CARSON, Calif. — Four players scored in double figures Friday night and the Montana State Billings women outlasted Cal State Los Angeles 69-66 to advance at the NCAA Division II West Regional tournament.
Taryn Shelley led the No. 4-seeded Yellowjackets (25-7) with 15 points but was followed closely by Cariann Kunkel and Dyauni Boyce, who each had 13 points. Kortney Nelson added 11 for the Jackets, who will face top-seeded Cal State Dominguez Hills on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. Mountain time.
MSU Billings outscored the Golden Eagles 17-6 in the second quarter to take a 37-30 lead into halftime. Cal State LA took a three-point lead at 58-55 with 7:10 remaining but MSUB closed on a 14-8 run, including a Kunkel 3-pointer that put the Jackets ahead 62-59 with 3:45 left. A Shayla Montague 3 gave MSUB a six-point advantage with 1:26 left.
MSU Billings is playing in the tournament for the 15th time in program history, and the fourth time in the past ten years. The Jackets are seeking their first trip out of Regionals to the NCAA D2 Elite Eight for the first time since 2018.
