Box Score MALTA, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings women's basketball team took part in it's annual Community Outreach Game on Sunday afternoon, wrapping up the program's weekend in Malta, Montana with it's first victory of the preseason.
 
The Yellowjackets got the better of Montana State University Northern in the marquee event on Sunday, taking down the Skylights 87-62 at Malta High School. It was the perfect end to a special weekend in Malta for the 'Jackets, who came to town on Saturday to host a free K-8 basketball clinic, attended by 70 local kids.
 
"We want to give a special thanks to the Malta community," said MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin. "They provided us with so much, from food and lodging to sponsorships, and this was a great experience for us. We also want to thank Bobbi Knudsen, who was a huge part of helping us get this game here. This is the third year of doing this Community Outreach Event, and between Winifred, Choteau, and now Malta, it was a resounding success. I'm very proud that this was something we were able to do, and it was an awesome thing."
 
On the court, the Yellowjackets and Skylights would begin the game with multiple lead changes in a tightly contested first half. But MSUB would pull away in the second half after catching fire from the field, shooting 47.5% from the field across the last two quarters as they pulled away from Northern to collect an emphatic win.
 
"I was very pleased with the improvements our team showed between our game last Tuesday and today," Woodin said. "I think we're continuing to get better and better as we gain more experience together. Offensively tonight, especially in the second half, we moved the ball well as a team, and did a great job of getting offense through our defense. Everyone contributed to this victory in a positive way."
 
Layla Baumann impressed in the game for the Yellowjackets, putting up a 31-point performance. The junior knocked down 12 of her 20 looks from the field, including 3-4 from beyond the arc, while collecting six rebounds.
 
"Layla was outstanding all night," Woodin said. "She did a great job of playing aggressive getting to the basket, and was able to score at all levels throughout the game."
 
Behind Baumann, Kyla Momberg came off the bench to score 15 points, finishing with a pair of rebounds, assists, and steals each. Kaitlin Grossman and Tailey Harris would each score ten points, with Grossman collecting a double-double behind 11 rebounds to go with three steals, while Harris grabbed three boards and had one assist. Cassie Chesnut would score seven points with seven rebounds, adding a steal and a block, and Rae Smart would score five with four rebounds and two assists. Malta native Allison Kunze would score three points, as would nearby Whitewater, Montana local Shelbi LaBrie, and Lauren Kuhbacher.
 
The first quarter opened as a back-and-forth affair, with the two sides exchanging the lead eight time across the opening ten minutes. The game would head into the second quarter tied 17-17, but the Yellowjackets would begin to build some momentum early in the quarter, taking the lead on a three-pointer from Momberg with 8:22 on the clock. The Skylights would tie the game up twice more, remaining within striking distance, but the 'Jackets defense would make scoring hard for Northern in the quarter, and a 9-4 run over the last five minutes of the first half would see MSUB carry a 35-29 lead into halftime.
 
From there, the second half would be nearly all Yellowjackets, following one more early push by MSU Northern. The Skylights would close MSUB's lead to as little as two early in the third quarter, but MSUB's shooters would get hot from the field, with the team going 10-18 (55.6%) from the field in the third quarter. 13 of the 'Jackets 26 third quarter points would come from Baumann, who would help MSUB carry that momentum into the fourth quarter as the 'Jackets continued to open up the lead. Baumann would remain electric from the field with 12 more points in the fourth, pacing an impressive offensive fourth where the 'Jackets shot 9-12 (75%) from the field, including five threes. Between their hot shooting, and a defense that would continue to get stronger as the game went on, the Yellowjackets would go on to outscore MSU-Northern 52-23 over the final two quarters, running away with a 25-point win.
 
THE BUZZ: Baumann was named the Intermountain Health Player of the Game.
 
UP NEXT: The Yellowjackets will play there third and final preseason exhibition on Thursday, October 30, facing off against Carroll College at 7 PM in Alterowitz Gym. Live video will be available on the GNAC Network, while live statistics will be available here. Tickets can be purchased online here.