Box Score
Johnson's game-high performance helped the Yellowjackets (13-11, 6-7 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) remain in the hunt for a spot in the GNAC Tournament in just three weeks. The top six teams qualify for the tournament, and MSUB is currently sixth in the conference standings. Johnson finished 7-of-13 from the field, and 6-of-7 from the free-throw line. The junior contributed a team-high seven rebounds.
Jarrell Crayton added 18 points for MSU Billings, making seven of his 11 attempts.
Omar McDade added 16 points, while
David Arnold scored 11.
Kalob Hatcher dished out a game-high eight assists.
As a team, MSUB slightly outshot Northwest Nazarene, 44.8 percent to 44.4 percent, from the field. The Yellowjackets made 10 of their 30 three-point attempts, while NNU was 4-for-11. MSU Billings also held the advantage at the free-throw line making 77 percent of its shots, compared to the Crusaders' 68 percent.
“I was pleased,” MSUB Head Coach
Jamie Stevens said. “That was probably one of our best wins of the year. I got a lot of respect for Northwest Nazarene. Coach Daniels does a great job. They're better than their record says. They've played everybody tight. For us to come out and win like that, I'm extremely pleased. Our guys gave great effort.”
Montana State Billings won the 27th all-time meeting between the programs, and its fourth straight in the series. The Yellowjackets scored the first five points in the game, and had an 8-2 advantage two minutes into the game. NNU answered with an 11-4 run to take the lead at the 14:04 mark of the first half. The lead went back-and-forth until a 28-28 score, changed to a 34-28 MSUB lead. It was the beginning of a decisive run for the Yellowjackets.
The momentum continued for MSU Billings, as it scored 14 of the final 17 points to end the first half. NNU shot better than the Yellowjackets in the first half, but it was MSUB that took the momentum and a 42-31 lead into halftime.
Montana State Billings controlled the rest of the game, taking a 17-point lead eight minutes into the second half. The Crusaders closed within 12 with 11:55 remaining in regulation, but MSUB responded with a 10-0 run to put the game away. A three-pointer from
Cameron Cusworth with three minutes to play gave MSU Billings its largest lead of the game, 84-57.
The Crusaders (10-12, 4-10) were outrebounded, 36-29, and committed 21 turnovers. MSUB turned those turnovers into 26 points.
Northwest Nazerene was led by Kevin Rima's 20 points. The redshirt-sophomore was 7-of-9 from the field. He also grabbed a game-high nine rebounds. Kenny Jones and Grayson Moore both had 13 points. Matyas Hering threw a team-high four assists.
The Yellowjackets remain at home and welcome Central Washington (13-8, 7-6) Saturday. Four of MSUB's final six games are in Alterowitz Gymnasium. CWU is currently a game ahead of MSU Billings in the conference standings for fifth. The Wildcats are led by the GNAC's leading scorer, Mark McLaughlin, who is averaging 23.5 points per game. He is seventh in NCAA Div. 2 in scoring, and as a team, CWU is eighth at 86.4 points per outing.
“Central is as talented as any team in the league,” Stevens said. “They like to get up and down. We're going to have to get some stops and play well offensively to pull out a victory.”
On Jan. 18, Central Washington won the first meeting of the season, 89-86, in Ellensburg, Wash. McLaughlin led all scorers with 32 points. Saturday's tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Live video and stats will be available on MSUBSports.com.
MSUB – NNU POSTGAME NOTES
* Thursday was the 27th all-time meeting between Montana State Billings and NNU.
* The Yellowjackets hold a 16-11 all-time advantage in the series.
* MSU Billings is 9-5 all-time in Billings versus Northwest Nazarene.
* Montana State Billings has won four straight over the Crusaders.
*
Jarrell Crayton remains the lone Yellowjacket to start in every game this season.
* MSUB improved to 11-0 when leading with five minutes left in regulation.
* The Yellowjackets are 25-2 under
Jamie Stevens when they shoot better than their opponent.
* MSU Billings is 8-0 this season when holding opponents under 70 points.
Northwest Nazarene vs MSU Billings
02/14/13 5:15 p.m. at Billings, Mont. (Alterowitz Gym)
At Billings, Mont. (Alterowitz Gym)
MSU BILLINGS 87, NORTHWEST NAZARENE 63
NORTHWEST NAZARENE (10-12, 4-10 GNAC)
Rima,Kevin 7-9 6-8 20; Moore,Grayson 6-10 0-0 13; Jones,Kenny 5-13 2-3 13;
Hering,Matyas 1-2 3-5 6; Kurimsky,Michal 2-5 0-0 4; Perryman,Shayne 1-2 0-0
3; Nicholes,Jordan 1-7 0-0 2; Hawkins,Jonathan 1-5 0-0 2; White,Connor 0-1
0-0 0; Zidzik,Ivan 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-54 11-16 63.
MSU BILLINGS (13-11, 8-6 GNAC)
Johnson,Sam 7-13 6-7 21; Crayton,Jarrell 7-11 3-3 18; McDade,Omar 5-9 4-6
16; Arnold,David 4-10 0-0 11; Hatcher,Kalob 2-6 3-4 7; Desin,Danny 2-4 0-0
6; Cusworth,Cameron 1-4 1-2 4; Wallace,Devon 1-5 0-0 2; Trabing,Robby 1-4
0-0 2; Nelson,Tyler 0-0 0-0 0; Hook,Jimmy 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 30-67 17-22 87.
Northwest Nazarene............ 31 32 - 63
MSU Billings.................. 42 45 - 87
3-point goals--Northwest Nazarene 4-11 (Perryman,Shayne 1-2; Moore,Grayson
1-4; Hering,Matyas 1-2; Jones,Kenny 1-2; White,Connor 0-1), MSU Billings
10-30 (Arnold,David 3-6; Desin,Danny 2-4; McDade,Omar 2-5; Crayton,Jarrell
1-2; Johnson,Sam 1-5; Cusworth,Cameron 1-3; Wallace,Devon 0-1; Hatcher,Kalob
0-4). Fouled out--Northwest Nazarene-None, MSU Billings-None.
Rebounds--Northwest Nazarene 29 (Rima,Kevin 9), MSU Billings 36 (Johnson,Sam
7). Assists--Northwest Nazarene 13 (Hering,Matyas 4), MSU Billings 18
(Hatcher,Kalob 8). Total fouls--Northwest Nazarene 17, MSU Billings 22.
Technical fouls--Northwest Nazarene-None, MSU Billings-None. A-347
