BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings women's basketball team sent a statement Saturday by defeating University of Alaska Anchorage 70-55 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.
 
Facing off against the conference's top team who had yet to lose in GNAC action, the #20 Yellowjackets (18-4, 7-2 GNAC) overcame a slow start to overcome an 11-point deficit and deliver the Seawolves (17-3, 8-1 GNAC) their first loss in conference play, and first double-digit defeat of the season. The Yellowjackets would outscore the visitors 43-20 between the second and third quarters to flip the game on it's head, and collect an impressive win against the first team outside the WBCA Top 25.
 
As a group, the Yellowjackets shot 46.9% from the field on the day, and were even better from three, where they went 13-26. They were just as effective on the defensive end, where they held the conference's top offense to just 38.2% shooting, and only four made triples.
 
"This was a great win against a tough team," said MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin. "It all starts with defense for us. We spend a lot of time working on defense, it involves a lot of work and communications. It helps having our four seniors who know our system, but Alisha, Janiel and our whole team did a great job preparing for tonight. We executed very well as the game went on defensively, and rebounded the ball well, which helped feed into our success on offense."
 
Dyauni Boyce led all MSUB scorers with 21 points, shooting 6-11 from the field, 3-5 from three, and 6-8 from the free throw line. The senior also chipped in with five rebounds and four assists. Also in double figures for scoring was Chloe Williams, who tied a career-high with 17 points along with four assists and two rebounds, and Aspen Giese, who shot 5-12 from three-point range to total 15 points, eight rebounds, and a steal. Layla Baumann came off the bench to score eight points, grabbing three rebounds, two assists, and a steal, while Kortney Nelson matched a career best with eight assists, and added six rebounds, four points, and three steals. Kaitlin Grossman had three points with a pair of boards, and Chenoa Louie had two points.
 
"We are just a team that will work hard no matter what and play until the last second," said Boyce. "As a team we talk about winning every quarter, and while we didn't win the first quarter today, we wanted to make sure we went into the half at least tied, and it only went up from there. Every one of us has that goal in mind, and we're always fighting towards that goal together."
 
Coming out in an aggressive press, the Seawolves made life difficult for the Yellowjackets in the early stages, opening the game on an 8-2 run, and preventing MSUB from scoring until the 6:32 mark of the first quarter. And while the Yellowjackets would regain some momentum in the middle of the quarter, seven turnovers in the opening period would be hard to overcome as Alaska Anchorage opened up a 16-8 lead heading into the second quarter. And despite the 'Jackets striking first in the second, the Seawolves would continue to grow that lead to as much as 11 with just 3:59 remaining. But from that moment on, the Yellowjackets would break through, not allowing a point for the rest of the quarter and going on an 11-0 run, with a last minute three-pointer from Boyce leveling the score at 27-27 heading into halftime.
 
"We just needed to settle into the game," said Woodin. "Anchorage plays a very unique style: they're in your face, they defend from endline to endline, and they're very good at it. They definitely outplayed us at the beginning, but I think the maturity of our team showed as we hung in there, and eventually we were able to get some better spacing on offense, make some shots, and settle in on both ends of the floor."
 
The switch would remain flipped for the Yellowjackets as the third quarter commenced, with early threes from Giese and Williams helping the 'Jackets take the lead at the seven-minute mark. They would never trail after that point, and while Anchorage continued to battle close over the next few minutes, a 14-1 run over the final 4:07 of the third would put the Yellowjackets firmly in the driver's seat as the fourth quarter kicked off. It was smooth sailing from there on out for MSUB, who would match the Seawolves shot-for-shot down the stretch, never letting their opponents get within range of mounting a comeback as the 'Jackets closed the book on an impressive win.
 
"We locked in really well on both ends in the second half," Woodin said. "We were able to keep our rhythm from the end of the second quarter going. The game continued to get better for us as it went on, and it was a great win for us."
 
The game also marked MSUB's second annual event in which both MSUB basketball programs helped to raise awareness and paid tribute to Missing and Murdered Indigenous People, an event hosted in conjunction with MSUB Athletics, and MSUB's Native American Achievement Center. Players and coaches each wore shirts with the phrase "No More Stolen Sisters" and the "MMIW" hashtag on display, while a remembrance walk was held at halftime.
 
THE BUZZ: Both Giese and Williams were selected as the Intermountain Health Players of the Game… Boyce moved to 1,399 points, passing Shelley Altrogge on MSUB's all-time scoring list… she one point away from becoming the 11^th player in program history to cross 1,400 career points… she would also become the 24^th player in GNAC history to reach that total… Williams matched her career high in scoring for the second time this season, and third in her career, while Nelson hit eight assists for the second consecutive game, and fourth time in her career.
 
UP NEXT: The Yellowjackets go on the road for a pair of games next week to kick off the second half of GNAC play, opening things up with a rematch against Seattle Pacific University in Seattle on Thursday, February 1 at 3 PM MT (2 PM PT). The Yellowjackets defeated the Falcons (6-16, 0-9 GNAC) by a score of 97-57 in the team's first meeting this season. Live video of the game will be available online here, while live statistics are available online here.