LACEY, Wash. – The Montana State University Billings women's basketball team is set to kick off postseason play at the 2025 GNAC Championships in Lacey, Washington, earning a bye into the semifinals and qualifying as the No. 2 Seed.
 
While the tournament officially kicks off with quarterfinal action on Thursday, the Yellowjackets (25-6, 14-4 GNAC) will play their first game on Friday, after being one of two teams to earn an opening round bye. They will then face off against the winner of a quarterfinals matchup between No. 3 Sed Central Washington University and host school No. 6 Seed Saint Martin's University.
 
"I have a great feeling about our team as we head into post-season play," said MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin. "They are an experienced group who has had past success in the post-season. Every year is different, and everyone is 0-0 so we understand the urgency of each game and playing in the present. I am proud of this team for what they have accomplished so far on and off the court and can't wait to get started in Lacey."
 
2025 GNAC Women's Basketball Championships – Semifinals
No. 2 Seed Montana State University Billings vs. No. 3 Seed Central Washington University OR No. 6 Seed Saint Martin's University
Date: Friday, March 7, 2024
Time: 8:30 PM MT | 7:30 PM PT
Location: Marcus Pavillion – Lacey, WA
Tickets: https://gnacsports.com/sports/2024/6/30/tickets.aspx
Live Video: https://www.youtube.com/gnacsports
Live Statistics: https://smusaints.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary
 
 The winner of that matchup will advance to the championship game, scheduled for Saturday, March 8 at 8:30 PM MT (7:30 PM PT). The full tournament homepage for the GNAC Championships is available online here.
 
HISTORICAL SUCCESS: The Yellowjackets are no strangers to the conference tournament, having qualified for the past five GNAC Championships and 11 of the past 13 overall tournaments since it's inception in 2011. In recent seasons, the team has grown accustomed to making runs, with the 'Jackets winning at least one game in every GNAC Tournament since the 2021-22 season, including back-to-back championship game appearances. Five players remain with the Yellowjackets from their 2022-23 tournament run, while seven players return from MSUB's roster who saw action in the 'Jackets run last season.
 
SENIOR LEADERSHIP: The 'Jackets efforts have been marshaled all season by the veteran core of Dyauni Boyce, Kortney Nelson, Aspen Giese, and Chloe Williams, with the four having played in 119 games or more across their MSUB careers. As a class, the four seniors have combined for a record of 95-33, including six postseason victories, making them one of the most successful groups in conference history.
 
"I believe our senior's prior success is a huge advantage" said Woodin. "Because of their experience, they can share info with younger players and help them with the process. Also, games in March become more pressurized but knowing you have had past success really helps build confidence. We have a special group of seniors who have played major roles in many post-season games in their storied careers. When they were freshmen, we thought we had done enough to get a regional bid, and our team came over to my house for dinner and to watch the selection show.  We ended up not getting a bid and I believe that night created an edge with this senior class and has helped them be more determined and focused as they didn't want to have that feeling again. We understand the importance of every game and the potential finality of them in March."
 
REGULAR SEASON DOMINANCE: MSUB comes into postseason play after collecting a 25-6 overall record, marking the team's third consecutive 25+ win season, and the program's 6^th all-time. Throughout the season, the 'Jackets proved they were hard to overcome, losing just two games by double-digits all year. MSUB concluded the regular season as the second-best scoring defense in the GNAC, allowing just 56.7 points per game, while their 68.8 points per game ranked fifth among offenses in the conference. The two numbers gave the Yellowjackets an average margin of 12.1 in games, ranking second in the conference behind regular season champions Alaska Anchorage.
 
The Yellowjackets also showed they could perform on some of the biggest stages this season, collecting two wins against ranked opponents and one against a team receiving votes in the WBCA Rankings. Both of their top 25 wins also came at neutral sites, where the 'Jackets showed their ability to perform this season, in games away from home, MSUB finished 10-4, including 4-1 in true neutral site games. MSUB has also proven itself capable of taking on any team in the conference it comes up against, with the 'Jackets just one of two teams to win at least one game against every GNAC team this season.
 
SHOOTING SUCCESS: The 'Jackets concluded the regular season as one of the top teams in the GNAC in terms of shooting, finishing third in the conference with a 41.7% average from the field. They rank even higher in three-point percentage, finishing second with a percentage of 35.1% from beyond the arc.
 
The Yellowjackets have attempted more perimeter shots than anyone in the conference so far this season with 710 three-point shots, while leading the conference with 249 made threes, ranking 12^th in Division II. Three Yellowjackets are averaging more than one made three-pointer a game.
 
"Offensively our balance is the key to our success. We have a group of players who enjoy playing together and sharing the ball. They don't care who gets the most points, and we can score from both inside and outside. It's difficult for our opponents to key in on just one player since we have many players who are capable of getting a bucket. I enjoy watching this team play; they like to play fast and share the ball, and our experience should help us win in close games down the stretch."
 
DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS: Defense is a focal point for this MSUB team, and that defense has shown up in a big way throughout the season, allowing more than 70 points just twice on the season. A consistent effort throughout the year has been led by a team who has defended shots at an elite level. The Yellowjackets have held teams to just 38.4% shooting on the season. That mark is even better from long range, where MSUB lead the conference in defending three-point shots. The 'Jackets hold teams to just 26.5% from three, the lowest mark in the GNAC, while also allowing the lowest number of three-pointers per game. MSUB is also very active in the lanes, averaging 8.7 steals per game as a team, with all five starters averaging more than one steal per game.
 
"Our players buy into the significance of stopping an opponent and we want to outwork the other team," Woodin said. "My assistant coaches do a great job of preparing our defensive game plans, but our players have to buy into it because it takes attitude and effort to play great defense and rebound. We're a team that understands how to win even when we aren't shooting well."
 
TAKE CARE OF THE BALL: Another big piece of the puzzle for MSUB has been the Yellowjackets' ability to take care of the ball, with MSUB's turnover margin of 1.77 ranking third in the GNAC. That effort is boosted by the 'Jackets ability to share the ball at an elite level. The team's 521 total assists rank second in the conference, and seventh in the nation.
 
REGION RANKINGS: The Yellowjackets come into the GNAC Championships ranked at No. 3 in the most recent NCAA West Region Rankings. The top eight teams announced, with three automatic qualifiers with conference champions, advance onwards to the NCAA Tournament West Regional, with the field set to be announced in the NCAA Selection Show on Sunday night.
 
ROSTER OVERVIEW: The Yellowjackets are a balanced, experienced group, with seven players playing more than 30 games on the season and six of those players scoring at least 6.8 points per contest. Leading the scoring charge is Dyauni Boyce, who was honored with All-GNAC First Team honors yesterday. The senior forward averages 15.6 points per game, knocking down 41.1% of her looks and shooting 36.2% of chances from three. Boyce also leads the Yellowjackets from the free throw line, making 80.3% of her looks from the stripe. Boyce also averages 6.5 rebounds per game and 2.7 assists, while on defense averaging 1.4 steals and 0.9 blocks per game. Narrowly behind her is Aspen Giese, who paces the Yellowjackets efforts from three-point range. The guard, recently chosen to the All-GNAC Second Team, leads the entirety of Division II in three-pointers with 97, a single season program record, making her long range shots at a 42.7% clip. Giese averages 13.8 points per game for MSUB, adding in 5.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.9 steals per game, along with 0.5 blocks.
 
MSUB's starting lineup also features the duo of Kortney Nelson and Chloe Williams, who average a near identical 8.8 and 9.0 points per game respectively. Nelson, who was named to the All-GNAC Second Team this season for the third time in her career, also ranks as the 'Jackets top rebounder and assister, averaging 6.6 boards and 4.4 assists per game, totaling the second most assists in the conference. Nelson, the 2023-24 GNAC Defensive Player of the Year, also adds in 1.6 steals per game while quarterbacking MSUB's efforts on both ends. Meanwhile Wiliams, who just earned the first all-conference honor of her career, has set career highs across the board. She averaged 4.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game offensively, while playing excellent defense with 1.8 steals and 0.7 blocks per night.
 
Rounding out the lineup for the 'Jackets is junior Kaitlin Grossman, who has put up 6.8 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. Often times in charge of defending top players in the post, the athletic junior has proved herself more than a capable defender this season, with 1.0 steals and 0.8 blocks per night. Off the bench for MSUB, the Yellowjackets turn to Grossmans high school teammate Layla Baumann, who has emerged as a key piece of the 'Jackets rotation in her sophomore season. Baumann chips in 7.0 points per game, and has proven capable of spreading the floor with a 36.2% mark from three-point range. Also filling a role off the bench is transfer Chenoa Louie, whose experience has proven key for MSUB this season while averaging 5.8 points and 3.2 rebounds per contest. Rounding out the roster for the Yellowjackets is freshman guard Indie Browning, who averages seven minutes a game in 24 games for the Yellowjackets.
 
TOURNAMENT INFO: The GNAC's top six finishers in the regular season standings advance onto the conference tournament. Thursday's quarterfinals will match up the Nos. 3 and 6 Seeds and the Nos. 4 and 5 seeds, with the top two seeds earning byes. The semifinals will put the winner of the Nos. 3 and 6 game up against the No. 2 Seed, and winner of the Nos. 4 and 5 game squaring off against the No. 1 seed Friday. Semifinal winners will then meet to battle for the conference championship on Saturday. The conference champion will receive an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament West Regional.
 
Central Washington University Wildcats
2024-25 Record: 21-6, 14-4 GNAC
Head Coach: Randi Richardson (8^th season)
 
The third seeded Wildcats come into the tournament following an impressive season in which they matched MSUB's conference record, with the Yellowjackets claiming the tiebreaker to claim the No. 2 Seed. Ranking as the fourth best offense in the conference, Central Washington averages 72.1 points per game, head coach Randi Richardson's squad is led by the high-scoring duo of Sunny Huerta and Asher Cai. The GNAC Player of the Year, Huerta scores 18.8 points per contest, leading the conference in scoring. Huerta shoots 44.3% from the field and 44.3% from three, capable of scoring at all levels. Joining her as First-Team All-GNAC was Cai, who averaged 17.6 points per game with 7.3 rebounds. Behind them fills out a solid group of contributors, including Capri Sims, an All-GNAC Honorable Mention pick who averaged 10.0 points and 8.4 rebounds a game, Annalee Coronado, who chipped in 6.7 points per game while splitting time between the starting lineup and bench, Malia Smith, a capable three-point shooter hitting shots at a 37.1% clip, and Shelby Blodgett, who rounds out the Wildcat's starting lineup with 4.3 points per game.
 
Saint Martin's University Saints
2024-25 Record: 16-10, 9-9 GNAC
Head Coach: Natalie Marlowe (2^nd season)
 
The No 6 Seed and host school Saints clinched an outright berth to the GNAC Championships for the first time since 2015 and come in a dangerous opponent under head coach Natalie Marlowe. The Saints rank as the third best scoring defense in the GNAC, averaging 60.5 points allowed per contest. The hosts are led by a pair of All-GNAC Second Team selections, including GNAC Freshman of the Year Jada Travis, who leads the team in scoring with 14.6 points, 5.9 assists, and 4.2 assists per game. Joining her on the second team is Kiana Rios, who averaged 13.8 points per game with 6.2 rebounds a game. The two are joined by Avery Oaster, who averaged 8.3 points and 5.0 rebounds a game, Sarah Lamet, who scored 6.5 points a game, and Keeli Jade Smith, who scores 6.0 points per contest. The Saints are a deep unit, with nine players playing in over 20 games and averaging four points a game or more.
 
SEASON SERIES: MSUB split it's season series with the Wildcats, with the teams trading wins at home. The Yellowjacket fell in a close, low scoring game in Ellensburg to Central Washington on January 18, going down 48-45, before rebounding to win at home on February 13 by a score of 66-61. MSUB is 6-4 in it's last ten games against Central Washington. MSUB has also matched up against the Wildcats in back-to-back GNAC Tournaments, with MSUB emerging victorious in both games. The Yellowjackets collected a season sweep of the Saints this year, winning 75-63 in Billings on January 11 before turning around to beat Saint Martin's 48-43 in Lacey on February 6. MSUB has won eight straight games against the Saints, and are 9-1 in their last ten against the Saints.
 
"Both Central and St. Martin's are playing very well," Woodin said. "They are led by great backcourts and have had excellent seasons. You can't stop their guards from scoring, but we do need to make them work very hard for their points. Both teams have other capable players who understand their roles and they are well coached. We will need to play great defense and rebound no matter who we play. Offensively, it is important we take care of the basketball a little bit better than we have been lately and execute in late game situations. Every possession is magnified this time of year."
 
2025 GNAC Women's Basketball Championships Schedule
March 6-8 | Lacey, Wash. | Saint Martin's University | Marcus Pavilion
All times listed are Pacific.
Thursday, March 6, 2025
5:15 p.m. – No. 5 seed Northwest Nazarene vs. No. 4 seed Western Washington
7:30 p.m. – No. 6 seed Saint Martin's vs. No. 3 seed Central Washington

Friday, March 7, 2025
5:15 p.m. – Winner NNU/WWU vs. No. 1 seed Alaska Anchorage
7:30 p.m. – Winner SMU/CWU vs. No. 2 seed Montana State Billings

Saturday, March 8, 2025
7:30 p.m. - Women's Championship Game
 
Links to follow the Yellowjackets at the GNAC Championships can be found below:
 
Fan Event – Lacey, WA
Billings Watch Party
Tickets
Live Stream
Live Stats