Box Score
ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Despite shooting 57.4 percent from the field for the game, the Montana State Billings men's basketball team was unable to overcome a 24 point scoring performance from Jamar Berry as the No.10 nationally ranked Wildcats of Central Washington defeated MSUB 84-72 Saturday night. With the loss the Jackets fall to 5-17 overall this season and are 3-12 in the GNAC Conference.
Jaxon Myaer led the way with 13 points on six-of-nine shooting, including a team-high six assists. Emery Henning added in 12 points of his own along with five boards, while three other players finished the night in double-figures.
Although the Jackets shot a higher percentage from the floor, they were just 21.4 percent from the arc and finished 7-of-12 from the free throw line. The Yellowjackets out rebounded the Wildcats 31-22, but turned the ball over 14 times leading to 23 CWU points.
MSUB dominated the paint area, scoring 52 of their points from inside, while CWU scored 32 points. The Jackets also converted 19 second chance points, but were outscored in fast break points (13-4) and on the bench (28-24).
The Yellowjackets stayed with the high-powered Wildcats throughout the game, but only lead throughout the first five minutes of the game. Raason Young knocked down a three-pointer and Robert Mayes hit a jumper for the only two leads of the game for MSUB.
Berry hit a trey to make the score 10-9 CWU, and the Wildcats never looked back as they held an eight point advantage by the halftime break.
After building a double-digit lead in the second half, CWU saw their lead slip away as the Jackets went on an 8-0 run for nearly four minutes to cut the lead down to three, 48-45. Unfortunately, the Wildcats hit back-to-back treys to stretch their lead out to nine and never let MSUB get any closer than eight points.
Berry's 24 points led all scorers, while Chris Scott added 15 points and four steals and Chris Sprinker chipped in 13 points.
CWU shot 54.2 percent from the field and a tremendous 63.2 percent from the arc. Central Washington was also 8-for-10 from the line and committed just six turnovers in the game.
Tonight's game concluded the road schedule for the Yellowjackets as they will play their final three games of the season at home in Alterowitz Gymnasium. The Jackets will play just once next week, hosting Seattle Pacific on Saturday night at 7 p.m. and then will wrap up the regular season with games against Simon Fraser and Western Washington the following week.
