FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu November 10, 2015 ‘Jackets rebound with 69-58 exhibition win over Battlin’ Bears Women’s Basketball on Facebook MSUB Women’s Basketball on ISSUU Interview with head coach Kevin Woodin and senior Monica Grimsrud Box Score Photos from the Game
Junior Alisha Breen poured in 17 points in the win against Rocky Mountain College.
The Yellowjacket women's basketball team rebounds with a 69-58 win over the visiting Rocky Mountain College Battlin' Bears during Throwback Night at MSUB. BILLINGS, Mont. - Rebounding from an exhibition loss last week, the MSUB women's basketball team won a corresponding exhibition game 69-58 over the visiting Rocky Mountain College Battlin' Bears in Alterowitz Gymnasium Tuesday. For MSUB, Janiel Olson completed a double-double of 15 point and 10 rebounds. Alisha Breen poured in 17 points and was 8-10 from the free-throw line. Monica Grimsrud had 15 points during the home-opener and Throwback Night for the Yellowjackets.
Last week, MSUB lost the game at the Fortin Center 73-69. The two teams fought to the end with the Battlin’ Bears being stronger down the stretch. This time, MSU Billings was down early in the first quarter 16-8, but slowly built up momentum, leading to a 12-point swing in the second half. “Rocky really came to play,” MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin said. “They got off to a very good start and we got down eight after the 1st quarter. It obviously wasn’t the start we were looking for, but I thought the second quarter was critical for us to get back into the game by halftime and we did that.” MSU Billings shot 27.8 percent in the first half, but increased that to 44.4 percent in the second. Rocky was a steady 40.0 percent in both halves from the field, but was 42.9 percent from the foul-line for just three total points. The Yellowjackets made 19 points from the charity strip and were 6-22 from the 3-point arc. Junior Tiana Hanson had eight points in the game. Freshman Taylor Edwards finished with a team-high three assists. The Yellowjackets also saw some good minutes from their bench. Marissa Van Atta finished with four points and three rebounds. Edwards and Vanessa Stavish both connected for five points and two rebounds apiece. In the first quarter Rocky scored twice as many points 16-8, but MSUB pulled ahead with a second quarter push on an 11-point advantage. Destiny Amzequita with 13 points and Hailee Farstvett with 12 combined for almost half of RMC’s point total. Whitney Mitchell and Tenika Capouch both contributed nine. Bridger Rice led the team in rebounds with six. Amzequita also finished with a game-high seven assists. Rice made a good shot from the paint to open the game, but MSUB’s Hanson countered with a tough shot off a feed from Rylee Kane. A quick 3-pointer from Amzequita and another two points from Rice pushed Rocky’s lead to five, 7-2. Olson got into the game with two from just inside the 3-point arc. Amzequita made a good steal and a run-away bucket, but Breen came down the floor making a tough shot inside for the ‘Jackets. Olson added two more and Hanson made both of her free throws off a foul from Rice to close the gap to four, 16-12, but Mitchell on the outside buried Rocky’s second 3-pointer of the game. Olson missed her layup after a good steal, but Hanson was there for the put-back. Back-to-back 3-pointers shot the Yellowjackets ahead for the first time in the game. Edwards started the charge with a trey from the top of the arc and Olson put MSUB up 22-19 with her first 3-point bucket of the game. Amzequita made a three-pointer, and Capouch earned two off a nice pick down low. On the next possession with a nice turnaround shot, Capouch earned three more on a layup plus one after the foul. Breen made her own 3-point play with an offensive rebound put-back plus one. Hanson made one of her two free throws to tie the game at 29. With under a minute left in the first half, Olson was fouled after a defensive rebound. Heading to the free-throw line, she made one of two, but for the second straight time, the Yellowjackets picked up the rebound. This time Grimsrud was fouled and she made good on both of her shots to put MSUB ahead 32-29 at the half.
“Other than the first couple of minutes of the second half, I thought our players were very focused tonight,” Woodin said. “I felt we got a spark from our bench tonight especially from Taylor Edwards, Marissa Van Atta, and Vanessa Stavish in both halves.” The Battlin’ Bears came out firing in the second half, pulling ahead with two buckets from Farstveet. A jumper from Rice and a layup from Mitchell added four. Grimsrud made the first bucket for the ‘Jackets in the second half followed by a jump shot from Olson. A nice pass to a wide-open Capouch under the basket pulled Rocky back ahead by three of MSUB, 39-36. Breen made an important shot for MSUB’s second 3-pointer of the game to tie the score at 41. Keeping MSUB ahead, Olson scored the next five with a nice move inside for two, and an open 3-point basket on an assist from Kane. Stavish contributed two after a snatch and grab on the MSUB inbounds play and laying the ball in for two. At the start of the fourth quarter Grimsrud caught fire. The center scored seven straight, including a 3-pointer from the far corner. Stavish added her own 3-point bucket opening up a 10 point lead 61-51. Breen made a great play on a smart switch inside the key for two and was fouled. She was good on the follow-up shot for a 13-point advantage. On a 7-0 MSUB run, Grimsrud pulled-up for a shot inside. Amzequita made the adjustment hitting one from way downtown to close the gap to six, 66-58. With just over a minute left in the game, RMC started a full-court press, but two fouls from the Battlin’ Bears sent Breen to the line to shoot two. She made one to separate the score by nine. With just over five seconds left, RMC was forced to foul again. This time, Breen drained both, ending the game at 69-58. “Monica and Janiel had strong second halves for us,” Woodin commented on his two senior players. “Monica established herself inside on both ends and Janiel’s leadership was key as well. We were also able to make enough pressure free throws down the stretch to keep the lead.” MSU Billings scored 18 second chance points to RMC’s five. The Yellowjackets made more points off of turnovers (21-15) and had more steals (8-4). The teams were even in points in the paint at 26, Rocky held the edge in points from its bench 15-14. THE BUZZ: Monica Grimsrud named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…Breen and Van Atta both had three offensive rebounds…MSUB dropped its turnover down to 10, seven less than last time the two teams met...the game was an exhibition for both teams - RMC stays at 7-1 while MSUB is still 0-0 on the season…tonight was the third annual Throwback Night hosted by the MSUS women’s team…the Yellowjackets wore uniforms from a 1980’s EMC design. UP NEXT: MSU Billings opens its regular season this weekend hosting the GNAC PacWest Yellowjacket Challenge sponsored by the Billings Hotel and Convention Center & ExxonMobil. The Yellowjackets are welcoming GNAC institution Simon Fraser along with PacWest schools Cal Baptist and Academy of Art. MSUB plays its first game on Friday, Nov. 13 at 7:30 p.m. For a full listing of games and times please visit the tournament website here.
“Our GNAC/PacWest Yellowjacket Classic has a tremendous field of teams,” Woodin said. “We are excited to host the event and I can’t thank ExxonMobil and the Billings Hotel and Convention Center enough. It will be a great weekend of basketball at Alterowitz.”
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