Defense Keys Lady Yellowjacket Win (January 20, 2003)

BILLINGS, MT – Even when the offense isn’t clicking, the MSU Billings Lady Yellowjackets can find ways to win.  And those ways usually start with their defense.  The Jackets (13-3) shut down Montana Tech Monday night for a 66-46 win, blocking seven shots and holding the Orediggers (4-18) to just 32% shooting from the field.

The teams combined for 17 first-half turnovers as MSU Billings trudged to a 28-27 lead at the break.  The Jackets shot just 46% from the field, 20% from 3-point range, and committed eight turnovers as their offense struggled to shift out of first gear. 

Jessica Henigman’s basket in the paint with 2:33 left in the half gave MSUB its second-largest lead of the half at 23-19.  Tech answered with back-to-back 3-pointers by Letty Powell to take a two-point lead with 1:37 remaining.  The teams traded baskets over the final minute and a half, and Amy Bantz’s jumper with 11 seconds on the clock gave the Yellowjackets their halftime margin.

“The main thing we talked about at halftime was the defense,” said freshman point guard Jenny Langford.  “We shouldn’t have let Powell get those two 3-pointers.  We just had to communicate better and get around the screens.”

The defensive adjustments worked as Powell was able to get off just two 3-point attempts in the second half.  She led all scorers in the first half with 12 points, but managed just one made 3-pointer in the final 20 minutes.

Henigman had three blocked shots in the first half, and five in the game, to anchor the Yellowjacket defense.  That moved her to within 11 blocks of the school single-game record of 66, which she set last season.  It also moved her to No. 23 in NCAA Division II history for career blocks at 226.  She needs just 11 more blocks to reach the top 20 all-time.

“It’s great knowing Jessie and Robyn (Milne) are back there,” said Langford.  “You can go out and play as tough as you want on defense and you know they’re always there.  Even if they don’t get a block, they force players to take tough shots.”

Langford dished out four assists against only one turnover in 21 minutes.  The Jackets will count on the redshirt freshman heavily for the rest of the season with two of the team’s other three point guards out for the season with ACL injuries.

After finding success from the perimeter at the end of the first half, Tech went to a “four-low” offensive set in the second half in an attempt to beat the Yellowjacket guards off the dribble.  The strategy was ineffective as they managed just four points in the half from that offensive set.

The Yellowjackets eventually took advantage, holding the Orediggers to just 6-of-27 shooting in the second half.  MSU Billings ranks No. 23 in Division II for field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to just a 35.1%. 

As has been the case over the past two seasons, the Jackets’ stingy defense eventually led to points on the offensive end.  After forcing a turnover by Stacey Ferentchak, the Yellowjackets followed with an offensive rebound by Natalie Visger and 3-pointer by Jessica Bachmann to take their first double-digit lead of the game, 42-31, with 13:18 remaining.

“Our defense has kind of become our trademark,” said head coach Karyn Ridgeway.  “When we shoot the ball well, we can be a very good team.  But even if our offense struggles a little, our defense is capable of winning games for us.”

Visger finished the game with team-highs of 14 points, eight rebounds and six assists.  Her 1,051 career points place her 15^th on the school’s all-time scoring list.  She needs 78 more points to move to 14^th.

The Orediggers were able to cut the lead to single-digits just once after Bachmann’s 3-pointer, when Jamie Scharnowske’s basket made the score 43-34 with 12:36 left.  The Yellowjackets’ defense put the clamps on the Diggers from that point on, allowing just 12 points over the final twelve and a half minutes and 19 total points in the second half.

Henigman added 13 points and eight rebounds to her solid defensive performance.  Bachman finished the game with 10 points and four rebounds, and was also instrumental defensively, pressuring the Oredigger guards into several turnovers.

The Diggers were led by Powell’s 15 points, all coming on 3-point baskets.  She was 5-of-7 from behind the arc.  Tricia Slaughter had 14 points, but committed seven of the Diggers 19 turnovers.

The Yellowjackets return to West Region play this week when they travel to Western New Mexico for a pair of games on January 23 and 24.  They are currently ranked No. 3 in the West Region.  The top eight teams qualify for the NCAA Tournament.