BILLINGS, Mont.- The Montana State University Billings Yellowjackets will play their final two games of the year at home in Alterowitz gym this coming week. MSUB will host Western Washington University on Thursday and Simon Fraser University on Saturday. It will be the final games for seniors Tyler Green, Jordan Lehrer and Seth Christiaens. All three seniors will be honored prior to Saturday's game. MSUB has been eliminated from contention in making the Great Northwest Athletic Conference tournament.
 
"We are looking forward to senior week with our guys," said head coach Mick Durham. "We will be competing once last time with these final two games. Western Washington and Simon Fraser really bothered us with their size the first time we played so we will have to be big on the boards and not be intimidated when we go inside."
 
LAST TIME OUT: The Yellowjackets (10-16, 5-13 GNAC) lost two games on the road falling to the University of Alaska, Fairbanks 71-68 and the University of Alaska Anchorage 97-83.
 
BY THE NUMBERS: The 'Jackets currently have the eighth ranked offense (75.3 points/game) and the eighth ranked scoring defense (79.0 points/game).
 
For the first time all season, MSUB is not the number one ranked rebounding team in the GNAC. The 'Jackets dropped two spots and are now the third ranked rebounding team in the GNAC with an average of 37.0 per game. The Yellowjackets are fourth in the GNAC with 3.1 blocked shots per game.
 
The Yellowjackets are hitting 43.6 percent of their shots from the field and 34.2 percent from beyond the arc. The team ranks second in Division II in fewest fouls (331) and fourth in personal fouls per game (12.7).
 
Howard is second in the GNAC and 30^th in the nation in scoring with 20.6 points per game and is sixth in rebounding with 7.2 per game. The sophomore has scored 991 points in his short time at MSUB and will look to cross the 1,000 point threshold on Thursday. He would join teammate Green who crossed the 1K mark earlier this season.  
 
Zharon Richmond is second on the team and seventh in the GNAC with 15.9 points per game. Richmond leads MSUB and is fifth in rebounds averaging 7.3 per contest.
 
Green is ninth in the GNAC with 15.2 points per game. He is sixth with 3.4 assists per game and leads the conference in free throw percentage converting 61-67 attempts (91.0 percent). He is also second in the GNAC and 20^th in all of Division II in three point shots made with 88 (3.38/game). Green is eighth in the country with 232 three point attempts.
 
SENIORS: Seth Christiaens has been a member of the Yellowjackets for the past two years after transferring from North Idaho College. "Big Seth" originally from Broadview, MT has appeared in 38 games with four starts over is career at MSUB. In the 2018-19 season he tied for the team lead with 27 blocks.
 
He had multiple block in nine games including three against Simon Fraser on November ninth. He scored a career high 10 points against Seattle Pacific on January 26^th. "Seth has been a valuable plyer off the bench for us" said Durham. "He is a great shot blocker and empathic dunker." Christiaens is majoring in criminal justice and hopes to become a police officer.
 
Jordan Lehrer is also a two years player for MSUB after transferring from Umpqua Community College. The Livingston, MT native came to MSB as a walk on with great energy and vertical ability. He made significant impacts off the bench in the 2018-19 season appearing in 24 games and averaged 9.3 minutes.
 
This season, Lehrer has appeared in all 26 games for MSUB starting four. He doubled his playing time and is averaging 18.3 minutes per game. He scored a career high 13 points this season against Northwest Nazarene on February eighth and pulled down a career high 10 rebounds against Fresno Pacific on November eighth, 2019. Lehrer is averaging 3.4 points per game, 3.1 rebounds and a shooting percentage of 46.4 percent.
 
"Jordan came into a program as a walk-on and has earned valuable playing time both years off the bench. He is and energy guy and never disappoints." Lehrer is majoring in Health and Human Performance with plans to be a teacher.
 
Tyler Green has been a three year plyer for MSUB after transferring from Humboldt State University. Originally from Redding California, Green has started 65 games and played in 74 during his three years at MSUB. He became known as one of the top three point threats in the GNAC each year, Green has made 227 threes to this point.
 
He scored a career high 38 points against Saint Martin's on January 16, 2020. In that game he knocked down 12 three point shots and tied the GNAC single game record for most threes made in a game. The 12 threes were the most by any player in any division nationwide in a single game.  He has a career scoring average of 14.2 points per game and become the 24^th player in MSUB's history to score 1,000 career points on February 13 against Seattle Pacific. Tyler is currently 20^th overall all-time at MSUB for points scored in a career with 1,048.
 
This season Green is ninth in the GNAC with 15.2 points per game, is sixth with 3.4 assists, second in the league and 20^th in all of division two in three point shots made with 88. He is sixth in the country in three point attempts with 232 and first in the conference in free throw percentage converting 61-67 attempts for an overall percentage of 91.0. Green is a three time GNAC player of the week selection and a two time all-conference player.
 
"Tyler converted to point guard last year and he led us to a winning season. His strength is his three point shooting. All of his talents on offense have been on display in his three years at MSUB." Green is majoring in Health and Human performance with hopes of perusing basketball beyond college and one day being a teacher.
 
Coach Durham and his staff would like to thank all three seniors for their hard work and dedication to the program and to MSUB. "It was a pleasure to coach you and MSUB has been better off having you here."
 
Scouting Western Washington University
Game Day: Thursday, February 27 – Billings, MT- 7:30pm
2019 Record: 18-9, 13-6 GNAC, 13-3 home, 5-5 away, 0-1 neutral
2018 Record: 15-15, 9-11 GNAC, 8-5 home, 4-7 away, 3-3 neutral
Head Coach: Tony Dominguez (7^th Season)  
 
Currently second in the GNAC, WWU defeated SFU 69-60 Tuesday night and took sole possession of second place. WWU has already qualified for the GNAC tournament but still has plenty to play for as they can go in as high as number two but as low as number five as only one game separate second from fifth.
 
WWU defeated MSUB way back in December of 2019 86-62. The Vikings have the GNAC's third ranked offense averaging 79.6 points per game and the third ranked defense surrendering 73.7 points per game. They are second in both field goal defense (43.2) and three point field goal defense (33.6). WWU leads the league in blocked shots per game (5.3) as well as second in rebounding (37.7/game).
 
The Vikings are a deep team and have three players averaging double-digit scoring efforts. Trevor Jasinsky is first on the team and 12^th in the GNAC with 14.7 points per game. Jalen Green is second on the team and 20^th in the GNAC with 13.2 points per game. D'Angelo Minnis is third with 12.2 points per game.
 
Logan Schilder a 7-foot, 230 pound center leads the team and is fourth in the GNAC in rebounds at 7.4 per game. He also leads the conference with 2.1 blocked shots per game.
 
Scouting Simon Fraser University
Game Day: Saturday, February 29-Billings, MT-5:15pm MST
2019 Record: 15-13, 8-11 GNAC, 8-4 home, 3-7 away, 4-2 neutral
2018 Record: 15-14, 9-11 GNAC, 11-5 home, 4-7 away, 0-2 neutral
Head Coach: Steve Hanson (4^th Season)
 
SFU fell to WWU 69-60 this past Tuesday and effectively eliminated themselves from playoff contention. SFU defeated MSUB in the GNAC opener for both teams on December 5, 2019 88-76.
 
The Clan carry the GNAC's fifth ranked offense averaging 78.4 points per game and the seventh ranked defense giving up 75.9 points per game. Another solid rebound team, SFU leads the GNAC in rebounding margin at 5.7 and is fourth in the turnover margin at 1.85.
 
Four players are averaging double figures for the Clan led by Jasdeep Singh who is fifth in the GNAC with 16.6 points per game. Othniel Spence is second on the team and 15^th in the GNAC with 13.6 points per game. Right behind him is teammate Wilfried Balata who is 16 in the conference with 13.5 points per game and leads the team with 6.6 rebounds per contest. Michael Provenzano is fourth on the team with 12.0 points per game and second in the GNAC with 4.2 assists.
 
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 corporate sponsor is the Montana Army National Guard. The campus partner is the MSUB Library. Dr. Tom Rust from the History department will be the honorary guest coach for both the men's and women's game.  
 
On Saturday, Rimrock Subaru is the corporate sponsor and the Alumni Association is the campus partner. Paula Machon is the honorary guest coach for the women's game.
 
IF YOU'RE NOT: Both the Men's and Women's games on Thursday and Saturday will be streamed live with statistics via MSUB's stretch internet portal. Live stats and video is available at msubsports.com.