PORTLAND, Ore. — Building momentum in the final week before the winter break, the Montana State Billings women’s basketball team won all three of its games last week and extended its overall winning streak to four contests.
The Yellowjackets capped their recent string of success with a 63-55 triumph over No. 25 Daemen (N.Y.) on Sunday and were selected as the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Team of the Week on Monday.
“I was really happy with how we played in Las Vegas,” said MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin. “We are starting to do things better both statistically and on the court. We have been consistent all season with rebounding, but offensively we have been up and down. We are becoming more fundamentally sound, and it is starting to come together.”
MSUB’s week also included a 60-53 triumph over Tampa (Fla.) on Saturday, as it went 2-0 at the Holiday Hoops Classic in Las Vegas. The Jackets started the week with a resounding 60-41 win over Rocky Mountain College last Monday, completing a season sweep of the Rimrock Rivalry series against the crosstown opponent.
The Yellowjackets’ first win of the year over a nationally ranked opponent featured a breakout performance by freshman forward Cassie Chesnut, who led all players with 27 points and completed her second double-double of the year with 11 rebounds. Chesnut also had three blocks, three steals and a pair of assists across 36 minutes played.
That came after she contributed 23 points, five rebounds and three steals in the Yellowjackets’ win over Tampa the day before. Overall on the season Chesnut, who has started all 15 contests, is averaging 10.3 points per game to go along with 6.5 rebounds per game.
“Cassie has a lot of ability and she put it all together this week,” Woodin said. “I was pleased with her ability to score at all three levels. She was able to stay in the game for longer periods of time. Defensively she has gotten better and hasn’t been fouling as much. Offensively she took a big step this week with her ability to want the ball and deliver shot after shot when we needed it.”
A youthful roster that graduated three all-conference players including All-American Dyauni Boyce from 2024-25 has received contributions from a variety of players thus far. Senior forward Kaitlin Grossman is the lone returning starter from a season ago and leads the team with 8.4 rebounds per game while adding 8.9 points per game.
Grossman picked up a double-double with 11 points and 10 boards in the win over Tampa and just missed another one in the win over the Battlin’ Bears, hauling in a game-high 10 rebounds and adding nine points.
“Kaitlin has done a great job of being a leader,” said Woodin. “We have had a lot of injuries this year, and Kaitlin has had to shoulder the on-court leadership. She has brought around the young players – we have been playing five freshmen regularly. She is patient and her game has gotten so much better. She is an offensive threat and has always been a warrior on the glass. She has developed into a much more complete player this year.”
The Yellowjackets’ leading scorer this season is junior Kyla Momberg, who is averaging 10.7 points per game while shooting 45.2% from the field. The transfer from Montana Western had a season-high six rebounds in the win over Daemen, after scoring 15 points and matching her season best with four assists in the win over Tampa.
“I’m really pleased with how Kyla is developing,” said Woodin. “She has become a good on-court leader for us and is better with the ball in her hands. She has the ability to drive both ways and is a really good passer in traffic. She has solidified our team a lot and she is going to continue to get better. It’s hard to learn a whole new playbook and play with a group of new people, and she’s doing a really good job of quarterbacking our team.”
Hometown freshman Rae Smart is the other Yellowjacket to have started all 15 games this winter, and her best statistical game of the season had a lot to do with Sunday’s ranked victory. The 2025 Skyview High School graduate had season highs of 12 points and 11 rebounds, completing her first collegiate double-double. She also had three assists and a pair of steals while playing a season-high 35 minutes.
“Rae has established herself as one of our best defenders already,” said Woodin. “She can guard multiple positions and she plays with an amazing intensity. She is a complete player, is one of our best offensive rebounders and has the ability to impact the game on both ends at all times.”
Junior Allison Kunze, who transferred from Williston State College is another Yellowjacket who had one of her top games of the year last week. Helping fuel the rivalry win, Kunze made 7 of 9 field goals on her way to 16 points — her second-highest scoring total of the campaign. Overall she is averaging 8.7 points per game in 16.7 minutes and she has made four starts in her MSUB debut.
“She is really good around the basket, has a variety of moves and finishes at a high percentage,” said Woodin. “She has a soft touch and a quickness around the basket to create shots.”
Freshman guard Tailey Harris has been among the facilitators of the Yellowjacket offense, ranking second on the squad with 33 assists on the season. Harris had 10 total assists while committing just three turnovers in 87 minutes on the floor last week. She also hit a pair of season highs with six assists in the win over Tampa and seven rebounds in the triumph over Daemen.
“Tailey has had to do a lot for us on the floor early, as she is playing both the point guard and two guard position,” Woodin said. “She is becoming one of our top 3-point threats, and her ability to pass especially in transition has been very important to us. I’m really proud of the improvement she has made with her assist to turnover ratio over the last few games. She is really buying in and making a lot better decisions.”
Brooklyn Brennan is the other Yellowjacket to have seen action in all 15 contests this season. The freshman from Post Falls, Idaho had season highs of nine points and four steals in the win over Daemen as she delivered 24 quality minutes off the bench.
“Brooklyn redshirted last year and she has really impacted the game for us this year, especially on defense,” Woodin said. “She guards the ball from endline to endline, and offensively she has become one of our top free-throw shooters. She has the ability to penetrate the defense, and her improvement is very noticeable.”
Woodin is in his 22nd season in charge of the Yellowjacket women’s program and owns a career record of 377-242 (.609). Since MSUB joined the GNAC in 2007-08, Woodin ranks third in league history in total wins with a record of 316-217 (.593) including a mark of 176-135 (.566) in conference games. He led the Yellowjackets to GNAC regular-season titles in 2013-14 and 2023-24 and to the GNAC Championships tournament crown in 2017-18 before ultimately reaching the NCAA Elite Eight.
The Yellowjacket coaching staff is also comprised of former all-conference selections including 2018 GNAC player of the year and All-American Alisha Breen, 2014 GNAC defensive player of the year Janiel (Olson) Beggar and 2024 GNAC defensive player of the year Kortney Nelson.
“My staff is outstanding and I have great trust in them,” Woodin said on his former players. “Alisha directs our defense and scouting and is involved in every aspect of our team. She really understands our conference and Division II and does an amazing job with her preparation. Janiel brings a great knowledge of the game. She was a competitor especially on the defensive end, and that intensity is still with her when she interacts with players.
“This year I have been lucky to have Kortney as a G.A., and she gives us great insight having been a point guard for us for five years. She was another great player on defense who understands our scheme very well, and she is doing a great job of sharing that knowledge and preparing our team.
“I am very fortunate to have three former players who together played 15 seasons for me,” Woodin continued. “They understand the type of team culture, trust and skills we need on our team because they have lived it first-hand. I am proud of all of them for what they accomplished on the court at MSUB but I am even more proud of what they have accomplished since they played for me. They are amazing coaches and friends.”
Next on the schedule for the Yellowjackets is a Jan. 3 contest at Seattle Pacific to open the 2026 slate. It is the first of 16 more conference games as the Jackets vie for a top-six spot in the GNAC standings and a berth into the 2026 GNAC Championships.
“Over the last two weeks we have made great strides and become better,” said Woodin. “We had a hard time putting together two good games in one weekend earlier this month, and we have really focused on improving. We have spent more time in the film room together, more time with fundamentals and I feel like we are turning a corner.
“The challenge will now be taking our improvements and going on the road in the GNAC. We know how hard it is to win on the road in this league, but that’s what we need to be ready to do with three straight away games after the break.”
