BILLINGS, Mont. – After scoring a 79-76 win over Alaska Fairbanks in their first Great Northwest Athletic Conference game of the season, the Montana State University Billings men's basketball team will go for two in a row against teams in the last frontier when they take on the University of Alaska Anchorage at home Saturday December 1 at 7 p.m. The Yellowjackets are 2-1 in their current six game homestand and have a chance to stay undefeated in the GNAC with a win over the Seawolves.
 
"We're excited about the win in our first GNAC game against Alaska but I believe we'll have to play better and more consistent for 40 minutes to have a similar outcome against Alaska Anchorage," commented MSUB head coach Mick Durham. "Defending our home court is so crucial and we have the opportunity to do that Saturday."
 
The Yellowjackets (4-3, 1-0 GNAC) will play Alaska Anchorage (5-3, 0-0 GNAC) for the 78^th time in program history Saturday night and for the first time in the Durham era.
 
Tyler Green leads the Yellowjackets with 15.0 points per game. Green had 16 points against Alaska Fairbanks on Tuesday along with five rebounds and six assists. Brendan Howard is second in scoring with 13.7 points per contest and Melvin Newbern Jr. has contributed 13.0 points per game for MSUB.
 
Newbern Jr. has also been strong defensively with two double-doubles and a team leading 8.0 rebounds per game. The Minneapolis native had a season high 11 rebounds against Black Hills State and added three versus the Nanooks.
 
 
The Yellowjackets have made few notable adjustments to the starting lineup with Green, Newbern Jr., Zack Rollins, Zharon Richmond, and Sven Jeuschede all starting the previous two games together. MSU Billings is averaging 73.9 points per game while holding opponents to 73.1. Shooting percentage has emerged as an early strength and the 'Jackets are hitting on a .468 percentage from the floor through seven games, including .389 from long range. MSUB has been moderately successful at the free throw line shooting .712.
 
On defense, the Yellowjackets have recorded 34.9 rebounds per game and allow 34.4 rebounds to opponents. Turnover margin was an area pinpointed by coach Durham before the season as a statistic the Yellowjackets wanted to improve in 2018-19. After turning in a -1.1 turnover margin last season, the team is on exactly the same pace (-1.1) in 2018-19.
 
MSU Billings has been slightly better in the second half of games, putting up 271 points versus 246 in the first half. The team has been reliable in the second half from the three point line and Rollins and Green both hit clutch shots from downtown to help defeat Alaska Fairbanks in the final ten minutes of the Tuesday night's contest.
 
Tyler Green has the most points and also the most minutes for the 'Jackets at 209 (29.9 mpg). Rollins (196, 28.0 mpg), Jeuschede (180, 25.7 mpg), Richmond (175, 25.0 mpg), and Newbern Jr. (167, 23.9 mpg) round out the top five minutes munchers for MSUB.
 
A LOOK BACK: Montana State Billings finished 13-18 overall in 2017-18 and 5-15 against conference opponents. Men's basketball at MSUB last made the post season in 2016-17, when they fell in the first round to No. 3 seed Western Oregon.
 
The last year MSUB won a playoff game was 2011-12, when the 'Jackets beat Alaska Anchorage to win the GNAC Tournament. Two weeks later in 2012, Alaska Anchorage got revenge when they beat MSUB 80-68 in the first round of the NCAA Division II national tournament.
 
Scouting University of Alaska Anchorage
Game Day: Saturday, December 1 – 7 p.m.
2018-19 Record: 5-3, 0-0 GNAC, 4-2 home, 0-1 away, 1-0 neutral
Head Coach: Rusty Osborne (15^th season)
2017-18 Record: 15-14, 11-9 GNAC, 9-8 home, 6-5 away
 
The Seawolves are looking to improve on their fourth place finish in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference last season after losing in the first round of the conference tournament to Seattle Pacific 64-51. Key returners this year include senior Brian Pearson, a post who averaged seven points and 4.3 rebounds per game and junior guard Jack MacDonald, who averaged 6.3 points per game. Tyler Brimhall was named preseason all-GNAC after transferring to the Seawolves this season. Brimhall averaged 12.9 points and 5.5 rebounds last year at North Idaho Junior College.
 
Brimhall has looked even better in 2018-19 and leads the team so far with 18.4 points per game. Brimhall is shooting .489 from beyond the arc and .500 from the floor overall. Junior guard Niko Bevens came off the bench last season but has started all eight games and is up to 14.8 points per game.
 
The Alaska Anchorage roster is composed of two seniors, four juniors, three sophomores, and four freshmen. Five players went to high school in Alaska and the team has representation from states and provinces including Utah, Oregon, Nevada, and British Columbia. International players include Brennan Rymer & Jack Macdonald (Australia), Keenan Dowell (Canada), and Sjur Berg (Norway).
 
In a home heavy early part of the schedule, the Seawolves picked up back-to-back wins over South Dakota Mines last weekend and head to Billings on a two-game win streak.
 
Last season, the Seawolves took the series against the Yellowjackets 2-0. UAA defeated MSUB 74-62 at Alaska Airlines Center on November 30, then followed with a 59-52 win in Billings on February 24 in the final regular season game of the year. Games between the two clubs have historically low scoring. Only once has a team made it to 90 points since 2008.
 
The Yellowjackets are 31-45 all-time against Alaska Anchorage but hold a 24-11 record at home. UAA has won the last three games between the two teams and the 'Jackets are 4-6 over their last ten matchups.
 
LOOKING AHEAD: The Yellowjackets have seven days off after hosting Alaska Anchorage and host non-conference rival Rocky Mountain College on December 8 at 7 p.m. for EMC Throwback Night. The longest homestand of the season (six games) finishes on December 18 against Dickinson State University.
 
AROUND THE CONFERENCE: GNAC teams have fared exceptionally well in non-conference play in the start of 2018-19. Northwest Nazarene is undefeated at 5-0 and Saint Martin's (5-1), Western Washington (5-1), and Western Oregon (3-1) have lost only once heading into inter-GNAC competition. Eight of 10 teams currently have winning records and only Alaska (3-5) is below the .500 mark. MSU Billings has played the seven total games plus one three exhibitions, second most in the conference. Only Alaska Anchorage (eight) and Alaska Fairbanks (eight) have played more often.
 
HOW TO WATCH: Tip off against Alaska Anchorage is set for 7 p.m. Saturday night and those who are unable to attend in person are encouraged to follow the game through MSUB's stretch Internet Portal here, where the game will be streamed and live statistics will be available.