Yellowjackets Host Chaminade in Critical PacWest Games (February 10, 2003)

BILLINGS, MT – It’s true that every game is important.  But when middle-of-the-pack teams meet in mid-season conference match-ups, the games are critical.  When MSU Billings (11-6 overall, 4-4 in the PacWest) hosts Chaminade (9-10 overall, 4-3 in the PacWest) on Tuesday and Thursday, one of the teams could be eliminated from conference championship contention.

Last season the Yellowjackets won the Pacific West Conference title with a 10-5 conference record.  It may take a little more than that this season as BYU-Hawaii has built a 6-1 conference mark and five of their final eight games are at home.  To challenge the Seasiders for the title, someone may have to win the rest of their remaining games.

MSU Billings and Chaminade both are in position to catch BYU-Hawaii since both teams still have two games remaining against the Seasiders.  But the games this Tuesday and Thursday are must-win games for both teams if they plan on having at shot at BYUH in the final two weeks.

The Yellowjackets have had a season of swings, winning six straight to start the season, losing six straight during a stretch of injuries and illness, followed by five-straight wins since mid-January.  A key reason for the latest resurgence has been senior forward Dan Thompson, who has scored at least 21 points in each of his last seven games dating back to January 8 at Hawaii-Hilo.  Thompson poured in a career-high 34 last Thursday as the Jackets blasted the University of Great Falls 102-61.  He has moved to No. 2 in the PacWest for scoring at 17.8 points per game.

With Thompson’s hot hand and point guard Willy Davison’s growing control of the offense (55 assists in the last six games), the Yellowjackets have started to find their trademark offensive firepower.  They have averaged 108.2 points per game over their last five games, including a school-record 146-point outing against Western New Mexico.

With three players, including two starters, lost for the season to injury, MSUB has relied on a handful of players to carry the bulk of the load.  Senior center Kyle Stirmlinger is averaging 13.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.  Junior Justin Hassell is scoring 12.8 points per game and had his best game of the year last week when he connected on 10-of-11 shots from the field for 26 points against Western New Mexico.  Freshman Cameron Munoz is scoring 11.3 points per game and is tied with Thompson with a team-high 47 made three-pointers.  Davison is third in the PacWest for assists at 5.18 per game, and he leads the league in free throw percentage at 81 percent.  Bill Day is averaging 6.5 points and six rebounds per game and has become the Jackets’ defensive stopper.  Freshman Buddy Windy Boy is scoring seven points a game and is second on the team with 25 three-pointers.

Chaminade will bring its share of weapons to Billings as well.  Mike Donegan leads the conference in field goal percentage at 61 percent.  Leon Ballard is averaging 17.4 points, third-best in the conference, and 7.7 rebounds, second-best in the conference.  Guards Roy Stigall and Bryon Sykes have combined for 72 three-pointers and are each shooting 39 percent from behind the arc. 

Three of Chaminade’s 10 losses came at the Maui Invitational to Virginia, Arizona State and UMass.  The Silverswords beat the Yellowjackets in their first meeting this year, 89-76 in Honolulu.  Ballard scored 22 in that game and Chaminade shot 51 percent from the field.

Tip-off for both Tuesday and Thursday’s games is set for 7:00 p.m. at Alterowitz Gymnasium.  The games can be heard live on News Radio 970 AM, and on the internet at www.msubillings.edu/athletics.