BILLINGS, Mont. – The final three games of the 2010-11 men's basketball season are in our midst, and the Montana State Billings Yellowjackets are looking to close out the season on a winning note. The Yellowjackets will first try to tame the Falcons of Seattle Pacific Saturday night at 7 p.m. in Alterowitz Gymnasium.
The Yellowjackets enter the short week with a 5-17 overall record and are 3-12 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play. The Falcons have been in an unfamiliar slump, dropping their last two contests to go to 16-7 on the year and 10-5 in conference play.
MSUB is battling a slump of their own, dropping eight of their last nine, including the last four. Last week the Jackets had tough games at Northwest Nazarene (64-79) and at then No.11 Central Washington (72-84). The Yellowjackets stayed close in the first half of both games, but solid second halves by the opposition was too much for MSUB.
Senior
DeAndre Chambers has continued to be the leading scorer of the team all season long, averaging 12.4 points per game with 3.5 rebounds in each contest.
Jaxon Myaer has been steadfast at the point guard position with 11.8 points per game and has dished out 105 assists this season.
Robert Mayes and
Raason Young have also averaged double digit points this season. Mayes has been scoring 10.9 points along with a team-leading 5.4 rebounds per game, while Young is scoring at a clip of 10.5 points per game.
The Yellowjackets are averaging 67.9 points per game as a team and have been shooting 47.9 percent from the floor, including just 35.8 percent from the arc.
The defense has held its own at points during the season as the opposition is shooting 47.1 percent from the floor and 37.3 percent from the arc. The difference has been made from the line where the Jackets are shooting 66.8 percent and the opponent, 75.2 percent. Opposing teams are also out rebounding MSUB by 1.7 rebounds per game.
Seattle Pacific enters the game shooting 49.5 percent from the floor as a team. The Falcons have shot 38.6 percent from the arc and are shooting 72.3 percent from the line this season.
Defensively, SPU holds a +7.5 scoring margin over their opponents and have forced just 10.6 turnovers per game, while turning the ball over 12.5 times themselves. The Falcons have dominated the boards throughout their 2010-11 campaign, taking advantage of a +6.9 differential.
The Falcons are led in scoring by Jeff Downs who is averaging 15.8 points per game. Also leading the charge for SPU is Andy Poling, dumping in 14.3 points per game and Ryan Sweet with his 13.0 points per game and a team-high 7.0 rebounds.
Seattle Pacific downed the Yellowjackets in their first meeting earlier this season at Royal Brougham Pavilion in Seattle, 72-65. In that game the Yellowjackets battled back late and as time expired, Chambers was fouled going up for a 3-pointer. He sank all three balls to for the game into overtime.
In the extra period the Falcons took over and limited the Yellowjackets to 10 points while scoring 17 in the period to take the victory. The Yellowjackets are 27-31 all-time against the Falcons.
The game sponsor for Saturday's contest is Billings Family YMCA night. Also in attendance for Saturday's game will be two-time NBA All-Star and two-time NBA World Champion, Scott Wedman. Wedman played for the 1984 and 1986 Boston Celtics championship teams.
