FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu December 7, 2016 Women’s basketball welcoming Great Falls for exhibition game MSUB Women’s Basketball on Facebook | MSUB Women’s Basketball on ISSUU | GNAC Standings Preview Interviews with Jeanann Lemelin, Taylor Cunningham, and head coach Kevin Woodin
Freshman Jeanann Lemelin and MSUB women’s basketball are welcoming the University of Great Falls for an exhibition game.
MSUB women’s basketball takes a break from conference action to host in-state opponent the University of Great Falls on Saturday during a doubleheader at Alterowitz. BILLINGS, Mont. – MSU Billings is taking a break from Great Northwest Athletic Conference action to host in-state opponent the University of Great Falls on Saturday, Dec. 10. MSU Billings began its conference schedule on the road last week, earning a split with a loss against Northwest Nazarene followed by a win against Central Washington. MSUB is now 3-6 overall and 1-1 in the GNAC. The game on Saturday for MSUB is an exhibition for both teams. The women’s game against the Argos begins at 5 p.m., followed by the MSUB men’s team hosting Rocky Mountain College at 7 p.m. This week, $2 game tickets are being offered at any of the Cellular Plus locations in Billings. Visit CellularPlus.com for locations and store hours. Live coverage for both men’s and women’s contests will be available on the MSUB Stretch Internet portal here. The women’s game
will be broadcast live on the radio at KINX 102.7 in Great Falls and live on the web here. Also, the men’s game will be broadcast on ESPN Radio 910 KBLG here. SENIOR LEADERSHIP: Tiana Hanson, the lone senior on the MSUB active roster, leads the team in points at 16.4 per game which is fourth-best in the GNAC. She is also sixth in the conference in rebounds per game at 5.9 and is 13th in free-throw percentage at 83.9 (52-62). The forward from Shepherd, Mont., scored 39 points and recorded 14 rebounds last week on the road. She was also 14-16 from the free-throw line. FLOOR GENERAL: Junior point guard Rylee Kane is the other player on the team averaging double-figures with 10.2 points per game. Kane is third in the GNAC in assists at 6.1 per game and 12th in steals at 2.0. The native of Red Lodge, Mont., scored 17 points and made 10 assists with two steals last week. She played 38 minutes in the game at Central Washington, shooting 45.5 percent (5-11) from the field with seven assists and four rebounds. With her assists last week, Kane has moved onto the all-time MSUB career list at No. 8 in assists with 289. ALL-COURT SPARK: Marissa Van Atta is averaging just under double digit-points at 8.3 per game. The junior scored 12 points for MSUB last week. She had nine rebounds against Central Washington, a big jump in boards and her best performance this season. ENERGIZED EDWARDS: Turning in two of best career games, Taylor Edwards scored a career-best 18 points at Northwest Nazarene with five rebounds and a steal. At Central Washington, Edwards was 4-9 from the field with three 3-point buckets, and two steals. The sophomore is averaging 9.8 points in 27.8 minutes on the court. SOPHOMORE BOOST: Sophomore Brina Hull played double-digit minutes in both games last week totaling three points with six rebounds. She matched her career-best four rebounds in the game at Northwest Nazarene during 16 minutes on the court. FROM THE OUTSIDE: Junior Lexi Prevost leads the team in 3-point baskets this season with 1.4 per game. She is 13 for 31 from the 3-point arc, including 1-1 at Central Washington. FRESHMAN FRENZY: Taylor Cunningham earned her first start as a Yellowjacket in the game at Central Washington. The 5-foot-11 forward had six points in a season-best 29 minutes on the court. She had nine rebounds in the two games with six coming off the offensive glass. WELCOMING WILLIAMS: MSUB is welcoming a new addition to the roster. Janessa Williams, a 5-foot-11 forward from Clancy, Mont., has joined the Yellowjacket women’s basketball program. A standout for MSUB on the women’s track and field team last season, Williams was a four-sport standout for Jefferson High School. She was a basketball all-state selection her junior and senior campaigns. BY THE NUMBERS: MSUB is averaging 61.2 points per game on 37.7 percent shooting. The team is 31.2 percent from outside with 28.3 rebounds per game. Saturday, Dec. 10 – vs. University of Great Falls Argos – 5 p.m. Billings, MT | Live Stats | Live Video | Live Radio 2016-17 Record: 9-2, 0-2 Frontier Head Coach: Bill Himmelberg, 7th season 2015-16 Record: 24-11, 12-6 Frontier
After opening the season 9-0, the University of Great Falls fell to two conference opponents last week, 99-74 at No. 7 Lewis & Clark State, and 75-68 at Montana Tech. The losses didn’t affect the Argos in the national poll as UGF moved up in the rankings and this week is No. 14 in the NAIA DI WBCA top-25. The Argos return three starters from a team that finished with a 24-11 record last season and a trip to the NAIA Elite 8. UGF ended the year ranked No. 12 in the country with a second-place finish in the Frontier conference. Nneki Nnadi, a 5-foot-9 nine senior guard was an All-American Honorable Mention for the Argos, averaging 14.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Whitney George ended last season second in the NAIA in blocks at 3.3 per game. Stephanie McDonagh averaged 11.8 points and 2.1 assists per game. This season, McDonaugh is averaging 15.5 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. Nnadi is second with 12.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. The team is averaging 72.6 points per game on 41.2 percent shooting. The team has a 12.0 scoring and 5.6 rebounding margin over their opponents. MSU Billings and Great Falls have one opponent in common this season in Montana Tech. The Yellowjackets defeated the Orediggers, 78-53, at home on Nov. 4. Four players for MSUB finished with double-digit points led by a season-high 15 from Van Atta. All-Time Record (9-12, 8-4 Home): MSU Billings is behind in overall wins, but most games between the two teams were contested in the 1980’s. MSUB has played UGF in counting games twice in the 21st century. The ‘Jackets won in 2002 at home, 89-59, and in 2013, 102-78. Last Season: MSUB hosted the University of Great Falls for an exhibition game with the ‘Jackets prevailing 49-43. The Argos opened the game on a 12-4 run in the first quarter and were winning 18-13 at half-time. MSUB came out in the third quarter scoring more points in that 10 minutes than the opening 20 with 21 points that carried the team to the win. Kane had four assists and five points with three steals. Hanson had five points with three rebounds. --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--