FULL GAME NOTES (PDF)
BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings' men's basketball team welcomes nationally-ranked Dixie State College of Utah to Alterowitz Gymnasium in a key non-conference matchup Friday.
THE SERIES
* Dixie State College of Utah leads the all-time meetings, 3-1.
* The Yellowjackets have lost the last two meetings.
* Montana State Billings and DSC first met only three seasons ago on Dec. 5, 2009.
* The Red Storm won that meeting 78-75 in St. George, Utah.
* The Yellowjackets are 1-1 against Dixie State in Billings.
* MSUB and the Red Storm met twice in 2009 and once in 2010 and 2011.
* Both teams are coming into the week after wins last Saturday, and both teams have yet to lose a game this season.
QUICK HITS
- In the three games Montana State Billings has played so far this season it has finished with five players scoring in double-digits in each game.
- The Yellowjackets are now 6-4 in their last 10 regular season openers, and 7-3 in home regular season openers.
- MSU Billings has won five of its last six home games, dating back to a 99-89 loss to Central Washington on Feb. 9, 2012.
- The first three meetings between Dixie State and MSUB were decided by a combined 10 points.
- The Red Storm won the fourth all-time meeting by 11 points in 2011.
ABOUT THE RED STORM
Dixie State enters the matchup after an impressive start to its season. The Red Storm opened the season with a second place selection in the PacWest Conference preseason coaches' poll, and eight votes in the NABC Div. II national poll. In an exhibition match, DSC took NCAA Div. I's UNLV, ranked No. 18 at the time, to overtime before falling, 81-80. Dixie State beat UC-San Diego, 71-67, and Colorado-Mesa by 12 in its first two games of the regular season. McKay Massey scored 25 points against UNLV, and the senior is averaging 13.5 points through the first two games. Massey has dished 14 assists in the first two wins as well. Dalton Groskreutz leads the Red Storm at 15.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.
COACH STEVENS ON DIXIE STATE
Dixie is a perriniel division two powerhouse. They're a consistent NCAA Tournament team, and a team you could expect to make another run in the tournament again this year. They thumped us down at their place last season. They're just a really well coached team. Coach Judkins and his staff do an unbelievable job with their guys and they're going to be prepared. They are a big team. They play a lot different style game than we do. They're bigger and they're going to pound the ball inside. It's going to be tough. We're going to have our hands full. It's going to be a big time test for us. We're looking forward to having them in our gym.
THE LAST TIME THEY MET
Dixie State defeated MSU Billings, 81-70, last season on Nov. 15, 2011. MSUB's
Jaxon Myaer led all scorers with 22 points.
Antoine Proctor also chipped in 17 points, while
Taylor Stevens was the only other Yellowjacket in double-figures with 13 points and five rebounds. The Yellowjackets struggled to shoot the ball most of the night, hitting 21 of 63 (33.3) from the field and were just 12 of 35 (34.3) from beyond the arc. The Yellowjackets did force 25 turnovers during the game, but were outrebounded by the Red Storm 47-27. DSC had four players in double digits, led by Maurice Cole who had 18 points on 7 of 9 shooting. Griffon Jones also had a big night as he dumped in 14 points, and a game-high 11 rebounds.
THE LAST TIME OUT
Montana State Billings cruised to a regular season-opening 89-50 win over Black Hills State Saturday. The Yellowjackets finished with five players scoring in double-digits led by
Sam Johnson's 19 points. The junior recorded a double-double adding 11 rebounds.
Omar McDade chipped in 16 points,
David Arnold had 12, while
Kalob Hatcher and
Robby Trabing both finished with 11. Trabing had a game-high five assists and four steals, while Arnold and Hatcher both dished out four assists. McDade made five of his seven three-point attempts. MSU Billings controlled the defensive side of the ball, forcing 27 BHSU turnovers. The Yellowjackets held Black Hills State to 32 percent shooting from the field, and 4-of-12 shooting from behind the arc. MSUB finished with 12 steals, while committing 16 turnovers.
NOT A BAD START
Robby Trabing had a great start to his junior season for the Yellowjackets. The Buffalo, Wyo. native, came off of the bench to record 11 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and four steals in 15 minutes. All of those numbers were career highs for Trabing. He shot 83 percent from the field, making five of his six attempts. Four of his seven rebounds were on the offensive end of the floor. His field goal percentage is currently third in the GNAC, he is fourth in offensive rebounds, and he is conference leader in steals per game. Trabing started against Dixie State last season, recording one assist and two steals in 19 minutes.
SHARING IS CARING
To say Montana State Billings has been unselfish on offense, would be an understatement. The Yellowjackets dished out 23 assists in the win over Black Hills State, just shy of the 25-high under
Jamie Stevens. MSUB is second in the conference currently, one behind Western Washington. The Yellowjackets had 21 assists in the exhibition opening win at Rocky Mountain College, and then shared the ball well in the win at Carroll. With 11 new players, Stevens is very impressed with how fast his team has got to know each other and become unselfish with the ball.
