ABERDEEN, S.D. – Leading from wire-to-wire on Saturday afternoon at Wachs Arena, Minnesota State University Moorhead out-paced the Montana State University Billings women's basketball team 69-60 in a neutral-site matchup on the final day of the Dacotah Bank Classic.
 
The Dragons' Peyton Boom led all players with a 21-point, 13-rebound double-double, while Mariah McKeever and Shyanne Loiland contributed 11 points apiece in their first win of the season. "Moorhead played very well today," said MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin. "We aren't shooting very well right now from the 3-point line, and it is putting a lot of stress on our offense. We also need to finish at a higher rate around the basket, and defensively we can improve. It is a long season, and it is important for us to regroup Monday and get ready for GNAC play."
 
Cariann Kunkel, who led MSUB with 19 points, made a layup to start the fourth quarter which cut the deficit to six points at 59-53. The Yellowjackets never got closer than that however, as MSU Moorhead's lead reached a game-high 14 points midway through the fourth and the comeback never materialized.
 
Kunkel made 5 of 9 shots and a season-high 9 of 11 free throws, but no other MSUB player reached double figures in scoring. Dyauni Boyce had a notable line of seven points and a team-high seven rebounds, but MSUB was out-boarded for the third straight game, 39-31. MSUB slipped to 5-4 on the season with the defeat.
 
MSU Moorhead (1-4), which entered the game ranked 288th among the 295 NCAA Division II women's basketball teams in 3-point field goal percentage at 18.2 percent, made 9 of 20 threes (45.0 percent) including a shocking 5-for-6 start from the arc that led to a 23-20 lead after the first quarter.
 
The Dragons maintained the hot shooting the rest of the game, finishing 26-for-57 (45.6 percent) while making 8 of 12 free throws (66.7 percent). MSUB meanwhile struggled to convert shots in its third straight defeat, making 18 of 53 overall (34.0 percent) and just 4 of 21 threes (19.0 percent). The 'Jackets took advantage of frequent trips to the free-throw line, making a season-high 20 of 24 foul shots (83.3 percent).
 
A trey by Natalie Jens at the 7:10 mark in the second quarter prompted Woodin to call timeout, with MSUB facing its largest deficit of the first half down 32-23. Neither team made a bucket over the next 3:16 of play, as both offenses endured lulls through the middle of the period.
 
Kunkel converted 5 of 6 free throws over the next three possessions, and the first trey of the game from Addison Gardner cut the spread to 34-31 with less than two minutes before halftime. After the teams traded buckets, Natalie Steichen connected on a buzzer-beating shot from two steps inside the half-court line to push MSU Moorhead in front 39-33 at the break.
 
Shayla Montague hit her first three coming out of a timeout in the third, helping the 'Jackets keep pace trailing 49-43 midway through the quarter. Boyce followed with a crucial sequence over the next three minutes of play, converting three straight buckets capped off by a three-point play that made it 55-50.
 
The 'Jackets couldn't get momentum going however, and the Dragons consistently answered as MSUB did not have consecutive buckets over the final 15 minutes of the game. Taryn Shelley finished with seven points and six rebounds, while Gardner led the team with three assists. The 'Jackets protected the ball well for the second straight game, with just six turnovers, but it wasn't enough to offset the poor shooting performance.
 
THE BUZZ: Boyce was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…Boyce was one rebound off her career high of eight, which she achieved on Feb. 27, 2021 against Rocky…Kunkel was two free throws away from her collegiate career high of 11, which she achieved on Jan. 20, 2020 during her career at Wenatchee Valley College…MSUB is now 1-4 all-time against MSU Moorhead and is 0-2 in neutral-site contests.
 
NEXT WEEK: Great Northwest Athletic Conference play awaits the Yellowjackets, who host Northwest Nazarene University next Thursday and Central Washington University next Saturday at Alterowitz Gym. Both games will start at 5:15 p.m. and will be the front end of doubleheaders with the MSUB men's basketball team. Live coverage will be available online here.