MSUB runs past WWU 78-60 in semifinals

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu March 4, 2016 MSUB advances to championship with 78-60 win over WWU MSUB Women’s Basketball on Facebook | MSUB Women’s Basketball on ISSUU GNAC Tournament | Interactive Box Score

MSUB’s Rylee Kane had 11 points, six assists, and five steals in the win against Western Washington.

MSUB uses big scoring efforts in the middle quarters and impressive defense against Western Washington to finish with a 78-60 win in the conference tournament semifinals. The Yellowjackets are on their way to the GNAC championship game tomorrow against the winner of the Alaska Anchorage and Simon Fraser semifinal.

LACEY, Wash. - Two big middle offensive quarters combined with stellar defense propelled the MSUB women's basketball team to a 78-60 win over Western Washington in the first Great Northwest Athletic Conference semifinal game at Marcus Pavilion Friday.

Four Yellowjackets scored double-digit points and MSUB came up huge on the glass in the conference win. Alisha Breen led all players with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Janiel Olson was just shy of a double-double with 10 points and nine

rebounds. Point guard Rylee Kane had 11 points, six assists, and a game-high five steals. Monica Grimsrud scored 11 points, pulled in six rebounds, made four assists and had two blocks.

MSUB found themselves down 7-0 in the first three minutes of the game, but rebounded offensively in the middle 20 minutes. The Yellowjackets opened the second quarter with 12 straight points and after a 33-23 lead at half-time, continued the offensive onslaught with nine more unanswered points.

Free-throws from Breen in the fourth quarter opened up MSUB’s largest lead of the night at 25 points, 73-48, with 1:27 remaining in the game.

Montana State University Billings (21-9) held Western Washington to 37.5 percent shooting (7-24) while shooting 45.2 percent (28-62) for the game. MSUB was clutch off the glass, winning the battle 44-33, including 16-13 on offensive grabs.

In the first half, MSUB went to the line just five times, making four of those, but stood tall at the free-throw line in the second half adding 12 more points on 16-21 for the game. Western Washington opened up 7-10 in the first half, but closed the last 20 minutes with six more on 11 tries.

Western Washington’s (20-9) Taylor Peacocke finished with 17 points and Kiana Gandy had 16. Kayla Bernsen finished with a team-high nine rebounds and added in eight points and four blocks.

The Vikings opened the game with seven straight points. Tia Briggs pulled up for a short jump shot followed by a 3pointer from Aleisha Hathaway and a steal and follow-through layup from Gandy.

Needing some offensive momentum, MSUB went to the bench to collect itself. Out of the timeout, Breen sent the ball back behind her to Grimsrud who opened up and drained a 3-point basket. Briggs hit two free-throws, but MSUB’s Marissa Van Atta made a difficult jump shot in traffic to recoup two points and Kane made a beautiful steal and went in for a layup to close to within two points, 9-7.

Van Atta grabbed the ball on the Western Washington possession and Breen tied the score with a fade away jump shot on the left corner of the key.

The Vikings continued to draw contact in the paint and went to the line for four points.

On an inbounds pass from Kane, Breen drove to the basket from the 3-point line, making a layup and the free-throw after a foul. Grimsrud fought hard and made a turnaround layup to give MSUB the lead at 16-15 with two minutes left in the first quarter. Western Washington made one more free-throw to tie the score at 16 at the end of the first quarter.

MSUB came out fired-up in the second quarter, breaking open the game with a 12-0 run.

Breen came down off the glass on her own shot, but passed the ball to Vanessa Stavish who went back up for the shot.

She was fouled on the attempt and made one of two at the line. Olson added four straight points, two on free-throws and a short jumper in the paint.

Kane popped up in the key and Grimsrud passed a short ball to her for a basket. Olson drained a long 3-pointer to close the 12-point run. On a long WWU scoring drought, Peacocke scored the first shot of the second frame for WWU, a 3pointer, at the five minute mark for the Vikings.

Breen carried the score past thirty with MSUB’s third 3-pointer of the game for a 31-19 lead with three minutes remaining in the first half.

Kane threw down her second steal and bucket of the game with a little over a minute left to draw out the 10-point, 3323 MSUB lead at the break.

Pushing the scoring race again, the ‘Jackets opened the third quarter with nine straight points. Kane roped a straight pass to Van Atta who slid in for a layup. Kane pushed the pace again. She went in for a steal and landed the ball to Olson who came up with a left-handed layup and scored another on the and-one. Breen contributed a layup for a 19-point lead, 42-23.

Three straight baskets for WWU gave the Vikings a short run to close to within 13, 42-29. Needing a stop, Olson grabbed the ball from under the Vikings basket. With the shot clock at three, Grimsrud pulled up for a 3-pointer to extend the MSUS advantage.

Breen scored three straight points with a layup and free-throw. Peacocke finished a wide-open 3-pointer, but Stavish fed her own long ball through the net to end the third quarter with a 51-34 MSUB advantage.

Western Washington tried a trap after an inbounds pass, but Breen threw the ball long to an open Stavish who was waiting under the MSUB rim for the ball. After a WWU miss, Kane made a no-look pass to a waiting Breen for another layup.

Van Atta added a layup and Kane came through with an offensive rebound and layup. WWU closed the deficit to 20points on free-throws from Hathaway. The teams traded baskets on the next three possessions.

Van Atta cleared another steal from the Vikings and Grimsrud connected on her third 3-pointer of the game for a 69-45 lead with 4:12 left in the game.

The Yellowjackets added six straight points on free-throws from Kane, Hanson, and Breen. With under a minute left, MSUB made some substitution changes. Freshman Taylor Edwards came in and added four points on free-throws.

In the game, MSUB outscored WWU 36-26 in the paint and were a huge 26-8 more points from WWU turnovers. MSUB also had more second chance points, 17-13, and points from the bench, 15-8.

UP NEXT: With their win, the Yellowjackets have advanced to the GNAC championship game. The GNAC Championship game is scheduled for Saturday at 8:30 p.m. Mountain time, with the winner earning an automatic berth to the NCAA National Tournament.

The women’s championship game tomorrow will be featured live on GNAC.tv. In addition, the game will be played live on the American Sports Network (KULR-2 (SWX-Billings)) at 8:30 p.m. Mountain time. For more information please visit the GNAC sports page here.

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