Women's Basketball | 1/20/2011 8:17:59 PM

[Box score]

BILLINGS, Mont. - Junior forward Rylee Peterson's fourth double-double of the season was not enough as the Western Oregon women's basketball team fell 82-55 to Montana State Billings Thursday, Jan. 20 in Alterowitz Gym.

Peterson (Newport, Ore./Newport) registered 12 points to go along with her game-high 11 rebounds. Sophomore guard Lorrie Clifford (Eagle River, Alaska/Chugiak) was the only other Wolf in double-figures with a team-high 13 points. Junior guard Jade Haas (Elma, Wash./Elma) dished out a career-high four assists.

The Wolves (7-9, 5-3 GNAC) were ice-cold out of the gates and found themselves trailing 28-4 with just 8:19 left in the first half. The two squads would play even the rest of the way, scoring 14 points apiece as MSUB (8-8, 4-4 GNAC) took a 42-18 halftime lead.

"Billings was a team on a mission tonight," WOU head coach Greg Bruce said. "To be successful on the road, you have to be the team that sets the tone, and we did not do that tonight."

WOU shot just 26.7-percent (8-30) in the first half and were 0-for-8 from long range. MSUB, on the other hand, connected on 45.9-percent (17-37) of their shots and hit four three-pointers.

The 'Jackets would extend their lead to as many as 32 points in the second half, but Western would close the game on a 16-11 run resulting in the final margin.

The Wolves performed much better offensively in the second stanza, hitting 51.9-percent (14-27) of their attempts and 50-percent (3-6) from beyond the arc. The 'Jackets would not be stopped, however, as they shot 50-percent (15-30) over the final 20 minutes, including 54.5-percent (6-11) from three-point range.

WOU committed a season-low 14 turnovers, 11 of which came in the first half.

Four players reached double-figures for Montana State Billings. Senior guard Jenny Heringer led all scorers with 22 points.

Western will wrap up its road trip with a Saturday matinee at No. 20 Seattle Pacific. Game time is set for 1:30 pm PST.