ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Montana State University Billings women's basketball team would force overtime in its contest Thursday night against the nationally ranked conference leaders Central Washington University, but fall just short of completing the comeback, losing 73-65 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.
 
The Yellowjackets (14-12, 6-7 GNAC) would take the #15 Wildcats (21-3, 12-2 GNAC) to the brink, completing a comeback and nearly hitting a buzzer-beater to complete an upset on the road. But after that effort was ruled no good, Central Washington would hit a number of big free throws in overtime to help see off a pesky Yellowjacket squad, who would show tremendous fight in the effort.
 
"We're very proud of the fight the girls had today," said associate head coach Alisha Breen. "Central Washington came out 26 days ago and threw a haymaker we couldn't quite respond to, and today we were able to show up and give them everything we've got on the road in front of a raucous crowd. Coming off an emotional loss like this, it's important that we focus on responding well in our game Saturday against NNU."
 
Defensively, the Yellowjackets would collect seven blocks and ten steals as a team, forcing 19 Wildcat turnovers while holding one of the top three-point shooting teams in the conference to just four made threes. Offensively, MSUB would shoot 25-73 (34.2%) overall in the game, finding success scoring in the paint where they scored 38 points in the game.
 
Kaitlin Grossman and Cassie Chesnut would each score 18 points to pace MSUB in scoring. Grossman would grab nine rebounds in addition to six assists, three steals, and a pair of blocks while playing turnover-free basketball.
 
"Kaitlin played a phenomenal game tonight," said Breen. "She was our go to early in the game, and then really came alive in the fourth quarter for us. To dish out six assists and not commit a turnover in this environment is a big deal for her. We're looking forward to what she can do for us the rest of the season."
 
Meanwhile Chesnut would also grab nine rebounds, while posting five assists, four blocks and three steals. Allison Kunze would score ten points off the bench, hitting 4-5 from the free throw line and dishing out an assist. Brooklynn Brennan and Kyla Momberg each scored six points, with Brennan collecting five rebounds and a pair of assists, and Momberg snagging six rebounds and two assists and steals each. Alli Ligocki scored five points with a rebound, while Rae Smart scored two points with three assists, two rebounds, two steals, and a block.
 
The Yellowjackets would help to keep the early part of the first quarter, forcing four early turnovers. The two squads would trade baskets over the first seven minutes, oscillating between a two-point lead for the 'Jackets and a tie game until the Wildcats would finish the quarter on a 9-2 run, building a small cushion before the start of the second quarter. Central Washington would only build on that run in the second quarter, scoring 12 of the first 14 points in the second quarter to build up a lead as large as 15 in the period. The hosts would shoot 6-11 (54.5%) from the field in the second, while holding the 'Jackets to a 5-20 (25%) mark. The Yellowjackets would recover some momentum with some big baskets late in the half, but would still trail by 12 going into halftime.
 
The Yellowjackets would continue to struggle to score from the field in the third quarter, shooting 4-17 (23.5%) from the field, but would tighten up on the defensive end, holding the Wildcats to just 12 points in the opening ten minutes. Meanwhile, the 'Jackets would force their way to the line, hitting 8-10 free throws in the quarter, using the ability to get to the free throw line to chip away at the Wildcat's lead, closing the gap to seven heading into the fourth quarter.
 
In the final ten minutes, MSUB would catch fire, shooting 11-14 (78.6%) from the field and scoring 25 points. After keeping pace through the first half of the fourth, the 'Jackets would finish the final 2:56 of the quarter on an 11-3 run, with Grossman scoring the first six points on the run. Then with 1:28 remaining, Chesnut would cut the lead to one with a three-pointer from the top of the arch. The Wildcats would push the lead to two with a free throw, but Chesnut would even things up for the first time since the first quarter with a turnaround down low with 49 seconds on the clock. MSUB would get the final opportunity with just under five seconds remaining, but after Brennan's initial look was off, Grossman would nearly end the game in dramatic fashion, putting in a putback attempt, but just missed releasing her shot before the buzzer, sending the game into overtime.
 
The extra period would be full of free throws, with the two teams combining to make just one shot from the field in the extra period while shooting 14 free throws between them. It would be the Wildcats though who would find more success, making 9-10 attempts from the line as they retook the lead and held off the Yellowjackets late to escape with the victory over MSUB.
 
THE BUZZ: Grossman was named the Intermountain Health Player of the Game… her six assists tied for a career-high… MSUB now moves to 1-1 in overtime games this season… Chesnut's four blocks set a new single-game high for MSUB this season.
 
UP NEXT: The Yellowjackets turn around to play again on Saturday, February 14 when they head to Nampa, Idaho to face off against Northwest Nazarene University in the Johnson Sports Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:15 PM, with live video available on the GNAC Network, and live statistics available here.