Lady Jackets Host MSU-Northern Saturday (December 12, 2002)

BILLINGS, MT – The Montana State University-Billings women’s basketball team will host MSU-Northern Saturday night at 6:00 p.m. at Alterowitz Gymnasium.  The Yellowjackets will be trying to extend their school-record 24-game home winning streak.  The last time MSU Billings lost at home was January 4, 2001.  The Lady Jackets defeated St. Martin’s College on November 30 to break the old school record of 23 consecutive home wins.

MSU Billings returns from a two-game swing to California where the defeated Cal State-Stanislaus 66-61 and lost to Sonoma State 63-44.  The Yellowjackets are 5-2 overall with their only other loss coming on the road at the University of Montana. 

While the Lady Jackets continue to be a very good defensive team, holding opponents to a 34-percent field goal percentage, their offense has struggled at times.  MSUB is shooting just 36-percent from the field and averaging 61 points per game.  They will try to turn that around against an MSU-Northern team that is giving up 72.4 points per game.

Senior point guard Amy Bantz, who tore her ACL in a preseason scrimmage, could be in the lineup for the Yellowjackets this weekend.  She saw limited action in California last weekend.  MSUB has been paced offensively by its upper classmen.  Senior Natalie Visger is averaging 15.6 points per game, followed by senior Jessica Bachmann (13.7 ppg), senior Jessie Henigman (8.0 ppg), senior Joan Langford (7.9 ppg) and sophomore Kayla Frize (7.3 ppg).  Coach Karyn Ridgeway is looking to find more scoring production from some of the five freshmen on the roster.

Northern enters the game with a 2-7 overall record following a win over Great Falls last Saturday.  Anna Bateman leads the Lights with a scoring average of 13.6 points per game, while Miranda Valley is scoring 13.3 ppg.  Billings native Brettney Vermandel has started eight games for MSUN and is averaging 5.0 points per game.