Ryan Has Big Game but Yellowjackets Suffer First Loss, 59-46

Box Score 

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Junior, Kayla Ryan had 20 points and nine boards, but the Montana State Billings women’s basketball team suffered its first loss of the season with a 59-46 setback to the Adams State Grizzlies in Saturday’s first game of the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs Tournament. The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Yellowjackets to start the young season.

“Today we just didn’t shoot the ball well,” said head coach Kevin Woodin. “We missed several shots that we normally would make, but Adams State’s defense caused some of that.”

Helping Ryan lead the Yellowjackets was fellow junior, Mandy Jacobs. Jacobs scored seven points with four boards, while Sarah McNamee and Kalli Stanhope each had five points.

For the second straight game, MSUB got off to a slow start to fall behind early. Crystal Loch had a lay-in with 9:01 to go in the first half to put the Grizzlies up by nine, their largest lead of the half. The Yellowjackets were able to battle back and tie the score, 15-15, when Kalli Stanhope drained a three pointer and then converted a layup with 5:02 remaining.

The Grizzlies responded with a three by Vera Jo Bustos and a pair of buckets by Kendra Coveal to extend the lead back to six. Baskets by Jacobs and Ryan helped cut the lead back to one as the Grizzlies led 21-20 headed into the break.

“After the first half ended I felt pretty fortunate to be only down by one going into the break,” Woodin continued.

The second half looked like it was going to be a tug-of-war as neither team was able to gain the edge. Then, the Grizzlies got a big shot from behind the arc from Paige Ricker, giving ASU a 34-32 lead with 14:34 to go.

The Grizzlies continued to build a substantial lead, finally getting their largest lead of the game at 17, 56-39, via a layup in the paint by Misti Solomon with 4:09 remaining. MSUB was unable to respond with a run of its own as time ran out.

“The second half just went their way,” said Woodin. “They went on a run to open with and were able to build over a ten point lead that we were just unable to cut into.”

Adams State (5-1) was led by a double-double from Bustos, scoring 13 points and ten boards with eight assists and two steals in the victory. Coveal ended the game with 16 points of her own as the Grizzlies got ten more from Kelsie Kruger.

The Yellowjackets (4-1) were outshot in the second half, 43.3 percent to 27.6 percent. The Grizzlies shot 50 percent behind the arc in the second, while the ‘Jackets were just 2-of-17 for the game. The Yellowjacket defense did force 21 turnovers, while turning the ball over 18 times.