BILLINGS, Mont. – At the halfway juncture of 2018-19, the men's basketball team at Montana State University Billings in the middle of the hunt for a top six spot in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings as they look to clinch a playoff position for the first time since 2016-17.
 
The Yellowjackets (8-6, 3-3 GNAC) are currently in sixth place with two conference road games this week. The action begins Thursday when the 'Jackets play at Western Washington University (10-7, 4-3 GNAC) at 7 p.m. LT. Then they travel to British Columbia for a matchup with Simon Fraser University (7-8, 1-6 GNAC) Saturday at 7 p.m. LT.
 
"I think on paper Western Washington will be a fun game because of their tradition and I know our guys are looking forward to going there to play them," commented assistant coach Bobby Howard. "Simon Fraser has gotten better and better since coach Durham and I have been in the league and that's going to be a tough one. To come out of the weekend with one or two wins on the road would really set us up for the rest of the year."
 
In the season's first half, the Yellowjackets nearly upset Division I University of Nevada Las Vegas (L, 83-81), won five straight games in November and December, beat Alaska Fairbanks and Alaska Anchorage at home, and failed to win a conference game on the road. Coming in with a completely new coaching staff and nine new players, the road back to the conference tournament is a tall task, but so far the team has defended its' home court (8-2 home record) and played well enough to warrant slightly raised eyebrows from opponents.
 
Individuals have shined so far for the Yellowjackets as well. Melvin Newbern Jr. has averaged 8.4 rebounds per game, second highest in the GNAC and Tyler Green leads the conference in 3-pointers made with 50 (3.6 per game). Green is also fifth in scoring with 15.8 points per game through 14 games.
 
Zack Rollins led the Yellowjackets in scoring a year ago and has moved past Brent Montague for 17^th on the MSUB all-time list for career 3-pointers, currently at 121.
 
MSU Billings is 3-3 in the GNAC with 14 games to play. This is the fourth season of an 11 team conference. Last year, the final squad to make the playoffs was 10-10 (Central Washington). In 2016-17, the Yellowjackets squeaked in at 9-11 as did Western Washington in 2015-16.

Great Northwest Athletic Conference Standings (as of 1/16/19)

Men's Basketball	CONFERENCE	PCT	OVERALL	PCT	HOME	AWAY	NEUT	STREAK	ON REMAINING SCHEDULE
Saint Martin's	5-1	.833	12-2	.857	7-0	3-2	2-0	Won 2	Twice
Northwest Nazarene	5-1	.833	10-2	.833	6-0	2-2	2-0	Won 4	Once
Western Oregon	5-1	.833	12-3	.800	7-0	3-2	2-1	Won 3	Once
Seattle Pacific	5-1	.833	8-3	.727	5-1	3-0	0-2	Won 6	Twice
Western Washington	4-3	.571	9-6	.600	5-1	0-3	0-1	Won 2	Twice
Montana State Billings	3-3	.500	8-6	.571	8-2	0-3	0-1	Won 1
Central Washington	2-4	.333	8-6	.571	6-1	0-4	2-1	Lost 1	Once
Alaska Anchorage	2-4	.333	7-7	.500	6-2	1-5	0-0	Lost 2	Once
Concordia	1-5	.167	6-8	.429	2-4	2-4	2-0	Lost 3	Once
Alaska	1-5	.167	4-9	.308	1-2	0-6	3-1	Lost 4	Once
Simon Fraser	1-6	.143	7-8	.467	6-2	1-5	0-1	Lost 5	Twice

Combined overall record of remaining opponents: 120-74 (.618)
 

STACKING UP: After a low scoring weekend, the Yellowjackets are averaging 79.0 points per game and 34.9 rebounds while allowing 77.6 ppg to opponents. MSUB ranks eighth in scoring, eighth in defense, sixth in free throw percentage (.734), fifth in 3-point percentage (.370), ninth in steals (14.0 spg), and seventh in blocked shots (3.1 bpg).
 
GREEN FOR THREE: Green led the Yellowjackets with 35 points over two games last week, making 10 of 13 from the free throw line. Green put up just 12 points in a loss Thursday against Western Oregon, but came back to score 23 points against Concordia Saturday on 6-for-13 shooting and 7 of 9 from the line. Green ranks 11^th in NCAA Division II with 2.57 three-pointers made per contest. His 3-point percentage is 14^th best in Division II and he has 50 threes this season, ranking 22^nd.
 
MORE MELVIN MAGIC: Establishing himself as one of the best inside shooters in the league, Melvin Newbern Jr. added 27 points and had 16 rebounds last weekend in two games. He led the Yellowjackets with 21 points and eight rebounds against Western Oregon, draining 9 of 13 from the floor. On Saturday, Newbern Jr. cooled slightly but still had six points and eight rebounds. Newbern is averaging 13.5 points per game and ranks 25^th in NCAA Division II with a .605 field goal percentage (78-for-129).

He also has a team leading four double-doubles. The last one came on January 4 against Northwest Nazaraene, where he posted 18 points and 14 rebounds in 25 minutes of playing time.
 
THE ZHARON EFFECT: Sophomore forward Zharon Richmond became a freshman force last season for the Yellowjackets. He started 21 games and averaged 10 points per game playing 27 minutes per game. His statistics this season are like a mirror image, forcing the casual observer to look twice. Again, Richmond is averaging exactly 10 points per game and exactly 27 minutes per game. The difference in rebounds is 4.1 vs 4.8. In assists, he is up to 1.4 per game instead of 1.2.

Richmond has become a model of consistency for the Yellowjackets, even among a completely new group of players and a new coach in 2018-19. Only recently has the sophomore broken the trend. In his last four games, Richmond has two 14 point games and one 16 point game against Concordia last weekend.
 
 
EMPOWERED BY HOWARD: Freshman forward Brendan Howard continues to make a difference in his inaugural season with the Yellowjackets. Howard combined for 25 points in last weekend's homestand, paced by 13 points and five rebounds against Concordia. Howard is averaging 13.1 points per game and has been coach Durham's first call off the bench since November 23, when he started against California State Dominguez Hills.
 
Scouting Western Washington University
Game Day: Thursday, January 17 – 7 p.m. LT
2018-19 Record: 9-6 (4-3 GNAC), 5-1 home, 0-3 away, 0-1 neutral
Head Coach: Tony Dominguez (7^th season)
2017-18 Record: 21-8 (16-4 GNAC), 11-5 home, 8-2 away, 2-1 neutral
 
Western Washington shot 53.8 percent Tuesday night at home and defeated Simon Fraser 89-81 for their third win over the last four games. Junior guard Tucker Eenigenburg had 21 points while junior forward Trevor Jasinsky put up 20 points. The Vikings were 11-for-21 (52.4%) from 3-point range. The win propelled WWU to fifth place in the GNAC, dropping MSUB just below them at 3-3.
 
Jasinsky leads the Vikings with 19.1 points per game and ranks second in the GNAC in scoring. He also has 15 blocks and 121 rebounds (7.1 rpg), averaging 33.8 minutes per game. Sophomore Luke Lovelady averages 10.3 points per game and 5.4 rebounds. Senior guard Tyler Payne (52 assists, 5.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg), junior guard Leif Anderson (7.7 ppg, 2.1 rpg) and freshman guard/forward Jalen Green (7.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg) were all starters on Tuesday night against Simon Fraser.
 
The Vikings rank third in the conference in scoring (85.8 ppg), seventh in defense (77.5 points against), first in blocked shots (4.4 bpg), sixth in steals (7.5 spg), and first in 3-point field goals made (166).
 
WWU leads the all-time series vs. the Yellowjackets 23-6. MSUB is 1-13 all-time against Western Washington in Bellingham, 4-10 in Billings, and 0-1 at neutral locations. The Vikings have won each of the last three matchups and six of the last eight in the series. Last season, MSUB fell 100-91 at home and 91-65 in Bellingham.
 
Tom Dominguez is 133-51 (.723) in his tenure as head coach at Western Washington. He won GNAC coach of the year in 2016-17. WWU returned five letter winners and two starters from last season. The team also welcomed 11 newcomers on the roster.
 
Scouting Simon Fraser University
Game Day: Saturday, January 19 – 7 p.m. LT
2018-19 Record: 7-8 (1-6 GNAC), 6-2 home, 1-5 away, 0-1 neutral
Head Coach: Steve Hanson (3^rd season)
2017-18 Record: 10-18 (4-16 GNAC), 8-6 home, 0-10 away, 2-2 neutral
 
The Clan suffered their fifth straight loss Tuesday night against Western Washington 89-81. SFU shot 44.8 percent from the field and 40.0 (8-for-20) from 3-point range. Sophomore Julian Roche had 25 points and shot 12-for-17 with six rebounds. The 6-11 center is averaging 14.5 points and 6.1 rebounds per game for SFU. Freshman forward Wilfried Balata had 24 points against WWU, well above his season average of 13.7 points per game. Balata also averages 6.1 boards, 2.6 assists, and 25.2 minutes per game.
 
The remainder of the starting lineup is composed of junior guard Spence Othniel (13.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.8 apg), junior guard Michael Provenzano (9.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 5.0 apg), and sophomore guard/forward Graham Miller (6.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 0.9 apg).
 
In 17 games dating to the year 2000, the Yellowjackets are 16-1 all-time against Simon Fraser University, including 9-0 at home and 7-1 away. MSUB has not lost to the Clan since 2010. Last season, the 'Jackets won 78-73 in Billings and 77-75 in British Columbia. In the two point victory, Rollins scored 27 points for MSUB and Hafeez Abdul had 26 points and nine rebounds.
 
Simon Fraser joined the GNAC in men's basketball in 2010-11 and have not qualified for the post-season in eight seasons.
 
AROUND THE GNAC: Four teams are locked in a first place battle with identical 5-1 records. Adonis Arms of Northwest Nazarene leads the conference with 21.6 points per game. Michael Kluting of Alaska Fairbanks ranks first in rebounding (9.2 rpg) and Tyler Green is first in 3-pointers with 50 in 14 games (3.6 per game). Central Washington scores a GNAC best 89.7 points per game and Western Oregon has the stingiest defense, allowing 64.1 points per game to opponents. Saint Martin's is ranked No. 23 among NCAA Division II schools nationally and NNU, WOU, and SPU are all receiving votes in a January 13 NABC coaches poll.
 
HOW TO WATCH: Fans are encouraged to watch both games this weekend through online streaming platforms. Live stream and statistics for Western Washington University can be found HERE. For Saturday's game against Simon Fraser, click HERE for live stream and HERE for live statistics.