MONMOUTH, Ore. – Led by 30 points from Damen Thacker and 17 from Bilal Shabazz, the Montana State University Billings men's basketball team picked up its third-straight win after beating Western Oregon 87-79 in overtime on Saturday.
 
"We battled and found a way to win," MSUB head coach Mick Durham said. "We played great in overtime. There was a great pace to tonight's game, but we started a little on our heels."
 
Both Thacker and Shabazz's scoring outings were career highs for the Yellowjackets (10-9, 6-3 GNAC). Thacker outscored the Wolves 11-to-7 in overtime and finished a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line in the final 20 seconds.
 
"Thacker was feeling it," Durham said of the senior guard's night. "You need big shots to win road games, and we had a lot of guys step up, Bilal Shabazz also hit some big shots. We'll continue on and get ready for Monday."
 
Carrington Wiggins added 15 points and led the team with three steals; Nicholas Sebastiao rounded out the double-figure scorers with 11 points.
 
QUICK HITS

• Making the most of his first start of the calendar year, Bilal Shabazz nearly had a double-double with 17 points and nine rebounds. He finished shooting 7-for-11 from the field, 1-for-2 from three and 2-for-2 from the free throw line.
• Damen Thacker was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game for his 30 point-outing (on 10-for-20 shooting and 6-for-12 from three), plus his game-high eight assists.
• Emmanuel Ajanaku posted his second-straight double-figure rebounding game with 11 rebounds. He also finished with eight points and tied his career high with three blocks.
• Cameron Cranston led the Wolves with 26 points.

 
Both teams got out to fast starts, combining for 28 points before the first media timeout. The three-ball was effective early for the 'Jackets, who went toe-to-toe with the Wolves' three-point heavy offense thanks to shots from Bilal Shabazz and Nicholas Sebastiao.
 
Although the Wolves took a 20-12 lead with 12:44 to go, the 'Jackets kept pace by making four of their next five three-point attempts. Thacker made three-straight threes and assisted on the fourth – which came courtesy of Nicholas Sebastiao – to make it a 25-21 ballgame. However, the Wolves threatened to pull away, albeit never leading by more than seven points, taking a 35-28 lead with 3:43 to play.
 
But in those final 3 minutes and 43 seconds, the 'Jackets stormed back. MSUB closed the half on a 10-0 run from Carrington Wiggins, who made a pair of layups, a three, and then three free throws after getting fouled on a three-point attempt at the buzzer. The 'Jackets led at halftime 38-35.
 
Aside from Shabazz's floater on the opening possession, neither team led by more than four points over the next seven minutes. MSUB threatened to break open the game on several occasions: First on a 7-0 run behind Shabazz and another three from Sebastiao, then a 5-0 run from Thacker gave the 'Jackets a 57-49 lead with 12:13 to go. Yet Western Oregon kept making threes, making it a one-possession game three times on baskets from Cameron Cranston and Antonio Salinas.
 
With the game tied 59-all with 8:12 to go, MSUB went on another 9-0 run. Thacker assisted on back-to-back buckets from Wiggins and Shabazz, then Wiggins found Emmanuel Ajanaku for a dunk to give MSUB a 68-59 lead with 5:33 to go.
 
Yet a technical foul helped spark a 9-0 run from the Wolves, who tied the game at 68 with 3:48 to go. Both teams traded free throws until Shabazz hit an elbow jumper to give MSUB a 72-70 lead with a minute to go. Ajanaku corralled in a critical defensive rebound on the next play, yet the Yellowjackets couldn't capitalize on their final possession. With seven seconds to go in regulation, Western Oregon's John Morrill-Keeler made a dunk at the buzzer to force overtime.
 
The 'Jackets scored the first seven points of overtime while forcing Western Oregon into three empty possessions. Thacker opened the scoring, then Ajanaku's put-back and Thacker's sixth and final three of the day helped MSUB take a 79-72 lead with 2:28 to go in overtime. The Wolves would finally get on the board on the next possession, but Wiggins and Thacker helped put MSUB up six points with under a minute to go. Although Western Oregon tried pulling within four, four-straight made free throws from Thacker and clean defense down the stretch sealed the 87-79 win.
 
KEY STATS

• The 'Jackets shot 5-for-9 (55.56%) from the field in overtime compared to Western Oregon's 3-for-8 (37.50%) mark.
• Damen Thacker either scored or assisted on 49 of MSUB's
• MSUB has connected on over 50% of its field goals in back-to-back games for the first time this season.
• Saturday's game was MSUB's first overtime win of the season. They now have a 1-1 record in overtime, and both games came in conference play.
• Saint Martin's went 2-for-7 at the free-throw line, compared to MSUB's 15-for-24 mark.

 
UP NEXT: MSUB's road trip continues with another quick turnaround against Alaska on Monday at 7 p.m. local time. Livestream and live stat links can also be found at the men's basketball schedule page on msubsports.com.