Lady Jackets Fall to Griz in Exhibition (11/12/06)

MISSOULA, MT – Dahlberg Arena has not been kind to the Montana State-Billings women’s basketball team recently.  The Lady Yellowjackets closed their preseason with an 89-45 exhibition loss to Montana on Sunday.  The game was an exhibition game for the NCAA Division II Yellowjackets, but it was the regular season opener for the Division I Grizzlies. 

MSUB’s last visit to Missoula in 2003 was an 80-43 loss in which the Jackets scored just nine first half points.  Montana jumped out to an 11-2 lead in the first four minutes on Sunday and never looked back.  The Jackets didn’t break double digits until a Shantell Marquis (Cascade, MT) 3-pointer with 8:25 to play in the first half made the score 32-12 in favor of the Griz.  Montana built its lead to 51-24 by the break.

“We were definitely outplayed from the beginning,” said Yellowjacket head coach Kevin Woodin.  “Montana shot the ball very well early and built a lead quickly.  We were just a little bit out of sync all day.  I still think it was a good opportunity for us to learn.  Overall in our three exhibition games, I think we’re heading in the right direction.  We know we’re a young team and we have a long way to go, but we will get there.”

Marquis was one of the bright spots for the Yellowjackets, who shot just 27 percent from the field.  The freshman has been impressive in preseason games and scored a team-high 14 points on Sunday.  She was 7-of-10 from the free throw line.  Michelle Lieber (Gillette, WY) added eight points and a team-high seven rebounds.  Dani Henderson (Reed Point, MT) netted even points off the bench, making all four of her free throw attempts.

The Yellowjackets committed 20 turnovers that led to 30 Montana points.  The Griz also out-rebounded the Jackets 49-31 and scored 18 second chance points.  Five different Grizzlies were in double figures for scoring, led by Mandy Morales’s 17 points.  Dana Conway added 11, and Johanna Closson, Tamara Guardipee, and Lauren Beck each scored 10.  Morales and Conway each played for Woodin at Billings West High School.

The Yellowjackets were 1-2 in exhibition games this preseason, defeating Rocky Mountain and losing to Montana and Montana State.  They open the regular season on November 17 against Western Oregon.  That will be the second game of the Chinook Wireless/Holiday Inn Yellowjacket Classic, which will include four games in two days.  The tourney will also include Division II powers North Dakota and Metro State.