Box Score                                                                  Stevens Interview 




BILLINGS, Mont. –The Montana State University Billings Men's Basketball fell to Western Oregon University 84-77 Thursday night at Alterowitz Gym.

The Wolves started the game on a 13-2 run to force the Yellowjackets to once again fight their way out of a hole.   

MSUB came storming back and drew to within five points, 40-35, after two Chase Miller free throws. The Jackets would cut the deficit to only three at the half after a layup by Austin Hudson on a rebound from a missed shot by Miller, with five seconds left to make it 44-41 in favor of WOU going into the break.

The two teams would trade runs in the back and forth, with WOU extending their lead to nine coming out of the break on a 6-0 run to make it 50-41. MSUB would answer right back and cut the lead to four, 60-56 on a Tyler Nelson layup. 

WOU would counter right back with a 10-4 run to extend their advantage to 10 points, 70-60 with ten minutes left. 

The closest the Yellowjackets would come would be five points, 78-73 with one minute and forty three seconds left.  The Wolves closed the game out by making 6-9 free throw attempts after MSUB was forced to start fouling in an effort to preserve precious seconds and go onto the 84-77 victory.

MSUB was led by Kalob Hatcher who had a career night in terms of scoring, finishing with a game 28 points while dishing out a game high six assists as well.

Jonathan Mesghna, the Jackets leading scorer and rebounder, also hit the 20 point plateau.  He finished with 24 points and six rebounds. 

Chase Miller led the team in rebounds with eight total.  Mar Matthews finished the game with eight points and four rebounds. 

Both MSUB big men, Nelson and Hudson, fouled out of the game in the second half. 

The Wolves finished with four players scoring in double figures led by Jordan Wiley who scored 21 points.  Devon Alexander finished with 15 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

For the game the Jackets shot 40.0 percent from the field and 32.1 percent from three point land (9-28).  The Wolves shot 47.6 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from behind the arc.  WOU also attempted 32 total free throws, converting on 19 of them for 59.4 percent.

WOU had more bench production out matching the Jackets 36-17, as well as more points in the paint (36-26). WOU also forced 11 MSUB turnovers while giving up eight of their own. 

The loss drops MSUB to 8-10 overall and 4-6 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.  WOU improves to 11-9, 4-6 GNAC and holds the tie breaker over MSUB after sweeping the season series.

"WOU played really well, like their back was against the wall and they had to get a win," said head coach Jamie Stevens .  "Understanding we are fighting for position in the standings, we had two guys play well, Kalob and John other than that we did not get contributions from really anyone.  We have eight games left and we will need to figure out a way to get a win Saturday night."              

MSUB next plays Saint Martin's University on Saturday, Feb. 1st.  The game is scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM.  Lives stats and video can be found at MSUBSPORTS.COM.   


Newspaper Box Score
Western Oregon vs MSU Billings
01/30/14 7:00 PM at Billings, MT (Alterowitz Gym)
At Billings, MT (Alterowitz Gym)
WESTERN OREGON 84, MSU BILLINGS 77
WESTERN OREGON (11-9, 4-6 GNAC)
Wiley,Jordan 6-8 6-8 21; Alexander,Devon 5-11 2-4 13; Webster,Rodney 5-13
3-5 13; Sarhan,Marwan 4-12 3-4 11; Sabic,Mirza 3-3 0-0 7; Avgi,Andy 2-6 2-4
6; Hastings,Adam 2-3 2-4 6; Schriber,Jordan 2-4 0-0 4; Thomas,Lewis 1-3 1-3
3; DupreeTurner,Dezmond 0-0 0-0 0; Johnson,Drew 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 30-63
19-32 84.
MSU BILLINGS (8-10, 4-6 GNAC)
Hatcher,Kalob 9-16 7-10 28; Mesghan,Jonathan 7-15 6-6 24; Matthews,Marc 2-8
3-5 8; Donaldson,Connor 1-6 2-2 5; Nelson,Tyler 2-2 0-0 4; Hudson,Austin 2-7
0-0 4; Miller,Chase 1-6 2-2 4; Anderson,Jace 0-0 0-0 0; Desin,Danny 0-0 0-0
0. Totals 24-60 20-25 77.
Western Oregon................   44   40  -   84
MSU Billings..................   41   36  -   77
3-point goals--Western Oregon 5-10 (Wiley,Jordan 3-3; Sabic,Mirza 1-1;
Alexander,Devon 1-3; Schriber,Jordan 0-1; Sarhan,Marwan 0-1; Webster,Rodney
0-1), MSU Billings 9-28 (Mesghan,Jonathan 4-10; Hatcher,Kalob 3-4;
Donaldson,Connor 1-3; Matthews,Marc 1-7; Miller,Chase 0-4). Fouled
out--Western Oregon-None, MSU Billings-Nelson,Tyler; Hudson,Austin.
Rebounds--Western Oregon 36 (Hastings,Adam 8; Alexander,Devon 8), MSU
Billings 31 (Miller,Chase 8). Assists--Western Oregon 7 (Alexander,Devon 3),
MSU Billings 11 (Hatcher,Kalob 6). Total fouls--Western Oregon 21, MSU
Billings 27. Technical fouls--Western Oregon-None, MSU
Billings-Hudson,Austin. A-734