HONOLULU – Commanding the game from start to finish on Saturday at McCabe Gymnasium, the Montana State University Billings women's basketball team cruised past Chaminade 85-43 on Day 2 of the Malika Sports Challenge.
 
The Yellowjackets (2-0) never trailed in the game, and 10 different players scored in the lopsided victory. "Today was a good team win for us," said MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin. "We really played fast, but we also spaced the floor much better than we did yesterday. Offensively we shared the ball quite well today. Defensively from the second quarter on we were very solid."
 
Dyauni Boyce led the way with 16 points and seven rebounds, as she made 6 of 8 field goals in 18 strong minutes of play. Freshman Bailee Sayler scored 12 points on 5-for-8 shooting, while Cariann Kunkel and Aspen Giese scored 10 points apiece for the 'Jackets.
 
MSUB shot 41.7 percent in the game (30-for-72), while hitting 9 of 27 threes (33.3 percent) and 16 of 17 free throws (94.1 percent). The Yellowjackets commanded a 41-29 advantage in rebounding, and committed just eight turnovers while forcing 26 by the Silverswords. "Everyone contributed, and I really liked the focus of our freshmen in the third and fourth quarters," Woodin said. "They got a chance to play together, and they did a nice job."
 
Olivia Crigler led Chaminade with 12 points, while Destiny Piekarski and Lile Hina Oyama tied for the team lead with five rebounds apiece. Chaminade shot just 29.5 percent in the game (13-for-44), including 3 of 20 threes (15.0 percent) and 12 of 15 free throws (80.0 percent).
 
The Yellowjackets got off to a hot start Saturday, jumping out to a 24-11 advantage after the first quarter of play. MSUB made 9 of 21 field goals in the strong first 10 minutes.
 
Sophomores Chloe Williams and Giese kept the momentum going in the second, hitting back-to-back threes to extend MSUB's lead to 32-14. Williams finished the game with seven points and six rebounds, and led the team with six assists.
 
Skylar Patton scored nine points and had a team-high five steals, and Natalie Andreas made 7 of 7 free throws to score the majority of her nine points. Shayla Montague added eight points, and true freshmen Kaitlin Grossman and Madeline Heggem each scored a bucket. Kortney Nelson chipped in three rebounds, three assists, and a steal in her 14 minutes on the floor. "Skylar was a good floor general for us tonight, and she really gave us some good minutes at the point guard position," Woodin said. "Our team passed the ball well, and I was happy we were 16-for-17 as a team from the free-throw line. We only allowed four offensive rebounds, and it was just a good team win.
 
The Yellowjackets held a 42-23 advantage at halftime and were never in danger of Chaminade getting the deficit below double digits the rest of the game.
 
THE BUZZ: Patton was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…MSUB is now 4-0 all-time against Chaminade…it was the first meeting between the teams since an 89-64 win on Nov. 28, 2014.
 
NEXT UP: The 'Jackets complete their trip to Hawaii with a 2 p.m. tipoff against Hawaii Hilo on Sunday afternoon. Live coverage will be available online here. "We are looking forward to playing a really good Hilo team," Woodin commented on the team's opponent on Sunday. "I'm not sure we have won three days in-a-row in the regular season, and we have only had it be an opportunity a few times over the years. It would be really nice for us to be ready to play a good Hilo team tomorrow and have a chance to come out on top."