FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu November 17, 2016 Women’s basketball welcoming 3 teams for Yellowjacket Classic MSUB Women’s Basketball on Facebook | MSUB Women’s Basketball on ISSUU | Preview Interviews with Lexi Prevost, Marissa Van Atta, and head coach Kevin Woodin
Junior Marissa Van Atta and the MSUB women’s basketball program are hosting the Yellowjacket Classic.
The women’s basketball program is hosting the Yellowjacket Classic Nov. 18-19 during which MSUB is welcoming Black Hills State, Northern State, and Cal Poly Pomona to Alterowitz. BILLINGS, Mont. – After opening the regular season with three games in California, the Yellowjackets will turn to hosting duties as MSUB gets set to welcome Black Hills State, Northern State, and Cal Poly Pomona to Alterowitz Nov. 18-19. MSU Billings is coming off three losses in the Golden State, but the ‘Jackets will have home field advantage against two very tough regional opponents in Northern State and Cal Poly Pomona. “it will be a great environment,” MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin said. “We have doubleheaders both days on Friday and Saturday. We really enjoy hosting the Yellowjacket Classic and having the tournament format. It should be some really great basketball. All three teams that are coming in are each very different, and all are from extremely successful programs.”
The Yellowjackets’ game against Cal Poly Pomona on Saturday night will be featured live on ESPN Radio 910 KBLG in Billings, in the first of six women’s basketball broadcasts on the radio this season. All tournament games will feature live video with play-by-play commentary, and live statistics, available through MSUB’s Stretch Internet portal here. SENIOR LEADERSHIP: Last week senior Tiana Hanson averaged 14.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. The forward from Shepherd, Mont., is the lone senior on the squad and is adjusting to shouldering the leadership role. Building on her first year in Division II, Hanson has come back to the team a leader both on and off the court. Against Cal State San Marcos, Hanson finished with 24 points, shooting 7-15 from the field (46.7 percent) and was 10-11 from the free-throw line. In the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, she is 12th in scoring and 10th in rebounds. FLOOR GENERAL: Like Hanson, junior Rylee Kane will have an increased role on and off the court for the Yellowjackets. She is tied with Hanson in points per game at 14.7 and is fourth in the GNAC in assists per game at 5.7. She is adding 3.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game. Against CSUSM, Kane was 3-3 from the 3-point arc and for the season is 4-6 from the outside for third-best in the conference at 66.7 percent. WELCOMING WEEKS: Junior Grace Weeks has been a welcome addition to the MSUB roster. The transfer from Sheridan College is third on the team in points at 9.7 per game and second in rebounds at 4.3 per game. Weeks had double-digit points in two games last week and is leading the team in shooting percentage at 57.1 percent which is 14th in the GNAC. DEFENSIVE SPARK: Marissa Van Atta is looking to build on the opening three games of her junior campaign. The product of Billings Senior High School is averaging 7.3 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. Van Atta contributed 14 points last week against the Cougars and had three assists in the game at Point Loma. BRINA’s BREAKOUT: In her second season as a Yellowjacket, Brina Hull had a breakout game against Point Loma when the guard from Colstrip matched a team-high 11 points. She added four rebounds with an assist and a steal. Hull is contributing 4.3 points per game on an average 15.7 minutes on the court. PREVOST’S START: Lexi Prevost earned her first collegiate start in the game at Point Loma when the junior contributed six points, both coming in the form of 3-point baskets. Prevost is playing 21 minutes for the Yellowjackets and leads the team in 3-point baskets made, averaging 1.7 per game. FRESHMEN FRENZY: The four-player incoming class of MSUB freshmen will have a significant role to play for the Yellowjackets this season. Both Jeanann Lemelin and Abbie Lohof recorded their first collegiate points in the game against Point Loma. Taylor Cunningham is averaging 18.7 minutes for MSUB and had six rebounds and two points against San Marcos. Sophia Wass posted her first rebound in nine minutes during the game against the Sea Lions. BY THE NUMBERS: MSUB is heading into the week averaging 62.3 points on 39.0 percent shooting from the field. The Yellowjackets are shooting 73.1 percent from the free-throw line and recording 31.3 rebounds per game. Friday, November 18 – vs Northern State University Wolves – 7:30 p.m. Alterowitz Gym | Billings, MT | Live Video | Live Stats 2016-17 Record: 1-0 Head Coach: Curt Fredrickson, 38th season 2015-16 Record: 23-8, 17-5 NSIC, NCAA tournament qualifier
The Yellowjacket Classic will be the first meeting between Northern State and MSU Billings. The Wolves from Aberdeen, S.D., have long been a basketball powerhouse in their region. Under long-time head coach Curt Frederickson, NSU has won two national championships and several conference and regional titles. Last season, the Wolves finished with an overall record of 23.8. Like MSUB, NSU finished as the conference (Northern Sun) tournament championship runner-up and advanced to the NCAA national tournament as the eighth seed. Northern State lost in the first round to Emporia State 74-68. In the NSIC this year, Northern State was picked to finish second in the preseason coaches’ poll and junior Jill Conrad was named the North Division Preseason Player of the Year. As a sophomore, Conrad averaged 13.5 points per game and shot 90.0 percent from the free-throw line. The Wolves have played just one regular-season game this year, winning their opening contest against Black Hills State 56-40. Conrad finished with 15 points while 6-foot-2 junior Miranda Ristau led the team with 20 points and seven rebounds. The Wolves shot 48.8 percent from the field (20-41) and were 2-5 from the 3-point arc. From the free-throw line, NSU shot 14-19. Off the glass, the Wolves grabbed 37 boards compared to 29 from BHSU. Saturday, November 19 – vs Cal Poly Pomona University Broncos– 5 PM Alterowitz Gym | Billings, MT | Live Video | Live Stats | Live Radio 2016-17 Record: 1-1 Head Coach: Danielle Bishop 2015-16 Record: 11-17, 9-11 CCAA Last year with a very young roster, Cal Poly Pomona finished just under .500 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. This season, CPP was picked to finish third in the preseason coaches’ poll. Part of the returning roster for the Broncos is last season’s CCAA Freshman of the Year Jordyn Shane and honorable mention Priscilla Brooks. Cal Poly Pomona is 1-1 in the early season, falling to Point Loma, 61-57, in its opening season game, but rebounding with a win over Azusa Pacific 67-56. For the first two games, Chelsea Waddy-Blow, a 6-foot-1 junior forward is averaging 13.0 points per game. Brooks is second for the team with 9.0. Both players are also leading the team in rebounds with Brooks averaging 11.0 per game and Waddy-Blow 8.0. The Broncos have been leaders in rebounds, having recorded 101-68 on their opponents. MSU Billings and Cal Poly Pomona have met in the last two seasons, both in Pomona at Kellogg Gym. In 2013-14, MSUB lost the west region championship game 75-68. Last year in an early season game in California, the Yellowjackets defeated the Broncos 68-51. MSUB was 12-21 (52.2 percent) from the 3-point arc and shot 41.5 percent from the field in last year’s contest. MSUB was also 22-28 (78.6 percent) from the free-throw line in the win. In their overall history, MSUB is 2-6 against Cal Poly Pomona. This will be the first meeting between the teams at Alterowitz. Black Hills State University Yellow Jackets 2016-17 Record: 0-1 Head Coach: Mark Nore, 15th season 2015-16 Record: 21-8, 17-5 RMAC
The Yellow Jackets of Black Hills State are coming off the most successful season in their NCAA history. The 2015-16 team earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Division II Basketball Tournament as the No. 7 seed. The Yellow Jackets upset No. 2 CSU-Pueblo in the first round to advance to the Round of 32, falling to West Texas A&M in the semi-finals and finishing with an overall record of 21-8. Black Hills State was voted to finish fourth in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference preseason coaches’ poll. The team returns three starters from last season, including preseason All-RMAC selection Taylor Trohikimoinen. Last year a first team all-conference honoree, Trohikimoinen averaged 9.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. Also, returning are Cheyanne Balster a 6-foot-1 senior (7.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg), and Remi Wientjes, a 5-foot-10 junior (4.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg). The Yellow Jackets played their opening-season game at Northern State falling to the Wolves 56-40. In the loss, senior Kassidy Scott led the team with 10 points. BHSU shot 26 percent (15-56) compared to 48.8 percent (20-41) from Northern State. The Wolves outrebounded the Yellow Jackets 37-29. --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--