BILLINGS, Mont.  – After dropping a road game against Seattle Pacific last Saturday, 64-55, this week won't be any easier for the Yellowjackets as MSUB travels to Northwest Nazarene and Central Washington for two more Great Northwest Athletic Conference road games.
 
There are just six games left in the regular season for the MSU Billings women's basketball team. Four of them are on the road, and this week the 'Jackets are facing two teams that are just one above and one back in the conference standings from MSUB.
 
First up for MSU Billings is a game against the Northwest Nazarene Crusaders. In their first contest this season, MSUB got the best of NNU at home, 84-62, but the Crusaders are just one behind MSUB this season in conference wins. NNU is on a three-game losing streak, but with several close competitions in recent weeks, the Crusaders have plenty of talent and drive on the team. Last week, NNU was defeated by Western Washington on the road by just one point when the Vikings' Kayla Bernsen hit a buzzer-beater to steal the win away at the last moment.
 
The Crusaders have lost nine of their last 10 games, but have certainly proved their mettle this season, including handing No. 3 Alaska Anchorage the Seawolves' only loss this season – a 15-point defeat in Anchorage on the first of the year.
 
"Northwest Nazarene has had some really close defeats lately," MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin said. "I know they are looking to get back on the right track. They are athletic and of course play well at home. Our team will be looking to focus on our shots and style of play this week. We will need to put forth a balanced effort on both sides of the court to come out with a win."
 
Northwest Nazarene University (5-17, 3-10 GNAC) has its own balanced effort on the court. Led by Taylor Simmons' 13.4 point per game average, five players are all scoring around the 10-point per game mark. Simmons also leads her team in assists (4.1) and steals (3.1).
 
CoCo Gall heads up her team's rebounding efforts averaging 6.2 per game. NNU is shooting 40 percent from the field and 31.4 percent from 3-point territory. On defense however, the Crusaders are 10th in the conference allowing 80.1 points.
Central Washington University (11-10, 6-7 GNAC) has won three of its last six games. Like NNU, the Crusaders lost a game to Western Washington on buzzer-beater in Bellingham. With 1.3 seconds left, WWU put back an offensive rebound for the 70-69 win.
 
"I was impressed with their team the last time we played them," Coach Woodin said of Central Washington. "They too have some great balance and are very talented. We had a hard time stopping them and the last few minutes of our previous game they really ran their shots, so we will have our hands full on Saturday."
 
Central Washington holds the No. 8 spot in scoring in the GNAC averaging 62.6 points per game, but the Wildcats are second in the conference behind Alaska Anchorage, limiting their opponents to just 60.9 points per game.
 
CWU has a talented trio leading the team on floor. Courtney Johnson is averaging 13.0 points, while freshman guard Jasmin Edwards is averaging 12.8 points and 4.1 assists.  Forward Jasmine Parker is averaging 10.1 points and is fourth in the conference in rebounds averaging 7.7 per game.
 
After the loss last week to No. 18 Seattle Pacific, the Yellowjackets are 12-10 on the season and 4-8 in the GNAC. MSUB is sitting in eighth place in the conference standings with three more weeks of conference play before the GNAC tournament being hosted in Billings.
 
MSUB senior Kayleen Goggins is nearing the 20 point per game mark with a 19.9 average ranking her 24th in the nation. She is now the second-highest MSUB scorer in GNAC history behind the MSUB alumna and overall conference leader, Bobbi Knudsen.
 
Alisha Breen is still fifth in both scoring (15.7) and rebounds (7.1) in the conference. Quinn Peoples is fourth in the GNAC in 3-pointers, averaging 2.2 per game.
 
Against Seattle Pacific, MSUB shot just 27.3 percent from the field (15-55), but after some poor performances at the free-throw line in the last few games, completed 21-24 (87.5 percent) last Saturday. The team also had more rebounds than the Falcons and is still outrebounding its opponents by a +2.5 margin.
 
MSUB Billings plays two early games this week. Against Northwest Nazarene tip-off is scheduled for a 6 p.m. start on Thursday, Feb. 12. On Saturday, Feb. 14, MSUB is set to face-off against Central Washington with an afternoon start time of 3 p.m.
 

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL	CONF	PCT	OVERALL	PCT	HOME	AWAY	NEUTRAL	STREAK
Alaska Anchorage	12-1	.923	22-1	.957	16-1	6-0	0-0	W10
Seattle Pacific	9-3	.750	17-3	.850	10-1	3-2	4-0	W3
Western Washington	9-4	.692	15-7	.682	9-2	4-3	2-2	W2
Simon Fraser	8-5	.615	12-9	.571	7-4	4-5	1-0	W2
Central Washington	6-7	.462	11-10	.524	7-2	2-6	2-2	L2
Saint Martin's	5-7	.417	8-12	.400	4-2	2-8	2-2	W1
Alaska	5-8	.385	13-10	.565	6-5	3-5	4-0	L1
Montana State Billings	4-8	.333	12-10	.545	7-4	3-6	2-0	L1
Northwest Nazarene	3-10	.231	5-17	.227	3-7	2-8	0-2	L3
Western Oregon	2-10	.167	5-15	.250	1-7	2-8	2-0	L4