SEATTLE, Wash. – The Montana State University Billings women's basketball team overcame a slow start to defeat Seattle Pacific University 77-67 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.
 
The #20 Yellowjackets (19-4, 8-2 GNAC) would struggle to find momentum early in the game as the shots refused to fall offensively, trailing by as much as 12 to the Falcons (6-17, 0-10 GNAC). But MSUB would be able to adjust coming out of halftime, shooting 53.6% across the final two quarters to complete the comeback, and kick off the second half of conference play in victorious fashion.
 
"We really had to earn the victory tonight," said MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin. "It was a hard-fought game. I thought SPU were very ready for us, they played inspired basketball tonight. Any road victory in the GNAC is a special one, and I'm proud of our team for fighting. It wasn't easy tonight, but we found a way to win, and that's what good teams do on the road."
 
As a group MSUB shot 42.9% from the field in the game, knocking down 9-25 attempts from three-point range and going 14-17 from the free throw line. Dyauni Boyce led all scorers with 22 points, shooting 50% in the game and adding five rebounds, three assists, and a block and a steal each. Kortney Nelson tied a season best with 19 points, also grabbing five boards while adding four assists and three steals. Layla Baumann came off the bench to score 14 points, totaling a pair of rebounds to go with an assist and a steal. Chloe Williams and Aspen Giese each scored ten points, with Williams finishing with four rebounds, three assists, and two steals, while Giese had four steals, three rebounds, and two assists. Chenoa Louie rounded out the scoring for MSUB with two points and a rebound, while Kaitlin Grossman finished with three steals, and a pair of rebounds and assists each.
 
Giese would open the first quarter with five quick points for the Yellowjackets, going shot for shot with SPU in the opening stages of the game. But after the 5:35 mark, the Falcons would finish the first on a 13-7 run. A pair of big baskets from Baumann would help MSUB keep close, but the Falcons would be hard to stop around the paint, leading by seven as the second quarter began. From there the Yellowjackets would go ice cold, shooting just 28.6% from the field while the hosts finished with their highest scoring quarter of the game. MSUB would finish the half on a 14-6 run, with 12 of those points coming from Nelson, but the 'Jackets would still trail 38-33 heading into the third quarter.
 
"The first half was a fast-paced game," said Woodin. "They did a lot of things well and were beating us on the boards. But I thought we got on a great run to finish the half, and I felt fortunate to only be down five heading into the third quarter."
 
MSUB would showcase their halftime adjustments immediately on the offensive end, improving to shoot 50.0% in the third quarter, going 3-7 from beyond the arc and 7-8 from the free throw line. The offensive spark would immediately help the 'Jackets close the gap, but the Falcons wouldn't stop battling, shooting 58.3% from the field themselves keep close, with a last second shot restoring a one-point Falcons lead going into the fourth quarter. And while Seattle Pacific threatened to pull away in the final ten minutes, leading by as much as six, the Yellowjackets would catch fire down the stretch, finishing the game on a 20-4 run and making eight of their final nine shots to take the lead. MSUB would also lock in on the defensive end, allowing just seven shot attempts and forcing nine turnovers down the stretch before the final buzzer would sound, securing a ten-point victory and a season sweep for the Yellowjackets against the Falcons.
 
"We started strong in the third quarter, and responded well with a great end to the game," said Woodin. "SPU deserves a lot of credit for flipping the script on us, but I was proud of our players for not panicking. We put together a lot of good possessions on both sides of the court down the stretched, and clawed back into the game. Dyauni, Kortney, and Chleo were all very good on the offensive end in the fourth quarter, but it was really our team defense that made the difference."
 
THE BUZZ: Nelson was selected as the Intermountain Health Player of the Game… Boyce officially crossed the 1,400 point mark in the game, now sitting at 1,421 for her Yellowjacket career, 11^th most in program history… Baumann's 14 points tied her career high, and mark the second time the sophomore has achieved that total this season… MSUB completed a season sweep of Seattle Pacific for the fourth consecutive season, and have won nine straight games against the Falcons.
 
UP NEXT: The Yellowjackets remain on the road for two more games next week, opening the week's action on Thursday, February 6 with a rematch against Saint Martin's University, who the Yellowjackets defeated 75-63 in Billings earlier this season. Live video will be available here, and live statistics available here.