FULL GAME NOTES (PDF)
BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings' men's basketball team begins a unique road-trip at the Naniloa Volcanoes Resort Thanksgiving Tournament in Hilo, Hawaii, Monday.
THE SERIES
* Montana State Billings and Western New Mexico meet for the 33rd time.
* This will be the first time meeting on a neutral court.
* MSUB and Maryville (Mo.) are meeting for the first time ever.
* MSU Billings is 7-7 all-time versus schools from Missouri.
* Montana State Billings and Hawaii-Hilo play for the 32nd time.
* The Yellowjackets are 4-14 all-time at UHH.
* MSU Billings and Brigham Young-Hawaii meet for the 19th time.
* MSUB is 6-3 at home versus the Seasiders, but just 1-8 on the road.
QUICK HITS
- Montana State Billings is 12-0 under
Jamie Stevens when it outrebounds opponents, and 8-0 when it shoots 50 percent or better.
- The Yellowjackets are on the road for the first time in the regular season. They have six straight road contests before returning for a Dec. 7 game.
- Under Stevens, MSUB is 15-2 when leading at halftime and 4-10 when trailing.
- The Yellowjackets are 9-0 in games decided by 15 points or more, but 1-6 in games decided by 11-15 points under Stevens.
- MSU Billings has won four of it last six games at home, but lost three of its last four true road contests.
- Wednesday's game will count as a true-road game at Hawaii-Hilo.
ABOUT THE MUSTANGS
Western New Mexico enters the matchup with Montana State Billings after a season-opening loss at Grand Canyon last weekend. WNMU fell behind early and couldn't recover, before falling, 69-58. The Mustangs were led by three-double digit scorers in the first game. Chad Carter finished with 19 points, while Lucio Lutrell and Andy Sohlich added 14 and 10. Merle Branch grabbed eight rebounds, while Branch and Juan Suarez both had five assists. GCU held the Western New Mexico to 34 percent shooting from the field and 6-of-18 from behind the arc. WNMU limited Grand Canyon to 18 percent three-point shooting.
ABOUT THE SAINTS
Maryville and Montana State Billings meet for the first time Tuesday. The Saints won both games at the GLVC/GLIAC Challenge to start their season 2-0. Armon Provo leads the team with a 15.5 scoring average and 6.0 rpg. Asa Toney adds 15.0 ppg, and he and Gerald Shaw are tied for the team lead with eight assists. Head coach Kevin Carroll is in his third year at Maryville and has compiled a 22-33 overall record. The Saints have bolstered their roster with six new players, including three freshmen, to the squad this season. Also rejoining the team is Darrin Young Jr. who missed the 2011-12 season due to a knee injury.
ABOUT THE VULCANS
The Vulcans are 1-1 after defeating Western Oregon and getting edged by Saint Martin's. In his only game last week, Mychael Hearn scored 25 points, while CJ Brown is averaging 14.5 ppg. Michael Melonas adds 13.0 ppg and Brandon Thomas grabs a team-high 9.0 rpg. UHH entered the season being picked 11th in the Pac West coaches' preseason poll. Hawaii-Hilo played exhibitions at NCAA Div. 1 schools, Pittsburgh and Duquense, to open its season. The Vulcans finished the 2011-12 season with a 9-17 record and finished ninth in the PacWest with a 3-15 record.
ABOUT THE SEASIDERS
After opening the season being picked third in the Pac West Conference preseason poll, BYU-Hawaii lost its first three games of the season. All three setbacks came to Great Northwest Athletic Conference opponents, beginning with Western Washington, then Central Washington, and last to Seattle Pacific, the top three teams in the GNAC. DeAndre Medlock opened with 27 points against WWU, and then 26 versus CWU. The Fresno City College transfer averages 19.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Preseason PacWest first team selection, Okesene Ale, is averaging 10.3 points and 5 assists per game.
THE LAST TIME OUT
The Dixie State College men's basketball team shot 71 percent from the field, its highest percentage in the NCAA Div. II era, in a 90-77 win at Montana State University Billings Friday. Steven Larson led the Red Storm with 25 points. The junior finished 11-for-11 from the field. DSC's other two posts, Derek Owen and Zach Robbins, both were perfect from the field as well. Dixie State had a 50-8 advantage in points in the paint, and had 28-14 rebound advantage. After shooting 72 percent from the field in the first half, the Red Storm shot 69 percent in the second half. DSC made five of its 11 three-point attempts and seven of its 12 free-throw shots. Three Yellowjackets finished in double-figure scoring. Johnson had 17 points and was 6-for-10 from the field.
Omar McDade also finished with 17 points. The senior was 5-of-11 from the field, including 4-for-6 from behind-the-arc.
Danny Desin made five of his six three-point attempts and finished with 15 points.
Kalob Hatcher had a game-high eight assists.
GRAB THE SKY MILES CARD
The Yellowjackets begin an 8,800-mile, 12-day road trip that takes them to Hawaii and Alaska. MSUB plays four games in Hawaii, followed by opening Great Northwest Athletic Conference play against Alaska Anchorage and Alaska Fairbanks. MSU Billings left Sunday after playing Dixie State Friday. MSUB left from Billings, connected in Seattle, before landing in Hawaii. It's an interesting way to see the country's 49th and 50th states.
