BURNABY, B.C. - The Montana State University Billings Yellowjacket men's basketball team (15-6, 9-2 GNAC) downed the Simon Fraser Red Leaf's (5-17, 3-8 GNAC) in a thriller with a final score of 76-72.
After a slow start and a five-point deficit the Yellowjackets exploded at the 8:24 mark on a 26-8 run to close out the first half. After a first half that ended with MSUB in full control, the Red Leaf's made it an intense ballgame by outscoring the Yellowjackets 45-36 in the second half. Despite the SFU comeback it was the 'Jackets that came out victorious backed behind impressive performances across the board.
Daniel Moody had a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds,
Zharon Richmond had 16 points and game changing plays in the final moments, and
Steven Richardson had a season high 16 points.
The Yellowjackets found success from beyond the arch early in the opening half of the game after
Famous Lefthand and
Steven Richardson put six points on the board from three. Despite the pair of deep balls, the 'Jackets had a slow start offensively, shooting just under 30 percent form the field at the 11:14 mark. On the alternative the Red Leaf's were shooting over 53 percent on their home gymnasium. The script was then flipped when MSUB went on a 22-4 run to take a 26-21 lead behind
Daniel Moody who had 13 points at this point in the game. The Yellowjackets carried this momentum and headed into the half up 40-27.
The first seven minutes was all Simon Fraser as they had a 16-point swing and took the lead for the first time since 7:02 in the first half. The once one-sided ball game in favor of the 'Jackets was now 55-54 in favor of the Red Leaf's at the 11-minute mark in the second half. With SFU containing all the momentum the Yellowjackets needed a spark, a spark was what they got from Richmond when he hit a fade-away jumper and-one to regain the lead. This resulted in a 7-0 run to put MSUB back up by seven with six and a half minutes to play. From there it was back-and-forth basketball with both teams in bonus. In the final moments of the game
Zharon Richmond showed why he is one of the best players in MSUB history. Richmond had a block with under a minute to go followed by an offensive rebound with three seconds, got fouled and made both free-throws and winning the game 76-72.
KEY PERFORMANCES:
Daniel Moody – 20 PTS (9-14 FG), 11 REB, 1 AST
Steven Richardson – 16 PTS (6-10 FG, 4-6 3PT), 4 REB, 1 STL
THE BUZZ: Zharon Richmond was named Intermountain Health Player of the Game after posting 17 points while shooting 5-5 from the free-throw line, 4 rebounds, and 1 block.
UP NEXT: The Montana State University Billings Yellowjacket men's basketball team stays on the road and heads to Bellingham, WA to take on the Western Washington Vikings on February 10
th at 7 PM (PST).
