Nampa, Idaho – The Montana State University Billings women's basketball team began their road trip west by defeating Northwest Nazarene University 63-53 to begin the second half of Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.

The Yellowjackets (17-4, 8-2 GNAC) travelled to Nampa looking to avenge their 79-80 loss to the Nighthawks (8-10, 4-6 GNAC) on New Year's Eve, and keep hold of second place in the GNAC standings. They were able to do just that, picking up a hard fought win in a tough road environment.

"It was a great road win for us tonight." Said head coach Kevin Woodin. "All GNAC road wins are special, but I really liked how we gutted this one out, especially in the fourth quarter when they made a run at us. NNU is an excellent team, they put a lot of full court pressure on us. But I thought we handled it better as the game progressed, and we got the ball inside effectively when we needed to."

In an inverse of the last time the two teams met this season, the game was a defensive grind, with neither team shooting above 36% in the game. But MSUB was able to take advantage of second chance opportunities and free throws to sink the pesky Nighthawks and push their winning streak to six games. "Defense carried us tonight." Observed Woodin. "I thought we were solid in the first half and made some important stops in the last couple of minutes."

Dyauni Boyce led the 'Jackets in scoring with 15 points, collecting five rebounds, four steals and an assist along the way. Shayla Montague scored 13, shooting 3-5 from three-point range. She also tied a career high with two steals and set her new season high in rebounds with eight. Taryn Shelley scored 13 points with six boards and a block. Aspen Giese tallied nine points, and Kortney Nelson scored five with eight rebounds and four assists. Nelson and Giese each blocked two shots in the game, setting new career highs.

The 'Jackets got off to a slow start in the first quarter, dropping behind 6-0 to start and struggling with some turnovers. But the MSUB grew into the game later in the quarter, with the 'Jackets finishing the first with a 7-0 run to respond and take a two point lead. They would grow that lead to six in the second quarter, taking a 29-23 lead into halftime. Despite shooting 44% from the field, the 'Jackets offense committed 11 turnovers in the first half, holding them back. They made up for it though with strong defense, holding Northwest Nazarene to just 29% shooting from the field and forcing nine turnovers of their own.

The second half was a close battle. While both teams limited their turnovers, the 'Jackets didn't shoot above 30% in either quarter, and while the Nighthawks shot better, they allowed seven offensive rebounds, giving MSUB a chance to take advantage of second chance opportunities. "We protected the ball much better in the second half, and we rebounded better in the second half." Woodin said." It gave us more possessions, which was key."

The advantage would come down to free throws, with NNU shooting 15 across the final two quarters and MSUB shooting 18. While both teams made a number of them, the Yellowjackets went 15-18 from the line, while NNU was 11-15. "Our free throw shooting was a big part of tonight's win," Said Woodin. "I liked the way we shot down the stretch. The 'Jackets efficiency from the line would help them down the stretch as they were able to maintain a slight cushion on NNU, which the Nighthawks were unable to overcome when it was all said and done.

Clare Eubanks had a double-double for NNU, with a team high 14 points and 12 rebounds. Jordan Pinson led the Nighthawks in assists with four, while scoring ten points of her own.

The Yellowjackets have a chance to avenge their other conference loss so far this season when they finish their road trip by playing Central Washington University in Ellensburg. "We're looking forward to another tough game against Central on Saturday." Said Coach Woodin. "I know it will be another great challenge for us, but I really like the way our team is playing right now. You have to be able to dig deep, find ways to win, and we hope to do that on Saturday as well."

THE BUZZ: Montague was selected as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game… The Yellowjackets split the regular season series against the Nighthawks for the third season in a row… MSUB is now 23-21 all-time against NNU.

UP NEXT: The Yellowjackets finish their road trip with their matchup against Central Washington on Saturday, January 28. Tip off is scheduled for 4 PM. Live video will be available here and live statistics will be available here.