AZUSA, Cali. – The Montana State University Billings women's basketball team concluded its season in the West Regional Final against Cal State San Marcos, falling narrowly by a score of 73-71 to end its postseason run in the Sweet 16.
 
The Yellowjackets (28-7, 16-2 GNAC) and Cougars (26-6, 18-4 CCAA) battled in an excited affair, with both teams showing exactly why they reached this stage in the tournament. The two teams each finished with a field goal percentage north of 50%, and were even or close to it in nearly every single major statistical category. The game would go down to the wire, with San Marcos and MSUB exchanging the lead multiple times in the final minute of the game, but it would be San Marcos who would ultimately come out ahead, with a pair of free throws with four seconds remaining proving to be the deciding factor in the game.
 
"I'm just so proud of our team," said Yellowjacket head coach Kevin Woodin. "We battled hard to the end. We were down by ten at one point in the fourth quarter, but we battled back to take the lead. Just some plays that could have gone either way, and they just made one more than us. It was a great game tonight."
 
Dyauni Boyce put in a herculean effort for MSUB, scoring 27 points while shooting 9-13 from the field, 7-9 from the free throw line, and going a perfect 2-2 from beyond the arc. Boyce also added five rebounds and two assists. Kortney Nelson was right behind her, scoring 19 points while grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out four assists. Kola Bad Bear added 11 points, six boards, and a pair of assists, while Shayla Montague scored seven, Aspen Giese had four, and Danielle Zahn had three.
 
The first quarter was an offensive showcase, with the two squads playing fast and seemingly scoring at will in the early stages. Neither team was able to generate any separation, as the Yellowjackets shot 46.7% from the field while the Cougars shot an even 50%. While both teams continued to score at a high percentage in the second quarter, Cal State San Marcos would shoot an impressive 64.3% from the field, only missing five shots in the period. The Cougars were able to use that hot shooting to build a small advantage heading into halftime, heading into the break leading 39-33.
 
The Cougars shooting would return to a relatively normal percentage in the third quarter, with the Yellowjackets coming out of the break rejuvenated. MSUB would inch within one score of the lead multiple times in the quarter, but San Marcos would never break in the quarter, holding the 'Jackets at bay before a 7-2 run to end the half would restore the Cougar's advantage to seven points. With just ten minutes to go and needing to play some of the best basketball it had all season, MSUB did just that, shooting a blistering 63.6% from the field to begin chipping away at the lead. They would threaten throughout the quarter, making a number of clutch shots before finally taking the lead when Bad Bear would find her spot in the post and hit a turnaround with 45 seconds remaining, making it a one score game. San Marcos would respond with an and-one to take the lead back, but Bad Bear would once again execute in the clutch, hitting another shot to tie the game up, this time with 34 seconds remaining. But after holding the ball late in the shot clock, San Marcos guard Ava Ranson would drive to the basket and draw a foul, knocking down a pair of free throws with four seconds left on the clock. She would hit them both, and MSUB would be unable to punch back one more time, falling just short of a trip to the Elite 8.
 
Charity Gallegos had 22 points and six assists for the Cougars, while Jordan Vasquez scored 19 with five rebounds. Truitt Reilly had 12 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks, while Ranson scored 11 points.
 
The loss concludes one of the most successful seasons in program history for MSUB, with the 'Jackets finishing the year with their most GNAC wins in a season, most wins in a single season, and their deepest NCAA Tournament run since the program's Elite 8 appearance in 2018.
 
"This is a dream team for me," Woodin said. "They aren't just talented on the court, but are incredible academically as well. They have one of the highest team GPAs in the country, and are also incredibly close off the court. It's difficult to say goodbye when you put so much effort into it. I feel bad for them ending up a little short, but I'm also so proud of them for everything we have been able to accomplish together."
 
THE BUZZ: Boyce was selected as the Intermountain Health Player of the Game… it was the last appearance as a Yellowjacket for seniors Kola Bad Bear, Shayla Montague, Natalie Andreas, and Danielle Zahn… Montague ends her MSUB career in second place all-time for three-pointers, making 237 in her collegiate career…. Bad Bear finished her career with 1,383 career points split between her career at Montana State and with the Yellowjackets.