BILLINGS, Mont. – After splitting a pair of home games against two challenging opponents last week, Montana State University Billings women's basketball gets back to work on the road Thursday as they prepare to visit Concordia University and Western Oregon University Saturday. On paper, both matchups favor the 'Jackets, but winning away from home in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference is never an easy task.
 
"Life on the road in the GNAC is always challenging," commented MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin. "Both Concordia and Western Oregon play tough at home so we will need to be on top of our game this week. It is important we limit turnovers and execute in the half court offensively. Defensively we are improved and I believe we are more connected on the court as of late."
 
Both games of the trip will feature live streaming and statistics through links on the MSUB women's basketball schedule page. The Yellowjackets play Concordia on January 9 at 5:15 p.m. local time. Western Oregon hosts an afternoon matinee at 2 p.m. Saturday in Monmouth.
 
MSU Billings (7-6, 2-2) is in a three-way tie for fourth place in the GNAC standings following a 63-45 win over Central Washington last Thursday and an 80-48 loss to Northwest Nazarene last Saturday. Thursday marked the MSUB's most comprehensive victory of the year. Shayla Montague led the squad with 16 points and four 3-pointers. Hannah Collins also pitched in 15 points but team defense ultimately made the difference. The Yellowjackets caused 19 Wildcat turnovers and seized 10 steals in the win.
 
Their momentum failed to carry over Saturday. NNU jumped out to a 13-0 lead and reprimanded the Yellowjackets by 32 points, thanks to a 21-point performance by Spaniard Marina Valles. Collins, the 'Jackets starting point guard was notably absent due to injury and no time-table was set on her return, though coach Woodin is hopeful for a quick recovery.
 
"Last week was the tale of two cities for us," Woodin said. "We played extremely well on Thursday and then not so well on Saturday. Our team continues to be a work in progress. We need to be more consistent on both ends of the floor and throughout each game."

Coach Woodin's starting lineup in Portland Thursday night is anyone's guess. Nine different players have been on the court for opening tip-off this season and remarkably, 14 players have recorded 50 or more minutes, making this year's product a full-team effort.
 
"Depth has been a key for us recently," said Woodin. "It seems like someone new is giving us quality minutes each game. I think being deeper will help us down the road and hopefully we can get healthy again soon."
 
Thursday, Montague took the lead. The game before, Taryn Shelley posted a double-double. At 14.1 points per game, Collins scores most often but the 'Jackets have had different contributors on a nightly basis this season.
 
Within the conference, the Yellowjackets rank eighth in scoring offense (62.5 ppg), fifth in defense (63.9 ppg allowed), fourth in free throw percentage (.704), sixth in 3-point percentage (.323), and ninth in rebounding margin (-2.2). The Yellowjackets were among others receiving votes in the latest D2SIDA West Region Rankings.
 
THE ANCHOR: Senior captain Jeanann Lemelin is the only player to start every game this season and averages 28.0 minutes per contest. Lemelin scored 12 points in the loss to Northwest Nazarene and had four steals. Her 1.8 steals per game ranks seventh best in the GNAC. At 8.0 points per game, Lemelin is ahead of her 2018-19 pace with similar numbers so far in rebounds (3.0 rpg) and assists (2.6). She scored a season high 16 points in the November 18 matchup against Corban University.
 
SHELLEY DOES IT ALL: Sophomore Taryn Shelley continues to be a player to watch for the Yellowjackets on both ends of the floor. Shelley has five double-doubles this season and ranks second in points (11.0 ppg), first in rebounds (7.5 rpg), and sixth in minutes (279). On defense she leads the team and ranks tied for third in the GNAC with 18 blocks (1.4 blocks per game). A formidable force in the low post, Shelley has marked seven points in each of the last two outings. She also pulled down eight rebounds Thursday night. She was named all-conference honorable mention as a true freshman last season.
 
Scouting Concordia University
Thursday, January 9 – 5:15 p.m. LT – Portland, Oregon – Cavalier Court
2019-20 Record: 3-10, 2-3 GNAC, 1-4 home, 1-2 away, 1-4 neutral
2018-19 Record: 16-13, 11-9 GNAC, 7-4 home, 7-6 away, 2-3 neutral
Head Coach: Sean Kelly (6^th season)
 
The Cavaliers never trailed in a 54-43 Great Northwest Athletic Conference win over Western Oregon University Tuesday night. Concordia also suffered a pair of setbacks last week with losses to Simon Fraser University 56-45 last Thursday and Western Washington University 88-41 last Saturday.
 
Junior guard Olivia Vazaldenos leads CU with 12.2 points per game to go with 2.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists. Last season, Vazaldenos scored a career high 28 points against Western Washington with one double-double and was named GNAC freshman of the year.
 
Junior forward Riley Friauf scores at a rate of 9.7 points per game with a team leading 6.0 rebounds and 0.5 assists. Other regular starters include junior guard Abby Aplaca (5.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg), freshman guard Mady Simmelink (4.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg), and freshman guard/forward Dorcas Wu (8.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg).
 
The Cavaliers score 56.8 points per game while allowing 68.3 points to opponents. CU is alone in seventh place in the GNAC standings, one game ahead of Saint Martin's, Alaska, and Seattle Pacific.
 
Matchup: MSUB is 6-3 all-time against CU, and is 2-2 in games played in Portland. Concordia swept the season series against the 'Jackets last season.
 
Scouting Western Oregon University
Saturday, January 11 – 2 p.m. LT – Monmouth, Oregon –New P.E. Building
2019-20 Record: 4-8, 1-4 GNAC, 3-4 home, 1-3 away, 0-1 neutral
2018-19 Record: 8-18, 5-15 GNAC, 4-8 home, 3-9 away, 1-1 neutral
Head Coach: Holli Howard-Carpenter (6^th season)
 
The Wolves slipped to last place in the GNAC with a loss at Concordia Tuesday night, despite playing well defensively in the game. Keyonna Jones reached double figures in scoring for the first time since December 16 and finished with a team-high 11 points, three rebounds, and two assists. She was one of two Wolves to score at least 10, along with the 10 points of Shariah Green on 4-for-9 shooting. Green added six rebounds and an assist.
 
Jones (Jr., Bothell, Washington) leads WOU this season with 10.6 points per game, along with 3.3 rebounds, 31 assists, and 11 steals. Green (Sr., Hillsboro, Oregon) is the only player to start all 12 games and has posted 9.9 points per game, 4.8 rebounds, and nine steals.
 
Other starters include sophomore guard Tresai McCarver (8.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg), freshman guard Cali McClave (7.1 ppg, 3.8 rpg), and sophomore guard Rachel Rogers (6.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg).
 
Matchup: The Yellowjackets are 27-7 all-time against WOU since 1999. MSUB won both games last season against the Wolves, including an 80-70 triumph on the road in February, 2019.