BILLINGS, Mont. – Continuing its home stand this week, the Montana State University Billings women's basketball team hosts another non-conference NCAA Division II contest at Alterowitz Gymnasium.
 
The Yellowjackets (4-0) welcome South Dakota School of Mines on Tuesday evening at 5:30 p.m., in the first game of a doubleheader with MSUB's men's basketball team. The MSUB women will then travel west for an exhibition contest against Montana State at 2:05 p.m. on Saturday afternoon at Brick Breeden Field House in Bozeman. Saturday's contest will not count on MSUB's 2017-18 record.
 
"We are looking forward to playing South Dakota Mines in a home doubleheader with our men's team," commented MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin. "Last year they really took it to us on their home floor, and I know we need to be ready for them. They are off to a good start as well. I appreciate the Bobcats giving us the opportunity to play there. It will be a great environment for our team, and it represents a great challenge as they are one of the premier programs in their conference. With so many Montana players on our roster, it is a great chance for them to showcase their talents on a bigger stage." 

Making its home regular season debut last week, MSUB kept its record unblemished with two victories at the Yellowjacket Classic. The 'Jackets picked up a 72-65 win over Concordia University on Friday, and downed Chadron State College 69-59 on Saturday. Besides the exhibition game in Bozeman this week, MSUB remains home for five more contests including two Great Northwest Athletic Conference games through early December.
 
"It was great to get two wins at home over the weekend," said Woodin. "I felt we played good first halves in both games, but struggled in the third quarter. However, we were able to finish strong over the final few minutes in both contests. I would like to see more consistency from the first half to the second half this week in our play."
 
LAST FIVE: W-W-W-W-
 
STINGY DEFENSE: Allowing just 61.5 points per game so far, MSUB has the fourth-best defense in the conference. The 'Jackets have not allowed more than 65 points and have twice held the opposition under 60 points. In the second quarter against Chadron State, MSUB had one of its best defensive periods since NCAA women's basketball moved to the quarter format prior to the 2015-16 season as it allowed just six points. It was just the 10th time in the last two-plus seasons that the 'Jackets surrendered six points or less in a given quarter. MSUB has posted two quarters allowing just four points, five quarters allowing five points, and two other quarters surrendering six points.
 
BREEN IS MVP, AGAIN: For the second straight week, senior Alisha Breen was named the Most Valuable Player of her team's tournament. Breen was the MVP of the West Region Tipoff Classic hosted by the Academy of Art on Nov. 10-11, and led all players at last week's event with 36 points and 21 rebounds with her team again going 2-0. Through four games, Breen leads the team and the GNAC with 20.0 points per game while shooting 41.0 percent overall, 43.5 percent from 3-point range, and 90.9 percent from the foul line.
 
In going 16-for-16 at the line last week, Breen moved into sole possession of second place in the MSUB record books with 363 made free throws in her career. Against the Eagles on Friday, Breen had one of the best rebounding performances of her career as her 16 boards were tied for second-most in a single game through her four seasons. Adding 23 points in the game, Breen completed her eighth career double-double and her first of the season in the win.
 
Alisha Breen Top-5 Single-Game Rebounding Performances (as of Nov. 20, 2017)

Rebounds	Opponent	Date	Result	Season
17	at Alaska	1/2/16	W, 59-55	Junior
16	vs. Chadron State	11/18/17	W, 69-59	Senior
16	at Alaska	2/26/15	L, 74-55	Sophomore
14	vs. Academy of Art	3/14/14	W, 60-59	Freshman
13	vs. Simon Fraser	3/15/14	W, 76-68	Freshman

 

KANE CONTINUES STRONG START: Senior point guard Rylee Kane leads the GNAC with 26 assists through the first four games of the year, chipping in a dozen last week in MSUB's two wins. Kane received all-tournament recognition for her role in the Yellowjackets' success, as she also scored 21 points and added seven rebounds. Her six boards in the win over Chadron State matched her career high, which she has achieved seven different times. Entering this week, Kane is No. 8 in the NCAA in assists per game with 6.5. 
 

KOEHLER A DIFFERENCE MAKER: Turning in her two longest performances of the year last week, senior Rachel Koehler played 19 minutes in each contest and was another all-tournament selection for the 'Jackets. On Friday night, Koehler had a team-best 10 rebounds, while also posting two assists and two steals. Koehler is second on the team with 25 rebounds, and is a big reason the 'Jackets hold a plus-5 margin in rebounding against the opposition.
 
PREVOST NEARS CAREER HIGH: Senior guard Lexi Prevost had a season-best 14 points against Concordia, thanks to 5-for-10 accuracy from the field. The senior was just one point away from matching her career high of 15 points, which she has achieved twice before in her career. On Saturday against Chadron State, Prevost contributed on the boards as well with four rebounds for the 'Jackets.
 
STAVISH SCORING AS STARTER: Ranking second on the team with 10.3 points per game, junior Vanessa Stavish is thriving in her first season as a starter. She and Breen are the only two Yellowjackets with a made 3-pointer in all four games, and Stavish is off to a good start with a shooting percentage of 48.6 overall from the floor.

South Dakota School of Mines Hardrockers
Tuesday, November 21 – 5:30 PM – Alterowitz Gym
2017-18 Record: 4-0
Last Five: W-W-W-W-
Head Coach: Ryan Larsen, 5th season
2016-17 Record: 12-16, 10-12 RMAC (8th place)
 
The Hardrockers are coming off a pair of dominant victories last week, improving their 2017-18 record to 4-0. SDSMT raced past Grace University 89-45 on Saturday and beat Johnson & Wales University 77-48 last Friday.
 
Sophomore guard Cooper Courtney has been the team's top offensive player thus far, averaging 14.5 points per game thanks in large part to 42.9 percent accuracy from 3-point range. Emma Pearce (12.5 ppg) and Sami Steffeck (10.3 ppg) are the Hardrockers' other double-figure scorers.
 
Anna Haugen is an elite rebounder for SDSMT, averaging a team-best 9.5 boards per game to go along with 9.3 points.
 
Senior point guard Krista Showalter runs the offense for the 'Rockers, averaging 25 minutes per game and dishing out a team-best 19 assists.
 
SDSMT has out-scored its four opponents 77.3-55.5, and holds a 37.3-34.3 edge in rebounding.
 
The Series: MSUB is 4-1 all-time against SDSMT, and is a perfect 4-0 in games played at Alterowitz Gym.
 
Last Time Out: The 'Jackets suffered a brutal 83-42 defeat, shooting just 25 percent in the game and being out-scored 38-13 in the second half on Nov. 26, 2016 in Rapid City, S.D. Kane had four assists in the game to lead MSUB.
 
Montana State University Bobcats
Saturday, November 25 – 2:05 PM – Bozeman, MT – EXHIBITION
2017-18 Record: 2-2
Last Five: L-W-W-L-
Head Coach: Tricia Binford, 11th season
2016-17 Record: 25-7, 15-3 Big Sky Conference (Big Sky Champions, NCAA Tournament 1st Round)
 
Coming off a championship season in the NCAA Division I Big Sky Conference, Montana State is off to a 2-2 start this year under veteran head coach Tricia Binford. The 'Cats opened the season with a tough 98-47 loss at the University of Southern California, before knocking off Long Beach State University 62-51 and defeating the University of Providence 66-31.
 
Most recently, MSU fell at Omaha 64-53 in its latest game last Friday.
 
The 'Cats are being led by Madeline Smith, who is averaging 12.8 points per game while shooting 61.8 percent from the floor. Smith is also grabbing a team-high 10.8 rebounds per game, contributing on both ends.
 
Hannah Caudill leads the team with 13.3 points per game, and is tied for the team lead with 13 assists. Caudill is also the top perimeter shooter for MSU, with a mark of 52 percent from 3-point range (13-for-25).
 
MSU is averaging 57.0 points per game while allowing 61.0, but is out-rebounding the opposition 40.8-35.5 through its first four games.
 
The Series: MSUB and MSU have not played a counting game since the 1994-95 season, when the 'Cats won 73-55 in Bozeman. The 'Jackets are 9-15 all-time against the Bobcats.
 
Last Time Out: MSU has won the last two exhibition games between the teams, with a 76-57 win on Dec. 15, 2014 and a 58-49 triumph on Nov. 20, 2013. The Yellowjackets' last exhibition win was on Dec. 29, 2012 by the score of 57-54 in Bozeman.