CHADRON, Neb -- After splitting the weekend 1-1 in Texas, the Chadron State women's basketball team returns home for its home opener this weekend, as it faces Montana State-Billings on Friday and Sioux Falls on Saturday. Both games will tip off at 5:30 p.m. in the Chicoine Center.
 
In Texas, the Eagles defeated Texas A&M International 55-51 but fell to Texas A&M Kingsville 61-37. Jessica Lovitt led CSC with an average of eight points on the weekend and Rebecca Stevenson averaged 7.5 points and 6.5 rebounds.
 
Last season, the Yellowjackets finished 25-12 and advanced to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight. The Eagles lost to the record breaking team 69-59 in Billings. Savannah Weidauer led the team with 15 points and had five rebounds in the loss. Of Montana States returning layers, Vanessa Stavish had eight points.

The good news for Yellowjackets' foes this year is that 5-10 Alisha Breen, who averaged 21.4 points and 9.4 rebounds, has graduated.  She tallied 23 points and grabbed 16 rebounds against the Eagles a year ago. Also missing is second leading scorer Rylee Kane, who averaged 14 points.
 
Montana State-Billings started its 2018-19 campaign 1-0 last weekend, defeating the University of Providence 73-65.
 
The University of Providence is located in Great Falls, Mont., and was known as the University of Great Falls until July 2017.  Ironically, Billings' top scorer against the Argos was Hannah Collins, a 5-foot-5 sophomore from Great Falls.  She tallied 29 points, sinking 10 of 16 field goal shots, including four treys, and making five of six free throws.

Two taller Jackets, 5-11 Taylor Cunningham and 6-0 Vanessa Stavish, added 12 and 10 points, respectively.  Stavish also handed out eight assists.

Sioux Falls launched its season last weekend by playing in the Southwest Baptist Classis at Bolivar, Mo.  The Cougars beat Ouachita Baptist 91-44, but lost to Henderson State, another Arkansas school, 75-63.

The Cougars' top players include 5-8 Kaely Hummel, who averaged 15.9 points while sinking 67 treys a year ago.  She had 28 points in the two weekend games.  Freshman Hannah Jones scored 15 points and snatched 10 rebounds against Henderson State.
 
Jasmine Harris and Mariah Szymanski both return from last year's team that prevailed 78-60 at home against CSC, after the Eagles managed just 17 points in the first half.. Both averaged 13 points a game, but Harris only appeared in seven before being injured.
 
The Cougars face South Dakota School of Mines on Friday.

After this weekend's action, the CSC women's team will play at Nebraska-Kearney and Fort Hays State the following Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 24 and 25, before opening the RMAC schedule by hosting Metro State of Denver on Dec. 1.