Lady Yellowjackets’ Rally Falls Short at Nova Southeastern (Feb. 4, 2004)
Box Score

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – MSU Billings rallied from an eleven point deficit to take a late second half lead, but Nova Southeastern countered in the final minutes to down the Lady Yellowjackets, 59-53, Wednesday night.  The loss was the fourth straight for the Yellowjackets, who at 10-11 overall have slipped below the .500 mark for the first time since the end of December.  Nova won for the fifth time in the last seven games to improve to 7-13.

The Yellowjackets opened the game with a 4-1 lead behind baskets from Jenny Auer and Robyn Milne.  The lead evaporated just four minutes into the game and the Knights led throughout the remainder of the half.  NSU led by as many as 11 with 8:27 to play in the opening half before the Yellowjackets rallied to cut the lead to six at the 4:38 mark.  The Knights took a seven point lead, 34-27, into halftime. 

MSU Billings battled back slowly, erasing the Knights’ lead midway through the second half when Tanya Petersen’s layup gave the Jackets a 43-42 lead with ten minutes to play.  It was the Yellowjackets’ first lead in over 24 minutes of game time.

A Lisa Jellum basket in the lane gave the Yellowjackets their biggest lead of the game, 45-42, with 7:38 remaining.  Three straight free throws from the Knights’ Mechelle Jones tied the game just a minute later, and NSU took the lead back on two Marvelo Washington free throws with 4:51 to play.  A 10-4 Knights run between 4:51 and 1:29 gave Nova a six point lead that the Jackets couldn’t overcome.  MSUB’s last field goal of the game came on a Milne layup with 1:52 to play. 

Milne recorded her thirteenth double-double of the season with 22 points and 16 rebounds, both game highs.  She ranks second in the nation with a 12.2 rebounds per game average.  Petersen was the only other Yellowjacket in double figures with 12 points.  Jennifer Skrifvars, Sophia Forney and Jellum each scored four points.  MSU Billings shot just 36 percent from the field and was 0 of 12 from 3-point range. 

Nova had four players in double figures, led by 14 points apiece form Jessica Pate and Kiara Wallace.  The Knights shot 33 percent from the field, but were 25 of 30 from the free throw line to outscore the Jackets by 16.

MSU Billings will play its final six games of the season at Alterowitz Gymnasium.  The Yellowjackets host Converse College (SC) on February 13 and 14.  During the season-ending home stand, the Yellowjackets will host Western New Mexico three times and conclude the season with Montana State-Northern.