BILLINGS, Mont. – It's been 28 days since the Montana State Billings men's basketball team kicked off the 2010-11 Great Northwest Athletic Conference season at Western Washington, but the Yellowjackets re-start the conference schedule this week hosting Saint Martin's and Western Oregon at home.
The Yellowjackets, entering this week with a 2-7 record overall and a 0-2 conference record, are looking for a fresh start in the GNAC after being selected third in the preseason coach's poll. The Jackets are coming off a disappointing 77-57 loss at Grand Canyon before the Christmas break.
Senior DeAndre Chambers (Monroe, NC) continues to lead the Yellowjackets by averaging 14.4 points per game, while Raason Young (Washington D.C.) (13.8) and Robert Mayes (Houston, TX) (12.1) are also scoring in double-digits. Mayes is also the team's leading rebounder with 7.6 boards per game. Young is second with 5.1 rebounds per game.
Junior Jaxon Myaer (Salt Lake City, UT) has begun to emerge as a role player for the Yellowjackets as he's averaging 5.11 assists per game and has been scoring 9.6 points per contest. Also starting to make plays for the Jackets off the bench is Tyler Barnes (Portland, OR). The junior forward is scoring 7.8 points per game and pulling down 5.2 rebounds off the glass.
The Jackets are in need of trying to find some sort of rhythm in their shooting as they're currently shooting 45.0 percent from the field as a team and just 31.5 percent from beyond the arc. Fortunately, the Jackets' defense has stymied the opposition, limiting teams to 46.0 percent shooting from the field and 39.9 percent from long range.
The big difference in games has been the amount of trips to the free throw line and the conversion of both teams. The Jackets are shooting 68.3 percent from the line, while the opposition is shooting 72.4 percent from the charity stripe. Opposing teams are going to the line an average of 21.3 times per game, compared to just 15.7 for MSUB.
The Yellojackets have continued to out rebound teams during games, holding a +0.6 rebounding margin, but have averaged 15.8 turnovers per game for a -1.6 turnover margin.
Thursday's tip against the Saints is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Alterowitz Gymnasium. SMU enters the week with a record of 8-4 overall and 1-1 in the GNAC after defeating Northwest Nazarene (67-49) then dropping a close contest with nationally ranked Central Washington (67-65).
The Saints have won two straight contests with the most recent coming in an 82-66 victory over Notre Dame de Namur on Dec. 18.
The Saints are led by Jeremy Green and Blake Poole, both averaging over 15 points per game. Four players including Green and Poole are scoring in double figures for the Saints. Poole is averaging a double-double on the season, scoring 15.7 points and 10.4 rebounds per game.
SMU as a team is shooting 45.9 percent from the floor and 39.4 percent from beyond the arc. The Saints are shooting 69.5 percent from the free throw line and hold a +1.3 rebounding margin over opponents. SMU is also outscoring opponents by an average of 8.0 points per game.
The Yellowjackets will ring in the New Year as part of a double-header with the women's team, tipping off the Western Oregon game Saturday night at 7:30 p.m.
The Wolves roll into the week with a 6-6 record overall and a 1-1 record in the GNA after splitting early season games with Central Washington (78-87) and Northwest Nazarene (81-77), both at home.
Blair Wheadon leads the Wolves, averaging 16.3 points per game and 2.8 boards per game. Tarance Glynn is the leading rebounder for WOU, averaging 8.1 rebounds and 11.8 points per contest. Kyle Long (14.9) and Nelson Kolton (12.9) are also averaging double-digits in scoring for the Wolves.
As a team Western Oregon is shooting 47.0 percent from the field and is connecting on just 36.1 percent of their long range shots. The Wolves are shooting 68.2 percent from the field and defensively, have managed to hold opponents to 44.7 percent shooting from the field, including 34.3 percent from deep.
Both games will have live stats and webstream available to watch, which can be found by using the links on the homepage of msubsports.com or going to the men's basketball schedule page. Ken Adelblue will have the call for each game as the voice of the Yellowjackets.
