OAKLAND, Calif. – All 13 players in the Montana State University Billings women's basketball program scored on Friday at Tobin Gymnasium, and the Yellowjackets cruised to a 88-58 thumping of host Holy Names University at the Holy Names Classic.
 
Four Yellowjackets reached double figures in scoring, 11 different players recorded at least one rebound, and 10 different players had at least one assist in the remarkably well-balanced effort. "It took us a bit to adjust at the beginning of the game, just because the up-tempo style is a little different," said MSUB associate head coach Alisha Breen. "Once we settled in our defense led into easy transition points. It was really neat to see how well we shared the ball. I challenged them defensively and they did a really good job of limiting Holy Names to low-percentage shots."
 
MSUB (3-1) led 51-38 at halftime and never looked back, blowing the game open with a 21-9 third quarter that sealed the victory. Addison Gardner hit three 3-pointers in the first half and finished with 14 points, while Cariann Kunkel went 7-for-7 to match Gardner with 14 points. "We adjusted really well, and our point guards did a good job leading the break," Breen said. "It is big for us because it is a regional win, and it was good to see a different style of play. Now we have a quick turn around with a good team that beat Simon Fraser today, and we have to be ready to go."
 
Danielle Zahn was a perfect 5-for-5 from the floor – including 2-for-2 from long range – and finished with 13 points, four rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Dyauni Boyce also reached double figures in scoring with 10 points, while adding five boards as she missed her collegiate high in scoring by just one point.
 
True freshman Aspen Giese made the most of 14 minutes off the bench, making 4 of 9 shots for eight points while adding four rebounds. Skylar Patton led the team with four assists, while Taryn Shelley had a team-high six rebounds in a night where MSUB dominated the glass 38-17.
 
Shayla Montague hit 4 of 9 shots for nine points, and Kortney Nelson added five points, two rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 21 productive minutes off the bench. Natalie Andreas, Shannon Reny, and Marie Five each made a field goal, and Chloe Williams scored the first points of her collegiate career as she converted her lone shot attempt.
 
Holy Names, which played its first game since March of 2020, was led by Jayden Benitez who scored 16 points on 6-for-10 shooting including a 3-for-3 mark from behind the arc. Dylan Benitez scored nine points and had a team-best four rebounds, while Chantel Williams added eight points and Jazmine Soto had seven. "We came into the game knowing nothing about Holy Names, and they had a whole new group," Breen commented on the opposition, which had zero returning players from its 2019-20 season. "We talked about doing what we do best – playing as a team – and that's exactly what we did."
 
The Hawks (0-1) shot 41.7 percent overall (20-for-48), 8-for-18 from long range (44.4 percent), and made 10 of 16 free throws (62.5 percent). HNU suffered from 20 turnovers which led to 28 points off turnovers for MSUB.
 
The Yellowjackets shot 55.4 percent (36-for-65) overall, 44.4 percent from 3-point range (8-for-18), and made 8 of 14 free throws (57.1 percent). MSUB committed a season-low 10 turnovers, while posting season highs of 18 assists and 11 steals.
 
The Hawks hung around through the first quarter, trailing just 24-18 after the first 10 minutes of play. A three by Isabella Tinoco to start the second quarter made it a one-possession ballgame, but after that the 'Jackets made 12 of 21 shots en route to their highest-scoring quarter of the season with 27 points. An 8-1 push by MSUB to open the third quarter made it a 20-point game, and the lead stayed in double figures the rest of the afternoon.
 
THE BUZZ: Boyce was selected as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…MSUB is now 2-0 all-time against Holy Names…the 11 steals were the most by MSUB since Nov. 13, 2019 in a 60-42 loss to Black Hills State.
 
NEXT UP: The 'Jackets are back in action on Saturday, with a noon Pacific/1 p.m. Mountain time tipoff against San Francisco State University which beat fellow Great Northwest Athletic Conference school Simon Fraser University 83-68 earlier on Friday. Live video and live statistics for Saturday's game will be available online here.