NAMPA, Idaho – Kortney Nelson scored a career-high 20 points on Saturday night at Johnson Sports Center, but host Northwest Nazarene University handed the Montana State University Billings women's basketball team an 86-76 defeat in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference regular-season finale.
 
The Yellowjackets finished the regular season 16-11 overall and 10-5 in conference play, winding up in fifth place in the final GNAC standings which were determined using a points rating system on Saturday night. The Nighthawks went 18-8 during the regular season, and finished fourth in the GNAC standings with a league record of 12-6.
 
MSUB and NNU are set to square off in the quarterfinals of next week's GNAC Championships, with tipoff set for noon (Pacific) at Saint Martin's University in Lacey, Wash.
 
The Yellowjackets led the Nighthawks 43-41 at halftime of the high-scoring affair, but couldn't keep pace over the final 20 minutes as NNU pulled away to level the season series between the teams. "We competed hard this week, but we didn't play well in the fourth quarters and that was the difference in us going 0-2 instead of 2-0," said MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin after Thursday's overtime loss at Central Washington. "We will work hard to get that figured out before Thursday. We have to get better point guard play in the games this coming week, and I believe we will."
 
Taryn Shelley led the Yellowjackets with 21 points on 8-for-15 shooting, while adding a team-high nine rebounds in her 31 minutes on the floor. Nelson's 20 points included a career-high four made 3-pointers, and she added two rebounds, three assists, and a steal. "Taryn is playing at a high level of efficiency on offense, and we will continue to look for her," Woodin said on the senior's third-straight 20-point performance and her sixth in the last seven games. "Kortney continues to impress me with her improved play, and has become a go-to player on both ends. I thought Chloe Williams gave us some great minutes tonight as well."
 
Teagan Thurman led NNU with 19 points on 6-for-11 shooting, while Erin Jenkins scored 15 points on an efficient 6-for-9 shooting line. Ashlynn Sylve scored a dozen points and Nyalam Thabach added 11, and Jordan Pinson led all players with eight assists in the game. NNU won despite being out-rebounded 37-30, as it committed just 11 turnovers while forcing 15 by the 'Jackets.
 
"NNU played well, and they are very talented," said Woodin. "Both Jenkins and Thurman are hard to guard, and it is a tough place to play. We are looking forward to playing them again on Thursday, and we will be ready."
 
A 22-17 first quarter in favor of the Nighthawks hinted that Saturday's finale would be a high scoring affair, and the Yellowjackets responded with a 26-point second quarter to take the two-point cushion into halftime. Shayla Montague hit a three with 5:36 to go in the third quarter, giving the Yellowjackets a five-point advantage up 51-46.
 
The Nighthawks turned the tables after that however, and wrestled back momentum to take a 64-62 lead at the end of the third on a buzzer-beating jumper by Sylve. MSUB's offense stalled at the outset of the fourth quarter, as NNU embarked on a 9-0 run to take a 73-64 advantage. The Yellowjackets never recovered, with NNU's lead peaking at 17 points with 4:48 to go in the game.
 
"The game was played at a fast pace," said Woodin. "We were very good, especially in the second quarter and I liked how we led at halftime. We struggled early with ball security, but figured it out. I liked our offensive rebounding tonight, but it is hard for us to win when we lose the 3-point line battle."
 
MSUB shot 40.0 percent overall (24-for-60), while making 7 of 19 threes (36.8 percent) and 21 of 26 free throws (80.8 percent). The Nighthawks meanwhile shot an outstanding 50.8 percent (30-for-59), while making 10 of 26 threes (38.5 percent) and 16 of 19 foul shots (84.2 percent).
 
Montague finished with 10 points for the 'Jackets, while Aspen Giese had six points, three assists, two steals, and a rebound in 22 minutes off the bench. Fellow freshman Chloe Williams was a major contributor with six boards off the bench, while adding two points and two assists. Senior Addison Gardner led the team with four assists.
 
THE BUZZ: Nelson was tabbed the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…her previous high in scoring was 16 points, which she reached on Thursday and on Dec. 11, 2021 earlier this season…MSUB is now 21-20 all-time against NNU and is 7-13 in games played at Johnson Sports Center.
 
PLAYOFF PICTURE: Thursday will mark the fourth time that MSUB and NNU have met in the GNAC Championships, with the Yellowjackets holding a 2-1 advantage. The Nighthawks won the first playoff meeting 77-56 on March 1, 2012, before MSUB won 70-65 on March 3, 2016 and 76-69 on March 2, 2018 on its run to the 2018 NCAA D2 Elite Eight.