BILLINGS, Mont. – After a successful week on the road, the Montana State University Billings women's basketball team returns to Alterowitz Gym Wednesday night to host crosstown rival Rocky Mountain College.
 
Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m., and it will be the first game of a doubleheader with the MSUB and RMC men's teams. Live video will be available online here and live statistics will be available online here. Per Great Northwest Athletic Conference mandate, no fans are allowed at home MSUB basketball games in the 2021 spring season.
 
MSUB (2-1) is coming off its most exciting game of the season, as it defeated Lewis-Clark State College 82-81 in overtime on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer off the hand of junior Addison Gardner. The dramatic victory came after a 67-61 setback the night before against the Warriors, as MSUB salvaged a season split over the four games against LC State this year. "I think it shows that we are really good at overcoming adversity," junior guard Skylar Patton said when asked what it meant for her team to rally to win after losing the night before. "We made some adjustments after the first game, and came out stronger. We just had to fight for it."


 
The 'Jackets won their other game last week, edging Rocky 70-68 last Wednesday in a hard-fought battle at the Fortin Center. Wednesday is the second and final scheduled meeting between the teams this season. "We were fortunate to come out on top last Wednesday," said Yellowjacket head coach Kevin Woodin. "We got down early, and we had to scramble to come out of there with a win. They played a great game and were very motivated, and I know they'll be ready this week."
 
GARDNER GARNERS GNAC HONOR: Gardner's heroic shot was good enough to earn her GNAC Player of the Week honors, the first of her career and the first for any MSUB athlete during the 2020-21 academic year. The game-winning shot was the junior's fifth 3-pointer of the night, as she finished with a career-high 17 points on her way to icing the win for the 'Jackets. "It was an emotional moment, and we were just so happy to get the win especially like that," Patton said regarding Gardner's shot. "Leadership wise she does great. She definitely helps me going through plays, always reminding me where to go and always encouraging me."
 
FLOOR GENERAL PATTON: New to the program after spending her first two collegiate seasons at Gillette College, Patton is quickly finding her way at the point guard position. Her 12 points in the win over LC State were her most so far this year, and she was entrusted with the ball on the game-winning play coming out of a timeout. "Addison was hot the whole game, so coach drew up a play trying to get her open," Patton commented on the final play of the game. "We kind of knew the defense was going to collapse a lot in the last second. I knew that's who I was going to be looking for, and I knew she was going to be ready to hit it."
 
SHELLEY SHOOTING WELL: Junior forward Taryn Shelley is off to a productive start to the season, leading the team with 21.3 points per game and a field-goal percentage of 63.6. She is also the team's top rebounder averaging 8.0 boards per game. Her production remained steady in the two exhibition games last week, as she totaled 29 points and 18 rebounds in the two contests against the Warriors.
 
KUNKEL EMERGING INTO LEADER: Junior Cariann Kunkel played 76 of 85 minutes in the two tough games at LC State, scoring 26 points and adding 11 rebounds and 10 assists. She has started all five of the team's games (including exhibitions), while ranking second on the team in scoring with 10.0 points per game.
 
BOYCE REACHES DOUBLE FIGURES TWICE: Freshman Dyauni Boyce had two of her best offensive performances to date, scoring 10 points in the win over Rocky and adding 14 more in the victory over LC State. Boyce has seen action in every game this season with one start, and she ranks third on the team with 8.7 points per game.
 
NELSON BIG ON BOARDS: Freshman Kortney Nelson reached double figures in rebounding in both exhibition games last weekend, giving her three overall games this season achieving that mark. She had a dozen boards to lead all players in the loss to the Warriors, before adding 10 more in the victory to go along with seven points. On the year, she ranks second on the team behind Shelley with an average of 7.3 rebounds per game.
 
Rocky Mountain College Battlin' Bears
Wednesday, February 17 – 5 PM – Billings Montana
 
The Bears enter Wednesday's game with a record of 1-8 overall on the season. The team's last contest was last week's narrow loss to the Yellowjackets, as its two scheduled games against Montana Tech last weekend were canceled.
 
"They came out a lot more aggressive than we expected, so in the game coming up we need to be the aggressor," Patton said regarding the matchup against the Bears a week ago. "We need to set the tone more for ourselves instead of letting the other team set the tone for us. That's definitely something we should focus on for the game Wednesday."