by Logan Tracy
BURNABY, B.C. – The Montana State University Billings women’s basketball team extended it’s winning streak to seven straight games, taking down Simon Fraser University on the road 74-60 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.
The win kept the Yellowjackets (17-3, 8-0 GNAC) remain undefeated in the GNAC this season, and keep them in control of the top spot in the conference. The Yellowjacket’s shooting was their key to victory over the Red Leafs (10-11, 2-6 GNAC), with MSUB shooting 47.2% from the field in the game, including nine three-pointers, while also shooting excellently from the free throw line, going 15-20 (75%). MSUB also dominated on the glass, outrebounding Simon Fraser 45-19.
“This was a good win for us,” said MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin. “Simon made us work for everything we got. They turned us over a lot, but we dominated the rebounding battle tonight, and I thought that was a key part of our win. They are a hard team to guard defensively, but I thought we executed that well.”
Kola Bad Bear led the way for the ‘Jackets, shooting 9-14 in the game to score 20 points, adding nine rebounds to go with a pair of steals and blocks. Dyauni Boyce scored 13 points with four rebounds, while Kortney Nelson scored 11 points, going 7-8 from the free throw line, while totaling seven rebounds and four assists. Shayla Montague knocked down a trio of three-pointers for nine points, grabbing three rebounds and picking up a block and a steal each. Chloe Williams also scored nine points, finishing with four rebounds, and a block and steal of her own. Danielle Zahn scored eight points off the bench for MSUB, going 2-3 from beyond the arc. Aspen Giese scored four points, while chipping in nine rebounds and three assists.
“We had balanced scoring tonight,” said Woodin. “We spread the ball around well tonight, and that was reflected by our balanced scoring. I thought we did a good job battling for baskets inside, and it opened things up for us on the perimeter.”
The Yellowjackets knocked down their opening shot of the game, a three-pointer from Montague, which would set the tone for MSUB’s shooting in the first quarter. The ‘Jackets shot 45.5%, improving that mark to 60% from beyond the arc as MSUB looked to take advantage early. They wouldn’t be able to pull too far ahead though, with the Red Leaf’s defense forcing six turnovers to help keep Simon Fraser in the game, holding the Yellowjacket’s advantage to just six after the buzzer sounded on the first quarter. The game would remain close throughout the majority of the second quarter as well, with the ‘Jackets struggling with turnovers, finishing the second quarter with a total of 15 in the first half. But MSUB would end the second quarter strong, ending the half on a 15-5 run to take a 35-25 lead into the break.
MSUB continued it’s solid shooting as the third quarter commenced, coming out of halftime on a 7-0 run in the first two minutes, taking the lead to as high as 17. The ‘Jackets would go on to score 18 points in the third, with 12 of those points coming from the duo of Boyce and Bad Bear. Simon Fraser would continue to battle though, pulling things back in the fourth quarter as the Red Leafs got hot from the field late in the game, pulling the game back to within single digits at one point. The Yellowjackets would never give up the lead however, with Bad Bear helping them keep pace late with multiple clutch baskets, before the team knocked down their free throws late, locking up a hard-fought road win.
Sophia Wisotzki scored 24 points to lead the Red Leafs, adding five rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Her sister, Jessica, scored 17 points, and grabbed four rebounds. No other players touched double digits for Simon Fraser, who MSUB held to 42.6% shooting and just five made threes.
THE BUZZ: Bad Bear was selected as the Intermountain Health Player of the Game.
