FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu February 10, 2016 ROOT SPORTS coming to Billings for women’s basketball on Think Pink Night MSUB Women’s Basketball on Facebook MSUB Women’s Basketball on ISSUU Preview Interviews with senior Janiel Olson, junior Alisha Breen, and head coach Kevin Woodin GNAC Standings EVA Project
MSUB women’s basketball is holding its 10th annual Think Pink Night and it will televised on ROOT SPORTS.
This week in MSUB women’s basketball marks the start of some exciting events for the Yellowjackets. First up, is the 10th annual Think Pink Night at Alterowitz which is being featured as the GNAC ROOT SPORTS Game of the Week. BILLINGS, Mont. – It will be a loud and fun atmosphere at Alterowitz Gym this Thursday evening, Feb. 11 at 7 p.m., as the Montana State University Billings women’s basketball program welcomes Great Northwest Athletic Conference
opponent Western Oregon University to Billings during the program’s 10th annual Think Pink Night and it will all be broadcast across the west as the featured GNAC ROOT SPORTS Game of the Week. For the first time since the GNAC began its partnership with ROOT SPORTS, MSU Billings has the opportunity to host a Game of the Week on its campus. While both the men’s and women’s basketball programs have been a part of games at other conference universities, Thursday’s contest marks a new opportunity for Montana State University Billings and Yellowjacket athletics, as well as friends, families, and fans of NCAA Division II collegiate basketball. "We are ecstatic about the opportunity to host a game televised regionally on ROOT SPORTS, and we are excited to showcase our women’s basketball team this season through this incredible platform," commented MSUB director of athletics Krista Montague. "Hosting a game that is televised regionally is a unique opportunity that our university is looking forward to taking advantage of, and we can't wait to put our electric atmosphere here at MSUB on display throughout the Northwest." Thursday night’s game is proudly sponsored by the St. Vincent Healthcare’s EVA Project. The EVA Project was created by a local woman in the Billings community, Eva, who was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was 48 years old with no family history. Through early detection, Eva's cancer was diagnosed and successfully treated. Eva wanted to make sure that every woman would be able to receive her screening mammogram so she and the St. Vincent Healthcare Foundation created the EVA Project to provide any women in need with a free screening mammogram at the Yellowstone Breast Center or on the mobile mammography coach. The EVA Project is funded by Eva and the St. Vincent Healthcare Foundation and is supported through events like MSUB’s Think Pink Night, community sponsors and private donors. What began as a partnership to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer in the local community has grown into a memorable event for women in the Billings region as well as the Yellowjacket athletes that have participated in the annual activities surrounding MSUB’s Think Pink. The week of the game now includes a visit to the St. Vincent’s Healthcare breast cancer survivors group where the Yellowjacket basketball players attend to share and hear stories from women who gather to support one another during their fight against the disease. “Every single member of our team has been touched by someone who has gone through this fight and we feel so privileged to be able to hear and share our experiences surrounding breast cancer,” junior Alisha Breen said. “It means a lot for us to have this opportunity, and I know everyone on the team feels blessed to be a part of such an incredible event. This night isn’t just about basketball, it is about being able to reach and connect with women and families in our community, and we are glad to be participants in a game that honors that fight, and to bring awareness to the struggles these women go through.” One tradition of Think Pink Night is that all women receive free admission to the MSUB game. Also, all cancer survivors will be recognized before tipoff with a Gainan’s Flowers and Garden Center pink rose handed to them by a member of the MSU Billings women’s basketball team. During Monday’s meeting at the St. Vincent Healthcare’s Mansfield Center, the MSUB team handed out t-shirts celebrating Thursday’s game, as well as tickets for families to attend. During the game, those survivors are given a special section in the stands to sit, and will take a group photo with the team at halfcourt before the start of the game. Inside the lobby, the EVA Project will have a table with information as well as the ability to participate in a raffle with all proceeds going back to the organization. Also, the t-shirt created for the event will be available for purchase. All game shirts are $20 with 100 percent of the proceeds returning to the EVA Project to fund the Mobile Coach and other outreach ventures.
During the game, the Yellowjackets will be wearing their pink jerseys donated by the EVA Project and all fans are encouraged to wear pink in support of breast cancer awareness. Coach Woodin even has a pair of pink canvas shoes he will wear from his office that sit next to a pink basketball that is used during warm-ups. From the stat sheets handed out on pink paper to the pink referee whistles on pink lanyards, all of Alterowitz will be blushing a special shade during the community event. THE PART OF THE EVENT THAT HAS BASKETBALL: With the regular season winding down, and four of the next six games to be played on the road, this week at home is a special and important one for the MSUB women’s basketball team. With a 15-7 overall record and 11-3 in the conference, MSU Billings is third in the GNAC standings and with just two games at Alterowitz, the team will work at defending home court against an opponent the Yellowjackets split with last season. YELLOWJACKETS TO BE FEATURED ON ROOT SPORTS: Tipoff during the basketball program's annual Think Pink game is set for 7 p.m. Mountain time in a game televised on the ROOT SPORTS network throughout the western United States. For satellite subscribers, ROOT SPORTS can be found on DirecTV channel 687 and DISH Network channel 426. Regionally, you can find ROOT SPORTS here. “The GNAC is extremely pleased to continue our Game of the Week series on ROOT SPORTS,” said conference commissioner Dave Haglund. “This has been a successful and long-standing association and helps expose our great brand of basketball to fans in our conference footprint and beyond.” BRINGING IT ALL HOME: With six games left in the regular season, MSUB has this week to play its last two at home. While it is earlier in the season than usual to finish at Alterowitz, the Yellowjackets have been looking at the calendar all year and know what they need to do. THOSE ARE FIGHTING WORDS: Being tabbed to finish tied for seventh in the GNAC preseason coaches’ poll has turned out to be a motivating factor for this year’s team. After the disappointment of not making the conference tournament last year, the MSUB team has been playing against the grain and is excited to showcase Yellowjacket basketball to the region. “We did have a little bit of a chip on our shoulder,” senior Janiel Olson said. “Being picked seventh was very motivating and now that we are third, we really want to show people why we deserve to be here. We want to be locked-in for the last six games of the regular season.” YOU HAVE TO HAVE HEART: All of the MSUB women’s basketball players have a story to tell about a family member or friend who has been touched by cancer and
Senior Monica Grimsrud
this year is no exception. The Yellowjackets are ready to put their resiliency and talent to the test this season and plan on executing their game plan down the stretch. “It is a good comparison,” Coach Woodin said on why the players find communalities at the survivor’s group. “While a battle on the court is not the same as a battle in life, our team has demonstrated its toughness, heart, and dedication to themselves and their teammates, and they want to be good ambassadors for their sport and university.” YOU CAN’T WIN IF YOU DON’T SCORE: The Yellowjackets finished last week with a 1-1 split on the road. MSUB suffered a season-low 52-43 setback at Seattle Pacific, but then rebounded for a 56-52 win at Saint Martin’s. The ‘Jackets finished with just 16 total field goals in the game against the Falcons and were 4-for-16 from the 3-point arc. The 43 points was well below MSUB’s season average of 62.6 and no Yellowjacket scored more than nine total points. Against SMU, MSUB put together a solid first three quarters before going cold in the fourth quarter. The Yellowjackets were able to hold it together down the stretch for their first win at SMU since the 2013 season. TRIO TIED AT THE TOP: Junior Alisha Breen is sitting in a 3-way tie for first-place in scoring in the conference. Breen is averaging 17.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. She cleared her 1,000th career point two weeks ago and continues climbing to the next level. She currently has 1,031. The native of Choteau, Mont., is also nearing 500 career rebounds with 484. The forward is third all-time at MSUB in free throws with 319 and is shooting at a 76.0 percent (97-for-127) clip this season. CLOSING IN ON THE LEAD: Olson has been on a mission this season. After a season-ending injury forced the Billings West High School graduate to the bench last year, the forward has come back to the floor determined to find her role on the team. Finding her way back may have taken a few different paths than she originally thought, but the 2013-14 GNAC Defensive Player of the Year is now second in the conference in rebounds (8.5 rpg) and is in the top-15 in steals. Two weeks ago, Olson joined a very small Yellowjacket class, just two members, when she topped 900 career rebounds. To date, Olson has recorded 917 and needs another 40 to tie the alltime record holder at MSUB, Robyn Milne (957, 2002-05). She also has 165 career steals which is No. 8 all-time at MSUB, and needs 17 more to match Megan Mason-Dickerson (182, 199598).
Sophomore Marissa Van Atta
BECOMING MORE BALANCED: Finding their role on the team this season hasn’t strictly been a job for Olson. Junior transfer Tiana Hanson and sophomore Marissa Van Atta have also stepped up their game and have shifted into needed parts of the Yellowjacket team. Hanson has been strong in the last four games and bumped up her average to 6.5 points per game. She is second in the conference in free-throw percentage at 87.7 (64-for-73) and has been clutch at the foul line several times this year for the ‘Jackets, including a 12-for-13 performance at Concordia (Ore.). Van Atta earned a starting spot on the team in January and has earned her minutes in dramatic fashion. The last three games for MSUB the versatile guard has topped double-digits, including 19 points at Saint Martin’s last Saturday. The graduate of Billings Senior High
School has also played an important role on the defensive end, and is now ranked 12th in the GNAC in steals per game with 1.2. FLOOR GENERAL: Sophomore Rylee Kane has taken her task to be the front line of the Yellowjacket team in stride. After spending last year as a starting point guard in the GNAC as a freshman, this year, the 5-foot-6 graduate of Red Lodge High School has come into her own. Kane is fourth in the conference in assists at 4.5 per game. She is also averaging 7.6 points per game and at 99 is just one assist away from making the century mark this season. BREAD AND BUTTER: Defense has been the calling card for the MSUB women’s basketball team this year and one player that has taken that in is senior Monica Grimsrud. A four-year athlete on the volleyball team, this season Grimsrud has been able to solely focus on basketball and it shows. The 6-foot-1 forward is averaging 9.9 points per game, but has also collected 32 steals this season and 15 blocks. Grimard’s ability to move inside for defense and outside on offense has been a big boost for the team this season. The post player has 39 3-point shots and is listed on seven conference categories. She has amassed 107 career steals and needs six more to break into the MSUB top-10. Thursday, February 11 vs Western Oregon University Wolves – 7 PM 2015-16 Record: 4-19, 3-12 GNAC Head Coach: Holli Howard-Carpenter, 3rd season On Tuesday night at home, Western Oregon stopped a seven-game slide with a 62-52 performance against Concordia (Ore.). The Wolves shot 46.7 percent from the field and won the battle on the boards 36-29. Down by 15 after the first quarter, WOU needed an offensive spark to jumpstart its scoring. A 7-0 run led by an Ali Nelke layup gave the Wolves the momentum shift they needed. Keeping pace with the Cavaliers, WOU eventually overcame the deficit in the third quarter to take the lead playing hard down the stretch for the 10-point win. Two players in senior Michelle Bromagem and 5-foot-11 freshman Nelke stepped up for Western Oregon. For the second time this season, Bromagem finished with a team-high 15 points and Nelke added a team-best seven rebounds. Western Oregon has a balanced scoring team. Jordan Mottershaw (7.6 ppg) and Sydney Azorr (7.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg) lead the offensive effort, while Emily Howe (4.5 rpg) heads up the team off the glass. In the three conference wins for Western Oregon this season, two of them have been over Concordia (Ore.), with one game a 58-57 road win against Simon Fraser on New Year’s Eve. LAST TIME OUT: The Yellowjackets played one of their best all-around games this season in Monmouth, Ore., against WOU with a 60-37 win. MSUB shot 44.7 percent from the field and was 9-for-21 from the 3-point arc. The two seniors led the way for MSUB with Grimsrud scoring 14 points and Olson contributing 12 points and eight rebounds. Kane dished out six rebounds and Van Atta made three steals. THE SERIES: (21-6, H 10-2) MSU Billings holds a comfortable overall winning percentage of 77.8 percent and is 10-2 in Alterowitz. MSUB has won nine of the last 11 games against the Wolves. MSUB did fall last year 71-69 at home, but before that hadn’t lost in Billings since 2009.
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