BILLINGS, Mont. – Getting back into action this week after the holiday break, the Montana State University Billings men's basketball team will host a pair of Great Northwest Athletic Conference games at Alterowitz Gym.
 
The Yellowjackets (4-6, 1-1 GNAC) will welcome Simon Fraser University (1-8, 0-3 GNAC) on Thursday, with a special 2 p.m. tipoff scheduled on New Year's Eve. Western Washington University (8-4, 2-1 GNAC) will head to Billings on Saturday for a 7 p.m. start time. Both games will feature live video coverage with commentary, and live stats will also be available through MSUB's Stretch Internet portal here.
 
MSUB's last game was on Dec. 12, with the Yellowjackets defeating Northwest University 85-83 in Seattle.
 
"I was pleased with practice yesterday, and we are looking forward to getting the GNAC off and going," said fifth-year MSUB head coach Jamie Stevens. "Simon Fraser has a new coach and is a new program, and we have a lot to learn about them this week. Coach (Brad) Schmit and I will try to have the guys ready as far as scout goes, and we want to take care of business in our first home GNAC game."
 
In a rescheduled exhibition game, the 'Jackets will travel to Helena, Mont., on Sunday for a 7 p.m. tipoff against Carroll College. Originally scheduled for Dec. 16, the game was postponed due to inclement weather and will be made up on Sunday.
 
"It's really good to be back, and having that break is kind of refreshing," commented senior forward Emmanuel Johnson. "We are really looking forward to our next games and to being able to compete again."
 
The 'Jackets opened conference play in early December, earning a road split with a 76-59 win over Concordia University in Portland, Ore., before falling to No. 4 Western Oregon University 91-69 in Monmouth, Ore. MSUB has played just two of its 10 games this season at home, and it will have four more road games after this week making 12 of its first 16 this season away contests.
 
"In the preseason we traveled four times, and we spent a lot of time on the road," Stevens said. "We were exposed to the grind of the travel. In the GNAC, the teams are really well coached and hopefully our returners can help with the adjustments our younger players will need to make."
 
BEVERLY EARNS ALL-TOURNEY HONORS: After his second double-double of the season against Northwest, MSUB freshman Preston Beverly earned Oak Harbor Freight Lines Classic all-tournament honors. Beverly scored 26 points and added 13 rebounds, and is averaging 13 points and 8.2 rebounds over his last six games.
 
"Preston is getting better and better, and he is making the adjustment we need him to make to his level of play and intensity he brings to practice every day," said Stevens. "He is a talented kid, and he has great vision. He has a great knack for the ball, and it seems like he is always around the ball on rebounds."
 
New Faces Feature Story: Preston Beverly
 

OLUFEMI WITH STRONG DEBUT: In his very first game with the 'Jackets, 6-foot-9 junior Emmanuel Olufemi had a team single-game season-best six blocks and added six rebounds against Azusa Pacific. Olufemi then grabbed nine boards and added two more blocks and a dunk the following evening against the Eagles. Olufemi is a transfer from Miles Community College in his first season at MSUB, and grew up in Lagos, Nigeria.
 
ANDERSON'S DOUBLE-FIGURE STREAK TO FOUR: Junior Jace Anderson has scored in double figures in his last four games and seven of his last eight overall. The shooting guard had a dozen points against the Cougars and poured in 20 against the Eagles on 4 of 8 accuracy from 3-point range. Anderson is shooting 48.4 percent from the floor, 40.7 percent from long range, and 79.2 percent from the foul line on the season.
 
"We are really starting to get going well as a team," Anderson said. "We are playing well together, and it was nice to get a win before the break. I'm just going to try to be the best leader I can."
 
PERRY PLAYING FREE: Sophomore Jordan Perry scored in double figures in each of MSUB's last two games, and was a key difference maker in MSUB's win over NU. Among Perry's 10 points, he hit 3 of 4 free throws in the final minute to help keep the lead in his team's hand down the stretch. He also had a pair of steals and seven assists on the weekend, while grabbing nine rebounds.
 
SEASON-HIGH ASSISTS FOR DENHAM: In his second week back after an injury, sophomore Kendall Denham turned in his season high in assists with seven against NU. He was one off of his career high of eight, which came against Ottawa University last year in Hawaii on Dec. 20.
 
MARC FROM THE ARC: Junior Marc Matthews followed Anderson's lead last time out, connecting on 4 of 8 shots from long distance against the Cougars. He finished with 16 points, and continues to lead the team in scoring with an average of 14.9 per game.
 
HOLIDAY HOOPERS INVADE ALTEROWITZ: MSUB's annual Holiday Hoops youth basketball camp took place this week, with elementary-school children developing skills and working with players from MSUB's men's and women's teams. Check out photos from the camp here.
 
"It was fun to get the local kids in and give back a little bit," Anderson commented on the camp. "I had a shooting station, so I helped them work on form and get better at that. It was fun to help the kids out."
 

'JACKET MEN TO BE FEATURED ON ROOT SPORTS FEB. 20: The Yellowjacket men will be featured on the GNAC's ROOT Sports Game of the Week in February, when MSUB challenges Seattle Pacific. Tipoff is set for 10 p.m. Mountain time on Feb. 20, in a game televised on the ROOT Sports network throughout the western United States.

Thursday, December 31 – Simon Fraser University Clan – 2 PM
2015-16 Record: 1-8, 0-3 GNAC
Head Coach: Virgil Hill, 1st season
 
The Clan enter Thursday's game on a seven-game losing skid, most recently falling to GNAC foe Western Washington 101-64 on Dec. 15. The loss was the third straight against conference opponents, as SFU fell to Seattle Pacific 89-55 on Dec. 3 and lost to Saint Martin's 73-66 two days later in Burnaby, B.C.
 
The Clan will play an exhibition game at the University of Victoria on Tuesday evening before facing the 'Jackets in Billings on Thursday.
 
In conference games this season, SFU is averaging 61.7 points per game while allowing 87.7. Leading the team scoring wise is Max Barkeley, who is averaging 17.3 points while also contributing 4.0 rebounds. SFU has three other players scoring in double figures, with Michael Harper at 12.2, Oshea Gairey at 11.0, and JJ Pankratz at 10.1.
 
Pankratz also leads the team in rebounding with 7.1 per game, while Hidde Vos is the team's assists leader and holds a positive 25-18 assist-turnover ratio (1.39).
 
Offensively as a team, SFU averages 70.2 points while giving up 84.7, and the Clan are outrebounded by opponents 39.3-34.0. SFU shoots 40.7 percent from the field, 32.3 percent from 3-point range, and 72.7 percent from the free-throw line.
 
The Series: MSUB is 10-1 alltime against SFU, and has won the last nine meetings dating back to the 2011 season. MSUB is 6-0 at home against the Clan.
 
Last Time Out: The 'Jackets won both games last season, picking up an 85-78 win at home and a 111-104 win on the road. In the road victory, MSUB finished with the fourth-best single-game shooting percentage in program history (69.5), while Perry led his team with 21 points and Matthews had 18. In the home win, Anderson led the way with 19 points, Johnson had 18, Denham had 14, and Perry had 12.
 
Saturday, January 2 – Western Washington University Vikings – 7 PM
2015-16 Record: 8-4, 2-1 GNAC
Head Coach: Tony Dominguez, 4th season
 
In his fourth season in charge of the program, head coach Tony Dominguez has led the Vikings to an 8-4 start and a 2-1 mark in early conference play. Before defeating Simon Fraser on Dec. 15 in Bellingham, Wash., the Vikings lost to Seattle Pacific 83-64 and held off Saint Martin's 71-68.
 
Most recently, WWU picked up a 97-58 win over Quest (B.C.) in a nonconference game on Dec. 18 before the holiday break.
 
The Vikings are off on Thursday, with the game at MSUB being their first in two weeks.
 
WWU has three players averaging more than 16 points, with junior star Jeffrey Parker leading the way at 18.4 (third-best in the GNAC). Returning veterans Kyle Impero (16.9 ppg), and Ricardo Maxwell (16.3 ppg) are also lifting an offense that out-scores its opponents 86.2-72.7.
 
Impero, the reigning GNAC Player of the Week, paces the squad with 6.8 rebounds per game while starter Colby Mitchell contributes 5.3 caroms per game.
 
Among the top distributors in the conference, Maxwell's average of 4.8 assists per game ranks third in the GNAC. Mac Johnson is another key returner for the Vikings, and is averaging 8.6 points and 4.9 rebounds in 21.6 minutes.
 
WWU is shooting 49.3 percent overall, 37.0 percent from long range, and 71.1 percent from the foul line. The Vikings out-rebound their opponents 37.8-31.7, and hold a positive assist-turnover ratio of 1.53 (187-122).
 
The Series: The Vikings hold the alltime series advantage over the Yellowjackets, with a 19-4 mark against MSUB in the 23 games. WWU has won five of the last six meetings and is 7-3 in the last 10 contests dating back to 2011.
 
Last Time Out: The 'Jackets lost both games to the Vikings last season, falling at home 75-65 and on the road 88-68. Matthews scored in double figures in both games, while Anderson had 18 at home and Perry grabbed 10 rebounds. For WWU, Johnson and Impero each had a dozen points and Maxwell added 10 in its last conference game at Alterowitz.
 
Sunday, January 3 – at Carroll College Saints (exhibition) – 7 PM
2015-16 Record: 8-3, 3-0 Frontier Conference
Head Coach: Carson Cunningham, 3rd season
 
The Saints are off to a 3-0 start in Frontier Conference play, and have won five of their last six games overall. It took a buzzer-beating 25-footer from Zach Taylor to keep Carroll's conference record unblemished, as the Saints held off Montana western 64-63 earlier in December.
 
Taylor is the team's leading scorer on the season, averaging 19.9 points per game and adding 4.4 rebounds. Oliver Carr (12.9 ppg) and Ryan Imhoff (11.4 ppg) are also averaging in double figures for third-year head coach Carson Cunningham.
 
Imhoff is the team's leader in rebounding with 6.5 per game, while Taylor's assists-per-game mark of 5.3 tops the squad.
 
As a team the Saints are shooting 51.9 percent from the floor, 39.5 percent from 3-point range, and 78.1 percent from the foul line. Carroll is averaging 83.2 points per game and allowing 70, while out-rebounding opponents 32.4-27.9.
 
The Series: MSUB holds an 87-62 edge in the long-running series between the schools, which dates back to the 1928-29 season. The Yellowjackets are 33-36 in games in Helena, but hold a strong 50-23 record at home. MSUB has won the last five games, seven of the last eight, and 19 of the last 21 overall dating back to January of 1984.
 
Last Time Out: The teams last met on Nov. 9, 2013, with the Yellowjackets collecting a 65-60 victory in Billings. Matthews had six points on a pair of threes and grabbed a team-best eight rebounds in 30 minutes during his redshirt freshman season.