ORANGE, Calif. – Taryn Shelley impressed with 29 points and 15 rebounds but a late comeback effort by the Montana State University Billings women's basketball team came up short in a 67-65 loss to Cal Poly Pomona Saturday afternoon at Santiago College Gymnasium in non-conference women's basketball. The Yellowjackets outscored the Broncos 21-10 in the fourth quarter and came within one point of a tie after a 3-pointer by Jeanann Lemelin with 17 seconds to play, but two clutch free throws by Jackie Ricketson with 12 ticks left preserved the Broncos win.
 
"Today was another tough loss for us," said MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin. "I was proud of the way we fought back from a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter to have a chance to tie or win the game in the final seconds. Offensively, we did not shoot the ball well for most of the game, which factored in to why we have had such poor starts. We dug ourselves a hole again in the first quarter and it is important for us to figure that out. I feel that once we do, we'll have a better sense of team confidence and we will have the capability to be a very good team."
 
Shelley shot 12-for-16 including 3-for-6 from three point range and notched her first double-double of the season (seventh career), helping guide MSUB back into the game in the second half. Shelley added a pair of free-throws, two blocks, and one steal to her well-rounded performance. Freshman Shayla Montague made a difference off the bench on offense with 16 points on 4-for-10 shooting from beyond the arc. Montague also hauled in seven of MSUB's 40 rebounds.
 
"Taryn played a complete game and scored from a lot of different places on the court," Woodin said. "She was aggressive on the boards and put together a stellar all-around game. In the first half when we needed a spark, Shayla gave us some big minutes off the bench and had her best game to date, which was good to see."
 
Cal Poly Pomona spread out its scoring with four players in double figures. Kasey Smit shot 6-for-16 with three 3-pointers to total 15 points on the day. Lauryn Catching pitched in 12 points (4-for-10) while Jackie Ricketson and Jayda Villareal each had 10.
 
The Yellowjackets shot 28-percent (9-for-32) in the first half and allowed Cal Poly Pomona to shoot 39-percent (13-for-33), resulting in a 10-point halftime deficit. The second half saw a complete reversal with the 'Jackets out-shooting the Broncos 42-percent compared to 30-percent. Despite the second half surge in scoring, Cal Poly Pomona out-rebounded the 'Jackets 50-40, including 15 offensive boards. "Another area we need to improve is defensive rebounding," said Woodin. "Early in the game, we were getting beat on penetration and we sent our opponent to the line far too often."
 
Shelley scored at a 75-percent clip in the game, but the remainder of the 'Jacket starters combined to shoot 6-for-32 (19-percent). Montague knocked down four three pointers and the 'Jackets went 12-for-34 from downtown. Smit made three from long-range in contribution to CPP's seven three-pointer total. The Broncos led by as many as 21 in the third quarter before the 'Jackets cut it back to a one-point margin late in the fourth.
 
UP NEXT: The Yellowjackets (0-2) finish the tipoff classic Sunday at 10:45 a.m. with a game against Drury University (2-0). The Panthers lost just one game last season and made a trip to the Division II National semifinals.
 
"We have our hands full tomorrow with a great Drury team up next," Woodin said. "They really pressure you defensively and have tremendous depth. I really want to see our team continue to improve and get off to a better start. I believe these early games against difficult opponents will help prepare us for bigger games down the road. The next time we find ourselves in this position, we need to find a way to win."
 
THE BUZZ: Taryn Shelley was named St. Vincent Healthcare player of the game for the Yellowjackets after picking up her seventh career double-double...Follow MSUB women's basketball all season on msubsports.com and via twitter @MSUBWBB, using the hashtag #JacketBaskets.