FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Friday, October 21, 2016 Familiar faces grace Alterowitz Gym for MSUB women’s basketball alumni game Friday
Former Yellowjackets take to the court in MSUB’s annual women’s basketball alumni game, with the likes of former AllAmerican Bobbi Knudsen and recent graduate Janiel Olson helping this year’s team kick off the new season. BILLINGS, Mont. – Former and current players alike took to the floor Friday night at Alterowitz Gymnasium, for the annual Montana State University Billings women’s basketball alumni game. Former All-American Bobbi Knudsen led all players with 19 points, but the current Yellowjackets held off a promising push by the alumni for a 66-54 victory in their first game of the preseason. “I like the way we started the game, and I though defensively we were pretty sound and were able to get some buckets in transition early,” said MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin. “During the middle part of the game, I felt the alumni settled in and they played some really good team defense.” Alisha Breen led a trio of double-figure scorers for the ‘Jackets, with 15 points on 6 of 16 shooting from the floor. The senior preseason All-American chipped in seven of the team’s 35 rebounds as well. “It was fun playing against some former teammates, and it was good to get a game under our belts before we play Rocky in a couple of weeks,” Breen said. “Bobbi is someone who I’ve looked up to for three years, and it was really great playing against her tonight.”
Junior transfer Grace Weeks was close behind Breen with 14 points, and junior Marissa Van Atta added 11. Junior point guard Rylee Kane led all players with eight assists, and did not commit a turnover in 32 minutes. “Grace did a very nice job off of the bench, and I felt like she made a lot of correct reads offensively and rebounded well,” Woodin said. “Rylee played a good floor game considering she had Bobbi on her. I was really proud of her with zero turnovers.” Chelsea (Banis) Schilling, who was a fellow senior with Knudsen on the 2013-14 team that made a run into the NCAA Division II Sweet 16, was the other alumni player in double figures with 14 points. Annie DePuydt and Quinn Peoples, who each graduated in 2015, had six and four points respectively. Their fellow classmate Kayleen (Goggins) Schultz served as the coach of the alumni team. “All these girls I played with, especially my junior year, will all hold a special place in my heart forever,” Peoples commented. “It means a lot for me to come back and see everybody again.” Also among the alumni were Kalli (Stanhope) Allen, who had two points and two assists in 14 minutes, and Tanya (Peterson) Hauptman, who had three points, a rebound, a block, and a steal. Monica Grimsrud, a member of last season’s NCAA West Region Championship participant, grabbed four rebounds and had three assists in 22 minutes. Former All-American Bobbi Knudsen (21) and current senior Alisha Breen (20) squared off in MSUB’s alumni game Friday night.
“Overall it’s a fun game to play, and it is great to see all of those guys again,” Woodin said. “I definitely enjoyed coaching with them more than against them.” The current team overcame a lull in the third quarter and finished the game well to ensure a victory in their first full game of the winter. Tiana Hanson was effective with eight points and six rebounds, and Brina Hull contributed six points and five boards for the ‘Jackets. Freshman Jeanann Lemelin made the most of eight minutes, recording two points, two rebounds, an assist, and a steal. “Coming into the game I was nervous, because I knew how good they were in the past,” Lemelin said. “It was fun to have that interaction on the court, and we expect to pick up where last year’s team left off.” “When I was looking out there I was trying to find a weak link to attack and I just couldn’t,” Woodin commented regarding the alumni team. “They are all talented and smart, and it was really neat for them to meet our current players and share stories. It was a good experience for us to play a game this early.” MSUB kicks off its preseason schedule with an exhibition game at Rocky Mountain College on Halloween at 7 p.m. The Yellowjackets’ first regular-season game is against UC San Diego, on Nov. 11 at 8:30 p.m. Mountain time in San Marcos, Calif.