MONMOUTH, Ore. – Shariah Green posted 21 points and led Western Oregon University to a 64-56 win over Montana State University Billings in Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's basketball Saturday afternoon at New P.E. Building in Monmouth. The Yellowjackets gained the upper hand for a brief moment early in the third quarter but ultimately failed to slow Western Oregon's offense as the Wolves shot 44-percent from the field, well above their season average.
 
"Western Oregon played very hard tonight and deserved to win," said MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin. "We struggled offensively all afternoon. When that happens and you get out-rebounded, the result is almost inevitably a loss. Those were the things that really hurt us today."
 
Along with Green, Keyonna Jones was also a top contributor with 15 points, four assists, and three rebounds for WOU. The Wolves out-rebounded the 'Jackets 46-36.
 
MSU Billings (8-7, 3-3 GNAC) dropped to 1-1 on the road trip with two more games in Alaska to play next weekend. Western Oregon (5-8, 2-4 GNAC) improved two positions in the conference table and is in a tie for seventh place, one game behind MSUB in sixth.
 
The Yellowjackets played without injured starters Hannah Collins and Emily St. John and despite the loss, saw several players with positive performances. Jeanann Lemelin led the offense with 17 points and four rebounds after putting up a career high 20 points Thursday night against Concordia. Taylor Cunningham finished with nine points, five rebounds, and Danielle Zahn had nine points along with one rebound in her first start of the year at guard. Taryn Shelley narrowly missed her seventh double-double after recording eight points and 10 rebounds for MSUB.
 
"We need to keep working hard and figure out how to put together back-to-back conference wins," Woodin said. "So far that has been something we've struggled to do. I believe we will get there if we keep doing the right things."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: The Yellowjacket shot 34-percent in the first half and began the game with a 10-2 run with early 3-pointers from Cunningham and Lemelin. Western Oregon fought back to a 13-11 deficit by the end of the first quarter and controlled much of the second after cashing in on fast break chances. Taryn Shelley managed six points and had a pair of smooth jump hooks to keep MSUB within range of the tie.
 
Danielle Zahn scored seven points in the first half after earning her first start of the season. The Wolves shot 36-percent in the opening 20 minutes with 11 points from Green.
 
MSUB trailed by a thin margin for most of the third quarter as WOU continued to shoot north of 40-percent. Shayla Montague made the scoresheet with a pair of 3-pointers and Shelley edged closer to a double-double after collecting her 10th rebound. The Wolves led 47-42 heading into the final 10 minutes.
 
The teams then traded chances early in the fourth. Lemelin got the 'Jackets back to within six after a steal and a spin-around layup with four minutes, 34 seconds left in the game. Coming out of a timeout, WOU stemmed the momentum with points in the paint from Olivia Denton and a 4-0 run to take a 10-point lead with three minutes remaining.
 
Cunningham led MSUB's final push with a finger-roll and Montague scored from the top of the arc on the following possession but the Wolves continued to score and kept the 'Jackets at bay 62-56 with 49 seconds on the game clock. Green missed a pair of free throws with 25-seconds left, but the Yellowjackets ran out of time in their bid for a road comeback.
 
The Yellowjackets shot 29-percent (18-for-61) overall and 8-for-25 (32-percent) from 3-point range. MSUB led by as many as eight with three minutes, 45 seconds to play in the opening quarter.
 
Western Oregon shot 44-percent (24-for-55) and 1-for-10 (10-percent) from beyond the arc. The Wolves frequent trips to the free throw line and connected on 15 of 24 attempts (62.5-percent). WOU also received 42 bench points compared to 11 for the 'Jackets.
 
THE BUZZ: Danielle Zahn posted nine points in her first start of the season to earn St. Vincent Healthcare player of the game. Zahn played 30 minutes and collected one rebound…MSUB plays University of Alaska in Fairbanks on Thursday, January 16 at 7 p.m. local time.