BILLINGS, Mont.  – On senior night in Alterowitz, MSU Billings fought a hard battle, but came up victorious with the 60-47 win over Satin Martin's in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference game Saturday night.
 
Seniors Kayleen Goggins finished with 11 points and nine rebounds, Quinn Peoples had 10 points and six rebounds, and Annie DePuydt chipped in five points and two assists.
 
With the win, Montana State University Billings moves to 14-12 on the season and 6-10 in the GNAC. Saint Martin's University is now 9-15 overall and is also 6-10 in the conference.
 
On the last regular-season home game for the Yellowjackets, it was an exciting fast-paced contest from the get-go. The Yellowjackets opened with a 12-5 lead, but SMU cut it down to a 4-point game after Jordyn Richardson hit a 3-pointer. MSUB freshman guard Rylee Kane grabbed an offensive rebound, but was unable to convert, and SMU stole the ball on a long inbounds pass. MacKenzie Taylor added to the Saints' total on a pull-up jump shot cutting the MSUB lead to two, 12-10 with nine minutes left in the half.
 
From MSUB, Alisha Breen responded with a nice pick and roll under the basket for two, and Goggins added another two as she fought for a layup to take a 16-10 lead. On the next MSUB possession, Goggins made a quick pass out of the key to Peoples on the corner who drained a 3-pointer giving the Yellowjackets a 19-10 lead heading into the third media timeout of the half.
 
Breen made a block on SMU's Richardson and passed down to Kane who dribbled into the key before dishing it out to Marissa Van Atta who pulled up for a nice jump shot for her first points of the game. The Yellowjacket defense ran the clock down on the Saints' end of the floor, giving the ball back to MSUB. Peoples fed a nice inside pass to Breen for the layup and she made the extra point on the foul making it a 14-point, 24-10 lead with six minutes left in the first half.
 
The Saints added three from Krista Stabler to get the team to within nine, 26-17. In the final two minutes, Goggins made two free-throws for a 10-point, 30-20 lead. MSUB's Peoples made a sharp steal with just under a minute, and after a MSUB-called timeout, Kane drove into the key and shot a layup over a SMU defender for 32-20. The Saints were unable to score on their last possession of the period, and MSUB took the 12-point lead into the half.
 
"I was real pleased with our win tonight, I thought we played a complete game against a very good SMU team," MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin said. "I thought we responded well in the first half after a poor effort on Thursday night. I also thought we had a really good effort defensively tonight, both as individuals and as a team. We got out rebounded at Lacey, so it was important for us tonight to respond appropriately. We protected the ball better tonight, and on offense we are able to make the pass which gave us some good options on our shots."
 
The Saints used a 7-1 run at the start of the second half to get the score to within six, 33-27. After a timeout from Coach Woodin to talk to his players, the Yellowjackets came back out onto the floor with some renewed fire. Peoples made a steal on the Saints end. She passed the ball to Kane who fed the ball inside to Goggins and off a no-look pass to Breen, the Yellowjackets added two points.
 
Saint Martin's kept up the pressure, but MSUB was able to keep a cushion of eight at the mid-point mark, 39-31. Peoples made it a 10-point lead again 43-33, with a jump shot and Breen hit a 3-pointer to open up a 13-point 46-33 advantage with 7:58 left in the game.
 
With four minutes remaining, the Saints drew the deficit down to six again, 48-42. Kane was fouled driving down the floor and made one of her free-throws for 49-42. Goggins made an important shot at the two and a half minute mark, but a foul on Kane gave SMU the chance for two free-throws. Brooke Paulson made one of two to keep the Saints alive.
 
Kane was unable to get two back as she was fouled on the next MSUB possession, but made a shot with just under a minute left and the score was still close at 53-45. Out of the Saints' timeout, SMU began to foul.
 
Breen made both of her free-throws and after another miss from SMU's Stabler, DePuydt hit both of her free-throws, and MSUB was back up by 12, 57-45 with 1:28 left. Peoples was next to the line, sinking both of hers as well, giving the Yellowjackets a 59-45 cushion. The Saints made one more basket, but after another foul from SMU, Breen hit one of her free-throws to end the game at 60-47.
 
MSU Billings finished the game 20-55 from the field for 36.4 percent shooting. Saint Martin's was 17-61 and 27.9 percent from the floor. The Yellowjackets dominated the boards tonight with 42 to the Saints' 29. From the free-throw line, MSUB was 17-23 for 73.9 percent. Saint Martin's ended the game 9-12 for 75.0 percent.
 
"Individually, I thought Alisha Breen had her best game in some time," Coach Woodin said. "She was very aggressive on offense and was great on the boards. I also though Marissa Van Atta came off the bench tonight and gave us a great spark."
 
Breen finished with a game-high 23 points and eight rebounds. Van Atta had six points and six rebounds. Also off the bench, Monica Grimsrud added in six rebounds.
 
"Being senior night, it was special we were able to get the win tonight," Coach Woodin said. "Those three set the tone tonight; they really played with great intensity. They are leaders on and off the court and I am very pleased with the team play from them."
 
Next week, MSU Billings heads to Alaska for a game against Alaska Fairbanks on Thursday and then Alaska Anchorage on Saturday. The Yellowjackets are in a 3-way tie for fifth place in the conference standings with two teams just one game behind. Two spots remain for GNAC post-season play and the Yellowjackets will face a tough road-trip next week as they work to claim a place in the conference championships taking place in Billings the following week.
 
"We are looking forward to going to Alaska next week," Coach Woodin said.  It will be a great challenge for us. We are in a race to get to the tournament; both games should be a lot of fun and we are looking forward to the opportunity to play for a post-season berth."