BILLINGS, Mont. –The Montana State University Billings Men's Basketball team travels to the North most State of the country this week to take on the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Alaska Schools, the University of Alaska-Fairbanks and the University of Alaska-Anchorage.

The Yellowjackets (8-11, 4-7 GNAC) are in the midst of a four game losing streak after dropping two games at home against Western Oregon University and Saint Martin's University.  They are currently sitting tied for the sixth and final playoff spot with WOU and SMU. Western Oregon owns the tie breaker over MSUB after sweeping the season series.

The Jackets face an uphill battle as they have seven games remaining with five of the seven on the road.

"We have been struggling lately especially at home," head coach Jamie Stevens said. "We are actually looking forward to getting on the road. We will need a spark and hopefully getting out on the road will do something for us. Both teams we face this week are very good. We will need to play well to compete either night. If we play like we did last week, we will get blown out both nights."

Alaska-Fairbanks (12-7, 7-4 GNAC) is currently third in the standings while UAA (13-9, 6-5 GNAC) is sitting in fifth.

The first time MSUB and UAF met this season, saw the Nanooks escape with a 79-70 point win over the Yellowjackets.  Austin Hudson led MSUB with 24 points.  Jonathan Mesghna scored 17 points and Kalob Hatcher had 16.   UAF had four player finish in double figures led by Ronnie Baker who finished with 18 points. 

Against UAA, the Jackets pulled off a 75-67 point victory.   Anchorage, which came into that game as the No. 3 three-point field goal team in the nation (13.8 per game) and No. 6 scoring team in the country (92.1 ppg), made only six-of-26 three pointers and were held to 25 points under their season average while the swarming Jacket defense held UAA to a season-low 34 percent from the field in their first meeting.  Chase Miller led MSUB in scoring, dropping 17 points on 5-10 shooting from three point range.

MSU Billings is one of the GNAC's best defending teams ranked third in scoring defense allowing opponents to score an average of 74.2 points per game and is limiting opponents to a 44.0 field goal percentage – second-best in the conference.  The Jackets are ranked seventh in scoring offense scoring an average of 75.3 points per game. MSUB is fourth in assists in the conference, averaging 15.3 per game, but dead last in field goal percentage converting 42.8 percent.     

Mesghna continues to lead MSUB in scoring averaging 14.4 per game.  Hatcher is second on the team averaging 13.0 points and leads the GNAC plus is seventh in the nation in assists per game averaging 7.0 per game.  Hudson is third on the team in scoring, averaging 12.6 per game and leads the team in rebound averaging 6.0 per contest.  

Hatcher has been on a hot streak the past two games, scoring 57 points and dishing out 12 assists.  He accounted for directly or indirectly for at least 55 percent of the Yellowjackets' points in home losses to Western Oregon and Saint Martin's.  Hatcher made 16-of-27 field goal attempts, including 4-of-6 from three point range. 

The game against Fairbanks is on Thursday, Feb. 6th at 7:00 PM AT (9:00 PM MT). Stats and live video can be found at http://alaskananooks.com/ .  The game will be the 61st meeting between the two schools.  Fairbanks holds a 40-20 all-time lead over MSUB and the Jackets are 11-16 when facing Fairbanks on the road. 

The game against Anchorage is on Saturday, Feb. 8th at 7:00 PM AT (9:00 PM MT).  Stats and live video can be found at http://www.goseawolves.com/ .  This will be the 67th meeting between the two teams.  Anchorage holds a 39-28 all-time lead over MSU Billings and the Jackets are 4-29 when playing Anchorage on the road.  If MSUB wins it will be first time they have swept the season series since the 1997-98 season.