By: Mackenzie Dalgleish
Box Score
Burnaby, BC - The Simon Fraser University Clan women's basketball team put up a strong fight against the conference leading Montana State University-Billings Yellowjackets on Saturday evening but could not get the best of the visitors, losing 76-61 in the West Gym.
SFU got off to a good start against the Yellowjackets at home, as the teams battled back and forth. Junior Erin Chambers (Mission, BC) showed no ill signs from a dislocated finger she suffered on Thursday as she made a nice jumper five minutes into the game as the Clan held an 11-8 lead.
Chambers would finish with a game high 25 points, while adding five rebounds and four assists. She was also seven for eight from the free throw line.
"Our offence was too centered around one person and a couple people were just not there offensively," said Head Coach Bruce Langford.
Montana State University-Billings would start to pull away at the midway point of the opening half as Bobbi Knudsen made a jumper to extend the Yellowjackets lead to 21-15.
Trailing 35-23 with two minutes to go in the first half, Chambers nailed a three-pointer to cut the deficit to nine points. Senior Marie-Line Petit (Bergeronnes, QC) followed that up with a three-pointer of her own to make the score 35-29.
At the break, the Yellowjackets would hold a 38-29 advantage as they shot 53.1 percent from the field, compared to the Clan's 37.5 percent.
The Clan struggled offensively coming out of the locker room in the second half, leading to MSUB taking a 20-point lead just over nine minutes into the final half.
"They're solid throughout," explained Langford on the Yellowjackets. "They did what they do well. They rebounded well. I thought we stayed with them on the boards for a good portion of the game. Then at a crucial spot they got a few key offensive boards."
The Clan would not go down without a fight, as Chambers made a three-pointer and then two free throws, to cut the deficit in half with 3:50 to play as SFU was down just 67-57.
However, the Clan could not keep sustained offensive pressure as Montana State University-Billings was able to earn the 15 point victory, 76-61.
Junior Chelsea Reist (Mission, BC) had a strong game for the Clan battling on both ends of the court grabbing rebounds and making some big shots. Reist would finish just shy of a double-double as she recorded 12 points and nine rebounds, shooting 50 percent from the field.
"Chelsea Reist had one of her better games, but we didn't have enough kids show up," finished Langford.
The Clan's record is now 13-6 overall and 7-4 in conference play.
SFU will hit the road next week as they travel to Ellensburg, WA on Thursday to take on Central Washington and then to Nampa, ID on Saturday as they face Northwest Nazarene.
