BILLINGS, Mont. – Tyler Green sank eight three pointers and posted 34 points, helping the Montana State University Billings men's basketball team defeat Rocky Mountain College 96-85 in non-conference action Saturday night at Alterowitz Gymnasium. Green sparked a 13-0 MSUB run five minutes into the first half and the Yellowjackets never looked back, leading by double-digits for most of the night.
 
Four players had 10 or more points for Montana State Billings and the Battlin' Bears led for just two minutes to open the game before MSUB took over for good. Rocky Mountain College was without leading scorer Jared Samuelson, who missed his first game of the year.
 
"I was really pleased with the start we had," commented head coach Mick Durham. "I really thought they (Rocky Mountain College) played well together without their key player but the guys and especially Tyler really played well to get us going right away."
 
Green set a new career high for points and had the most points scored by an MSUB player since Preston Beverly scored 35 on January 28, 2017. The 34 point performance was also the most scored by any player in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference so far this season. Green's eight three pointers (seven in the first half) were the most by a Yellowjacket since Jaxon Myaer made nine on February 23, 2012.
 
Other players that pitched in offensively included Melvin Newbern Jr., who posted his third double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Zack Rollins and Brendan Howard chipped in with 16 and 15 points respectively. Sven Jeuschede distributed the ball well and set a new career high with five assists in the winning effort. The senior also had four points and a pair of rebounds.
 

 
"I thought we balanced our scoring well and got the ball inside to help our jumpers," Durham said. "We did miss a few critical free throws but all-in-all we did a good job tonight. It's not easy to fight off Rocky, especially when they are playing loose and free late in the game."
 
The Yellowjackets (6-3, 2-0 GNAC) have won four games in a row and moved to 4-1 in their current six-game homestand, which began on November 23. It was the first time the Yellowjackets have swept a season series against the Battlin' Bears since 2012-13.
 
"We put an emphasis on the two Rocky Mountain games this year," said Durham. "They were picked to win the Frontier Conference and they have a veteran team so to get two tough wins was a big accomplishment. Playing them twice a year always makes us better."
 
Montana State Billings led 52-34 at halftime on 54-percent shooting. Tyler Green made 7-of-8 from three point range and the 'Jackets shot 56-percent from long range in the opening 20. While the three-point shooting completely abandoned the Yellowjackets in the second half (1-for-11), they continued to make baskets in the paint and frequently made trips to the free throw line.
 
A three-pointer by Austin Paine got the Battlin' Bears to within nine with 11:24 to go but the 'Jackets immediately responded with layups by Kobe Terashima and Brendan Howard to erase the RMC bid to close the gap.
 
The teams traded baskets heading into the final five minutes of the game and MSU Billings maintained its' ten point advantage. Trailing 90-80 in the final minute, Rocky Mountain College was forced to foul but failed to make up ground, despite free throw shooting troubles for MSU Billings.
 
The Yellowjackets narrowly outshot Rocky Mountain College for the game 53-percent to 50-percent. MSUB shot 37-percent from beyond the arc compared to 36-percent for RMC. MSU Billings held the advantage in turnovers 18-10 and converted 22 points off turnovers, including 10 on the fast break.

 
As has become customary, Howard led MSUB in points off the bench with 15 (7-for-13 shooting) but Rocky Mountain College still outscored MSUB in the category 27 to 19 in the game.
 
Satchel McDonald led the Battlin' Bears with 15 points and five rebounds. Ragen Shein had 13 points and eight rebounds and Clayton Ladine and Danny Betcher posted 12 and 11 points respectively for RMC.
 
WHAT'S AHEAD: The Yellowjackets (6-3, 2-0 GNAC) finish a six game homestand and the month of December with a game against Dickinson State University (2-6, 0-1 North Star) on Tuesday, December 18 at 7 p.m. The team will resume play after the holidays on January 3 against conference opponent Northwest Nazarene on the road.
 
THE BUZZ: Tyler Green was named St. Vincent Healthcare player of the game for the Yellowjackets…Including exhibitions, it was the first season since 2012-13 the Yellowjackets swept the Battlin' Bears in the season series…MSU Billings improved to 90-81 all-time against RMC. MSUB is 3-7 in its' last 10 meetings…The Yellowjackets put up their season high in points (96) against the Battlin' Bears and reached the 90-point mark for the second time (Black Hills State)…MSUB wore special Eastern Montana College throwback uniforms against Rocky Mountain College, sporting the black and yellow school colors of the early 70's.