January 19, 2008

Lady Jackets Extend Winning Streak
   Box Score
   MSUB Season Stats

SEATTLE, Wash. – The Montana Billings women’s basketball team used a strong second half to defeat Seattle University 75-66 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action Saturday night in Seattle.  The Lady Jackets, now 7-7 overall, extend their winning streak to four games to stand at 4-1 in league play.  The Redhawks are 12-2 overall and 3-2 in the GNAC.

Trailing by six to open the contest, the Lady Jackets’ Dani Henderson (Reed Point) evened the score at eight apiece following a jumper at the 15:52 mark.  A three-pointer by Kayla McPherson (Glendive) opened up a thee-point Yellowjacket lead midway through the half, but a spirited Seattle battled to trade the lead several times with MSUB.  With 11 ticks on the clock the Redhawks’ Quinn Brewe netted one of a pair of free throws to give Seattle the 37-36 lead heading into the locker room.

A pair of free throws by Alira Carpenter (Lewistown) and a jumper by Shantell Marquis (Cascade) to open the second half put the Lady Jackets ahead by three.  At the 14:37 mark Seattle knotted the game at 46 apiece on a 3-pointer by Chelsie Morrison.  Held in a stalemate neither team scored for nearly two minutes until the Jackets’ Carpenter ignited a spark that would turn into a 28-16 run, clinching the important conference road win.

Carpenter led all scorers netting 20 points off 5-of-11 shooting from the floor.  Connecting on 2-of-4 from long range, Carpenter was an effective 8-of-10 from the charity stripe.  McPherson chipped in 16 points, while Marquis added 13 points and seven rebounds.  Jen Smith (Belgrade) also grabbed seven boards in the game.

The Lady Jackets were 29-of-36 from the free throw line for 81 percent.  Connecting on 21-of-27 from the floor and 4-of-8 from the perimeter, the Jackets shot over 45 percent from both ranges.  The team outrebounded Seattle 35-30.

Jackie Thomas netted 17 points for the Redhawks, while Brewe was the only other player from Seattle to net double figures with 11 points.  Brewe had seven rebounds in the game.

The Lady Yellowjackets travel back to the Evergreen State for a single game against GNAC league-leader No. 4-ranked Seattle Pacific (14-0, 5-0) on Thursday, January 24, before heading to Nampa, Idaho for a conference counter against Northwest Nazarene (10-4, 3-2) on Saturday, January 26.