Box Score

MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Montana State University Billings' men's basketball team matched its longest win streak of the season with a 74-69 overtime victory at Western Oregon University Thursday.

Jarrell Crayton scored a game-high 26 points to lead the Yellowjackets (15-11, 8-7 Great Northwest Athletic Conference). The senior was 11-of-18 from the field, grabbed a team-high nine rebounds, and had two blocks. He was the lone MSUB player to reach double-digit scoring. Kalob Hatcher dished out a game-high four assists.

Montana State Billings led by as many as 12 points midway through the first half, while the Wolves' (10-13, 5-10 GNAC) largest advantage was only two. Trailing by three, WOU's Rodney Webster made a three-pointer with five seconds remaining in regulation to send the game into overtime. The Yellowjackets beat Western Oregon for the fourth straight time, and only the second time in seven tries in Monmouth.

"I am happy for the guys," MSU Billings' Head Coach Jamie Stevens said. "They pulled out a win tonight even though we didn't shoot the ball as well as we can. Our focus is squarely on Saturday night and St. Martins. We need to play Saturday with an incredible sense of urgency."

The Yellowjackets were outrebounded, 47-46, but forced 19 Western Oregon turnovers. The Wolves shot 38 percent from the field, while MSUB was 37 percent. WOU was 7-of-15 from behind-the-arc, and MSU Billings made eight of its 32 three-pointers. Montana State Billings did have an advantage at the free-throw line, making 10 of its 14 attempts, while Western made 10-of-18.

Montana State Billings matched a season-high with 13 steals. The Yellowjackets turned WOU's 19 turnovers into a 21-5 points off of turnovers advantage. MSU Billings also had 25-15 points off of the bench edge and 36-32 points in the paint advantage.

Montana State Billings scored the first six points game, and had a 14-5 lead six minutes into the game. A Hatcher three-pointer at the 9:57 mark of the first half gave MSUB its largest lead of the game, 25-13. The Yellowjackets had a 36-27 lead at halftime.

After a 14-4 run to open the second half, Western Oregon took its first lead of the game with a three-pointer from Jordan Wiley five minutes into the second stanza. MSU Billings answered with a 5-0 run. The Yellowjackets didn't trail again in regulation, leading by as many as five, including a 59-54 advantage at the 2:28 mark of the second half.

However, Montana State Billings was held scoreless in the final 2:28 of regulation, and after Kolton Nelson's lay-in, Webster made his tying three-point shot.

The host Wolves led by two points, twice, in the first minute of overtime. MSUB regained the lead, and after the fourth tie of the game, Nelson cut the lead to 70-69 with 1:07 left in the game. The Yellowjackets then scored the final four points of the contest to seal the win.

Nelson finished with 23 points and 13 rebounds, making nine of his 12 attempts from the field. He also blocked four Yellowjacket shots. Webster added 14 points, and Tyler Funk scored 10. Funk also had three assists.

Alaska-Fairbanks upset No. 2 Western Washington in another Great Northwest Athletic Conference contest Thursday. The Vikings had their record 30-game win-streak snapped in Fairbanks. With just three regular season games remaining, MSU Billings is in fifth place in the conference standings. The Yellowjackets are a game-behind fourth place Alaska-Fairbanks, and two games behind third place Alaska-Anchorage.

Montana State Billings looks for its season-high fourth-straight win at Saint Martin's University in Lacey, Wash., Saturday. The Saints (8-16, 4-12) dropped their second straight game with a 60-46 home loss to No. 5 Seattle Pacific Thursday. MSUB won the first meeting this season in Billings on Jan. 24, 77-64. Saturday's tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Pacific Time. Live video and stats will be available on MSUBSports.com.

MSUB – WESTERN OREGON POSTGAME NOTES
* Thursday was the 16th all-time meeting between Montana State Billings and WOU.
* The Yellowjackets hold a 10-6 all-time advantage in the series.
* MSU Billings is 2-5 all-time in Monmouth versus Western Oregon.
* Montana State Billings has won four straight over the Wolves.
* The Yellowjackets' 13 steals matched a season-high.
* Crayton's 11 made field goals and two blocks both matched team season-highs.
* Nelson's 13 rebounds and four blocks both matched a season-high for an MSUB opponent.
* Hatcher played a season-high 43 minutes.

Newspaper Box Score
MSU Billings vs Western Oregon
02/21/13 7 PM PT at New PE Building (Monmouth, Ore.)
At New PE Building (Monmouth, Ore.)
MSU BILLINGS 74, WESTERN OREGON 69
MSU BILLINGS (15-11, 8-7 GNAC)
Crayton,Jarrell 11-18 4-6 26; Johnson,Sam 3-9 1-2 9; Arnold,David 3-13 3-4
9; Hatcher,Kalob 2-5 2-2 8; Trabing,Robby 4-8 0-0 8; McDade,Omar 3-14 0-0 8;
Wallace,Devon 2-6 0-0 6; Desin,Danny 0-0 0-0 0; Cusworth,Cameron 0-2 0-0 0.
Totals 28-75 10-14 74.
WESTERN OREGON (10-13, 5-10 GNAC)
Nelson,Kolton 9-12 4-6 23; Webster,Rodney 5-15 2-4 14; Funk,Tyler 4-9 0-0
10; Avgi,Andy 2-8 3-4 7; Wiley,Jordan 2-7 0-0 6; Gehring,James 2-4 1-2 5;
Alexander,Devon 2-6 0-2 4; Schriber,Jordan 0-3 0-0 0; Johnson,Drew 0-0 0-0
0; Carter,Nathaniel 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 26-67 10-18 69.
MSU Billings..................   36   23   15  -   74
Western Oregon................   27   32   10  -   69
3-point goals--MSU Billings 8-32 (McDade,Omar 2-8; Johnson,Sam 2-7;
Hatcher,Kalob 2-4; Wallace,Devon 2-4; Cusworth,Cameron 0-2; Arnold,David
0-6; Crayton,Jarrell 0-1), Western Oregon 7-15 (Wiley,Jordan 2-4;
Webster,Rodney 2-4; Funk,Tyler 2-3; Nelson,Kolton 1-2; Alexander,Devon 0-1;
Avgi,Andy 0-1). Fouled out--MSU Billings-None, Western Oregon-None.
Rebounds--MSU Billings 46 (Crayton,Jarrell 9; Trabing,Robby 9), Western
Oregon 47 (Nelson,Kolton 13). Assists--MSU Billings 14 (McDade,Omar 5),
Western Oregon 11 (Funk,Tyler 3). Total fouls--MSU Billings 16, Western
Oregon 14. Technical fouls--MSU Billings-None, Western Oregon-None. A-285
Great Northwest Athletic Conference game