SEATTLE, Wash. – The Montana State University Billings men's basketball team came up short against Seattle Pacific University, falling 72-59 to lose their first Great Northwest Athletic Conference game of the season.

It was a high stakes game, with the Yellowjackets (14-5, 8-1 GNAC) heading to Seattle to take on the Falcons (13-5, 8-1 GNAC) in a matchup between the GNAC's first and second place teams. And Seattle Pacific got out to a quick start, taking an early lead and never looking back on their way to victory. The 'Jackets never took the lead, in a game where they struggled to break through a stout Falcon's defense, which held them to 37.5 shooting from the field.

Carrington Wiggins scored 24 points, shooting 7-14 and going a perfect 8-8 from the free throw line in the defeat. Wiggins added 7 rebounds, two steals and a block. Bilal Shabazz added 17 points, collecting eight rebounds and two blocks. But the rest of the 'Jackets lineup struggled behind them. Just three other Yellowjackets managed to score in the game. Besides Wiggins and Shabazz, the rest of the 'Jackets shot 8-25 from the field, and were held to just a single made three-point shot. While the 'Jackets beat SPU in the turnover battle, and the teams were close to even in rebounds, the home team shot 50.9% in the game, and outshot MSUB from beyond the arc 37% to 17.2%.

The Falcons opened the game on a tear, going on a 14-2 run to in the first five minutes of the game. Half of those points coming from Shaw Anderson, the GNAC's leading scorer. It wasn't all Anderson in the first though, as the entire Falcon's lineup seemed to be hitting shots. The 'Jackets would show the beginnings of a rally multiple times, but before they could swing the momentum Seattle Pacific would snag it back.

The second half would be the same story for MSUB. They would hit a few shots, pull the game within reach, and then SPU would push their lead back up, leaving the 'Jackets back where they started. The Falcons would grow their lead to as much as 21 in the half, shooting 54.2% across the second half, as MSUB struggled to find the bottom of the net. They would find a rhythm towards the end of the game, but it would be too little too late as the Falcons emerged victorious, tying the Yellowjackets at the top of the GNAC standings.

Anderson ended with 15 points, with a trio of rebounds and assists. But he got help from all over the place, with every Falcon who entered the game scoring at least four points. Zach Paulsen and Casson Rouse each scored ten, while Maui Sze scored nine while collecting eight rebounds.

THE BUZZ: Wiggins was selected as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game… The loss was just MSUB's second loss by double-digits this season… The 'Jackets are 12-34 all-time against the Falcons.
UP NEXT: MSUB looks to get back on track next Thursday, January 26, when they travel to Nampa to face off against Northwest Nazarene. Game time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.