8 game win streak halted by No. 2 Seawolves

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu January 30, 2016 Van Atta career-high 17, 8 game win-streak halted by 85-73 loss to No. 2 Seawolves MSUB Women’s Basketball on Facebook MSUB Women’s Basketball on ISSUU GNAC Standings Interactive Box Score

Marissa Van Atta poured in a career-high 17 points against Alaska Anchorage.

A six minute scoring drought had the MSU Billings women's basketball team playing catch-up in a game against the No. 2 Alaska Anchorage Seawolves, as the Yellowjackets fall 85-73 at Alterowitz.

BILLINGS, Mont. - In a game full of milestones, sophomore Marissa Van Atta scored a career-high 17 points, junior Alisha Breen reached 1,000 career points, and senior Janiel Olson recorded her 900th career rebound in the Montana State University Billings Great Northwest Athletic Conference, 85-73, loss Saturday at Alterowitz to No. 2 Alaska Anchorage.

Led by Van Atta, five Yellowjackets scored double-digit points, but a scoring drought midway through the game had MSUB playing catch-up in the second half. The ‘Jackets won the third quarter 17-15, but a big fourth quarter, including 17 points in the final 10 minutes from UAA’s Jenna Buchanan pushed the Seawolves ahead.

In front of an electric crowd, Van Atta made two huge layups, added a pair of rebounds, and dished the ball to Tiana Hanson for a layup to draw the ‘Jackets to within three, 61-58 with 5:53 left in the game. Another chance on a breakaway layup and free-throw from sophomore Rylee Kane pulled MSUB to within six, 76-70, with 1:39 remaining, but free throws gave the Seawolves a cushion in the final minute.

Van Atta led the team with 17 points and finished with a team-high seven rebounds. Senior Monica Grimsrud recorded with 15 points. Kane finished with 14 points and a career-high eight assists. Breen had 13 points and a team-high two blocks. Junior Tiana Hanson was 4-5 from the field, and 2-2 from the free-throw line, ending the night with 10 points.

The No. 2 Seawolves had eight 3-pointers in the game on 42.1 percent shooting (8-19). The Yellowjackets struggled from the outside, shooting 1-10 in the first half, bumping that up to 4-11 in the final 20 minutes, finishing 5-21 for 23.8 percent for the game The win sends No. 2 Alaska Anchorage to 24-1 and 11-1 in the GNAC for sole possession of first-place in the conference standings. MSU Billings is now 14-5 overall and 10-2 in the GNAC for a tie with Western Washington.

After a 9-26 performance from the field to open the game, MSUB followed that up with a 15-28 shooting performance, ending the game ahead of the Seawolves 44.4 percent – 43.8 percent. The Seawolves had nine steals in the game and won the battle in second chance points, 24-8, as UAA finished ahead in rebounds, 40-34, including 14-8 on the offensive boards.

“We got beat by a very talented Anchorage team tonight. I give them tons of credit,” MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin said. “My team fought hard, but unfortunately we just came up a little short. I felt the key tonight was how they outshot us from the 3-point line. That is usually one of our strengths. We had a lot of good looks but for most of the game we couldn’t knock them down.

“It was a great environment for a college women’s basketball game,” Woodin continued. I would like to thank everyone for coming.” “ A steal from Olson helped jump start MSUB. Breen scored six straight points on free-throws and two layups to give MSUB a 12-11 lead in the first quarter.

Grimsrud made a diving play on a rebound to regain possession for the ‘Jackets and on the inbounds play Breen went up for layup for 14-all. The Seawolves pulled ahead with a spurt of six straight points. Four missed 3-pointers from MSUB were part of a dry spell and back-to-back turnovers had Alaska Anchorage up 25-14 at the start of the second quarter.

A drive to the basket from the 3-point line from Kane put up the first points in almost six minutes for the ‘Jackets. From the free-throw line, Breen added one and Van Atta two on an offensive put-back to drop the deficit to 27-19. A steal from UAA and a fast break layup from Christina Davis pushed the Seawolves’ lead up to 31-19.

Grimsrud made back-to-back shots from inside the key to chip away at the lead. Breen made a block and Grimsrud another to force a turnover on the Seawolves. Hanson kept-up the ‘Jackets offense adding two points on free-throws. A 3-pointer from UAA’s Tara Thompson pushed the lead back up 41-29 at the half.

“Jenna Buchanan and Alysha Devine were very hard to guard tonight,” Woodin said. “Both of them played great and Megan Mullings is so tough too. Offensively, we protected the ball much better than a month ago as we cut our turnovers in half. I felt offensively we moved the ball much better in the second half.”

Mullings scored 19, Buchanan finished with a game-high 28 points, and Devin was 7-7 from the field for 17 points and a game-high nine rebounds.

In the second half, MSUB worked at cutting into the lead. Kane made a steal and was fouled on the layup attempt making both free-throws at the line. Grimsrud finished a turn-around jump shot at the top of the key, but two quick plays from the Seawolves stopped the scoring momentum.

A free-throw from sophomore Vanessa Stavish at 3:41 in the third quarter dropped the deficit down to nine, 50-41. A big 3-pointer from Kane at the end of the third quarter kept the ‘Jackets within reach, 56-46.

Hanson posted up for two points to lead off the fourth quarter for the ‘Jackets. Kane added two on a drive to the rim for 59-50 with 8:30 remaining.

With the clock winding down, Van Atta came through with six straight points. Back-to-back inside shots from the guard and free-throws with two huge defensive rebounds gave MSUB possession. A dish from Van Atta to Hanson led to a layup for 61-58.

Back-to-back 3-pointer from the Seawolves gave the Seawolves a boost. Van Atta, Breen, and Olson all made 3-pointers in the final five minutes.

“Nine hundred career-rebounds is simply amazing for Janiel and 1000 points is also a great achievement for Alisha,” Woodin said. “Both of them are amazing student-athletes. I am so fortunate to coach them and I applaud their accomplishments.

THE BUZZ: With 13 points in the game, Breen now has 1,001 career points at MSUB….Olson had six rebounds on the night and has 900 total as a Yellowjacket.

UP NEXT: MSU Billings heads back onto the road for two conference games. The Yellowjackets play at Seattle Pacific on Thursday, Feb. 4, at 6:15 Mountain time followed by a game at Saint Martin’s on Saturday, Feb. 6, also at 6:15 p.m.

Mountain time.

“We are excited to travel to Seattle to play SPU and St. Martin’s this coming week,” Woodin said. “Both GNAC games present great challenges for us. I know we will be ready to play.”

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