BILLINGS, Mont. – Pearle Green converted a last-second layup on Saturday night at Alterowitz Gym, giving the University of Alaska its first Great Northwest Athletic Conference victory of the year with a 61-59 triumph over the shorthanded Montana State University Billings women's basketball team.
 
Green's wide-open look in transition came after Destiny Reimers ripped down a rebound amid five crashing Yellowjackets, and then emerged with her head up to toss the long pass forward to the Nanook freshman. Alaska's final make of the night left 2.9 seconds on the clock, but a shot by Skylar Patton at the buzzer – which drew contact from Alaska's Olivia Kraska – was off the mark as the visitors escaped with the victory.
 
"Fairbanks played a great game and deserved to win," said MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin. "They executed much better than us in the last couple minutes and that was the difference in the game."
 
Taryn Shelley completed her fifth double-double of the season and the 23rd of her career, as the Yellowjackets continuously fed her the ball on a night where they were limited to just eight players due to health and safety protocol. Shelley made 8 of 23 shots and 5 of 6 free throws on her way to 21 points, while hauling in 11 boards and blocking a pair of shots.
 
Patton finished with a season-high 16 points on 4-for-10 shooting, while adding four rebounds and a pair of steals. Dyauni Boyce scored 10 points, had six rebounds, and chipped in a career-best four steals.
 
MSUB endured a 2-for-21 night from 3-point range – its second-worst perimeter shooting game of the season – and shot a season-low 27.9 percent overall in the game (19-for-68). The 'Jackets also struggled from the foul line, despite their most trips this season, making just 19 of 30 shots (63.3 percent). MSUB snapped a four-game winning streak, moving to 12-9 overall and 6-3 in conference play with the defeat. "Offensively, we struggled all night," Woodin said. "We missed multiple shots we usually make and we were awful from the 3-point line. Our spacing on the court wasn't good and we didn't convert from the free-throw line, especially in the fourth quarter."
 
Reimers made 6 of 11 shots and finished with a 20-point, 11-rebound double-double to pace the Nanooks. Kraska wound up with 13 points and six boards, while Green reached double figures with 10 points on 4-for-8 shooting. Emma Wass chipped in seven points and six rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench, and Alaska improved to 2-11 overall and 1-7 in conference play with the win.
 
The Yellowjackets faced an uphill battle from the start, as Alaska out-scored them 17-9 through the opening quarter and led until a Shelley layup knotted the score at 42-42 at the end of the third quarter. Patton led a late push that gave the 'Jackets a six-point lead with 4:02 to go in the game, draining a trey and converting a fastbreak layup after a steal on consecutive possessions.
 
Reimers scored four straight points however, before Kraska scored the team's next five capped off by a jumper at the 1:06 mark to put Alaska ahead 59-58. Shelley hauled in a rebound on a missed shot with 38 seconds to go, and the 'Jackets got a good look at a go-ahead shot on their final possession of the night. The 3-point try by Aspen Giese from the wing was off the mark however, leading to Reimers' rebound and assist to Green for the winner.
 
Alaska shot 37.7 percent in the game (23-for-61), including a mark of 5-for-19 from long range (26.3 percent). The Nanooks also took advantage of limited trips to the foul line, going 10-for-13 on the night (76.9 percent).
 
Danielle Zahn matched her career high with seven assists, while Giese had five points, five assists, six rebounds, a block, and a steal. Freshman Chloe Williams had a season-high six rebounds, and Shannon Reny and Natalie Andreas had five and three boards, respectively. The teams finished even on the glass at 45-45, and Alaska won despite committing 20 turnovers while MSUB limited its giveaways to 10.
 
THE BUZZ: Shelley was selected as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…Saturday was the first meeting of the year between the teams…MSUB is now 58-15 all-time against Alaska and is 29-4 in games played at Alterowitz Gym.
 
COMING UP: The teams meet again in a makeup game on Sunday, with a 1 p.m. tipoff scheduled at Alterowitz Gym. Live video will be available online here and live statistics will be available online here. "We need to regroup and play well tomorrow," Woodin said. "This one really stings but tomorrow is a new day and I believe we will respond appropriately."