Lady Jackets’ Carpenter Named Heartland POTW (12/19/05)

BILLINGS, MT – On Monday Montana State-Billings guard Alira Carpenter was named the Heartland Conference player of the week for the week of December 12-18.  The award is Carpenter’s first player of the week award and the second for the Lady Yellowjackets this season.  Tanya Petersen was selected as the conference player of the week for the week of November 14-20.

Carpenter, a true freshman making her fifth collegiate start on Friday, erupted for 21 points in just 19 minutes of play in the Yellowjackets’ 99-56 win over St. Martin’s, one of last year’s West Region semifinalists.  St. Martin’s defeated Abilene Christian in Billings on Sunday in a neutral site game.  The Yellowjackets will host Abilene Christian Tuesday night at 7:00.

Carpenter, a 5-foot-8 guard from Lewistown, Mont., was 8-of-13 from the field and 4-of-6 from 3-point range.  She also pulled down five rebounds and handed out two assists.  Carpenter entered the week averaging 8.3 ppg, but boosted her average to 9.9 ppg with Friday’s performance.  She currently ranks third in the Heartland Conference for 3-point percentage and seventh for 3-pointers per game.