BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Montana State University Billings women's basketball team proved it was there to do more than just make an appearance in the GNAC Championships, but that they are a threat to be reckoned with, opening the conference tournament with a 69-61 upset victory over Saint Martin's University.
 
Coming into the game as the No. 6 seed, and rematching against a No. 3 seeded Saints (18-10, 14-4 GNAC) that had bested MSUB twice in conference play and held regional aspirations, the Yellowjackets (18-14, 9-9 GNAC) would show a maturity beyond their years, dominating the majority of the first half before seeing off a late attempt at a comeback by Saint Martin's to collect the victory in their opening game of the conference tournament, advancing on to the semifinals tomorrow afternoon against No. 2 Seed Central Washington University.
 
"Really proud of our team," praised MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin following the win. "I thought we came in with a plan and had a few great days of practice; we were just in this gym on Saturday, and we talked about coming back with a purpose, and we knew we were going to face a really good team here. Everybody just stepped up and did their jobs today, and I'm just so happy for this team."
 
The Yellowjackets played some of their best basketball of the season on the biggest stage, shooting 26-58 (44.8%) from the field while holding the Saints to just a 22-64 (34.4%) clip of their own, and just 4-20 (20%) from the three-point line. The 'Jackets would be boosted by a clutch performance from the free throw line, shooting 14-16 from the stripe. MSUB would own the game in the paint, scoring 38 of it's 69 points inside, while continuing to assert their dominance on the boards by outrebounding SMU 40-31.
 
"Our first two games against Saint Martin's this year they shot 50% from the three-point line," Woodin said. "They're a good team with excellent ball movement and player movement. Today I thought we did a great job of guarding the three-point line. And then in one loss this year the rebounds were close, but in the other they kicked us pretty hard on the boards, and today we were plus nine. Alisha and our assistants had a really good plan, our team was bought in on the defensive end, and I think our defense helped create some offense; got us some big transition baskets."
 
GNAC Freshman of the Year Cassie Chesnut would lead MSUB in scoring, putting up 20 points on efficient 8-14 shooting, including going 4-4 from the free throw line. Chesnut would also grab nine rebounds while totaling two assists and a block.
 
Meanwhile the 'Jackets lone senior Kaitlin Grossman would guarantee her MSUB career would last at least one game longer with an impressive all-around effort, posting 17 points on 7-12 shooting, totaling nine rebounds to go with a career-high eight assists, three steals and a block while never missing a minute of game action for the 'Jackets.
 
"The coaches and I really stressed that when you get to the tournament it's 0-0," said Grossman. "Anything can happen, and I think our team took that and ran with it."
 
A full interview with Woodin, Grossman, and Chesnut can be found online here.
 
Rae Smart would grab her third double-double of the year, totaling 14 points and 13 rebounds to go with a pair of steals, while fellow freshman Tailey Harris scored nine points, including a pair of three-pointers, six assists, a pair of rebounds, and a steal and block each. Alli Ligocki scored three points with a rebound, assist, and a steal, Kyla Momberg finished with two points, two rebounds, a pair of blocks and an assist, and Brooklynn Brennan and Allison Kunze would each score two points.
 
A slow start to the game would see just one basket across the first eight possessions of the game, with MSUB falling behind early. But a 6-0 run in a 2:05 stretch would see the Yellowjackets take control of the game early, setting up a first quarter where they would hold onto a narrow lead as they traded baskets with the Saints, with Grossman leading the way with eight first quarter points as the 'Jackets would hold a 14-11 lead heading into the second.
 
Saint Martin's would continue to push the 'Jackets for the lead as the second period commenced, tying the game up at 7:31 after banking in a three-pointer. But just a minute later, Harris would complete a momentum-swinging four-point play on a three, sparking a 10-0 mid-quarter run to put MSUB ahead by double digits. Harris would go on to score another four-point play in the quarter, as the 'Jackets extended their run to 22-9 to end the first half, shooting 9-16 (56.3%) from the field, dominating in the paint where they outscored the Saints by ten in the first half, along with outrebounding Saint Martin's by 11 as they took a 38-25 lead into the halftime break.
 
"The first quarter was just back-and-forth," said Woodin. "I think it was really key to the game in the second where we went on that ten-point run and made them take that timeout, and it helped us create some space."
 
The Saints would begin to increase the pressure on the 'Jackets in the third quarter, beginning to pick the 'Jackets up full court as they looked to slow down MSUB's offense. And after the two squads traded backets to open the third quarter, an 8-3 run from Saint Martin's would close the lead to as little as seven in the third. The Yellowjackets would respond with a small 6-2 run of their own, rebuilding the lead back to as high as 11, but another late rally by the Saints would see them close the lead to 53-48 in favor of the 'Jackets as the game made it's way into the fourth quarter.
 
Saint Martin's would continue to carry it's third quarter momentum into the fourth, scoring the first six points of the quarter to take the lead for the first time since the opening quarter of the game. But Grossman would quickly respond with a jumper in the paint to put MSUB back in control, setting up a back-and-forth conclusion to the game. The lead would change hands once more after a three by the Saints would be quickly responded to with an offensive rebound and put back by Momberg, before Chesnut would score the next six points for MSUB on a 6-2 run over the next two minutes of action, helping MSUB keep hold of a multi score lead and never letting the Saints get back in control down the stretch. Three free throws by Grossman would seal things in the final seconds for the 'Jackets, who would hit the court with excitement following the final buzzer as they took down the higher seeded Saints, and kept their season alive.
 
"We knew that Saint Martin's would fight back," Woodin said. "And we got a little tight as well in the third. After they came back it was really close late, but I think that our young team, led by our one senior, really came together over the last few minutes and had some really good possessions on both ends."
 
THE BUZZ: Grossman was named the Intermountain Health Player of the Game… the win marked Woodin's 20^th career postseason victory as head coach, and 10^th career win at the GNAC Championships…
 
UP NEXT: With the win, MSUB will advance on to the semifinals of the GNAC Championships, where they'll face off against No. 2 seed Central Washington University. That game is scheduled for Friday, March 6 at Sam Carver Gymnasium in Bellingham, WA, with live video available on the GNAC Network, and live statistics available here.