Box Score HONOLULU – Excelling late for a 73-64 victory on Friday afternoon in the 2022-23 season opener, the Montana State University Billings women's basketball team pushed past host Hawaii Pacific University in McCabe Gym at the Malika Sports Challenge.
 
Cariann Kunkel made 6 of 13 field goals and 6 of 7 free throws on her way to a team-high 18 points, while adding six rebounds in 32 minutes. Shayla Montague shot 6-for-11 and made a pair of threes on her way to 14 points, while adding four rebounds and three assists. Dyauni Boyce matched Kunkel for the team high in rebounding with six, while chipping in eight points. The Yellowjackets shot 45.8 percent in the game (27-for-59), while making 5 of 16 threes (31.3 percent) and 14 of 23 free throws (60.9 percent).
 
"I was really pleased with this season-opening win," said MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin. "Hawaii Pacific has been a really solid program this last decade, and to win in Hawaii against a quality opponent is a great start to our season."
 
"Offensively we started well tonight, and Shayla led us early," Woodin said. "It was a hard-fought first half, and I really liked our second quarter. Our defense really came around in the second quarter. Give them credit in the third – they made a run at us. I was most proud of the run we went on at the end of the third quarter to get the lead back to 10."
 
The Sharks (0-1) were led by Abby Spurgin who scored a game-high 19 points on 7-for-11 shooting and a 5-for-6 mark from the foul line. Spurgin also paced her team with seven rebounds, but the Sharks were out-rebounded by the Yellowjackets 36-33 in the game. HPU shot 37.5 percent overall (21-for-56), 33.3 percent from the 3-point line (7-for-21), and 68.2 percent from the free-throw line (15-for-22).
 
After the teams hustled their way to an 18-18 tie in the first quarter, the difference came in the form of a 16-8 push by the 'Jackets in the second to give them a 34-26 edge at halftime.
 
A three by Keona Loftis at the 3:58 mark in the third quarter brought the score to 40-37, as the Sharks cut it to a single possession game. MSUB responded with a crucial 10-2 run however to ensure it kept the lead.
 
MSUB dealt with another scare early in the fourth quarter, as the Sharks put together a 10-2 run of their own to get the score to 52-50. Aspen Giese drilled a huge corner trey with 6:38 to go in the game, pushing the Yellowjackets ahead by 10 at 60-50 amid the game-clinching run. Not only did the 'Jackets hold tough through the final buzzer, but they continued to build their lead which ballooned to 67-52 with 3:03 to go. "It was really balanced scoring tonight, and Shayla and Cariann were very good," Woodin said. "Skylar gave us some major minutes off the bench, and all in all it was a great team win. We are looking forward to playing Chaminade tomorrow."
 
THE BUZZ: Montague was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…the teams last met in the opening round of the 2018 NCAA West Region Championships, with the Yellowjackets claiming a 76-65 victory on their way to the regional crown…the Yellowjackets are now 4-2 all-time against Hawaii Pacific and are 3-2 in road matches…the 'Jackets won their season opener for the second year in-a-row.
 
NEXT UP: The Yellowjackets are back in action Saturday with a 1 p.m. tipoff against Chaminade as the Malika Sports Challenge continues. Live coverage for Saturday's game will be available online here.