BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings men's basketball team kicks off a four game home stand against the University of Alaska Anchorage and the University of Alaska Fairbanks. With only six weeks left, the race for the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Tournament is heating up.    
 
MSUB (8-8, 3-5 GNAC) are currently in eighth place with only two games separating them and the third place Alaska Fairbanks. Nearing the halfway mark of the conference schedule, MSUB will play eight of their last twelve games at home. Every game will be critical for the 'Jackets if they wish to advance to the post season and MSUB will need to successfully defend their home court.
 
"We are excited to be back home for a while," said head coach Mick Durham. "I thought we competed and played pretty well on the road last weekend and looking forward to taking our play into this weekend. Both Alaska schools are very talented and present challenges on both ends of the court."
 
LAST TIME OUT: The Yellowjackets split games on a road trip to Washington State. MSUB routed Saint Martin's University 96-67 on January 16 on the back of reigning GNAC player of the week Tyler Green's career high 38 points
 
Green's 38 points including making 12 of 17 three point shots. In doing so, he tied the GNAC record for threes made in a single game and is currently the most threes made in a single game this season in any NCAA division. The 12 threes also ties Green for fourth in MSUB history for threes in a single game. As a team MSUB made 21 three point shots.
 
The Yellowjackets then fell to league leading Seattle Pacific University 83-72 on Saturday Jan. 18.
 
BY THE NUMBERS: The 'Jackets currently have the fifth ranked offense (76.8 points/game) which marks the biggest improvement on a weekly basis for MSUB who had the eighth ranked offense last week. MSUB has the eighth ranked defense (79.0 points/game) in the conference.  
 
MSUB ranks third in the GNAC with 37.6 rebounds per game. The Yellowjackets are third in the GNAC with 3.10 blocked shots per game.
 
The Yellowjackets are hitting 44.0 percent of their shots from the field and 35.7 percent from beyond the arc. The team is second in Division II in fewest fouls (206) and fourth in personal fouls (12.9/game).
 
Sophomore Brendan Howard is second in the GNAC and 26^th in the nation in scoring with 21.6 points per game and is 22th in Division II in. He also second in the league with 8.2 rebounds per game.
 
Green is now fifth in the GNAC with 16.5 points per game after his 38 point eruption. He ranks sixth in the GNAC with 3.4 assists per game and leads the conference in free throw percentage converting 43-48 attempts (89.6 percent). He is also second in the GNAC and 13^th in all of Division II in three point shots made with 57 (3.56/game). Green is 11^th in the country with 152 three point attempts.
 
Zharon Richmond is averaging 17.6 points per game and 8.0 rebounds since his return to the court in December.
 
Scouting the University of Alaska Anchorage  
Game Day: Thursday, January 23-Billings, MT-7:30pm Alterowitz Gym.
2019 Record: 11-8, 4-4 GNAC, 7-3 home, 2-3 away, 2-2 neutral
2018 Record: 14-14, 9-11 GNAC, 9-7 home, 5-7 away, 0-0 neutral
Head Coach: Rusty Osborne (15^th Season)
 
Perennial contenders UAA is currently sixth in the league standings with a 4-4 conference record. Always a tough out, MSUB split games with the Seawolves last season as both teams won at home. Overall, Anchorage leads the series 45-33.
 
The Seawolves have the GNAC's seventh ranked offense (76.1 points/game) and the third ranked defense (72.7 points/game). They are third in three point field goal percentage converting 38.6 percent and lead the league in assists per game with 17.7.  
 
Niko Bevens leads UAA and is 17^th in the conference in scoring with 13.3 points per game. Oggie Pantyovic is second on the team with 12.1 points per game and leads the team with 6.6 rebounds per game the 10^th best mark in the conference. DeAndre Osuigwe is first on the team and tied for first in the GNAC in assists with 89 (4.7/game).
 
Scouting the University of Alaska Fairbanks
Game Day: Saturday, January 25-Billings MT-5:15pm Alterowitz Gym
2019 Record: 6-10, 5-3 GNAC, 3-1 home, 2-4 away, 1-5 neutral
2018 Record: 5-22, 2-18 GNAC, 1-9 home, 1-11 away, 3-2 neutral
Head Coach: Greg Sparling (2nd Season)
 
After a rocky start to his tenure in Alaska, second year coach Greg Sparling has the Nanooks in third place in the GNAC with a 5-3 record. Already more wins than last year it will be a very different Fairbanks team that comes to town. MSUB swept the Nanooks last season with a narrow 79-76 point win at home and a resounding 92-65 win on the road in the season finale. Overall MSUB leads the series 43-29.
 
Alaska carries the eighth ranked offense (74.2 points/game) and the ninth ranked defense (82.8 points/game). They are third in the GNAC in free throw percentage (78.3 percent), third in three point field goal percentage defense (33.2 percent) and second in steals with 128 (8.0/game).
 
Shadeed Shabazz leads in conference in scoring with 23.2 points per game. The junior guard has season high 43 points against Concordia University Portland and has scored 30 points in three of the last four games. Spencer Sweet is the only other Nanook in double figures with 13.5 points per game. Mawich Kachjaani leads the team and is eighth in the GNAC with 6.7 rebounds per game.   
 
IF YOU'RE GOING: Tickets can be purchased at Alterowitz Gymnasium or by calling 406-657-2369. All ticket options are available on game day at the ticket window and online HERE. Thursday night's game sponsor is Stockman Bank. The campus partner is MSUB New Student Services. MSUB's women's game honorary faculty guest coach is Dr. Melanie Reaves. The men's game honorary faculty guest coach is Dr. Matt Queen. MSUB will also be honoring all-conference award winning student-athletes from men's soccer.
 
Saturday night's game sponsor is First Interstate Bank. MSUB will be honoring the 2019 conference champion baseball team and all-conference honorees. The honorary faculty guest coach for the MSUB women's game will be Dr. Douglas Nagel.
 
IF YOU'RE NOT: All men's and women's basketball games Thursday and Saturday will be streamed live with statistics via MSUB's stretch internet portal. Live stats and video is available at msubsports.com.