“I was happy with the way we started the game,” MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin said. “We talked about bringing a consistent effort as we haven’t been very consistent, especially at home. I thought our first five really did a nice job beginning the game and we had a complete game tonight in both halves.”
MSUB put together its best shooting performance of the season thus far as it was a blistering 32 of 55 from the floor for 58.2 percent. The Jackets had shot better than 40 percent just one time this season in a 68-42 win at Notre Dame de Namur (Nov. 22). In that game, they were an even 40 percent from th field. The Jackets were just as deadly from downtown as they knocked down a season-high 12 3-pointers going 12 of 23 for 52.2 percent. Moreover, the Jackets were 11 of 12 from the charity stripe and have missed just five free throws in their last two games (31-36).
Along with the dominating shooting, the Jackets had a balanced scoring attack as nine of 10 players scored. Senior Kayla Ryan and freshman Bobbi Knudsen led the way with 13 points each. Senior Beata Bak tallied 12 points. Senior Sarah McNamee had a game-high eight assists.
The Beavers, ranked 13th nationally in NAIA Division II, were led by 12 points from Sacarra Molina and 11 from Caroline Folven.
The Yellowjackets also dominated points in the paint, 32-20 and bench points, 38-20.
“We had great bench play tonight in the first half as Bobbi Knudsen played very well and Jenny Heringer provided a spark for us,” Woodin said.
Senior transfer, Jenny Heringer, played her first game as a Yellowjacket after transferring to MSUB from Montana State. Heringer tallied nine points on 4 of 5 from the field in her debut. She also knocked down a triple.
In addition to Heringer, freshman Lisa Laslovich had her best outing in her Yellowjacket career as she tallied eight points on 3 of 4 from the field. She was 2 of 3 from range and tallied a team-high five rebounds.
MSUB came out of the gates on fire as it jumped out to an early 7-0 lead courtesy of an opening triple from senior Mandy Jacobs and jumpers from Bak and Marquis. A big triple from Knudsen moments later gave MSUB a 10-4 lead as it began a 9-2 run.
A triple from Molina brought MSU within 16-9, but the hot-shooting Yellowjackets built the lead back to double-digits. A mini-run by the Beavers brought them within 25-19 on a pair of free throws, but a 12-2 run by MSUB ensued for a 37-21 advantage with four minutes left in the half.
Marquis gave the Jackets their largest lead of the half at 41-24, but the Beavers ended the half with a 6-0 run for a 41-30 deficit at intermission.
The Jackets poured it on in the early moments of the second half with a 10-2 run capped by a triple from Marquis and a 51-32 lead with 16:34 left.
Molina brought Minot State (9-2) within 58-44 with 11:23 left, but the Yellowjackets had the answer once more. A 13-0 run over the next three minutes put the game away. During the decisive run, Jacobs, McNamee and Laslovich each hit triples, while sophomore Ashley Reed had a nice turnaround jumper in the lane.
The game for the Beavers was an exhibition game.
Back-to-back triples from Knudsen and Laslovich swelled the lead over 30 points with just over four minutes left at 83-52. The Beavers cut the deficit to 26 late, but two final charity tosses by Knudsen gave MSUB the 30-point win at 87-57.
In the second half alone, the Yellowjackets shot 60 percent on 15 of 25 from the field. They were 7 of 12 from deep in the half and 9 of 10 from the line. The defense also stepped up, too, as it held MSU to just 9 of 29 from the field in the half for 31 percent. MSU was 11 of 24 for 45.8 percent in the first half.
“In the second half, I thought we passed the ball very well and several people made 3-point shots,” Woodin said. “We have been waiting for a game where we would actually shoot it better from the perimeter and tonight we did. We had eight different people make a 3-pointer, and when you do that you are difficult to guard as you can spread people out.”
The Yellowjackets continue their season-long five-game home stand Dec. 29 at 7 p.m. versus Chadron State in Alterowitz Gymnasium.
“It’s nice to finish with a win before the break,” Woodin concluded. “We are looking forward to a little time off before we get back into it against Chadron State on Dec. 29. We know Chadron State is a good team as they beat us at their place, and we are looking forward to see if we have gotten better than a month ago.”
No comments:
Post a Comment