By: Hayden Foltz, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
BILLINGS, Mont. – GNAC Player of the Week article written by Evan O'Kelly Assistant Commissioner for Communications:
The longest-tenured Great Northwest Athletic Conference men's basketball player had one of his biggest performances to earn GNAC Men's Basketball Player of the Week honors.
A Billings native, Richmond helped keep the Yellowjackets (17-6, 11-2) at the top of the GNAC standings with a pair of tightly-contested road victories over Simon Fraser and Western Washington. After enduring numerous injury-related setbacks throughout a career that began during the 2017-18 season, Richmond took home his first-career weekly award.
Richmond propelled his hometown team to a pair of victories last week, helping the Yellowjackets stay in first place in the GNAC standings. The seventh-year senior was instrumental in both victories, averaging 22.5 points and shooting 51.7% in the two road games. Richmond's big week was highlighted by a 28-point performance in the team's 88-83 win at Western Washington, as he made 10 of 15 field goals while dishing out four assists and grabbing four rebounds. That came after a 17-point effort in MSUB's narrow 76-72 win at Simon Fraser. Richmond was clutch down the stretch in both wins, hitting a key bucket to extend MSUB's lead to two possessions against WWU after a block, an offensive rebound, and a pair of free throws all in the final minute of the four-point win at SFU.
UP NEXT: The Montana State University Billings Yellowjacket men's basketball team returns to Billings for their final two home games of the season. The 'Jackets will take on Western Oregon on Thursday February 15th at 7 PM and Saint Martin's on Saturday February 17th at 2 PM.
