchorage back up by 17, 52-35 with 11:43 left in the game.
 
A big three from UAA's Leah Bonner increased the lead to 21, 59-38. The Seawolves continued to put on the full court pressure.
 
With four minutes left in the game, Goggins was fouled under the basket and in double bonus was sent to the line to shoot two. She made both drawing the Yellowjackets to within 11, 66-55. A jumper from Alisha Breen off a quick pass from Rylee Kane closed the gap to nine points, 66-57. That would be as close at the Yellowjackets would come. Two missed 3-point opportunities from MSUB gave the ball to Alaska Anchorage with two minutes left.
 
Into the final 90 seconds UAA added to its lead as the Yellowjackets were forced to foul. Six-straight free-throws from the Seawolves iced the game at a 16-point deficit, 76-60.
 
Led by Bonner who finished with 17 points and seven rebounds, four players from No. 18 Alaska Anchorage ended the game in double-digit figures. Robertson had 15, Alli Madison was 5-15 from the field, but 4-4 from the free-throw line for 14, and guard KeKe Wright had 12 points and seven rebounds.
 
For the Yellowjackets Goggins was the game's high-scorer finishing 5-12 shots and was 8-10 from the free-throw line for 19 points. Goggins was also the team's leading rebounder with six and led in the assist column with four total.
 
"They also did a great job on the offensive glass," Coach Woodin commented on the 17-4 deficit on the offensive boards for MSUB. "We allowed them too many extra shots and that is something we must take more pride in not allowing."
 
Sophomore Breen was 5-8 from the field and finished the game with 16 points. The Yellowjackets lifted their shooting percentage in the second half from 31.8 percent to 54.5 percent to end the game 43.2 percent, higher than UAA's 28-70 and 41.9 percent.
 
Alaska Anchorage's full court pressure had the team with 32 points off of turnovers and more points in the paint 40-20, many of those coming off of the team's 18 total steals. The Seawolves had more second-chance points 14-4, and more points from the bench 18-13.
 
"We need to regroup quickly as we are facing a much improved UAF team from a year ago," Coach Woodin said on Saturday's upcoming game. "I believe we will respond with a better effort Saturday, but we will also need to execute better on both ends of the floor." 

UP NEXT: MSU Billings plays its second conference game of the season, hosting the University of Alaska Fairbanks on Saturday, Dec. 6. That game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. tip-off and will have live stats and a live video feed on msubsports.com.