CHADRON, Neb. – MSUB sophomore Taylor Edwards scored a career-high 16 points as the Yellowjackets won a non-conference regional game against Chadron State, 66-60, Saturday at the Chicoine Center.
 
Edwards earned a career-high in both points and rebounds, had four 3-pointers for MSUB, and led the team in minutes on the floor with 35. The guard from Great Falls, Mont., was matched in points and rebounds by senior Tiana Hanson. Together, the pair scored combined for 32 points and 14 rebounds as both Edwards and Hanson recorded seven rebounds each. Hanson was also a perfect 8-8 from the free-throw line.
 
With the win, MSU Billings improves to 2-4 on the season. Chadron State moves to 0-2.
 
Four players for the Yellowjackets factored into double-digit scoring as junior Rylee Kane posted 13 points, five rebounds and a game-high seven assists. Junior Marissa Van Atta was 4-9 for the field with 10 points, three rebounds, and a steal.
 
MSUB scored 14 points off of turnovers and 10 from second chance points. The team was 21-57 (31.8 percent) from the field, including 8-28 from the 3-point arc.
 
"I am real pleased with our win today," MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin said. "At times the game was sloppy by both teams, but I thought we hung in there in order to get the win. Offensively, we shot well from the 3-point arc and free-throw line. I did think we were unselfish and made the extra pass that allowed a lot of those shots. Defensively, Chadron posed some tough match-ups, but I thought we were able to mix-up our defenses enough to keep them off-balance. Any road win in Division II is a good victory. We look forward to the challenge of playing again tomorrow at South Dakota Mines."
 
Chadron State was led by 16 points and 10 rebounds from Kylah Collins. Kalli Fedderson contributed a game-high 13 rebounds. The Eagles won the battle on the glass, 42-37, and had more points from the pain, 24-16.
 
MSU Billings was outscored in the first and last quarters, but a big second quarter scoring run of 15-7 followed by a four-point differential (22-18) in the third period was enough down the stretch.
 
The Yellowjackets fell behind early in the game, but a 3-pointer from Lexi Prevost at the end of the first quarter drew the deficit down to two, 18-16. MSUB rode the momentum into the second quarter on an 11-0 scoring surge. Edwards drained a 3-pointer to cap the run that put the 'Jackets ahead, 23-18, with 5:15 left in the first half. Chadron State remained cold for almost eight minutes until Erin Graham dished a ball to Leticia Rodriguez for a layup. Kane scored a layup just before the break for a 6-point, 31-25 lead at half-time.
 
Into the third quarter, Chadron State scored five straight to bring the deficit down to a point. Van Atta made her second 3-pointer of the game and Hanson a layup to push the lead back up by six, 36-30. Kane snagged a defensive rebound, driving the length of the floor and to the hoop for two points.
 
On some great responsive defense, Kane clipped a Chadron State pass and found Hanson under the rim for a breakaway layup. Edwards made it a double-digit lead on a jump shot for 50-39. Collins led an 8-3 push from the Eagles that dropped the deficit down to six, 53-47, at the start of the fourth quarter. Prevost and Brina Hull earned 3-point baskets to kick the lead back up by 10, 60-50, with just over five minutes remaining. Kane sent the lead back up by 10 with a pair of free-throws. Van Atta had another jumper and Kane one more free-throw for the 'Jackets.
 
THE BUZZ: Edwards, the St. Vincent Healthcare Athlete of the Day, previously scored 13 points in the opening game of the season against UC San Diego…MSUB has now won six in-a-row against Chadron State and leads the overall series 13-3.
 
UP NEXT: MSUB heads to South Dakota where the Yellowjackets have a game on Saturday, Nov. 26, against South Dakota School of Mines at 3 p.m.