FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu January 2, 2016 First career double-double for Van Atta in 59-55 win over Alaska MSUB Women’s Basketball on Facebook MSUB Women’s Basketball on ISSUU Interactive Box Score
Marissa Van Atta registered her first career double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Junior Alisha Breen and sophomore Marissa Van Atta complete double-doubles in a 59-55 road win over Alaska Saturday. FAIRBANKS, Alaska. – Junior Alisha Breen and sophomore Marissa Van Atta both completed double-doubles in the MSU Billings 59-55 win over Alaska in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action Saturday. Breen scored 20 points and had 17 rebounds while Van Atta recorded her first career double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. The 17 rebounds from Breen bests her career-high from last season when she grabbed 16 against the Nanooks in Fairbanks. “It was a really good win for us tonight.” MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin said. “I know physically we were really tired, but we dug down deep and played a really strong second half tonight to come out on top. I thought we had a great first
quarter when we were able to build a lead. We were doing a really good job on the glass and passing the ball well where we were able to find some easy opportunities early in the game. Give Fairbanks a lot of credit though. In the second and third quarters they responded well. I felt they were getting the ball inside too often and creating some easy baskets. They caught us and then went ahead, but I was really proud of how our team was able to respond.” The Yellowjackets had to hold off a determined Nanooks team in the second half for the win, but ultimately move to 7-4 overall and 3-1 in the GNAC. Alaska falls to 5-9 overall and 0-4 in the GNAC. In the win, MSUB shot 35.4 percent from the field and 21.1 percent from the 3-point arc. The team was 9-12 from the free-throw line for 75.0 percent and outrebounded Alaska 42-36. The Nanooks shot 39.7 percent from the field and were 6-13 from 3-point territory for 46.2 percent. Alaska was only at the free-throw line four times, making three of those attempts. MSU Billings scored 34 points in the paint to 24 from Alaska. The ‘Jackets also had more second chance points, 20-13, and points off of turnovers, 13-6. MSU Billings finished the first quarter with a nine point lead, but Alaska came back in the second quarter, outscoring the Yellowjackets 18-10. In the third quarter, the Nanooks took a six point lead before a layup from Breen at the start of the fourth quarter put MSUB back up. The two teams traded baskets, but free throws from Breen pushed the ‘Jackets ahead by six points, 51-45, with 2:18 remaining in the game. A 3-point basket from Alaska’s Arinesha Smith pulled the deficit back down to three points, but Van Atta made a great offensive grab, going back up for the basket. Another layup from Alaska, this time from Jordan Wilson, moved the Nanooks back within a possession, but the Yellowjackets were able to get some distance with a layup from Janiel Olson and free-throws from Rylee Kane. Jaylee Mays made a 3-point basket with 13 seconds left, but Alaska was forced to foul again, and MSUB’s Monica Grimsrud made both of her free-throws to turn it into a two possession game. Mays finished the game with a layup, but MSUB ended the game with the four-point victory. Wilson had 16 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists for Alaska. Mays made three 3-point baskets and ended the game with 13 points. Kaillee Skjold also had 10 rebounds in the game to go along with six points. The Yellowjackets finished the first quarter with a nine point lead. Olson made a 3-pointer on a pass from Kane to push MSUB past double-digits. The ‘Jackets had the ball stripped away, but Alaska missed the layup and on the MSUB possession, Vanessa Stavish made a good shot to end the quarter with a 3-point bucket. MSUB’s Tiana Hanson picked up three points in the second quarter with a layup and the extra point. Grimsrud blocked a ball under the basket and Kane was able to capitalize with a dribble into the key for a layup. With a long 3-point basket, McClain Williams kicked-off a 6-0 run that moved Alaska to within four, 21-17. Both teams engaged on a dry spell. Wilson picked up the first points after the scoring stall with a layup on an inbounds pass. Van Atta responded on the next possession with a 3-point basket. The Nanooks finished up the second quarter on another run, ending with a layup at the buzzer as the Yellowjackets went into the locker room with a single-point lead 24-23.
Wilson pulled Alaska ahead for its first lead of the game with two free throws to open the second half. Breen scored two on an offensive rebound and the put-back. Wilson made a layup for Alaska, but Grimsrud made a layup for MSUB on a straight dish from Kane. Mays hit a long 3-point basket for the Nanooks to put Alaska ahead, and Wilson followed that up with her third basket of the half. Breen made a nice move under the basket with a turn-around layup to pull MSUB back within one, 34-33, but Wilson and Smith had the Nanooks ahead 38-35 at the end of the third quarter. Needing a boost from for the Yellowjackets, Breen engaged with nine straight points for the 44-41 lead. Williams came back with a layup for the Nanooks. Kane picked the pocket of the Alaska offense and with the shot clock running down, was fouled on her drive into the basket. Grimsrud missed a 3-point shot, but Van Atta grabbed the offensive rebound and went back up for two points. Alaska’s Wilson hit a layup for two points. After a timeout from the MSUB bench, the ‘Jackets ran the shot clock down and Olson drove to the rim for two points giving MSUB the lead 55-50 with 39 seconds left. Alaska was unable to score any points on its possession and the Nanooks were forced to foul. MSUB made four straight free-throws to ice the game. “Our team was really able to regroup down the stretch and I thought they played a strong fourth quarter. Alisha was very good in the second half and was able to score in many ways and I thought that helped us. In Marissa’s first start she registered a double-double which was a big help for us as well. Janiel hit some big shots for us down the stretch as well. Overall it was a great team win, anytime you can win in the GNAC, it is a great accomplishment which will benefit us later when we are in similar situations. Next week we are looking forward to playing at home against Saint Martin’s and Seattle Pacific.” THE BUZZ: Van Atta earns St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game honors with her first collegiate start and careerdouble-double…Kane finished with a team-high six assists and Van Atta a team-high three steals. UP NEXT: MSU Billings returns home to host two GNAC games. The Yellowjackets have games scheduled against Saint Martin’s on Thursday, Jan. 7, at 7 p.m. followed by a contest on Saturday, Jan. 9, at 7 p.m. against Seattle Pacific.
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