BILLINGS, Mont. – Returning from playing three games at Cal State San Marcos this past weekend, the Montana State University Billings men's basketball team hosts Minot State for the team's regular-season opener on Saturday at 7 p.m. The game also serves as the second half of a home doubleheader with MSUB's women's basketball team, which hosts South Dakota Mines earlier that evening at 5 p.m.
 
This Saturday's game also marks the first of five-straight home games for the Yellowjackets (1-2, 0-0 Great Northwest Athletic Conference), whose next road game is a two-mile drive to play at crosstown rival Rocky Mountain College on Wednesday, Dec. 8.
 
"It's going to be great for us to play at home, see how we respond and handle that," MSUB head coach Mick Durham said. "We have a lot of things to clean up in the next few days, but we're excited to be at home for a while and get our homestand going on Saturday."
 
Minot State comes to Billings after starting the season 4-0 with DII wins over Harding and Ouachita Baptist in the Great American Conference Challenge. The Beavers moved to 3-0 with a win over Dickinson State University before beating Yellowstone Christian 112-50 this past Wednesday.
 
Led by a veteran starting lineup, including preseason NSIC Player to Watch Max Cody, plus former Yellowjacket Melvin Newbern, the Beavers rely heavily on three-pointers and have one of the nation's largest scoring differentials, outscoring opponents by an average of 32 points per game.
 
ABOUT LAST WEEK
Going into the season, Durham stressed that the new-look Yellowjacket men's basketball team needed games and experience – especially after only playing two exhibitions last spring.
 
The 'Jackets got their wish, returning to action for the first countable games since March 2020 with three games in four days at the Cal State San Marcos from Nov. 15-18.
 
MSUB opened the season with a 69-55 loss against Cal State San Marcos on Nov. 15; less than 24 hours later, MSUB used a big 23-0 run to start the second half en route to beating Holy Names 71-65. From there, MSUB stuck around until Monday to play one more game against the Cougars, in which MSUB fell 80-72, despite noticeable improvements on both ends of the floor.
 
"It was different," Durham said of the quick turnaround between meetings with Cal State San Marcos. "The reason we did it was because it was a chance to pick up three games in a hurry and find out about ourselves. It was pretty odd playing a back-to-back that quickly, but I think we definitely played them a lot better the second time."
 
Throughout the weekend, MSUB tooled with two different starting lineups and plenty of lineup combinations in all three games. So far, the 'Jackets have gotten most of its offensive production from its veteran backcourt of Carrington Wiggins (15.3 points per game), Damen Thacker (14.7 PPG) and Brent Finn (8.3 points in a team-high 31 minutes per game). In particular, MSUB's backcourt propelled them during the Holy Names win as the trio combined for 20 points during the 'Jackets 23-0 run to start the second half.
 
Additionally, Finn, Thacker and Nicholas Sebastiao have been effective at the charity stripe; all three lead MSUB with 85.7% free-throw shooting on more than two attempts per game. As it stands, MSUB is 44^th in Division II with 65 free throw attempts and 51^st with 45 makes. Some of this is in part due to Wiggins and Thacker, both of whom have been adept at getting to the free-throw line – whether it has been by Thacker baiting defenders into fouling him on threes, or Wiggins attacking the basket from start to finish.
 
"As far as being good defensive presences and being our mainstays, those three on the perimeter showed that on the road trip," Durham said of the guards.
 
Another constant in last week's games was MSUB winning the rebounding battle. The Yellowjackets have out-rebounded every team they've played and they've been doing so by committee. Ajanaku, Thacker and Nicholas Sebastiao are tied for the team lead by averaging 5.7 boards per game, plus Malik Brikat had a 12-rebound game in the season-opener. Throw in Jimmy Brown and Bilal Shabazz, and MSUB's deep frontcourt coupled with its rebounding-by-committee approach has given the 'Jackets intriguing lineup combinations so far.
 
To wit: In MSUB's second game against Cal State San Marcos, Brown got the start at the center spot and gave the 'Jackets an early lift with his activity and vocal leadership on defense. As fouls mounted up for both teams midway through the first half, Durham sent in Ajanaku off the bench, who was an effective offensive rebounder, nearly had a double-double in the first half and finished with 10 points and seven rebounds in 14 minutes. Not many teams have the luxury of bringing a 6'10" center off the bench, yet MSUB could be one of those that do.
 
"He seemed more comfortable off the bench," Durham said of Ajanaku's second game against Holy Names this past Monday. "There's something to be said about starting and controlling your emotions; you've got to handle that. So he seemed a little more determined in that third game."
 
"His development is important to us," Durham added. "We're just looking for that same performance and consistency on both ends — not just on the offensive end, he needs to be our rim-protector on defense too."
 
MINOT STATE BEAVERS
Record: 4-0 (0-0 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference)
Head coach: Matt Murken (10^th season)
Head-to-head record: 9-1
Last meeting: Nov. 16, 2019 (83-74, Minot State)
 
After being picked 10^th in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' poll, the Minot State Beavers have built up a 4-0 record with a pair of big wins against Great American Conference teams and a two non-Division II schools. None of their games have been close. Minot State has been beating opponents by an average of 32 points per game thanks to shooting 46.9% from three on 113 attempts, which ranks 11^th and sixth nationally, respectively.
 
Although the Beavers boast five seniors and three juniors, former MSUB Yellowjacket Melvin Newbern has been the star of the show so far. Newbern, who played at MSUB during his junior season in 2018-19, averages 14.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, plus leads the nation with three double-doubles this season.
 
"They don't beat themselves," Durham said of the Beavers. "Our personnel decisions will be really critical because they're making 13 threes per game. They put a lot of pressure on you because [point guard] Max Cody is strong, can get to his spots and make the right decisions. They're good. We knew that with how many people they're bringing back and because they're off to a good start."
 
MSUB leads the all-time series 9-1, with its last win being a 79-65 home win on Nov. 17, 2018. In that contest, MSUB connected on more than 60% of their field goals and three-pointers in the second half to pull away with a comfortable 79-65 win. Sam Elliott is the lone current Yellowjacket with game experience against the Beavers; he added nine points on 3-of-3 three-point shooting in 16 minutes off the bench against the Beavers back in 2019.
 
"We're going to have to be very solid and continue to rebound well," Durham added. "We'll have to get back and get our defense set in order to make them work for their points as best as we can. They are going to make it difficult on our defense."
 
UP NEXT: MSUB takes on Minot State on Saturday at 7 p.m. Livestream and live stat links can be found on the men's schedule page at msubsports.com.