BILLINGS, Mont. - MSU Billings ended its time before the NCAA winter break with a 74-62 win over Tarleton State. This week the Yellowjackets are back to Great Northwest Athletic Conference action with games at No. 5 Alaska Anchorage followed by a contest at Alaska.

For the second time in program history the Montana State University Billings women's basketball team travelled to Las Vegas for the South Point Holiday Hoops Classic. The same as two years ago, the Yellowjackets split their games, this season taking a loss to No. 23 Quincy (68-56) before rebounding with the win over Tarleton State.

MSU Billings returns to conference action this week on a 6-4 overall record, but a share of the lead in the GNAC standings with a 2-0 start. MSUB opened league play hosting Central Washington and Northwest Nazarene. The 'Jackets won both games by a 10-point margin, 61-51 over the Wildcats and 78-68 over the Crusaders.

Returning to league contests this month, MSUB faces a stiff test with two games on the road. First the 'Jackets are headed to Alaska Anchorage. The Seawolves are ranked fifth in the NCAA national poll and are 15-1 this season, with the team's one loss coming at Western Washington 71-62. Alaska lost all three of its opening GNAC games, but does hold wins against west region opponents Dixie State (83-73) and Sonoma State (76-61) and is a tough team to face in Fairbanks.

"We are looking forward to getting back on the court after the holiday break," MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin said. "Anchorage presents a tremendous challenge for us as they are so deep and talented. We will need to be fundamentally sound with our defense and ball protection but I am interested to see how we compete in a hostile environment."

"Fairbanks also got off to a fast start this season so it looks like they are much improved too," Woodin continued. "I am hopeful our depth will help is in the second game of the trip as Fairbanks has only us to deal with this week. We will need to execute on both ends in order to come out on top."

OUTSIDE INFLUENCE: The Yellowjackets made nine 3-pointers in their win over Tarleton State. Senior Monica Grimsrud logged four of those, finishing with a team-high 16 points on her way to being named to the 2015 South Point Holiday Hoops Classic all-tournament team. Grimsrud leads the team in 3-point attempts (5.4 per game) and 3-point shots made (1.9 per game). Sophomore Vanessa Stavish was 3-4 from outside against Tarleton State, posting her third double-digit performance this season with 11 points in the win.

DOUBLING-UP: Senior Janiel Olson recorded her first double-double of the season in MSUB's last game with a 14-point, 12-rebound performance against the TexAnns. Olson is averaging 7.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. The forward from Billings, Mont., has just surpassed the 800 mark with 801 career rebounds to her name. She is currently No. 3 all-time at MSUB and needs 13 more to tie No. 2 Alicia Cahill (1996-99). In the GNAC record books, Olson is now No. 12 all-time and needs just two more to tie No. 11 Kelsey Hill (Seattle Pacific) at 803.

ABOVE THE CURVE: Junior Alisha Breen is second in the GNAC averaging 17.0 points per game. She is also 12th-best in rebounds collecting an average 6.4 per game. In MSUB's last two games, Breen scored 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.

CLOSE TO 10: Sophomore point guard Rylee Kane is averaging 9.5 points per game and is sixth in the league in assists with 4.2 per game. Kane scored 14 points against Tarleton State, her fifth double-digit performance this season.

MSU Billings is averaging 65.3 points per game on 38.3 percent shooting from the field. The Yellowjackets are 34.0 percent from 3-point range for third-best in the conference and have made the second most 3-point baskets in the league this season with 68.

The Yellowjackets are collecting 32.6 rebounds per game with 12.3 assists and 8.9 steals. MSUB is third in the GNAC in free-throw percentage at 74.6 percent (167-224).

Thursday, Dec. 31 - 5 p.m. AKST - Alaska Airlines Center
University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves
2015-16 record: 15-1, 2-1 GNAC
Head coach: Ryan McCarthy, 4th season

After 12 straight wins to open their season, the nationally-ranked Seawolves dropped a GNAC contest to Western Washington on the road 71-62 but have won their last three games for a 15-1 overall start to the year. Alaska Anchorage is nationally ranked No. 5 in NCAA Division II. The Seawolves are coming off a season where the team was ranked No. 1 in the country, winning the bid to host the 2014-15 NCAA west region tournament. At their home event, the Seawolves were upset in the first round by Point Loma Nazarene University 64-63 finishing the season 29-2, 17-1 in the GNAC with both the conference regular season and tournament titles.

Alaska Anchorage returns GNAC Preseason Player of the Year Megan Mullings (16.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg) along with preseason all-conference selections Kiki Robertson (5.1 assists per game) and Jenna Buchanan (13.9 ppg, 46.9 3-point percentage).

Nationally as a team, the Seawolves are ranked No. 1 in assists (366), second in assists per game (21.0), first in rebounds (691), first in steals (210), and first in 3-point baskets (148).

The team is averaging 86.1 points per game on 46.6 percent shooting from the field and is making 38.0 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. The Seawolves are limiting opponents to 54.8 points, a 31.3-point scoring margin. Off the glass, UAA is leading the GNAC in offensive rebounds with 43.2 and is third in defensive rebounds with 31.6 per game, but is outrebounding opponents by an 11.6 margin.

Along with Mullings and Buchanan, Jessica Madison is averaging 11.6 point per game and is second on the team in 3-point baskets with 2.0 per game. Senior transfer Keiahnna Engel from Boise State University is contributing 10.1 points per game.

Last season: The Seawolves were the first and last GNAC games for the Yellowjackets last year. MSUB took losses both at home (76-60) and on the road (74-64).

All-time series: With both wins last season, UAA now holds a one game, 27-26, all-time series lead over MSUB. The Yellowjackets have lost the last eight games in Anchorage. The last win for the 'Jackets against the Seawolves was at home 75-72 during MSUB's 2013-14 conference-winning season.

Saturday, Jan. 2 - 2 p.m. AKST - Patty Center
Alaska Nanooks
2015-16 record: 5-8, 0-3 GNAC
Head coach: Cody Bench, 5thseason

After opening the season with a 5-2 record, the Nanooks have dropped their last six games. Before the break, Alaska dropped contests against UC San Diego (81-54) and Cedarville University (73-44) at the Seawolf Hoops Classic in Anchorage.

The Nanooks are shooting 37.5 percent from the field and 25.7 percent from the 3-point arc. Junior Jordan Wilson leads Alaska averaging 15.2 points per game. Behind her, Jaylee Mays at 13.4 and Kaillee Skjold with 11.2 points per game are also averaging double-digit points.

Senior Stephanie Toumson has not played the last four games for the Nanooks, but was averaging 15.2 points and 9.4 rebounds. Wilson is averaging 6.6 and Skjold 6.5 rebounds per game.

Against conference opponents, Alaska is averaging 51.0 points per game. The Nanooks are shooting 71.7 percent from the foul-line for third-best in the GNAC.

Alaska did drop all three of its opening GNAC games, but in arguably one of the toughest conference opening schedules, took losses on the road against Western Washington (90-59), Simon Fraser (77-66) and Alaska Anchorage (78-56). This week the Nanooks have just one game, opening their home conference schedule with MSUB.

Last season: MSUB split its GNAC series with the Nanooks last season with a 71-61 win over Alaska at home while taking a 74-55 loss in Fairbanks.

All-time series: MSUB holds a large 49-12 overall winning record over the Nanooks. Last season's 74-55 loss to Alaska broke a 16-game winning streak against the Nanooks.

UP NEXT: MSU Billings finishes the rest of the regular season with 18 straight conference games. After the trip to Alaska, the Yellowjackets return to Alterowitz for a game against Saint Martin's on Jan. 7 and a contest versus Seattle Pacific on Jan. 9.