Lady Jackets 10th in First Regional Poll (1/24/07) 

BILLINGS, MT – The NCAA Women’s Basketball Committee released its first Division II regional polls of the year on Wednesday.  Montana State-Billings debuted at No. 10 in the NCAA South Central Region.  The top eight teams in each of the NCAA’s eight regions at the end of the season receive invitations to the NCAA Tournament. 

The Yellowjackets are 14-4 overall and sit in first place in the Heartland Conference at 3-1.  MSUB is 7-3 against South Central Region teams, with two of the three losses coming to teams ranked ahead of them in the region. 

It will be a tall task for the Yellowjackets to climb in the regional rankings considering the fact that none of the teams they face in their remaining 11 games currently has a winning record.  Also, the top four teams in the South Central Region this week are currently ranked in the top 13 in the nation by the WBCA.  Missouri Western State, ranked No. 1 in the region and No. 2 in the nation, defeated the Jackets on December 2.  MSUB’s most likely path to the NCAA Tournament will be winning the Heartland Conference Tournament on March 2 and 3 and receiving the conference’s automatic qualifier.

MSU Billings is the only Heartland Conference team ranked in the regional poll.  In the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, the Jackets’ home beginning in 2007-2008, there are five teams ranked in the West Region top 10.  Seattle Pacific is No. 3, followed by Central Washington at No. 4, Alaska-Anchorage at No. 5, Seattle University at No. 8, and Western Washington at No. 10.

The Yellowjackets have three important home games this week, starting Wednesday against defending Heartland Conference champion St. Mary’s University.  MSUB hosts University of the Incarnate Word on Saturday and Sunday.  All three games tip off at 5:30 p.m. at Alterowitz Gym.

NCAA II South Central Region (record against NCAA DII opponents)
1. Missouri Western State (16-0)
2. Washburn (15-3)
3. West Texas A&M (15-3)
4. Emporia State (9-4)
5. Central Missouri State (10-5)
6. Northeastern State (9-5)
7. Angelo State (10-6)
8. Northwest Missouri State (8-5)
9. Southeastern Oklahoma State (12-4)
10. Montana State-Billings (9-4)