BILLINGS, Mont.  – It is the start of the second half of league play in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, and the MSU Billings women's basketball team has some work to do.
 
After some close calls and some wide margin losses, the Yellowjackets will need to steady their style of play for the back half of the season in order to make the conference tournament.
 
"We were too inconsistent with our play during the first half of the conference season," head coach Kevin Woodin said. "However, I feel we have had our best practices of the year during the past two weeks and we have played better recently. I believe we are getting better and we are going to have to play our best basketball of the season over the second half of the GNAC season in order to advance to the conference tournament."
 
Tied for seventh, and with six spots at the end of the season for eligible teams, Montana State University Billings (11-8, 3-6 GNAC) needs some consistency from its offense and some containment from its defense. Last week the Yellowjackets dropped a game to Saint Martin's 63-54, but won a dramatic game in the ROOT Sports Game of the Week over Western Oregon, 59-57. Both games featured big swings in scoring. In the game against the Saints, MSUB was down by as many as 22 before coming back to within three in the final minute. Against Western Oregon, the Wolves were up by eight in the first half before the Yellowjackets took control. Down the stretch, the Wolves tied the game when Kayleen Goggins made a dramatic last minute layup to secure the win. In conference competition, the Yellowjackets are averaging 69.7 points and allowing their opponents an average of 66.9.
 
MSUB is third in the conference in rebound margin (+2.9), but the team is second to last in turnover margin at -1.11. MSU Billings has shown improvement in the last four games, and is now averaging 12 turnovers per game.
 
Asked what the team needs to do to put themselves in a good position on the court, Coach Woodin responded with a balanced approach. "We need to be playing with a sense of urgency, but at the same time not putting too much pressure on ourselves. It sounds easy but it is very hard to do. The game still needs to be fun. Also, we need to play more consistently."
 
Although this year's team set the MSUB all-time record in free-throw percentage, 22-22 against Jamestown College, the lull in the middle of the conference losses included a free-throw percentage drop to 67.5 percent, below what the program needs against conference teams that are averaging upwards of 70.0 percent.
 
The other stat that has taken a dip in the last few game, and will be a factor this back half of the season, is bench points. In the first half of the GNAC schedule, the MSUB reserves were averaging 13.25 points per game, in the last four games that has dropped to 6.75 and has hurt the Yellowjackets in games with especially close margins.
 
Goggins continues to be ranked second in the GNAC (29th in the nation) in scoring, averaging 19.3 points per game. She hit the winning shot last week against Western Oregon and tied for a game-high with 18 points. Goggins is ranked No. 4 in the conference in defensive rebounds averaging five per game and is making her shots at a 44.5 percent clip.
 
Nine hundred ninety-nine, that is how many career points Quinn Peoples currently has. She needs just one more to reach the 1,000-point club and 67 more to tie No. 20 all-time at MSUB, Robyn (Milne) Wilkinson. Peoples also has 211 3-point baskets. The senior from Butte, Mont., is No. 4 in the GNAC in 3-point baskets made (2.21 per game) and No. 11 in percentage (36.5 percent).
 
After starting off the year averaging a little over five points, guard Annie DePuydt is hitting her stride in the second part of the season and is now averaging 7.1 per game. The senior has also improved her field-goal percentage and is now making 46.2 percent of her shots, second on the team.
 
Sophomore Alisha Breen is one of two athletes ranked in the top-10 in both scoring and rebounding in the conference. Breen is averaging 15.5 points (No. 5) and 6.9 rebounds (No. 7). She is also leading the Yellowjackets in free-throw percentage at 81.8 percent.
 
Rylee Kane leads the team in assists (3.1) and is seventh in the GNAC in assist/turnover ratio at 1.5.
 
Redshirt junior Monica Grimsrud is ranked in the top-30 in both blocked shots and rebounds for the Yellowjackets. Grimsrud has been a force on defense for MSU Billings since her return, and had six rebounds in the win over Western Oregon last Saturday.
 
Thursday, Jan 29, 7:00 p.m., Alterowitz Gymnasium
Western Washington University Vikings
Live video/stats: msubsports.com
Head Coach: Carmen Dolfo (24th year)
2013-14 Record: 19-10, (13-5 GNAC)
 
Starting with its victory against the Yellowjackets on Jan. 3, Western Washington went on a five-game conference win-streak that was stopped last weekend when the Vikings dropped a contest, 71-58 against No. 3 Alaska Anchorage. WWU rebounded with a 75-64 win over Alaska two days later.
 
Western Washington is ranked in the top-10 nationally in three major categories. The Vikings are leading the nation in field-goal percentage at 48.9 percent, are second in the country in 3-point field goal percentage at a combined 40.0 percent, and are sixth in the nation in free-throw percentage at 78.3 percent.
 
Western Washington is now 12-6 on the season, and 6-3 in conference contests. Besides Alaska Anchorage, the Vikings dropped games against Simon Fraser and Seattle Pacific. Taylor Peacocke (14.1), Kayla Bernsen (12.0), Katie Colard (11.7), and Jenni White (10.7) are all averaging points in the double figures for WWU.
 
A two-time GNAC Player of the Week this season, Peacocke is ranked in the top-10 in three GNAC categories. Among those, she is No. 2 in the conference in free-throw percentage at 90.8 percent and eighth in scoring. Peacocke was one of six players who scored points in the double digits when MSUB played Western Washington earlier in the season.
 
Colard is ranked No. 1 in the GNAC in free-throw percentage at 94.4 and is No. 3 in 3-point baskets made per game at 2.50. Colard with 3.3 (No. 9) and White with 3.4 (No. 8) are both ranked in the GNAC top-10 in assists per game. White is also No. 5 in the GNAC in steals per game averaging 2.56.
 
"We did not compete very well at Bellingham, so I am looking forward to seeing how we respond on Thursday," Woodin said. "WWU is a very talented team so we need to be very focused for this game."
 
All-time: The Yellowjackets are 12-19 against Western Washington, but are 7-6 at home. Last year, MSUB won both contests against the Vikings that stopped a nine-game losing streak.
Last Meeting: MSUB lost on the road to WWU, 100-51.
 
Saturday, Jan 31, 7 p.m., Alterowitz Gymnasium
Live video/stats: msubsports.com
Simon Fraser University Clan
Head Coach: Bruce Langford (13th year)
2013-14 Record: 20-10, (12-6 GNAC)
 
The Yellowjackets have some unfinished business with Simon Fraser this season as well. Down by 13 at halftime during their first meeting this year, MSU Billings battled back and took the lead on a Peoples 3-pointer with 4:09 left in the game. MSUB still led by three with a minute left in the game when SFU made a layup to draw to within one, 73-72 with 51 seconds left to play. On the Yellowjacket possession, the shot was blocked and Simon Fraser drove down the floor and made a layup with two seconds left to win the game 74-73.
 
"Losing in the last two seconds after coming back from 15 points down at SFU was very tough to stomach," Coach Woodin commented on the last second shot. "However, a college basketball season has many ups and downs. You have to prepare to win each game and play in the present. It doesn't help us to dwell on past games whether they were good or bad."
 
Since their win over MSUB, the Clan has gone 6-3 in the GNAC with losses to nationally-ranked Alaska Anchorage and Seattle Pacific, and Central Washington. On their last road trip, the Clan beat Alaska Fairbanks 78-70, before losing to the Seawolves 86-66 in Anchorage.
 
Simon Fraser is third in the conference in scoring, averaging 76.6 points per game while shooting 45.0 percent from the field. The team is shooting 34.0 percent from the 3-point arc, but is ranked No. 7 in the conference in free-throw percentage at 70.6 percent.
 
Erin Chambers continues to lead her team and the nation in points per game with 23.1. In their loss to Anchorage, Chambers was just 6-18 and scored 18 points, as the Seawolves were able to contain the senior to below her average.
 
Junior forward Meg Wilson is averaging 13.9 points and is third in the conference in rebounds with 8.2 per game. She is also fifth in the GNAC in field-goal percentage at 54.6 percent.
 
The 6'3' freshman who made the last second shot against MSUB, Samantha Beauchamp, is leading the team in field-goal percentage at 61.5 percent.
 
Ellen Kett is leading the conference in assists, averaging 5.6 per game.
 
All-Time: The Yellowjackets are an even 6-6 with Simon Fraser all-time. MSUB is 3-2 at home and won the meeting last season, 81-63.
Last Meeting: MSUB made the comeback from down by 15 to take the lead with four minutes remaining in the game. After MSUB missed a shot with 50 seconds left, SFU rebounded the ball and made a layup with two seconds remaining on the clock to win the game by one point, 74-73.
 
BACK HALF OF THE CONFERENCE SCHEDULE: After these two games at home, MSUB heads out onto the road for the next two weeks before coming home to host Think Pink Night on Feb. 19 against Western Oregon and Senior Night on Feb. 21 against Saint Martin's. The team then heads to Alaska for the last two road games of the GNAC. The GNAC tournament will be held in Billings from March 4-7.
 
"I believe it is definitely on our minds and of course our team wants to qualify for the tournament," Coach Woodin said regarding postseason play. "Yes, it does help motivate us but at the same time, it also creates more pressure too. Our league is very deep and talented this year. All I can expect and want from my team is for them to prepare for each game to the best of their ability and give their best effort both on and off the court. The rest will take care of itself."
 

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL	CONF	PCT	OVERALL	PCT	HOME	AWAY	NEUTRAL	STREAK
Alaska Anchorage	8-1	.889	18-1	.947	14-1	4-0	0-0	W6
Seattle Pacific	6-3	.667	14-3	.824	7-1	3-2	4-0	L2
Western Washington	6-3	.667	12-6	.667	7-2	3-2	2-2	W1
Simon Fraser	6-3	.667	10-7	.588	5-4	4-3	1-0	L1
Central Washington	5-4	.556	10-7	.588	6-1	2-4	2-2	W1
Alaska	4-5	.444	12-7	.632	5-4	3-3	4-0	L3
Montana State Billings	3-6	.333	11-8	.579	6-3	3-5	2-0	W1
Saint Martin's	3-6	.333	6-11	.353	3-2	1-7	2-2	W2
Western Oregon	2-7	.222	5-12	.294	1-7	2-5	2-0	L1
Northwest Nazarene	2-7	.222	4-14	.222	2-6	2-6	0-2	L6