Lady Jackets Hold at No. 8 in Regional Poll (Feb. 16, 2005)

BILLINGS, MT – The Montana State-Billings women’s basketball team remained in the eighth spot in this week’s NCAA Division II West Region poll.  The Yellowjackets are ranked eighth for the second week in a row after spending three weeks and No. 9.

MSU Billings has six games remaining, with five of them against West Region opponents.  Each game down the stretch will be critical for the Lady Jackets’ hopes of an NCAA Tournament invitation.  The top eight teams in the final poll of the season are invited to the tournament, with the first rounds hosted by the top ranked team.  Seattle Pacific appears to be the likely No. 1 seed barring an upset.

The Yellowjackets appear to be part of a six team race for the final four seeds to the NCAA West Regional.  MSU Billings is 15-6 overall and 9-4 against regional opponents.  Fifth-ranked Cal State-Bakersfield is 15-6, sixth-ranked St. Martin’s is 16-5, seventh-ranked Cal Poly Pomona is 16-5, ninth-ranked Cal State-San Bernardino is 15-6, and tenth-ranked UC-San Diego is 13-8.  St. Martin’s posted the upset of the season last week—earning valuable power points—with a 64-50 win over Seattle Pacific.

MSU Billings hosts Grand Canyon on Friday and Saturday in the Jackets’ final two home games of the season.  They will play their final four games on the road with one game at Western Oregon, one game at Rocky Mountain, and two games at Western New Mexico.

NCAA Women’s Basketball West Region Poll (through games of February 13, 2005)
(Rank, School, Overall Record, Regional Record)

1. Seattle Pacific (20-2, 17-1)
2. Western Washington (19-3, 15-3)
3. Cal State-Dominguez Hills (14-6, 13-2)
4. Cal State-Chico (17-4, 15-4)
5. Cal State-Bakersfield (15-6, 11-5)
6. St. Martin’s (16-5, 11-3)
7. Cal Poly Pomona (16-5, 12-4)
8. Montana State-Billings (15-6, 9-4)
9. Cal State-San Bernardino (15-6, 11-5)
10. UC-San Diego (13-8, 11-5)