Yellowjackets Steal Victory on Late Three by Shabazz
  
BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings men's basketball team earned a 60-59 victory over University of Alaska Fairbanks, with last second heroics from Bilal Shabazz giving the 'Jackets the win in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.
 
Down two with eight seconds remaining, the Yellowjackets (20-7, 14-3 GNAC) got the ball to Shabazz out of a timeout, who worked his defender before launching a contested three, which found its way home with 1.7 seconds remaining. The Nanooks (11-14, 6-11 GNAC) couldn't convert their last second heave, and the 'Jackets would come away with the narrow victory.
 
Shabazz finished the night with a double-double, going off for 19 points and ten rebounds, with three assists, two blocks and a steal. The senior shot 7-8 from the field, going a perfect 3-3 from beyond the arc and 2-2 from the line. Carrington Wiggins had 18 points, with four rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals. The duo propelled an MSUB offense which shot 44.4% from the field, and just 28.6% from three on the night. Steven Richardson added seven points, with two rebounds, assists and steals. Jalen and Jajuan Tot each scored five points, with Jajuan picking up an MSUB high four assists and three steals.
 
The 'Jackets got out and ran in the first half, jumping out to a 14-3 lead after the game's first five minutes. Seven of those points were scored by Richardson in a stretch of 1:14. MSUB scored ten fastbreak points in the opening 20 minutes, and twelve points off of the eight forced turnovers. The 'Jackets led by as much as 13 at one point, but the Nanooks would recover, finishing the final six minutes of the half on a 14-7 run to cut that Yellowjacket lead in half, going into the break down 32-26.
 
MSUB looked to have regained control in the second half, staying ahead with a solid lead for the opening ten minutes, but Alaska Fairbanks steadily began to chip at the Yellowjackets advantage down the stretch. Some hot shooting from the Nanooks, spearheaded by Bryan Nguyen, closed the deficit. Fairbanks tied the game with 24 seconds remaining when Nguyen hit a clutch three, and he followed that up by stealing the ball at halfcourt, cruising down to the other end for an easy layup to put Fairbanks up by two. But Shabazz, who scored ten of the 'Jackets 12 points in the last five minutes, came up big one more time with his three from the left side to halt the Yellowjacket's two-game skid.
 
THE BUZZ: Shabazz was selected as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game… It was his ninth double-double of the season… The Yellowjacket men locked in their first 20-win season since the 2005-2006 season… The 'Jackets guaranteed a bye to the semifinals in the GNAC Championships, where they will be one of the top two seeds… MSUB is now 28-25 all-time against the Nanooks, sweeping the season series for the first time since the 2018-2019 season.
 
UP NEXT: The 'Jackets finish their regular season off against University of Alaska Anchorage, with their final home game taking place on Saturday, February 25 at 5:15 PM. MSUB's seniors will be honored before the start of the game. Live video will be available here, and live statistics will be available here.