Box Score SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – Trailing by as many as 16 points, Cal State Stanislaus overcame a 10-point halftime deficit to defeat Montana State University Billings 75-68 Saturday evening in the Penguin Preseason Conference Challenge at the Conlan Center on the Dominican University Campus.
 
Four Warriors scored in double figures, with Wes Bartole and Tyler Barber leading the way with 13 points each. Bartole added 10 rebounds for a double-double, and Chris Read had six assists to go along with 10 points. Clinton Tremelling finished with a dozen points, all coming on 3-pointers as he was 4-for-9 from beyond the arc.
 
CSUS (2-0) shot 33.3 percent from the floor and 38.9 percent from 3-point range (7-for-18). The team held a 16-10 advantage in offensive rebounds, and made 30 of 43 free-throws.
 
For the 'Jackets, Antoine Hosley led the team with 13 points of 5 of 14 shooting. Marc Matthews and Emmanuel Johnson had 11 points apiece, and Gary Gordon paced the squad with eight rebounds. Momir Gataric was a major contributor as well, with 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists on the night.
 
Senior Austin Hudson, whose action was limited due to early foul trouble in the first half, finished with eight points and seven rebounds for the 'Jackets. MSUB (0-2) shot 48.1 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from 3-point range (5-for-14). The teams were even at 38 rebounds each, and MSUB held a slight edge in second-chance points, 12-10.

"This was a pretty disappointing loss for our team," said MSUB head coach Jamie Stevens. "I thought we played better tonight but I did a poor job of making adjustments in the second half to what they were doing on our defensive end. It's tough when you send them to the free-throw line 34 times in a half."
 
The Yellowjackets had twice as many points in the paint as the Warriors 36-18, but 16 turnovers proved to be costly for MSUB. The game featured four ties and five lead changes, but the Warriors held strong through the closing minutes and refused to relinquish the lead.
 
"We needed to make an adjustment and we didn't," Stevens said. "Our energy on both ends just wasn't where we needed it to be in the second half."
 
MSUB won the opening tip and moved to an early lead within the first five minutes of play. After a missed 3-pointer, Gataric sneaked underneath for a rebound and a put-back lay-in to make the score 6-4 'Jackets.
 
A pair of Gataric free-throws gave MSUB a 10-4 lead, but CSUS went on a 7-0 run to take the lead 11-10 midway through the first.
 
A three by Tremelling with 6:18 remaining gave the lead back to the Warriors at 18-17. MSUB responded with back-to-back threes by Johnson and Matthews, and a layup by Hosley extended the spread to 27-20 with less than five minutes left before the break.
 
Tyler Nelson picked up an offensive rebound and finished a layup, then converted a free-throw the next time down the court to complete a 3-point play and give MSUB a double-digit lead at 32-20. The 'Jackets maintained the spread, taking a 34-24 edge into the break.
 
The Yellowjackets kept momentum on their side as the second period opened, and a three by Hosley five minutes in made the spread 14 points at 45-31.
 
CSUS worked back into the game, cutting the score to 51-44 with 9:44 remaining. A giveaway by the 'Jackets led to a fast-break slam by Christian Bayne, and a 3-point play by Bayne on the next possession cut the Yellowjackets' lead to two at 51-49.
 
The game remained tight as time wound down, and six-straight free-throws by the Warriors gave the team its first lead of the second half, 62-59.
 
Inside of two minutes, a big three pushed CSUS ahead by five points at 68-63, and an offensive foul on the next possession gave the Warriors the ball back.
 
With 18 seconds left, a giveaway by the Warriors on an inbounds pass gave MSUB a chance, and Matthews made a free-throw to make the score 72-68. At the mercy of fouling to stop the clock, MSUB watched as CSUS converted free-throws and time ran out.

ALL TOURNAMENT: Hosley was selected to the all-tournament team, as he scored 34 points on 12 of 29 shooting over the two games. Stanislaus' Read was selected as the tournament most valuable player. Christopher Schwartz-Edmisten and Dominique Taplin of Dominican, Wes Bartole of CSUS, and Nick Grieves of Cal State East Bay joined Hosley on the all-tournament team.
 
NEXT UP: The Yellowjackets stop in St. George, Utah to take on Dixie State on Nov. 18 before returning to Alterowitz Gym for their home opener against Rocky Mountain College on Nov. 20. Tipoff against the Red Storm is set for 7:30 p.m. inside Burns Arena.