BILLINGS, Mont. – With six games remaining on the 2017-18 regular-season schedule, the Montana State University Billings women's basketball team is alive and well in the race towards the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships.
 
The Yellowjackets enter the week in fifth place in the conference standings, with an overall record of 16-8 and a league mark of 9-5. MSUB is three games clear of the sixth-place spot however, which is the cutoff mark to earn a berth into the conference tournament. The 'Jackets can further increase their favorable odds to make the tournament with a successful weekend on the road, as they challenge fourth-place Central Washington University on Thursday and second-place Northwest Nazarene University on Saturday.
 
Tipoff against the Wildcats is set for 8 p.m. Mountain time on Thursday night at Nicholson Pavilion in Ellensburg, Wash., and the game against the Nighthawks is set for 7 p.m. Mountain time on Saturday evening at Johnson Sports Center in Nampa, Idaho. Both games will feature live video with play-by-play commentary, and live statistics available online through MSUB's Stretch Internet portal here.
 
"Both of our opponents this week are very talented and experienced, and we will have to be at our best," commented MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin. "I believe we will need to win the 3-point line and compete well on the glass in order to come out on top this week. This is the time of year that you need to execute your offense in the half court, because everyone knows each other's tendencies so well. I believe our team will put forth a determined effort in both of our games this week."
 
MSUB is coming off a split on the road last week, falling 73-63 at No. 8 University of Alaska Anchorage before a 74-59 victory over the University of Alaska. The 'Jackets have held their own on the road this year, with a 6-5 record in games played away from Alterowitz Gym. "Last week we played more consistently, and we had a chance to win at Anchorage," Woodin commented. "We played a strong second half at Fairbanks to register the win, and I'm excited to see how we play this week."
 
LAST FIVE: W-W-L-L-W
 
REGIONAL RANKINGS: MSUB was listed as No. 7 in the D2SIDA west region rankings for the third straight week after splitting its most recent road contests. The initial NCAA Division II west region rankings will be released next week, and will be the official rankings used to determine the eight-team regional playoff field.
 
ROUND 2: The Yellowjackets split their games against NNU and CWU at home earlier in the year, falling to the Nighthawks 66-52 on Jan. 11 and surviving for an 86-84 win over the Wildcats two nights later. The 'Hawks leapt to just a half-game behind first-place Alaska Anchorage on Tuesday evening, handing Central Washington a 74-71 defeat in Ellensburg.
 
KANE CATCHES INSIDER AIR WAVES:
 

Senior point guard Rylee Kane was featured as a live guest on GNAC Insider Tuesday evening, and discussed MSUB's push to make it back to the conference tournament after missing out last year. Kane also became just the seventh player in GNAC history to reach 500 career assists, finishing last week with eight helpers in MSUB's two games. The senior is second in the GNAC with 4.8 assists per game, and has moved into the top-20 in scoring at No. 18 with 12.0 points per game. Kane is just 14 points away from reaching the 1,000-point mark in her career, and her 112 consecutive starts give her the second-longest games-started streak in conference history.
 
GNAC Women's Basketball Career Assists Leaders (as of 2/7/18)

Rank	Name	School	Assists	Seasons
1	Kiki Robertson	Alaska Anchorage	700	2013-17
2	Ellen Kett	Simon Fraser	692	2013-17
3	Jasmin Edwards	Central Washington	538	2014-18
4	Bobbi Knudsen	MSU Billings	532	2010-14
5	Beth Christensen	Seattle Pacific	501	2004-08
6	Melanie Wagoner	Alaska	500	1998-2002
	Rylee Kane	MSU Billings	500	2014-18
8	Kerie Hughes	Seattle Pacific	498	1999-03
9	Mallory Whipple	Northwest Nazarene	466	2005-09
10	Kristy Eggen	Western Washington	412	1994-96, 2002-03

 
BREEN ACHIEVES FREE-THROW RECORD: Senior Alisha Breen became the all-time GNAC leader in made free throws last week, making 9 of 11 shots from the foul line and pushing her career total to 474. She also climbed one spot to No. 7 in conference history in career scoring, as she enters this week with 1,686 points over her four seasons. Breen leads the GNAC with 19.8 points per game, a figure that ranks No. 16 in the NCAA Division II overall. She is also fourth in the country with 131 made free throws, and her free-throw percentage of 85.6 is fourth-best in the GNAC.
 
GNAC Women's Basketball Career Free-Throw Leaders (as of 2/7/18)

Rank	Name	School	Free Throws	Seasons
1	Alisha Breen	MSU Billings	474	2013-15, 17-18
2	Erin Chambers	Simon Fraser	472	2011-15
3	Rose Shaw	Central Washington	434	1998-2002
4	Rebecca Kielpinski	Alaska Anchorage	432	2005-09
5	Jenn McGillivray	Western Washington	429	2000-04
6	Nicole Bozek	Alaska	426	2007-12
7	Taylor Peacocke	Western Washington	405	2013-17
8	Taylor Simmons	Northwest Nazarene	387	2012-16
9	Cody Burgess	Alaska	377	2002-05
10	Katie Benson	Seattle Pacific	374	2010-14

 
In addition to her offensive prowess, Breen has accelerated her defensive presence by way of the rebound over the last chunk of the season. Since MSUB's home game against UAA on Jan. 6, Breen is averaging 11.0 rebounds per game. She has had five of her 11 double-doubles on the season during that nine-game stretch, and overall she continues to rank second in the GNAC with 9.4 rebounds per game on the year. Breen has jumped to No. 6 in MSUB history with 753 career rebounds, and her average this year is nearly two full rebounds higher than her previous season best of 7.6 (2014-15).
 
MSUB Women's Basketball Career Rebound Leaders (as of 2/7/18)

Rank	Name	Rebounds	Seasons
1	Janiel Olson	1001	2012-14, 16
2	Robyn Milne	957	2002-05
3	Alicia Cahill	814	1996-99
4	Natalie Visger	796	2000-03
5	Theresa O'Donnell	761	1982-84
6	Alisha Breen	753	2013-15, 17-18
7	Michelle Lieber	740	2005-07
8	Shelley Altrogge	734	1990-91
9	Lori Fries	684	1981-84
10	Codi Schmitz	649	1997-2000
	Tanya Petersen	649	2003-06

 
STAVISH SEES THREES: Junior Vanessa Stavish had one of her best offensive games of the year last week against the Nanooks, matching her season high with four made 3-pointers en route to 16 points. Stavish also grabbed seven rebounds, keeping her spot as No. 3 on the team with an average of 4.8 boards per game. Her 30 minutes played against Alaska were a career high, and she is one of four 'Jackets to start all 24 games this year.
 
PREVOST PRODUCTIVE VS. SEAWOLVES: Similar to Stavish, senior Lexi Prevost was locked in from the arc as she knocked down four treys and hit her season-best 14 points for the third time this year in the game against UAA. Prevost followed with a four-assist performance last Saturday against the Nanooks, and played 30-plus minutes in back-to-back games for the first time this season.
 
CUNNINGHAM FINDS THE HOT HAND: Sophomore forward Taylor Cunningham dished out a career-best six assists on Saturday against Alaska, and finished the week with eight rebounds and eight helpers against just one turnover in 45 minutes on the court. Cunningham has started 20 of 24 games in her second season with the 'Jackets, and ranks fourth on the team with 30 assists on the year.
 
TIMELY TREYS FROM EDWARDS: Junior shooting guard Taylor Edwards came to life when MSUB needed a boost against Alaska, knocking down a pair of threes in an otherwise cold first half for the team from the arc. Edwards finished with eight points in just nine minutes against the Nanooks, and also grabbed a rebound.
 
Central Washington University Wildcats
Thursday, Feb. 8 – 8 PM MTN – Nicholson Pavilion
2017-18 Record: 14-9, 10-5 GNAC
Last Five: W-W-W-W-L
Head Coach: Randi Richardson-Thornley
2016-17 Record: 15-15, 9-11 GNAC (6th place)
First Meeting: MSUB 86, CWU 84 (Jan. 13 at Billings, MT)
 
The Wildcats vaulted up the conference standings with six straight league wins, before Tuesday's loss to NNU snapped their streak. CWU plays two more road games and three more home contests including Thursday's matchup against MSUB.
 
CWU is led by the tandem of junior Sadie Mensing and senior Jasmin Edwards, who average 12.4 and 12.3 points per game, respectively. Mensing shoots at 44.3 percent from the field, and is also third on the team with 4.1 rebounds per game. One of the best point guards to ever play in the GNAC, Edwards recently broke the GNAC career minutes played record as she surpassed former Yellowjacket legend Bobbi Knudsen (3,838) with 3,899. Edwards also passed Knudsen last week for No. 3 in GNAC history in career assists, as she enters Thursday's game with 538 in her four-year tenure at CWU.
 
The Wildcats' other double-figure scorer is Alexis Pana, who averages 10.1 points per game. Pana is the team's top perimeter shooter, hitting at a clip of 41.8 percent from beyond the arc.
 
Taylor Baird is CWU's top rebounder with 6.9 per game, and she is a hair under double figures in scoring with 9.7 points. She is one of three Wildcats to have started all 23 games this year, along with Mensing and Edwards. Kaelie Flores has been effective in her average of 23.9 minutes, ranking second on the team in rebounding with 5.7 and fifth in scoring at 8.3 points per game.
 
The Wildcats narrowly out-score the opposition 71.7-69.3, and also hold a positive rebounding margin at 38.5-38.1. CWU shoots 42.7 percent from the floor, 33.3 percent from 3-point range, and 66.7 percent from the free-throw line.
 
The Series: MSUB is 23-11 all-time against the 'Cats, and carries a 9-6 record in away games. The series has been relatively even over the last three years, with MSUB holding a 4-3 record dating back to 2015.
 
Last Time Out: Five MSUB players reached double figures and the 'Jackets were able to hold off CWU for the two-point victory at Alterowitz Gym. Breen led MSUB with 20 points, and Mensing matched her with 20 for the Wildcats.
 
Northwest Nazarene University Nighthawks
Saturday, Feb. 10 – 7 PM – Johnson Sports Center
2017-18 Record: 17-3, 13-2 GNAC
Last Five: W-W-W-W-W
Head Coach: Steve Steele, 2nd season
2016-17 Record: 12-15, 10-10 GNAC (T-5th Place)
First Meeting: NNU 66, MSUB 52 (Jan. 11 at Billings, MT)
 
Bearing down on first-place Alaska Anchorage, NNU sealed a berth into the GNAC Championships with Tuesday's win and has made it eight straight victories. The Nighthawks' last defeat was Jan. 9 at home against Central Washington, and the team's only other conference loss this year was at Alaska Anchorage on Dec. 2.
 
NNU travels to Western Washington and Simon Fraser next week, before returning home to close the regular season.
 
Lexi Tubbs, who is coming off a career-high 31 points on Tuesday against CWU, leads the team with 14.5 points per game and 6.6 rebounds per game. Tubbs is a premier 3-point shooter at 43.0 percent from the arc, and she has started all 20 games for the 'Hawks this year.
 
McKenna Walker is another big scorer for NNU, ranking second on the team with 11.4 points per game. Walker also shoots better than 40 percent from the arc, checking in at 40.3 to complement Tubbs.
 
Averaging 11.2 points per game, Danielle Jardine does the heavy lifting under the basket as she shoots 60.6 percent from the floor. Jardine is also second on the team with 5.1 rebounds per game, and she is averaging 18.4 minutes off the bench.
 
Marina Valles runs the offense with a team-high 3.1 assists per game, while also ranking fourth on the team in scoring with 9.3 points.
 
The Nighthawks hold a 79.4-67.6 scoring margin, and are out-rebounding their opponents 38.8-37.0. NNU is shooting 44.8 percent from the field overall, 36.6 percent from 3-point range, and 74.0 percent from the free-throw line.
 
The Series: The 'Jackets are 17-12 all-time against the Nighthawks, and have a 6-8 record in games played in Nampa, Idaho. The teams have split the last eight games in the series, but NNU has claimed three consecutive victories.
 
Last Time Out: MSUB struggled with a shooting percentage of just 28.1 on the night, while Tubbs had 18 points and Jardine contributed 16 in the win for NNU. Breen led the 'Jackets with a 16-point, 18-rebound double-double.