FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu February 9, 2017 Hanson’s double-double lifts MSUB to 64-60 comeback win at WOU MSUB Women’s Basketball on Facebook | MSUB Women’s Basketball on ISSUU | Interactive Box Score
Tiana Hanson had a double-double of 23 points and 12 rebounds and was 15-for-18 from the free-throw line.
Tiana Hanson completes a double-double and a big fourth quarter from MSUB helps lift the Yellowjackets to a 64-60 comeback win at Western Oregon. MONMOUTH, Ore. – Saving their best quarter for last, the MSUB women’s basketball team used a 26-point final 10 minutes to come back from a 12-point deficit in a 64-60 Great Northwest Athletic Conference road win at Western Oregon Thursday. Down by 12, 50-38, with 8:12 remaining in the game, a jump shot from Lexi Prevost sparked a 13-0 offensive charge finished on a free-throw by Rylee Kane that put MSUB ahead 51-50. For the next six minutes, MSU Billings and Western Oregon traded points, the majority of which were made at the free-throw line. Tiana Hanson was clutch for MSUB down the stretch, scoring the last nine points for MSUB, seven of them from the foul-line. “This was a great win for us,” MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin said. “To come back from being down double-digits was big for our confidence. I am proud of our players for continuing to battle when we were down in the fourth quarter. It was a nice overall team win for us tonight.”
Needing to overcome a slow offensive start, the MSUB defense held WOU to 24 points in the first half, while scoring 17. The shots began to fall in the second half as the ‘Jackets scored more points in the third quarter, 19, then they did in all of the opening 20 minutes. MSU Billings also picked-up its rebounding power. After being out boarded 22-15 in the first half, the Yellowjackets went after the glass, finishing ahead of WOU 25-13 after the break. Free-throws also picked-up in the second half. After going to the free-throw line just five times in the opening half, MSUB was sent to the line 30 more times in the back 20 minutes, finishing 28 of 35 shots in the game for 80.0 percent. “I felt we played a good first half,” Woodin commented. “When our offense wasn’t making shots they normally would it was our defense that stepped-up and kept us in the game. Tiana was clutch for us in the fourth quarter at the free-throw line. Her double-double was big for the team. Rylee had a strong second half, Lexi gave us several good sparks, and Marissa and Grace helped us on rebounds.” Hanson had 23 points and 12 rebounds in the game. The St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game was 15-for-18 from the free-throw line with two steals, an assist and a block. Kane had 17 points, was 8-for-9 from the free-throw line with three rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal. Prevost had nine points, Van Atta eight points and six rebounds, and Weeks seven points and seven rebounds. After being held to 28.4 percent shooting and 0-8 from the 3-point arc, MSUB finished the night at 30.4 percent, including 2-6 from outside in the second half. The win moves Montana State University Billings to 8-15 overall and 5-10 in the GNAC. Western Oregon falls to 7-16 and 3-13 in the GNAC. After scoring 30 points against the Yellowjackets in the first game of the season, tonight MSUB held Shelby Snook to six points. The ‘Jackets defense held all but one starter, Kaylie Boschma (10 pts, seven rbs), to single digit totals. Off the bench, Jasmine Miller led the team with 15 points. Western Oregon shot 40.0 percent for the game and was 5-16 from outside. The Wolves were 7-8 from the free-throw line. MSUB led 11-9 in the first quarter, but fell behind in the second quarter as a 3-pointer from Snook put the Wolves ahead 14-12 with 7:10 left. A 10-3 run pushed the WOU advantage to five. A layup from Boschma kept Western Oregon ahead at the break. After the team shot 0-8 from 3-point territory in the first half, Prevost helped the Yellowjackets regain the lead in the third quarter with MSUB’s first 3-pointer of the game, a transition outside shot after a defensive rebound from Hanson. The Wolves fought back with a 9-0, forcing their way back into the lead, 37-31. A 3-point play from Ali Nelke stretched the WOU lead to 12 at the start of the fourth quarter. A drive by Prevost to the basketball started the offensive comeback for the ‘Jackets. A Van Atta layup and four straight made free-throws from Kane closed the deficit down to two, 50-48. A pair of frees from Van Atta and one more from Kane gave the Yellowjackets a 51-50 lead with 3:56 left. Smart defense and clutch shooting from the free-throw line sealed the win. THE BUZZ: The Yellowjackets had nine steals in the game with Hanson and Weeks each contributing a pair…Van Atta went 4-for-4 from the free-throw line taking her streak to 25 from the foul-line…this is Hanson’s fourth career doubledouble.
UP NEXT: MSU Billings finishes it GNAC regular season road trip with a game at Concordia Portland on Saturday, Feb. 11, at 3 p.m. Mountain time. --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--