Lieber Wins Fourth POTW Award (2/27/07)

BILLINGS, MT – Montana State-Billings forward Michelle Lieber has been named the Heartland Conference player of the week for the week of February 19-25.  Lieber, a senior from Gillette, Wyo., received the award for the fourth time this season.  In all, the Yellowjackets received eight player of the week awards from the Heartland Conference this season.

After missing six games because of injury, Lieber returned to action Saturday night to carry Montana State-Billings to a 70-67 overtime road win at St. Edward’s University.  Lieber scored a career-high 32 points and grabbed a dozen rebounds in 41 minutes.  The national leader for field goal percentage, Lieber hit 10-of-12 from the field and 12-of-15 from the free throw line.  She was the only Yellowjacket to score in double figures, but it was enough to give MSUB the win and the 2006-2007 Heartland Conference regular season title.

Along with winning the conference’s regular season crown, the Yellowjackets clinched the No. 1 seed for this week’s Heartland Conference Tournament, held at University of North Texas in Denton, Tex., on Friday and Saturday.  The Yellowjackets will face fourth-seeded St. Mary’s University on Friday at 12:00 p.m. CST, 11:00 a.m. MST.  That game will be web streamed on the internet at www.msubillings.edu/athletics by Pat Boland starting at 10:45 a.m. MST.

In Friday’s second game, No. 2 St. Edward’s University will face No. 3 University of the Incarnate Word at 2:30 p.m. CST.  The winner will take on the winner of the MSUB/STMU game for the conference championship at 2:00 p.m. MST, on Saturday.  If the Yellowjackets make the championship game, it will be aired live on AM 970 in Billings and on the web at www.msubillings.edu/athletics.  All tournament games will also be video streamed at www.summitticket.com.  The winner of the Heartland Conference Tournament receives an automatic berth into the NCAA Division II Tournament the following week.