The Montana State University Billings women's basketball team fell at home against the Central Washington University Wildcats 70-44 in their return to Great Northwest Athletic Conference play on Thursday evening at Alterowitz Gym.
 
The Yellowjackets (11-3, 2-1 GNAC) were right in the game after the first quarter, trailing the Wildcats (11-1, 3-0 GNAC) by just two points going into the second. But from there the Wildcats went on to score 29 points in the second period, while MSUB was held to just five. The 'Jackets shot just 22.5 percent from the field in the game and didn't hit a 3-point shot until the last minutes of the fourth quarter. They were surpassed by the visiting Wildcats, who hit exactly half of their shots in the game.
 
"Central played a great game," said MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin. "Their shooting in the first half was outstanding, and we just couldn't buy a basket. Give them credit – they took it to us and we didn't respond very well. It is a long season though, and this was only one game. The challenge will be to regroup appropriately on Saturday. I look forward to watching our effort and execution on Saturday."
 
Kortney Nelson led the Yellowjackets in scoring, dropping 11 while shooting 4-for-7 and being perfect from the free-throw line. In her return to play from a preseason injury, 2021-2022 GNAC first teamer Taryn Shelley scored eight points and added three rebounds. Dyauni Boyce led the 'Jackets with seven rebounds, while Aspen Giese was just behind her with six. Cariann Kunkel finished with six points and three rebounds.
 
Valerie Huerta showed exactly what makes her the second highest scorer in the GNAC, scoring 18 points for the Wildcats while shooting 50 percent in the game. Aspen Cai scored 16 points in the first half, shooting a perfect 6-for-6 from the field and 4-for-4 from three across the first two quarters. Center Samantha Bowman finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds in a game where the Wildcats' top three scorers all showed up big. Bowman was also key on defense, finishing with two blocks and contributing to the Yellowjackets' struggles to score down low.
 
THE BUZZ: Nelson was selected as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game.
 
UP NEXT: The Yellowjackets look to return to form against Northwest Nazarene University, with the second game of this week's homestand taking place Saturday, December 31 at 4:15 in Alterowitz Gym.