LACEY, Wash. – The Montana State University Billings men's basketball team lost to Saint Martin's University in blowout fashion, falling  84-61 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.
 
The Yellowjackets (19-6, 13-2 GNAC) fell victim to a hot shooting Saints (20-4, 12-2 GNAC) squad, who was on their A game all night. Saint Martin's shot 53.2% from the field and 48.5% from three, hitting 16 triples in the contest. They had multiple stretches of time where it felt like no matter what MSUB did, they could not miss. Meanwhile the 'Jackets shot just 38.1% in the game, with that percentage falling to 21.4% from beyond the arc.
 
Steven Richardson scored 16 to lead the 'Jackets, with three rebounds and two assists. Carrington Wiggins had 13 to go with a pair of steals. Bilal Shabazz finished with nine points, four rebounds, two assists, and a steal. Jajuan Tot finished with a team high five boards, and Abdul Bah had a team high four assists.
 
From the opening tip, Saint Martin's was raring to go. The Saints began on a 15-6 run, and while MSUB threatened to pull it back midway through the first half, the Saints closed the first on a hot shooting stretch to go into halftime up 43-29. SMU made nine three pointers in the opening 20 minutes, and led in nearly every statistical category.
 
And the hosts wouldn't slow down in the second half, continuing to shoot the lights out as they made their way to a 23 point victory. Five SMU players finished in double-digits, while ten different players scored for the Saints. Tyke Thompson led the way with 17 points, while also totaling team highs in rebounds with six, and steals with three. Hunter Sipe scored 12, while Braden Bunn and Kyle Greeley each had 11. Jaden Nielson Skinner had ten points, and 13 assists directing the Saint's offensive attack.
 
THE BUZZ: Richardson was selected as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of Game… MSUB now sits half a game above SMU in the GNAC standings, having played one more game than the Saints.
 
UP NEXT: The 'Jackets get a chance to respond on Saturday, February 18^th, when they take on Seattle Pacific at Alterowitz Gym. SPU is the only other team to defeat MSUB in GNAC play this season. Tip off is scheduled for 7 PM, with live video available here, and live statistics available here.