Lady Yellowjackets Remain at No. 3 in West Region Poll (January 22, 2003)

BILLINGS, MT – As the college basketball season passes its midpoint, the MSU Billings women’s basketball team is right where it wants to be.  For the second week in a row, the Lady Yellowjackets are ranked No. 3 in the West Region.

MSU Billings opened the regional polling season at No. 7.  They climbed to No. 3 in the year’s second poll and have remained there after building a 13-3 record.  The Jackets dispatched Montana Tech 66-46 Monday night and next play January 23 and 24 at Western New Mexico.

The Lady Jackets have just are 10-2 against West Region competition.  Just four of their final ten games will be West Region games, with all four coming against Western New Mexico.  If the Lady Jackets can manage to win three of those games, and not stumble against an NAIA team, they should be a lock for their second-straight NCAA Tournament.

The NCAA West Region Tournament will be held March 14-17 on the campus of the No. 1 ranked team in the region.  The top eight teams in the region will qualify for the tournament.

NCAA West Region Women’s Poll (Records through games of January 19, 2003)

1.            Seattle Pacific                    14-0
2.            Cal State Bakersfield          12-1
3.            Montana State-Billings    12-3
4.            Western Washington            11-2
5.            Sonoma State                    10-3
6.            Alaska Anchorage                 7-5
7.            Northwest Nazarene               9-4
8.            Cal State Chico                      7-5
9.            UC Davis                               8-5
10.          Cal State Stanislaus                7-6