BILLINGS, Mont. – MSU Billings' Rylee Kane scored a game-high 19 points and Alisha Breen had her second straight double-double to lead the Montana State University Billings women's basketball team to an 80-64 win over visiting South Dakota School of Mines Tuesday evening at Alterowitz Gym in Billings, Mont.
Breen had 12 points, 12 rebounds, and matched Kane with a team-high six assists, and was the key factor in MSUB winning the rebound battle 32-30. The Hardrockers led 5-4 in the opening quarter, but after the first three of the night by Vanessa Stavish MSUB never trailed again.
The opening 10 minutes were capped by a momentum-shifting play for the 'Jackets to end the period. Breen blocked a layup and grabbed the rebound with seven seconds left, then fed a 40-foot pass down court where Stavish finished a buzzer-beating layup to make the score 22-16.
The Hardrockers evened the score at 24-24 on a three by Payton Humpal two minutes into the second, but the 'Jackets responded with a 16-6 scoring burst over the next six minutes to up their lead to 40-30.
The 'Jackets built a 42-32 edge by halftime, and out-scored the 'Rockers 38-32 over the final 20 minutes to move to 5-0 on the season. South Dakota Mines was handed its first loss of the year, falling to 4-1 overall.
Anna Haugen led SDSMT with 15 points and seven rebounds, while Sami Steffeck, Marrisa Hirchert and Humpal had eight points apiece. The visitors were hampered by a mark of just 14-for-22 from the free-throw line, while the 'Jackets capitalized on 14 of 16 attempts.
MSUB's lead peaked at 18 points with 4:30 to go in the third quarter, and SDSMT could not get back within 10 points the rest of the way
Overall, MSUB out-shot SDSMT 45.2 percent to 40.0 percent and though each team shot 33.3 percent from the arc, MSUB made 10 of 30 attempts compared to 6 of 18 for the 'Rockers.
Stavish wound up with a dozen points, and Taylor Cunningham and Grace Weeks had 11 apiece for MSUB.
That wrapped up the non-conference schedule for SD Mines. The Hardrockers will next see action Dec. 1 when they welcome MSU Denver to Goodell Gymnasium for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opener. Tipoff is slated for 5:30 p.m.
