BILLINGS, Mont. – The basketball season will get underway this weekend as the Montana State University Billings men's basketball team will face west region opponents Cal State University East Bay and Sonoma State University on Friday and Saturday at the West Region Crossover Tournament in Hayward, Calif.
 
The Yellojacket season tips-off at 3 p.m. Mountain time on Friday afternoon as the host Cal State, East Bay Pioneers play MSUB in the second game of the tournament. MSUB has played East Bay the past three seasons in tightly contested games in which the Pioneers are 3-0. Last season the 'Jackets lost 54-50 in Billings, the closest game of the series.
 
Saturday's meeting with the Sonoma State Wolves will also be the fourth game between the two schools though the 'Jackets last played SSU in December of 1989. MSUB is 1-2 in the three previous meetings, which have all been played in California.
 
The Yellowjackets played Rocky Mountain College in the Fortin Center last Tuesday in their only exhibition contest of the season. MSUB earned a win over the cross town foe with the help of 18 points from senior point guard Kendall Denham. Denham led the team with three three-pointers in the contest and posted six assists in the 82-75 victory.
 
Behind the fifth-year senior, a pair of newcomers shined in the exhibition. Junior transfer Zack Rollins and freshman David Simental contributed 15 and 14 points respectively on the night. Rollins did the majority of his damage in the second half as he wore on the Battlin' Bears defense with his long range shooting and penetrating attacks to the rim. He was a perfect 3-for-3 from the foul line and made two of his four three-point attempts. Simental converted 6 of 9 from the field including 2-for-3 from deep with his polished shooting stroke.
 
Billings native Zharon Richmond displayed his versatility as the freshman post scored nine points and led the 'Jackets with seven rebounds. Richmond and Kamal Tall each tallied two blocks in the game and combined for 15 of the Yellowjackets 40 points in the paint.
 
MSUB will hope to have similar defensive performances throughout the season as they held RMC to 38 percent shooting in both halves of action and forced 17 turnovers. Denham, Simental and Tyler Green each recorded two steals in the game with Tall and Sven Jeuschede contributing one each.   
 
California State University East Bay Pioneers
Friday, November 10 | 3 PM (MTN) | Hayward, CA
2017-18 Record: 0-0
Head Coach: Bryan Rooney, 1st Season
2016-17 Record: 13-15, 6-14 CCAA (11th place)
 
The Pioneers will open their regular season on Friday after they lost their exhibition game to Cal Poly by a final of 72-66 in San Luis Obispo. East Bay finished last season 13-15, 6-14 CCAA with a 6-8 mark at home.
 
Sophomore Druce Asah recorded 29 points while making 7 of 9 from three in the Pioneer's exhibition after averaging 10.3 points during his redshirt freshman season. Asah is the leading returner for a young CSUEB squad that features eight freshman on their 16 man roster.
 
The Pioneers lost their two top scoring threats from last season in Micah Dunhour and Jalen Richard who combined to score over 30 points per game and accounting for 43 percent of East Bay's total offense. The duo also led the team in rebounding last season as Dunhour grabbed 7.0 boards a game and Richard added 5.5. Senior center Kyle Frakes is the top returning rebounder after averaging 3.9 as a junior.
 
Head coach Bryan Rooney will be making his debut with the Pioneers against the 'Jackets. He joins East Bay after 10 seasons at the head of California Maritime Academy where he led his teams to five NAIA national tournament appearances.
 
Sonoma State University Seawolves
Saturday, November 11 | 1 PM (MTN) | Hayward, CA
2017-18 Record: 0-0
Head Coach: Pat Fuscaldo, 24th Season
2016-17 Record: 20-9, 6-14 CCAA (T-3rd place)
 
The Wolves will start their season with on Friday as they play Seattle Pacific University at 1 p.m. Mountain time. Sonoma State recorded their second 20-win season in program history last year as the Seawolves ended the season 20-9, 15-5 CCAA. Their season came to an end with a 73-61 loss to Hawaii Pacific in the Division II Tournament.
 
Junior Armani Nicolis is the Seawolves top returning scorer after averaging 7.9 points last season. Sonoma lost their two top scoring options in Jimmy Golden (11.8) and Luke Cochran (9.0) from the 2016-17 squad. The Wolves have a roster comprised of 10 upper classmen who will look to fill the gaps left by the departures of six seniors from a season ago.
 
Pat Fuscaldo is in his 24th season at the top of the Sonoma State program with a record of 315-304. He led the Seawolves to their only CCAA title in 2006 and has made four NCAA tournament appearances in his time at SSU.