Friday, March 14, 2014

POMONA, Calif. – Guard Bobbi Knudsen hit a jumper from the left side with 28.3 seconds remaining to lift second-seed Montana State Billings a 60-59 win over Academy of the Art Friday in a NCAA Division II West Regional women’s quarterfinal basketball game at Kellogg Gym.

The Yellowjackets will play third-seed Simon Fraser in Saturday’s 5 p.m. semifinal game.  The Clan eliminated Western Washington in Friday's first quarterfinal game 77-70.

The winner of the SFU-MSUB GNAC matchup will play in Monday night's championship game at 7 p.m. 

Knudsen’s game-winning shot came after Krystal Forthan had put the Urban Knights ahead 59-58 with a jumper with 40 seconds remaining following a three-point miss by Knudsen.

Moments earlier Forthan had cut a three-point MSUB lead to one with a tip-in.

Knudsen finished the contest with 17 points, including 13 in the second period as the Yellowjackets rallied from a 14-point deficit (37-23) early in the period.

Trailing 39-28 MSUB scored 15 consecutive points to take a 43-39 lead on a three-pointer by Austin Hanser with 12:58 remaining.

That run featured three treys, including two by Hanser and one by Knudsen, along with a pair of two point baskets by Chelsea Banis and a free throw by Alisha Breen who led  MSUB with 14 rebounds.

MSUB eventually built an eight-point lead of its own (49-41) on a jumper by Knudsen at 10:02 before the Urban Knights put together their own comeback climbing to within one point on a trey by Zoie Sheng with 3:53 left.

Knudsen, however, responded at that point with a three-pointer to give her team a 57-53 lead with 2:23 left.  Later she hit a foul shot to produce a 58-55 lead with 1:38 and set up the dramatics in the final minute and one half.

In addition to Knudsen, MSUB was also led by Hanser with 14 points and nine rebounds.  Banis had 13 points.

Forthan led Academy of Art with 22 points and 10 rebounds.  Sheng had 13 points and Jasmin Guinn had 12 rebounds.

MSUB, the GNAC regular-season champions, improved to 24-7 with the win.  Academy of Art finished its campaign with a 23-8 record.