December 29, 2007

No. 12 Wildcats Bite Lady Jackets
   Box Score
   MSUB Season Stats

ROHNERT PARK, Calif. – Despite Alira Carpenter’s game-high 23 points, it was not enough Saturday night as the Montana State Billings women’s basketball team stumbled 73-59 against No. 12 ranked Chico State at the Hampton Inn & Suites Classic hosted by Sonoma State University.  The Jackets’ third straight loss drops the team to 3-6 overall, while the Wildcats improve to 8-3 with the win.

Although the Lady Jackets shot more proficiently than the Wildcats from both the field and the perimeter, the difference in the game came at the free throw line and under the basket.  Not only were the Jackets were out rebounded 44-25 by Chico State, the Wildcats also out shot the Jackets 18-9 at the charity stripe.

At the 11-minute mark of the first half a 3-pointer by the Wildcats’ Jade Smith-Williams broke open a double-digit lead.  It was immediately answered by the Jackets who went on a 7-0 run that was capped off by a jumper by Shantell Marquis (Cascade) with 7:39 to play.  The spark brought the Jackets within eight points of the Wildcats but ended up being as close as MSUB would get throughout the remainder of the ball game.

A defiant Yellowjacket team forced Wilcat fans to hold their breath with just 4:25 left to play in the contest as MSUB pulled within 10 on a made free throw basket by Marquis.  Straight shooting by Chico State down the alley to finish out the clock iced the win and avenged a loss to St. Cloud State on Friday night to open the tournament.

Two solid halves by Carpenter (Lewistown) netted her 23 points on 9-of-17 shooting from the field.  Carpenter's 11th point of the night catapulted her above the 1,000 career-point mark enjoyed by just 18 other Lady Yellowjackets.  Marquis was the only other Yellowjacket to score in double figures chipping in 11 points.  Marquis nabbed three steals and handed out three assists in the game.  Kayla Ryan, a freshman from Big Timber, Mont., had another steady night on the court netting eight points and five rebounds.

Smith-Williams led Chico State with 18 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field.  Smith-Williams knocked down 3-of-6 attempts from behind the arc and went 3-of-5 from the line.  Audriana Spencer posted the only double-double of the game netting 15 points and 10 rebounds.  Spencer was a perfect 4-of-4 from the charity stripe and handed out a game-high six assists.

The Lady Yellowjackets travel to the Land of the Midnight Sun to open the conference schedule with games against University of Alaska-Anchorage on January 3 and University of Alaska-Fairbanks on January 5.  Both games will tip off at 7 p.m. AKST.  Live stats for Thursday’s game can be found by visiting http://www.goseawolves.com/.