Yellowjackets Get First Road Test of Season at UC-CS Tournament

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Yellowjackets Get First Road Test of Season at UC-CS Tournament
The Montana State Billings women’s basketball team hits the road this week for a pair of games away from Alterowitz Gymnasium in Colorado Springs, CO at the UC-Colorado Springs Tournament Friday and Saturday afternoon. The Yellowjackets will square-off against UCCS for the second time this season on Friday and then take on the Grizzlies of Adams State Saturday.

The Yellowjackets (3-0) were victorious the last time out (Nov. 21), defeating visiting Chadron State College, 74-63, to wrap-up a three game home stand to open the 2009-10 season.
The ‘Jackets had three players in double figures and two, Callie Kautzmann and Kayla Ryan, that led the team with double-doubles. Ryan scored 17 points and grabbed 12 boards, while Kautzmann had 13 points and 11 boards. Rachel Hansen also added 11 points in the win.

Against the Eagles, the Yellowjackets struggled throughout much of the day, but were able to keep Chadron State just far enough away to get a double-digit win and stay unbeaten this season. The ‘Jackets were 27-of-63 from the floor (42.9 %), including 6-of-15 from deep (40.0 %) and 14-of-16 from the line (87.5 %). MSUB scored 20 points off of 19 Eagle turnovers and outrebounded CSC 44-39 in the game. The Yellowjacket bench outscored the Eagles 23-13 as the ‘Jackets led by as many as 16 in the game. Trailing for the first time all season, 5-0, MSUB went on a 32-14 run, which turned into a 34-22 lead at the half. Chadron was able to cut the lead to six midway through the final half, but the ‘Jackets were able to do enough to get the 74-63 victory.

The Yellowjackets have never lost to UC-Colorado Springs in their previous three meetings. Prior to this year’s first match-up, the Yellowjackets last played the Mountain Lions on Jan. 12, 1991, an 84-66 victory in Colorado Springs. The teams first played in Pueblo, CO on Nov. 11, 1990, a 75-34 MSUB victory. In the first game this season, Yellowjacket, Kalli Stanhope, unloaded on UC-CS, scoring 28 points, including a school single-game record, eight three-pointers. The Yellowjackets never trailed in the game, defeating the Mountain Lions 91-57.

The Mountain Lions have not lost since the season opener against the Yellowjackets. UC-CS enters the week with a pair of wins over Oklahoma Panhandle State (76-49) and Northern New Mexico (61-53) at the Adams State Bankers Classic. The Mountain Lions have an RMAC showdown with Western State this Tuesday, Nov. 24, before hosting its tournament. The Yellowjackets and Grizzlies are playing for the first time in school history. In fact, the Grizzlies are one of three RMAC teams the Yellowjackets have yet to compete against, also including New Mexico Highlands and Western State.

The Grizzlies enter the showdown 3-1 on the season including a lopsided 90-68 win on Monday evening over visiting Hawaii Pacific University. The game included 62 total free throws combined, 49 of which came from the Grizzlies. ASU has now won its last three contests since dropping the season opener to the Air Force Academy, 65-59. The Grizzlies are currently being led by Vera Jo Bustos, scoring 17.0 ppg and 3.8 boards with six steals and 18 assists on the year. Three players are averaging double figures for ASU, along with Bustos, Kendra Coveal (14.3) and Kelsie Kruger (13.5) are a completing the feat.

This weekend’s games will be the first road trip for the Yellowjackets this season. In all, MSUB will head out on six road trips including four-straight games away from home during January, at the beginning of the conference season.

Kautzmann Garners POW Honors
The 5-10 sophomore scored 63 points and also had 21 rebounds, five assists and seven steals as the Yellowjackets won three games in seven days to start the season 3-0, all by double-digit margins.
The Nampa, ID native shot 56.1 percent from the floor (23-41), 43.8 percent from the three-point line (7-16) and 90.9 percent from the free throw line (10-11) in wins over UC-Colorado Springs, University of Mary and Chadron State College.

Against UCCS, Kautzmann scored 24 points to help lead MSUB to a 91-57 rout of the Mountain Lions. In the win over Mary, she scored a career-high 26 points and five boards. Against Chadron State, Kautzmann set another career-high, this time in rebounds, with 11.

Feisty Freshman
In three games, Freshman forward, Ashley Reed, has made an impact on the post for the Yellowjackets. Reed is averaging 5.3 points per game and has averaged 3.0 rebounds each game to go along with two blocks on the season. She is shooting 57.1 percent from the floor (8-14) this season and has been a crucial scorer off the bench.

Owning the RMAC
Both games this week are against RMAC opponents. Through the years, MSUB has found great success against schools in the conference. to date, the Yellowjackets are 74-19 against RMAC schools, holding a .796 winning percentage against the conference. Only one school, Nebraska-Kearney, holds a winning record against the ‘Jackets (1-0). Mesa State is next in line with a 1-1 record.

Century Watch
With Saturday’s victory, MSUB head coach, Kevin Woodin, recorded his 91st career victory. With 9 more wins, coach Woodin will become the third coach in MSUB women’s basketball history to record 100 wins at the school. With 11 more victories, Woodin would tie Ted Anderson (1982-87) for second on the school’s all-time wins list with 102.

A Winning Attitude
Among active Division II coaches, coach Kevin Woodin entered the season ranked 39th in career winning percentages. His 88-53 record at the beginning of the season gave him a .624 winning percentage. With the three wins already, Coach Woodin holds a .632 win percentage.

Out of the Blocks
With the win against Chadron State (Nov. 21), the Yellowjackets are 3-0 to start a season for the first time since the 2004-2005 season. That season the Yellowjackets started 3-0 with victories over Western Washington and two wins against Ohio Valley College (now University) and went to finish 21-7 to qualify for the NCAA West Regional Tournament. The last time the ‘Jackets started a season 4-0 was the 2001-02 season when they went 23-5 and again qualified for postseason play.
Basketball Battles Breast Cancer
The women’s basketball team is doing its part in the fight against breast cancer. During the first six home games this season, MSUB is taking donations for every three-pointer that is made by the team or just general donations.

75 percent of the proceeds go to a local Billings family that has amassed the expensive medical bills that go into fighting the disease. The other 25 percent goes toward the women’s basketball program.
All anyone has to do is pick up a flyer at any home game or go onto the MSUB website and print off the flyer, then fill out the information and return to the athletics department.

Women Ink Montana Products
Coach Kevin Woodin announced the signings of Bobbi Knudsen and Corie Smith to play for the Yellowjackets starting in 2010-2011.

Knudsen, a 5-8 guard from Malta High School, is a three year letterwinner in basketball and has also earned letters for cross country and track. For her career, Knudsen has averaged 11.0 points per game with 5.5 rebounds, and has shot 59 percent from the floor.

Last season, Knudsen was named to the all-conference and all-state teams in helping Malta to district and divisional championships, leading to a runner-up finish at the state tournament. In all, she has helped MHS to three consecutive district and divisional titles with one state championship in 2007.

Smith, a 5-11 forward, has had a successful basketball and track career at Belgrade High School in Belgrade, MT. Last season, Smith led the Central ‘A’ Conference in 12 rebounds per game and was top-ten in field goal percentage (45.6 percent), steals (35) and scoring (9.89 ppg).

In 2007-08, Smith was named honorable mention all-conference and then last season, earned second team all-conference while being named to the first team Central ‘A’ all-divisional tournament team. Smith also helped lead BHS to a divisional championship in 2009.

Let the Record Show
Sophomore guard Kalli Stanhope ignited a Yellowjackets victory in the season opener (Nov. 15), scoring a career-high 28 points which included a school record eight three-pointers, in defeating UC-Colorado Springs, 91-57.

She broke the previous record of seven which was held by four other Yellowjackets, including the school’s all-time leading scorer, Alira Carpenter.
Stanhope’s eight trey’s were part of 16 drained by the team, just one shy of the school record, 17.

Refuse to Lose... Home Openers
The Nov. 6 home opener win was not only the second consecutive season opener victory, it was the 17th season in which the Yellowjackets have won their home opener.
To find the last time MSUB dropped a home opener, you have to travel back to the 1991-92 season when the Yellowjackets fell to Eastern New Mexico, 72-70, on Nov. 22.

Ninety? No Problem
Scoring 90 points happens more often than you think for Yellowjacket teams. Last season it happened four times and it’s been 16 years since the last time MSUB failed to score 90 points in a game during a season, the 1992-1993 season.

Yellowjackets Predicted Seventh
Montana State Billings women’s basketball was picked to finish seventh in this year’s GNAC standings according to the preseason coaches poll. The ‘Jackets were selected in front of Central Washington and Alaska Fairbanks. Last season, MSUB finished 8-8 in the conference and looks to build on that record with the outside shooting. Ahead of the Yellowjackets, Alaska Anchorage was the preseason favorite, followed by Seattle Pacific, Northwest Nazarene, Western Washington, Saint Martin’s and Western Oregon.

2009-2010 Season Preview
The Montana State Billings women’s basketball team is looking forward to the 2009-2010 season. The Yellowjackets return two starters and seven letter winners from a team that placed fifth in the always competitive Great Northwest Athletic Conference a year ago. The ‘Jackets face a very challenging schedule this season, but one that should prepare them for competition in one of the premier conferences in the country.

One of the toughest tasks this season will be replacing last years’ senior class, especially Alira Carpenter. Carpenter concluded her illustrious career at MSUB, scoring 2,000 career points to become the first player in school history, male or female, to complete the feat. Also gone are Jen Smith and Jetton Meadors who combined to score over 16 points per game last season.

All seven returners are expected to make an impact on this year’s squad, especially the two seniors, Shantell Marquis and Rachel Hansen. Both will team with Kayla Ryan and Mandy Jacobs as team captains this season. Marquis, one of two starters from last year, averaged 7.6 points in 30.7 minutes per game. She also led the team in blocked shots (29), assists (106) and rebounds per game (5.6). MSUB looks forward to the return of Hansen as she missed most of last season with an injury.

The other five returners expected to contribute this season are Ryan, Jacobs, Callie Kautzmann, Kalli Stanhope and Melissa Porter. Ryan, a junior, is the second starter returning this season. She averaged 11.4 points per game, 6.7 rebounds and shot 69 percent from the charity stripe in 638 minutes of work. Jacobs, also a junior, contributed 4.1 points per game and shot 50 percent from the line last season. Kautzmann, Stanhope and Porter, all sophomores, now look to step into more key roles as second year players. All three saw extensive playing time for head coach Kevin Woodin last season, and he expects them all to make an impact right away. “Each of the returners has worked very hard to improve their game this off season and I’m excited to see the progress play out on the court,” Woodin said.

The program will see plenty of fresh faces this season as coach Woodin welcomes junior transfer Sarah McNamee and four other freshmen to the team. McNamee, a 5-9 guard, joins the Yellowjackets from Carroll College where she averaged 3.4 points per game and shot 30 percent from the field. Joining McNamee are Kylee Denham, a 5-8 guard, Ashley Reed, a 6-0 forward, Kelcy Lott, a 5-6 guard and Monica Hollowell, a 5-6 guard. “This group of newcomers is very athletic and versatile,” Woodin said. “They possess the talent to allow us to play the tempo we would like and are able to play multiple positions which will help us greatly.”

Coach Woodin believes that this year’s strengths are going to be overall team speed, player versatility and depth from the bench. “I believe we have excellent team speed and we hope to devise a system where that can be used to its advantage,” said Woodin. “We also possess several players who can play more than one position. This will help us tremendously, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Depth is strength that I hope our team will have. With five new players, the jury is still out on how they will impact our team, but I have a good feeling about this group.”

Women’s Basketball History
Women’s basketball has traditionally been the most successful program at Montana State Billings. The Yellowjackets have qualified for the NCAA tournament 11 times since 1987 and 10 times since 1994. The program debuted in 1973 under the direction of head coach Nancy Monger. Since that time, nine of the eleven coaches have compiled overall winning records at MSUB.

Hall of Fame coach Frank McCarthy has won the most games with 191 wins against 91 defeats. During his ten seasons, McCarthy guided MSUB to five NCAA tournament appearances. His 1998-1999 team enjoyed MSUB’s finest season by winning a school record 25 games and advancing to the NCAA Elite Eight.
Current coach Kevin Woodin has posted 88 wins in his first five seasons to rank third in school history, behind McCarthy (191) and Ted Anderson (102). The Yellowjackets have captured two regular season championships, one conference title and two NCAA tournament berths under Woodin’s direction.

Last season, Alira Carpenter became the first player, male or female, in MSUB history to record 2,000 career points, and just the fourth collegiate player in the state of Montana to reach the milestone. She was awarded the Little Sullivan Award, just the third MSUB athlete to win the award and the second female basketball player (Robyn Milne, 2001).