MSUB Women's Basketball Release - Nov. 26, 2008

Complete Release

THIS WEEK: Montana State Billings hits the road to compete in the University of Mary Classic, Nov. 28-29 in Bismarck, N.D. The Yellowjackets will play Minnesota-Crookston on Nov. 28 and Mary on Nov. 29. The games are scheduled to start at 4:00 and 3:00 p.m., respectively.

UNIV. OF MARY: The Marauders are 2-1 on the season. They are coming off a 73-70 win over MSUB on Nov. 21. Sonny Schulz leads the team averaging 21 points and 6.3 rebounds while shooting 48.1% (FG), 46.2% (3-PT) and 92.9% (FT). Liz Sipma and Anne Skala are averaging 11 points a game each.

MINNESOTA-CROOKSTON: The Golden Eagles are 2-0 on the season. They have defeated Minnesota-Morris 91-75 and Crown, 111-47. Jamie Zelinsky leads the team averaging 16.5 points a game. Diana Taddy is averaging 15.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.0 steals a game. This is the first meeting between the two schools.

PROBABLE STARTERS

MSUB (2-1)
G - Alira Carpenter (5-8/Sr.)
25 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 3.0 APG, 81.8% FT
G - Shantell Marquis (5-10/Jr.)
9.5 PPG, 6.5 APG, 5.0 SPG
G - Jetton Meadors (5-8/Sr.)
10 PPG, 3.2 APG, 57.1% FG
F - Kayla Ryan (6-1/So.)
10.7 PPG, 7.3 RPG
F - Jen Smith (5-10/Sr.)
11 PPG, 9.3 RPG

MARY (2-1)
G - Abby Bratlien (6-1/So.)
2.1 PPG, 2.0 BPG
G - Kayla Rogers (5-9/Jr.)
4 PPG, 2.3 APG
G - Maria Weigelt (5-7/Jr.)
6.3 PPG, 2.3 APG
C- Liz Sipma (6-2/Jr./)
11 PPG, 80% FT
F - Anna Skala (6-2/Sr.)
11 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 50% FG

MINNESOTA-CROOKSTON (2-0)
G - Diana Taddy (5-8/So.)
15.5 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 5.0 SPG, 57.9% FG
G - Jamie Zelinsky (5-11/So.)
16.5 PPG, 4.5 APG
C - Lauren Kessler (6-1/Fr.)
9 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 4.0 BPG, 75% FG
F - Gina Jaroszewski (5-11/So.)
6 PPG
F - Bri Zabel (6-0/So.)
11.5 PPG, 50% FG

COACH WOODIN’S COMMENTS: “The University of Mary Tournament represents a great challenge for us. We do not know a lot about Crookston as this will be the first ever meeting. I do know they are much improved over the past two years and they have good size.”

“Obviously, we know a great deal about Mary. We will need to defend the interior better and rebound more consistently than we did last weekend. It will take a great effort to come out on top in either game this week.”

LAST WEEK: Montana State Billings experienced both agony and joy last week. Friday, Nov. 21, the University of Mary took a hard fought 73-70 win over the Yellowjackets. The Marauders were down seven with just eight minutes to go before coming back. Alira Carpenter scored 20 points while Shantel Marquis had 13 points, nine assists and seven steals. Jetton Meadors had a solid night with 12 points, five assists and two steals.

MSUB bounced back with a 91-82 win over Colorado School of Mines, Sunday, Nov. 23. The Jackets led by 26 points with 5:42 to go. The Orediggers put on a furious rally in which they out scored MSUB 23-6 the rest of the game. Four free throws in the last minute sealed the game.

For the Yellowjackets, Carpenter had 19 points while Kayla Ryan added 15. Meadors scored 15 points with Jen Smith pulling down nine rebounds. Mandy Jacobs was huge spark off the bench with 10 points and three triples.

QUEST FOR #1: Alira Carpenter already has two career records under her belt and is looking at a third. She needs 147 points to pass Tera Silvius (1992-95) as the all-time leading scorer. Carpenter is currently fifth with 1474 points. She hold the records for three-pointers made (222) and attempted (546). Carpenter is also taking aim at field goals made (528) and attempted (1236). She needs 152 and 154 respectively.

THE 400 CLUB: Jen Smith is closing in on joining the 400 club. No it is not any kind of social group. She needs 18 rebounds to become the 21st Yellowjacket to pull down 400 career boards.

NO LOVE FOR COLORADO: The last time a team from Colorado beat MSUB at home? Let’s say George Bush was President of the U.S. Senior that is. On Feb. 24, 1990, Denver beat the Jackets 66-65. Since then, the Yellowjackets have won nine straight games against Colorado opponents.

GNAC POLL: Montana State Billings received 37 points to place sixth in the GNAC Pre-Season Poll. Complete poll is below.
1. Alaska Anchorage (8) 86
2. Seattle Pacific (1) 67
3. Northwest Nazarene 65
4. Western Washington 55
5. Saint Martin’s 40
6. Montana State Billings 37
7. Central Washington 28
8. Western Oregon 22
9. Alaska Fairbanks 17

80 IS GOOD: Montana State Billings does not fear 80. In fact, we embrace it. In the history of women’s basketball, 100 times the Yellowjackets have scored 80+ points at home and have never lost. Yes you heard me correctly. MSUB is 100-0 when scoring at least 80 points in Alterowitz Gym.

COUNTDOWN TO 100: Kevin Woodin is on track to becoming the third coach in school history to win 100 games. He is currently the third winningest coach in terms of victories with 74. Woodin trails Frank McCarthy (191) and Ted Anderson (102).

TWO FOR 600: Montana State Billings is closing in on a milestone. The yellowjackets are just two wins away from 600 career victories.

THIS WEEK IN MSUB HISTORY:
Nov. 29-30, 1991 - The Yellowjackets beat Montana Western 70-58 and Carroll 77-56 to win the Bulldog Classic.

Sherry McQuinn was named the tournament MVP as she had 54 points and 29 rebounds. She had 19 points, 13 rebounds and five steals against MWU and 35 points and 16 rebounds against CC.

November 30, 2002 - In a 63-58 win over Saint Martin’s, Natalie Visger hits six free throws down the stretch to preserve the win. Visger finished with 23 points including a 15-of-17 performance from the charity stripe.

Visger’s 15 free throws was second best in MSUB history. Shelley Altrogge hit 16 free throws against Denver in 1989-90 season.

GNAC STATISTICS

INDIVIDUAL

3-Point Field Goals Made Per Game
T1. Alira Carpenter 3.00
T9. Mandy Jacobs 1.67

Assists
1. Shantell Marquis 6.50
T6. Jetton Meadors 3.67

Steals
1. Shantell Marquis 5.00
T6. Jetton Meadors 1.67

Field Goal Percentage
1. Mandy Jacobs .800
T4. Jetton Meadors .571

Scoring
1. Alira Carpenter 25.0

3-Point Percentage
2. Mandy Jacobs .833

Rebounding
6. Jen Smith 9.3

Blocked Shots
T9. Kayla Ryan 0.67

Free Throw Percentage
10. Shantell Marquis .833

TEAM

3-Point Field Goals Made Per Game
1. MSUB 8.33

Assists
1. MSUB 21.33

Free Throw Percentage
T1. MSUB 10.33

Scoring Offense
1. MSUB 84.0

Field Goal Percentage
3. MSUB .427

Free Throw Percentage
3. MSUB .719

3-Point Percentage
3. MSUB .368

Blocked Shots
T4. MSUB 2.0

Rebound Margin
5. MSUB + 3.0