BILLINGS, Mont. – With Great Northwest Athletic Conference play kicking off next weekend, the Montana State University Billings men's basketball team will host a pair of nonconference opponents this week with games set for Tuesday and Saturday in Alterowitz Gym.
 
The Yellowjackets welcome the University of Great Falls on Tuesday for a 7 p.m. matchup, before hosting Black Hills State University on Saturday at a special 2 p.m. start time. Both games will feature live video and statistics, available via www.msubsports.com.

Both games will feature a canned food drive sponsored by the MSUB Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, with half-price admission being granted in exchange for the donation of any canned food item. All canned food collected at the games will be donated to the Billings Food Bank. 
 
MSUB (0-4) began its season last week with four games in a six-day period. Most recently, MSUB hosted Rocky Mountain College on Nov. 20, falling 73-69 in the team's 2014-15 home opener.
 
So far this season, MSUB is being led by preseason all-GNAC selection Austin Hudson, who is averaging 14.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. A 51.0 field-goal percentage (26-for-51) has contributed to Hudson's high average early on, and he also has a team-best three blocks and four steals this season.
 
Also averaging in double-figures in scoring are Momir Gataric (12.3 ppg), Antoine Hosley (10.5) and Gary Gordon (10.3). Gataric, who is averaging 30.0 minutes per game, is also hauling in boards at a clip of 5.0 and has five assists through the first four games.
 
Gordon is averaging 6.0 rebounds per game, and Hosley has four assists and three steals so far this year. Gordon is also shooting a team-best 85 percent from the foul line (17-for-20).
 
Freshman point guard Kendall Denham is averaging 8.5 points and 7.0 rebounds in two games played, and his nine assists lead the team. Denham also has a steal and has only turned the ball over four times for an assist-turnover ratio of plus-2.25.
 
Another consistent rebounder for the 'Jackets so far has been Emmanuel Johnson, who is averaging 5.3 boards and 21.8 minutes and has played in all four games. The junior from San Antonio, Texas is also contributing 6.8 points per game and has two blocks and three assists.
 
Senior Tyler Nelson has started all four games for MSUB, averaging 4.3 points and 4.5 rebounds.
 
As a team the Yellowjackets average 68.2 points per game and outrebound their opponents 39.2-35.8. MSUB is also shooting 44.3 percent from the floor while allowing a clip of 43.6 percent, but poor marks from the 3-point line (23.2 percent) and foul line (59.2 percent) have hindered the 'Jackets.
 
Tuesday, November 25 – 7 p.m. – Alterowitz Gym
University of Great Falls Argos
2014 Record: 7-2
Head Coach: Anthony Owens, 1st year
 
Off to a strong start in 2014-15, the Argos have won three of their last four games and seven of their first nine to begin the season. UGF began the season with a four-game winning streak, and most recently defeated Oglala Lokota College 105-47 on Saturday.
 
Three UGF players are averaging in double-figures in scoring, and Marcus Hurn is leading the way with 17.9 points per game. Hurn has also turned in a team-best 24 steals on the season, and leads the team from long range with a mark of 47.5 percent (29-for-61).
 
T.J. Harris (11.1 ppg) and Darren Lockett (10.2) are close behind in scoring, and Harris is leading the team with 30 assists this season.
 
Underneath, Sigman Farmer III is topping the team with 7.0 rebounds per game, and Daniel Arcau (5.8 rpg) and Steven Daho (5.7) have been major contributors as well.
 
As a team UGF averages 74.0 points per game and is outrebounding its opponents 37.1-33.5. The Argos are shooting at a solid clip of 36.5 percent from 3-point range and 42.6 percent overall from the field. The team shoots just 61.1 percent from the free-throw line, but Hurn has put forth a strong showing with a mark of 85.7 percent (12-for-14).
 
The Series: Dating back to the 1969-70 season, MSUB holds an all-time 32-10 record against the in-state opponent. At home in Alterowitz Gym, the Yellowjackets are 21-3, and MSUB has won the last eight meetings between the teams dating back to the 1981-82 season.
 
This will be the first matchup between the two teams since the 2009-10 season, when MSUB downed UGF 88-61 at home on Jan. 2, 2010. UGF competes as a member of the NAIA in the Frontier Conference.
 
Saturday, November 29 – 2 p.m. – Alterowitz Gym
Black Hills State University Yellow Jackets
2014 Record: 1-3
Head Coach: Jeff Trumbauer, 1st year
 
After beginning the season with a 72-67 win over South Dakota Mines on Nov. 17, the Yellow Jackets have lost three games in-a-row to move to 1-3 early in 2014-15. BHSU finished a stretch of three games in three days on Saturday at the GCI Alaska Invitational hosted by the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
 
BHSU narrowly lost to GNAC opponent Alaska Fairbanks 68-66 on Nov. 20, before losing to Minnesota State Moorhead 80-61 and West Alaska 71-67 to finish the tournament.
 
Through four games, Riley Ryan is leading the team with 10.2 points per game and 4.0 rebounds. Brody Brisk is also in double figures in scoring at 10.0 points per game and is averaging a team-best 4.2 boards.
 
Nick Ongarato is BHSU's top 3-point shooter, holding a mark of 50 percent early on (6-for-12). Brady Bisgaard has a team-best 16 assists, and Ryan is pacing the team with eight steals on the year.
 
As a team the Yellow Jackets are being outscored by opponents 71.5-66.5, and outrebounded 36.0-29.8. From the field BHSU is shooting at a clip of 45.3 percent, and the team is at a solid 70.4 percent from the free-throw line.
 
The Series: The series between the similarly-named programs is fairly even, with MSUB holding a slight 9-7 edge all-time. The teams revitalized the matchup in 2012 after a 35-year hiatus, and have split the last two meetings.
 
Last year, it was BHSU that emerged on top with a 97-77 win in Great Falls on Nov. 16, 2013. In 2012, MSUB stormed past BHSU, 89-50 in Alterowitz Gym on Nov. 10.