Box Score

POMONA, Calif. - The Montana State University Billings Women's Basketball team won their semi-final game in the NCAA Div. II West Region tournament over Simon Fraser University on Saturday, Mar. 15, 76-68.
 
With the win, the No. 2 seed MSU Billings (25-7) advances to the championship game to be played on Monday, Mar. 17 at 7 PM Pacific Time.  The Yellowjackets will face the host of the tournament, the No. 1 seed, Cal Poly Pomona.  With their win tonight MSUB advances to the round of sixteen.  The winner of Monday's championship game advances to the Elite Eight to be played next week in Erie, Penn.
 
It was an exciting semi-final game in Kellogg Gym as the No. 2 seed MSU Billings met the No. 3 seed Simon Fraser (20-10) for the fourth time this season.  MSUB had won both of their regular season games, but had fallen to the Clan in the semi-finals last week at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference championships in Lacey, Wash.
 
The Yellowjackets got off to a fast start as MSUB was up in the first eight minutes of the game, 18-10.  But, the GNAC's leading scorer, SFU's Erin Chambers would keep it close.  Chambers had 21 of the Clan's 35 points in the first half.   Chambers would tie the game going into half-time off of two free throws to even the score at 35-all.
 
In the first half for MSUB, Kayleen Goggins was 4-7 to lead MSUB with 10 points.  Alisha Breen had seven rebounds.  The 'Jackets shot 50 percent from the field and were 30 percent from the three-point arc. 
 
"I thought we got out to a great start," Head Coach Kevin Woodin said.  "Our players were working very hard.  They were focused and ready for the game."
 
In the second half, the Yellowjackets stormed out to a lead, outscoring the Clan 10-1 in the first four and a half minutes.  Austin Hanser made a three-pointer for MSUB, and the 'Jackets made 5-6 free-throws to keep the momentum rolling.
 
MSU Billings would stretch their lead their lead to 15 with back-to-back buckets by Goggins as she made a deep three and a lay-up to put the Yellowjackets up 60-45 with 9:41 remaining in the game.
 
Simon Fraser would respond with a three-point shot by Katie Lowen to ease the lead back down to 12.  Hanser would get the ball on the three-point arc and return the favor.  Lowen would take another shot down in her team's three point territory to answer.  MSUB's Bobbi Knudsen would take the ball down to the Yellowjackets end and bury a three-pointer of her own to re-establish the lead back to 15, 68-53 with 7:52 left to play.  In 25 seconds of play, both teams had made back-to-back threes to keep the game on pace as SFU and MSUB fought for momentum down the stretch.
 
Both teams would keep up the pressure.  With 3:27 left to play, MSU Billings would be able to stretch their lead to 18 with a lay-up by Quinn Peoples and anther three by Hanser.
 
Simon Fraser would not go away quietly.  Although the Yellowjackets were able to hold SFU's Chambers to four points in the first 16 minutes of the second half, the Clan would score three three-point baskets in a row to draw the lead back to nine points, 66-75 with a minute to play.  
 
MSU Billings' GNAC Player of the Year, Knudsen would get fouled with 30 seconds to play.  She would make one.  Simon Fraser would take the ball down and Chambers would make one more basket, but that would be all, as MSUB would go on to get the win and the chance to play for a spot in the Elite Eight.
 
"The five that started in the second half worked very hard to build that lead," Coach Woodin said.  "I didn't make a lot of substitutions because the team was working so well together.  It was a great team effort by the players and I am very proud of the effort they put forth tonight to get the win."
 
Simon Fraser ended their season at 20-10 overall.  It was the second year in a row, SFU had advanced to the semi-final game at the Regional tournament.
 
"I give credit to Simon Fraser and all their players," Coach Woodin stated.  "They had a great season and are a great ball club."
 
SFU's Chambers led all players.  She was 11-22 from the field, including five three-point baskets, for 33 points.  Lowen finished the game with 15 points, including shooting 5-9 from three-point territory.  Kia Van Laare had 14 points.  Meg Wilson had 11 rebounds.
 
SFU ended up shooting 25 percent from the field and 41 percent from the three-point arc.  The two teams were even on points off of turnovers with 20. 
 
MSUB's Goggins had a team-high 19 points, including three treys, and going 4-4 from the charity stripe.  She also had six rebounds
 
Knudsen finished the game with 17 points, six rebounds, and five assists.
 
Freshman Alisha Breen has had two games with 10+ rebounds, she ended the game with 13 rebounds and nine points.
 
Chelsea Banis was 4-9 in the game and 6-8 in free-throws; she had 14 points and five rebounds.
 
Quinn Peoples came off the bench to contribute nine points and seven rebounds.
 
The Yellowjackets had more points in the paint, 24-10, and more second chance points, 12-5.  MSUB also pulled down more rebounds off the glass, 44-33.  MSUB ended up shooting 49 percent from the field and 36 percent from three-point territory.
 
Montana State University Billings will have a day to rest before they face the No. 1 seed Cal Poly Pomona on Monday.  The game on Mar. 17 is scheduled for a 7 PM Pacific Time start.  Live video and live stats will be available at the tournament website at broncoathletics.com/ncaa. 
 
 
Simon Fraser vs Montana State Billings
03/15/14 5:00 p.m. at Pomona, Calif. (Kellogg Gym)
At Pomona, Calif. (Kellogg Gym)
MONTANA STATE BILLINGS 76, SIMON FRASER 68
SIMON FRASER (20-10)
Chambers,Erin 11-22 6-9 33; Lowen,Katie 5-10 0-0 15; Van Laare,Kia 5-16 0-0
14; Petit,Marie-Line 1-5 0-0 2; Reist,Chelsea 0-4 2-2 2; Wilson,Meg 0-3 1-3
1; Langmead,Rebecca 0-1 1-2 1; Sider,Ariana 0-0 0-0 0; Kett,Ellen 0-1 0-0 0.
Totals 22-62 10-16 68.
MONTANA STATE BILLINGS (25-7)
Goggins,Kayleen 6-13 4-4 19; Knudsen,Bobbi 6-14 3-4 17; Banis,Chelsea 4-9
6-8 14; Breen,Alisha 3-4 3-6 9; Peoples,Quinn 4-7 0-0 9; Hanser,Austin 3-5
0-1 8; Capouch,Tenika 0-0 0-0 0; Kumm,Brandy 0-1 0-0 0; Olson,Janiel 0-0 0-0
0. Totals 26-53 16-23 76.
Simon Fraser..................   35   33  -   68
Montana State Billings........   35   41  -   76
3-point goals--Simon Fraser 14-34 (Lowen,Katie 5-9; Chambers,Erin 5-12; Van
Laare,Kia 4-10; Wilson,Meg 0-1; Petit,Marie-Line 0-2), Montana State
Billings 8-22 (Goggins,Kayleen 3-6; Knudsen,Bobbi 2-7; Hanser,Austin 2-4;
Peoples,Quinn 1-3; Kumm,Brandy 0-1; Breen,Alisha 0-1). Fouled out--Simon
Fraser-None, Montana State Billings-None. Rebounds--Simon Fraser 33
(Wilson,Meg 11), Montana State Billings 44 (Breen,Alisha 13). Assists--Simon
Fraser 12 (Petit,Marie-Line 4), Montana State Billings 14 (Knudsen,Bobbi 5).
Total fouls--Simon Fraser 17, Montana State Billings 14. Technical
fouls--Simon Fraser-None, Montana State Billings-None. A-318
NCAA D-II West Regional Semifinal
Winner Advances to Monday, March 17 West Region Title Game