OAKLAND, Calif. – The reigning Great Northwest Athletic Conference Team of the Week is headed to Tobin Gymnasium this weekend, as the Montana State University Billings women's basketball team gets set for the Holy Names Classic.
 
The Yellowjackets (2-1) take on tournament host Holy Names University at 2 p.m. Pacific/3 p.m. Mountain time on Friday afternoon, before facing San Francisco State University on Saturday with a noon Pacific/1 p.m. Mountain time tipoff. Live video and live statistics for this weekend's games will be available online here.
 
"We are excited to hit the road for two important west region games," said MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin. "I was pleased overall with how we played in our Tip Off tourney and believe we have some momentum as we head to California. The competition last week in Billings was very good. I really liked how we executed on offense and defense in the final quarter of all three games."
 
MSUB began its season with wins over Minot State University and Kutztown University, which sandwiched a narrow 67-61 loss to two-time reigning national champion No. 1 Lubbock Christian University at last week's D2CCA Tip Off Classic at the Trailhead. This weekend presents MSUB with unfamiliar foes, as it will be the second-ever game against Holy Names and the first in program history against San Francisco State. "We do not know much about our opponents," Woodin said. "They have not played yet this year and did not play a year ago. We are more focused on how our team is playing and executing. We need to foul less on defense and limit our turnovers on offense. Those are two areas we have identified as concerns for us at this time and we hope to improve on both areas."
 
This weekend marks the first road trip of the regular season for MSUB, which returns home next week to host South Dakota Mines on Nov. 20 and Carroll College on Nov. 21. "It is hard to win in California," said Woodin. "The teams in general play an up-tempo brand of basketball and we will need to be focused in order to come out on top. We need to continue to get the ball inside and force the defense to react to us. Defensively, it is critical we get better on the defensive glass as it directly leads to transition opportunities on offense."
 
SHELLEY GARNERS POTW HONOR: After putting together an all-tournament team performance in the first three games of her senior season, MSUB forward Taryn Shelley was recognized as the GNAC Player of the Week. It was the second-career weekly conference award for Shelley, who averaged 18.7 points and 9.0 rebounds in MSUB's three games. She notched her first double-double of the year and the 19th of her MSUB career, posting 14 points and 11 rebounds in the loss to Lubbock Christian.
 
KUNKEL EARNS ALL-TOURNEY: Junior Cariann Kunkel was the Yellowjackets' other all-tournament selection last week, after rallying the team to victory in the finale against Kutztown. Kunkel averaged 12.0 points and 6.0 rebounds in the opening weekend of her season, while making 12 of 21 field goals (57.1 percent) and chipping in 10 assists.
 
ZAHN STRONG IN RETURN: Bouncing back from a major injury last spring, third-year sophomore Danielle Zahn ran the point effectively in all three games for the 'Jackets last week. Zahn averaged 24.3 minutes per game, while leading the team with 14 assists and chipping in 2.8 points and 2.0 rebounds. Zahn also hit a team-high six 3-pointers, and posted a red-hot mark of 54.5 percent from the arc to begin her season strongly.
 
NELSON INTO DOUBLE FIGURES FOR FIRST TIME: Second-year freshman Kortney Nelson reached double figures in scoring for the first time in her career, as she was a perfect 5-for-5 from the field for 10 points against No. 1 Lubbock Christian. Nelson also cleaned up the boards with 6.0 rebounds per game on opening weekend, while chipping in seven assists and three steals.
 
GIESE, ANDREAS, WILLIAMS MAKE OFFICIAL DEBUTS: Although all three of MSUB's new players saw time in the team's exhibition games, sophomore Natalie Andreas and true freshmen Aspen Giese and Chloe Williams each saw their first official NCAA games last week. Andreas provided a strong four points and four rebounds in 10 key minutes off the bench in the Kutztown game, and Giese scored her first collegiate points from the foul line in the contest as well.
 

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Holy Names University Hawks
Friday, November 12, 2021 – 2 PM (PST) – Tobin Gym – Oakland, California
2021-22 Record: 0-0
Head Coach: Dave Covell, 8th season
2020-21 Record: 0-0
2019-20 Record: 1-25, 1-21 PacWest Conference
 
Holy Names was kept away from the hardwood in 2019-20 due to the pandemic, with the team's last action coming during the 2019-20 season. The Hawks went 1-25 and 1-21 in PacWest Conference play in their most recent season on the court.
 
Eryn Taylor, who is redshirting during the 2021-22 campaign, is the lone player on HNU's roster who was on the team during the 2019-20 campaign.
 
The Series: The Yellowjackets won the only previous meeting between the teams, claiming a 96-57 triumph on Nov. 11, 2017 in San Francisco.
 

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San Francisco State University Gators
Saturday, November 13 – 12 PM (PST) – Tobin Gym – Oakland, California
2021-22 Record: 0-0
Head Coach: Natasha Smith (4th season)
2020-21 Record: 0-0
2019-20 Record: 1-24, 1-21 California Collegiate Athletic Association
 
Like the Hawks, the Gators had the entirety of their 2020-21 season canceled due to the pandemic and were last on the court during the 2019-20 campaign. SF State went 1-24 overall and was 1-21 in California Collegiate Athletic Association play.
 
Fourth-year head coach Natasha Smith has five returners from the 2019-20 team, with Muirae Gomez (11.6 ppg) and Taimane Lesa-Hardee (11.5 ppg) being the top scorers. Lesa Hardee also led the team with 57 assists and 42 steals, while senior returner Ashley Hart was second on the squad with 36 assists two seasons ago.
 
The Series: Saturday's game will be the first-ever meeting between the Division II opponents.