BILLINGS, Mont. – ­The Montana State-Billings Yellowjackets stretched an early lead into a 65-53 win over the Western Oregon University Wolves at Alterowitz Gym on Saturday to snap a three-game skid.

Montana State Billings (8-8, 4-6 GNAC) out-scored Western Oregon (6-10, 3-7 GNAC) 21-8 in the first quarter to create a 13-point lead in the final few moments of the period after a Brina Hull jumper.

The 'Jackets were able to hold the Wolves to 19.0 percent shooting in the first on 4-for-19 shooting from the field while shooting 47.1 percent themselves.

Six Wolves scored at least six points with a team-leading 11 from senior Taisha Thomas. Thomas was the lone scorer in double figures for the Wolves, finishing with 11 points, two rebounds and an assist off the bench in 17 minutes.

Tarryn Shelley finished with 18 points, nine rebounds, four blocks and an assist in 28 minutes. She shot 8-of-15 from the field.

Western Oregon made their largest push of the game in a 25-17 fourth quarter where WOU hit 43.8 percent to close the gap by eight points.

"These are the nights you dread as a coach. We weren't firing on all cylinders and the shots just wouldn't fall no matter what we did or who was shooting it," WOU head coach Holli Howard-Carpenter said. "I have to credit Billings though, they were prepared for us and they defended well." 

Junior Natalie DeLonge contributed nine points and seven rebounds in 24 minutes.

The 'Jackets won despite committing 20 turnovers, and their total of seven blocks was their second highest this season. It was also just the fourth time this year that MSUB out-rebounded its opponent, and its margin of plus-five was its second-best total.

Next up for the Wolves is a meeting with No. 3 Northwest Nazarene Jan. 31 at Johnson Sports Center. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. PST.

"Despite the slow start I felt like we made up some ground in the second quarter. In the third, it wasn't a lack of effort, but rather we flat out let our frustrations get the best of us," Howard-Carpenter said. "We have to find a way to fight through this adversity and go into the second half of GNAC with focus and a sense of urgency to follow through on our goals."