Lady Jackets Ground Cardinals, Punch Ticket to NCAAs (3/3/07)
Box Score
Photos
Coach Woodin Audio

DENTON, TX – After weeks of games coming down to the final minute, the Montana State-Billings women’s basketball team left little doubt about the outcome of the Heartland Conference championship game on Saturday.  The Yellowjackets bid a resounding farewell to the Heartland Conference, beating University of the Incarnate Word 62-52 for the conference title and automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.

The Yellowjackets (22-9), who will move to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference next season, will represent the Heartland Conference at the NCAA Tournament next week as its automatic qualifier.  The Yellowjackets were the Heartland Conference regular season champions the last two seasons.  They did not qualify for the NCAA Tournament last year after being upset in the first round of the conference playoffs.

The Yellowjackets trailed 12-6 just four minutes into the game after the Cardinals’ Nia Torru dropped in a 3-pointer.  MSUB turned the tables in a hurry, going on a 14-0 run over the next 4:20.  Jen Smith (Belgrade, MT) sparked the run, scoring eight of her 15 points.  The Yellowjackets opened their lead to 13 points on a Kayla McPherson (Glendive, MT) 3-pointer with 7:53 left in the first half.

Smith and McPherson came off the bench to combine for 19 of the Yellowjackets’ 36 first half points.  The sophomore tandem was a combined 7-of-10 from the field in the half, and McPherson hit both of her 3-point attempts.

“It was just a gutsy effort by our entire team,” said Yellowjacket head coach Kevin Woodin.  “A lot of different people stepped up this weekend.  Jen didn’t play very many minutes last night, and tonight she was very good and was an integral part of the victory.  Michelle was awesome again.  I thought she controlled the paint.”

The Yellowjackets looked as though they may blow the game open early in the second half. MSUB outscored the Cardinals 13-8 in the first nine minutes of the half for their biggest lead of the game at 49-30.  A 9-0 run by UIW made it a ballgame with eight and a half minutes to play, but the Cardinals had a tough time breaking the Jackets’ 10-point lead.  They did get to within eight in the final half minute, but the outcome was decided by then.

“Midway through the first half I thought we were playing well,” said Woodin.  “I liked what we did in the first half.  During the second half I think we got a little complacent, but part of it was Incarnate Word.  They upped their pressure defensively.  We had some open looks but weren’t scoring.  I think we had the game mostly in control throughout the second half.”

Lieber (Gillette, WY) posted her second double-double of the tournament and twelfth of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds.  She also blocked three shots.  The national leader in field goal percentage at just under 70 percent this season, Lieber was 7-of-10 from the field.

Smith was 5-of-7 from the field and 5-of-8 from the free throw line for her 15 points.  She also grabbed eight rebounds, four on the offensive end.  Alira Carpenter (Lewistown, MT) added 11 points, hitting all six of her free throws.  The Yellowjackets were 19-of-32 from the charity stripe as a team.

McPherson finished with nine points, all in the first half.  Shantell Marquis (Cascade, MT) had seven points and five rebounds.  Dani Henderson (Reed Point, MT) did not score in the game, but she pulled down seven rebounds and had two steals.

The Cardinals (15-14) were led by Danielle Farriel’s 12 points, although she missed all five of her 3-point attempts.  UIW was just 3-of-19 from behind the arc and shot 32 percent from the field.  Hayley Harvey had nine points and six rebounds.  Ieasha Sledge added eight points, and Torru finished with seven.

“I’m very proud of our team for sticking together,” added Woodin.  “They’ve had a lot of adversity over the last month, from difficult travel to injuries.  They stayed together, and I think that’s a tribute to our two seniors.  We have excellent leadership.  We’re looking forward to moving on (to the NCAA Tournament).  We understand that if you win you move on.  It’s been a great season so far, and we’re looking forward to next week.”

The Yellowjackets will most likely receive the No. 8 seed in the NCAA South Central Region since they haven’t been ranked in the region’s top 10 in the last two weeks.  It will be the Lady Yellowjackets’ tenth trip to the Big Dance in the last 14 years.  They last qualified for the Tournament in 2005 when they lost to top-ranked Seattle Pacific in the first round.  Seniors Jennifer Skrifvars (Brea, CA) and Lieber are the only remaining players from that team.

Missouri Western State is the frontrunner to host the regional having been ranked first in the regional all season.  The Griffons play in their conference tournament semifinals on Saturday and the championship game on Sunday if they win.  West Texas A&M and Washburn are also in the running for the No. 1 seed and the right to host the regional.  West Texas A&M plays in the Lone Star Conference Championship game Saturday night.  Washburn is still alive in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association tournament along with Missouri Western, playing in the other semifinal on Saturday.

The NCAA selection show will be webcast live at www.ncaasports.com on Sunday evening.  The men’s selection show will begin at 8:30 p.m. MST.  The women’s show will follow the men’s show after a short intermisison.  Coach Woodin and the Lady Yellowjackets plan to watch the selection show as a team in a classroom in the MSU Billings Physical Education Building.