BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings Women's Basketball team hosts two games this week on Wednesday, Feb. 5 and Saturday, Feb. 8.
 
On Wednesday, Feb. 5, in a game sponsored by Billings Hotel and Convention Center, the Yellowjackets will host South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in a non-conference match-up.  Then, in a game sponsored by Sign Pro, MSUB will host conference rival Seattle Pacific University on Saturday, Feb. 8.
 
Montana State University Billings (16-5, 9-2 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) is coming off a week with two big conference wins on the road and has now won six in-a-row to put the Yellowjackets out in front in the GNAC with a two-game lead over four other schools sitting at 7-4.
 
Last week MSUB defeated Western Washington University in Bellingham with a score of 71-63.  The Yellowjackets stopped a 26-game winning streak at home for the Vikings, handing WWU their first loss at home since Jan. 2012.  With their second win of the season against WWU, it was the first season-sweep of Western Washington by MSU Billings since 1999.  Bobbi Knudsen had a game-high 28 points.  She would also finish with seven rebounds and five assists.  Chelsea Banis finished with a team-high 12 rebounds.
 
MSU Billings would also get the season-sweep against Simon Fraser University, winning their second contest against the Clan 76-61.  In that win, Banis would finish with her first double-double of the season, shooting 7-9 from the field for 16 points and grapping 11 rebounds.  Knudsen ended the game with 21 points and five assists.  Alisha Breen was 2-2 from the three-point arc and 8-8 from the free-throw line for 16 points.
 
This week MSUB will host South Dakota School of Mines and Technology for only the third time in their history.  SDSM is 7-13 on the season.  The Hardrockers played their last game at home on Jan. 27, defeating Montana Tech 64-48.  Megan Rohrer is leading the 'Rockers averaging 9.3 points per game.  Devyn Asche is averaging 6.0 rebounds per game.  As a team, SDSM is averaging 57.3 points per game and is shooting 36.5 percent from the field with 36 rebounds with game.
 
MSU Billings played SDSM in 2011 and 2012.  In both of those contests, MSUB won both games at home. 
 
On Saturday, the Yellowjackets return to conference play to host one of only two schools in the GNAC that have defeated MSUB this season.  Seattle Pacific University won their game against MSU Billings in the GNAC game of the week broadcast live on ROOT SPORTS back on Jan. 11 by a score of 63-57.  The Yellowjackets shot 33 percent from the field that night.  Chelsea Banis was the high-scorer for the Yellowjackets with 15 points.  Bobbi Knudsen had 12 points and six assists.  Janiel Olson had 14 rebounds. 
 
This time around, MSUB is looking forward to being at home, and having some more experience under their belts to be able to get the win.
 
"You know we are excited to play at home this week," Head Coach Kevin Woodin said.  "Last week were two important conference games. But, this week both games are very important regional contests and we need to continue to improve as a team. I am hopeful that we can establish consistency on both ends of the floor."
 
Seattle Pacific University is now 14-5, 7-4 in the GNAC.  Last week SPU split a pair of road contests, losing to Simon Fraser in Burnaby, 68-77, but then traveling down to Bellingham to get the win over Western Washington 68-62.
 
Seattle Pacific is being led by the GNAC's fourth leading scorer in Katie Benson.  Benson is averaging 19.4 points against other teams in the GNAC.  She has seven double-doubles so far on the season, including one in the game against MSUB where she had 18 points and 10 rebounds.  Benson is also fourth in the GNAC in rebounds with an average of 8.4. 
 
Against conference opponents Suzanna Ohlsen is ranked No. 7 and is averaging 14.8 points for Seattle Pacific.  She is also third in assists with 4.6.  Also, in conference games, Ohlsen is leading the GNAC in free-throw percentage, making 38 of her 42 shots for a 90.5 percent completion mark.
 
As a team, the Falcons are averaging 69.5 points per game and are shooting 42.5 percent from the field and 36.9 percent from three-point territory.  SPU is also averaging 39.5 rebounds and 8.2 steals per game. 
 
Against league opponents SPU is ranked No. 1 in blocked shots and defensive rebounds.
 
MSU Billings is 18-24 all-time against SPU, but are 12-5 at home against the Falcons.
 
Against conference opponents MSU Billings leads the league as a scoring defense and in both defensive and offensive rebounds.  The Yellowjackets now lead the GNAC in their scoring margins against other teams by 11.6 points.
 
Bobbi Knudsen is pacing the Yellowjackets averaging 17.4 points per game.  She is second when playing other GNAC teams with 21.3 points.  Knudsen is also averaging 5.9 assists which ranks her No. 1 in the GNAC and No. 6 in the nation.  She is at 87.9 percent for her free-throw percentage which is No. 3 in the GNAC and top 30 nationally.
 
Chelsea Banis is averaging 10.2 points per game.  She has the highest field-goal percentage on the team at 54.5 percent which is second overall in the GNAC and No. 1 in games amongst GNAC opponents.  Banis is also second on the team in rebounds with 5.6 per game.
 
Janiel Olson is averaging 10.7 rebounds per game.  She is ranked No. 1 in the GNAC and No. 15 in the nation. 
 
As a team, the Yellowjackets are shooting 42.5 percent from the field and almost 40 percent from the three-point arc.  They are averaging 39 rebounds per game and 5.8 steals.
 
Montana State University Billings will host South Dakota School of Mines and Technology on Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 7 PM.  They will then host Seattle Pacific University on Saturday, Feb. 8, also slated for a 7 PM start.  Live video and live stats to both contests can be found at MSUBSports.com.