ABERDEEN, S.D. – Hitting the road over Thanksgiving weekend, the Montana State University Billings women's basketball team is set for a pair of games at the Dacotah Bank Classic hosted by Northern State University.
 
The Yellowjackets (5-2) take on tournament host Northern State University on Friday evening at 6 p.m. Central/5 p.m. Mountain, before facing Minnesota State Moorhead on Saturday at 1 p.m. Central/noon Mountain. Both games will feature live video available online here and live statistics available online here.
 
"We are looking forward to playing at the Northern State tourney," MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin said. "I have heard good things about their game environment and they are a quality team. They have great size and are an experienced team who traditionally plays very well at home. This will be our fourth consecutive week of back-to-back weekend games. The challenge on the second game becomes your own execution since you don't have the same amount of time to prepare for your opponent. It will be exciting to play teams we don't normally play and our team is looking forward to the road trip."
 
Friday will be just the third meeting between the Yellowjackets and Wolves, with NSU taking wins on Nov. 18, 2016 and Dec. 28, 1979. It will be the fifth all-time meeting against MSU Moorhead and the first in a decade as the Dragons won the last encounter 78-71 on Nov. 26, 2011 in Billings.
 
The Yellowjackets will return to Alterowitz Gym next week for the beginning of Great Northwest Athletic Conference play, as they host Northwest Nazarene on Dec. 2 and Central Washington on Dec. 4.
 
MSUB is coming off a split in a pair of home games last week, as the 'Jackets trounced South Dakota Mines 81-44 last Saturday before a 70-53 setback against NAIA No. 6 Carroll College on Sunday. "We are a young but talented team," said Woodin. "Our shooting has been inconsistent so far this year. I would like us to establish an inside presence first on offense and then adjust to what our opponent is doing defensively. We have had a couple of games where our perimeter shooting has left us and when that happens, we need to find other ways to score. Defensively, I feel we are improved from a year ago. Our team depth has been a strength of ours all season, but I would like to see us compete more on the defensive glass."
 
'JACKETS LOOK TO KEEP SUCCESS ON THE ROAD: MSUB won both of its games away from Billings this season, topping Holy Names 88-58 on Nov. 12 and beating San Francisco State 64-51 in a neutral site game the following day in Oakland, Calif. "We had our poorest shooting performance in our last game," Woodin said, referring to the team's 1-for-17 mark from 3-point range in Sunday's loss to the Saints. "It is important to find a balance offensively and be more consistent. We need to get to the foul line more, as our free-throw percentage is excellent but our attempts per game is too low. Our team has the ability to be effective in more than one style of play. In South Dakota, we need to find combinations that will work and play to our potential. If we do that, I think we have a great chance to have another 2-0 road trip."
 
MSUB DOMINANT ON THE GLASS: Despite being out-rebounded for the first time this year (33-32) against Carroll, MSUB continues to hold the top rebounding margin in the GNAC at plus-13.4 through its first seven games of the season. The Yellowjackets are averaging 39.6 rebounds per game while giving up just 26.1, and have out-rebounded their opposition by 20 or more in three of their last four contests.
 
KUNKEL MAINTAINS SHOOTING EFFICIENCY: Junior Cariann Kunkel reached double figures in scoring in both games last week, and ranks second on the team with 11.4 points per game. Kunkel is shooting 62.7 percent from the floor this season, ranking her fourth among the early GNAC leaders. Kunkel has made 20 of her last 30 shots over the last four games, and she also ranks second on the team with 6.1 rebounds per game.
 
SHELLEY LEADS THE WAY: Senior forward Taryn Shelley is the team's leader in points per game with 12.1 and rebounds per game with 7.3 through the first seven games of the year. Shelley is shooting 51.3 percent from the floor and also leads the team with eight blocked shots.
 
ZAHN MATCHES CAREER HIGH: Sophomore guard Danielle Zahn matched her career high with 14 points in the win over South Dakota Mines, making 6 of 8 shots including a pair of threes. She also came within one of her personal best with six assists, while adding three steals in a productive performance.
 
ANDREAS HAS FIRST HIGHLIGHT GAME: Newcomer Natalie Andreas had her first breakout game in a Yellowjacket uniform, scoring 11 points in 15 strong minutes off the bench in the loss to Carroll. Andreas made 5 of 7 field goals while adding in a pair of assists, a block, and a steal.
 
GIESE REACHES SEASON HIGH: True freshman Aspen Giese reached her highest point total of the season, scoring nine on 4-for-6 shooting in the win over SDM. Giese also had a season-high five rebounds, as she contributed 15 effective minutes off the bench.
 
"We have been working on fundamentals and trying to improve our timing on some of our offensive sets," Woodin said. "We also watched some game film together which is always good for us and found time to work on some late game situations. Executing down the stretch in close games is critical."
 

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Northern State University Wolves
Friday, November 26 – 6 PM (Central) – Wachs Arena – Aberdeen, South Dakota
2021-22 Record: 3-1
Head Coach: Paula Krueger (4th season)
2020-21 Record: 5-9, 4-8 NSIC
 
The Wolves are off to a 3-1 start this winter and enter Friday's game against the 'Jackets on a three-game winning streak. NSU defeated MSU Moorhead 66-48 on Tuesday, marking its fourth straight road game. Like the Yellowjackets, NSU's only defeat this season has come at the hands of a nationally ranked opponent in a 79-60 loss to No. 6 Central Missouri on Nov. 12. NSU will host Michigan Tech on Saturday after playing the Yellowjackets.
 
Lexi Roe is the Wolves' leading scorer with 14.8 points per game, while Rianna Fillipi adds 13.0 points, Laurie Rogers adds 11.5, and Haley Johnson is scoring 11.0 to round out the quartet of double-figure scorers. Rogers and Kailee Oliverson co-lead the team with 6.8 rebounds per game, while Fillipi is averaging 4.25 assists per game through the first two weeks of the year.
 
NSU is out-scoring its opposition 71.0-67.0 and holds a 37.8-31.3 edge in rebounding. The team shoots 41.9 percent overall, 28.3 percent from 3-point range, and 72.4 percent from the foul line.
 
The Series: MSUB is 0-2 all-time against NSU, but this will be the first-ever meeting in Aberdeen.
 
Last Time Out: The Wolves won narrowly 72-67 on Nov. 16, 2016, breaking a nearly 40-year silence in dating back to the first game in the series on Dec. 28, 1979.
 

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Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragons
Saturday, November 27 – 1 PM (Central) – Wachs Arena – Aberdeen, South Dakota
2021-22 Record: 0-3
Head Coach: Karla Nelson, 21st season
2020-21 Record: 7-6, 6-4 NSIC
 
The 66-48 loss to NSU on Tuesday was the third in-a-row for the Dragons to start the season, as they fell 85-63 against Rogers State on Nov. 12 before a 73-53 setback against No. 6 Central Missouri the following day. MSU Moorhead takes on Michigan Tech on Friday afternoon before Saturday's game against the Yellowjackets.
 
Three Dragons are averaging in double figures so far, with Natalie Jens leading the way at 13.3 points per game. Peyton Boom averages 11.5 points and is shooting 45.8 percent overall, while Mariah McKeever is averaging 10.7 points per game. Paige Thompson is the team's top rebounder at 6.0 boards per game, and Natalie Steichen is averaging 3.3 assists.
 
The Dragons have been out-scored 74.7-54.7 and out-rebounded 35.3-31.7 through the first three games of the year. The team shoots 34.3 percent overall, 16.1 percent from the arc, and 68.8 percent from the foul line.
 
The Series: MSU Moorhead holds a 3-1 all-time advantage over MSUB, and won the lone neutral site game between the teams on Nov. 16, 2007.
 
Last Time Out: This will be the first meeting in exactly a decade, with MSU Moorhead winning 78-71 on Nov. 26, 2011 in a game at Alterowitz Gym.