Lady Jackets Sink Wildcats in Hawaii (12/19/06)
Box Score

HONOLULU, HI – Balanced scoring and efficient shooting lifted the Montana State-Billings women’s basketball team to an 86-61 win over Abilene Christian Tuesday afternoon at the Hoop-N-Surf Classic.  The Yellowjackets won for the fourth-straight time to improve to 6-3.  The Wildcats lost for the third time in the last four games to fall to 8-3.  ACU entered the game with a 4-0 record against teams from the Heartland Conference.

“We played really well,” said Yellowjacket head coach Kevin Woodin.  “We really had the inside and outside scoring balance working throughout the first half.  The gym was humid, and I thought the bench did a great job.   We just kept bringing in fresh bodies and kept up the pressure.  Our bench outscored them 34-22 in the game.”

The Yellowjackets broke open a close game late in the first half, taking a 41-30 lead into intermission.  They opened that lead to 20 early in the second half and held on for the double-digit win.  Four Yellowjackets scored in double figures, and MSUB shot over 50 percent from the field as a team.

“As the game progressed we got hot from the perimeter,” said Woodin.  “We passed the ball well.  Alira Carpenter and Kayla McPherson shot well.  It was as well as we’ve played all year on both ends of the floor.  We were consistent throughout the game.  A big key in the game came midway though the first half when we were able to get some stops and execute on three or four possessions offensively.  We talked at halftime about coming out strong.  We did and were able to get the lead to 20.  In the last six or seven minutes we were able to spread them out and create some easy opportunities.”

Carpenter (Lewistown, MT) continued to shine offensively with a game-high 18 points.  She was 7-of-10 from the field and 4-of-5 from 3-point range.  McPherson (Glendive, MT) netted 13 points, knocking down 3-of-6 from behind the arc.  As a team the Jackets hit 10-of-18 from long range.

Jen Smith (Belgrade, MT) matched her career-high with 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field and 2-of-3 from 3-point.  Michelle Lieber (Gillette, WY) had a dozen points and a game-high eight rebounds.  Dani Henderson (Reed Point, MT) added nine points, Jetton Meadors (Billings, MT) had seven, Shantell Marquis (Cascade, MT) had six, and Jennifer Skrifvars (Brea, CA) had four.  Meadors, Carpenter, and Rachel Hansen (Lolo, MT) each dished out four assists.

“We were very balanced tonight,” added Woodin.  “We had several people taking the right shots.  Abilene put pressure on us, and our players did a nice job of reading situations.  They did a good job of penetrating in the gaps and kicking to each other.”

The Wildcats’ Kristee Davidson, Audrey Maxwell, Jamie Meyer, and Jody Meyer each scored 10 points in the game.  The Jackets held ACU to 21-of-64 from the field and just 5-of-21 from 3-point range.  They also limited Alex Guiton to nine points.  She entered the game averaging a team-best 18 points a game.  The Jackets’ Marquis and Lieber each had three steals in the game.

The Yellowjackets wrap up the Hoop-N-Surf Classic on Wednesday against unbeaten Missouri Southern State University.  The Lions entered the tournament at 7-0 on the season and faced winless Hawaii Pacific on Tuesday.  Wednesday’s tip off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. HST, 5:00 p.m. MST.  The Yellowjackets will open the Heartland Conference schedule at home on December 30 against Oklahoma Panhandle State University at 5:30 p.m. at Alterowitz Gym.