BILLINGS, Mont. – Completing its six-game road swing, the Montana State University Billings men's basketball team plays at Seattle Pacific and Western Washington this Saturday and Monday.
 
Friday's game at SPU will start at 2 p.m. PT, whereas Monday's game at Western Washington will start at 7 p.m. PT. Livestream and live stat links can be found on the men's basketball schedule page at msubsports.com. Monday's Western Washington game is a makeup from a contest scheduled for Jan. 22 before the game was called off due to health and safety protocols.
 
The 'Jackets (10-11, 6-5 GNAC) return to the Lower 48 after falling in two contests up north against Alaska and Alaska Anchorage this past Monday and Tuesday, respectively. Both games were also makeup dates after the Nanooks were sidelined due to health and safety protocols, and after the 'Jackets couldn't travel to Alaska Anchorage due to inclement weather.
 
This past Monday's game at Alaska was a rough outing for the Yellowjackets, who only managed 36 points on 11-for-51 (21.6%) shooting compared to the Nanooks' 62 points on 25-for-52 (48.1%) shooting. For the first time this season, no 'Jacket scored in double-figures, yet 11 of the 13 players who logged minutes scored points.
 
However, Tuesday's game at Alaska Anchorage was a different story. Senior guard Damen Thacker connected on seven of his 11 three point attempts in order to help MSUB make a season-high 10 three pointers. Yet a 10-2 run from the Seawolves to end the game doomed the 'Jackets.
 
LAST TIME OUT VS. SEATTLE PACIFIC
MSUB had one of its best all-around performances of the year at home against the preseason pick to win the conference on Jan. 15.
 
In what, at that point, was the Yellowjackets' largest margin of victory in GNAC play, MSUB's defense held SPU scoreless for 6 minutes and 15 seconds in the first half, then delivered a haymaker by holding the Falcons scoreless in a 9 minute and 45 second stretch in the second half.
 
Carrington Wiggins went toe-to-toe with the GNAC Preseason Player of the Year Divant'e Moffitt and ended up with a then-MSUB-career-high 28 points on 10-for-19 shooting. Malik Brikat nearly had a double-double with 10 points and eight rebounds, plus Brent Finn came off the bench to score 11 points – six of which came from the free-throw line with under a minute to play.
 
Since that game, however, the Falcons have won five of their last six games, with the only loss being a 75-72 contest against Simon Fraser. Going into this week, SPU ranked behind MSUB in fourth in the conference's newest Points Value System rankings, which gives a predetermined number of points for every win, depending on the quality of opponent.
 
WESTERN WASHINGTON VIKINGS
Record: 12-9 (5-6 GNAC)
Head coach: Tony Dominguez (9^th season)
Head-to-head record: 8-20
Last meeting: Feb. 27, 2020 (86-79, MSUB)
 
Boasting the conference's second-highest-scoring offense, the Western Washington Vikings have had a rocky time in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference so far. Despite shooting a GNAC-best 49.7% from the floor as a team, the Vikings have a 5-6 record in conference play, and have won one of their last four games.
 
The 'Jackets will be Western Washington's fourth and final game of a three-game home-stand. The Vikings will host Saint Martin's on Saturday before facing the Yellowjackets on Monday. The Vikings will then follow the 'Jackets to Billings for a matchup at Alterowitz Gym next Thursday.
 
WWU has four players averaging at least 10 points per game. Jalen Green is the team's leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 15.6 points and 6.6 rebounds in 31.1 minutes per contest. Daniel Hornbuckle also averages 14.7 points per game and is one of the conference's most-accurate three-point shooters with his 45.9% accuracy, which ranks third in the GNAC.
 
D'Angelo Minnis (12.6 PPG) and Luke Lovelady (11.8 PPG) round out the double-figure scorers, while Lovelady also averages 6.5 rebounds per game. Minnis averages 4.5 assists per game, which ranks fourth in the GNAC.
 
UP NEXT: The Yellowjackets play a 2 p.m. PT game at Seattle Pacific this Saturday. Livestream and live stat links can be found on the men's basketball schedule page at msubsports.com.