Hassell Receives PacWest Player of the Week Honor (Dec. 26, 2004)

BILLINGS, MT – Montana State-Billings men’s basketball player Justin Hassell was named the Pacific West Conference player of the week for his performance in two wins last week.  The senior guard from Brooklyn, NY averaged a double-double in a pair of victories over Saint Leo.

Hassell averaged 17.5 points and 10 rebounds in the Yellowjackets’ two wins.  On Monday he scored 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in a 107-99 win over the Lions.  He added 17 points and eight rebounds in Tuesday’s 113-106 overtime victory.

For the season, Hassell ranks fourth in the PacWest Conference for scoring and second for rebounding.  He is averaging 18.0 points and 8.0 rebounds a game through the first eight games of the season.  Hassell leads the league in offensive rebounds, averaging 3.38 per game.  Of his 20 rebounds last week, seven came on the offensive end.  He is also ninth in the PacWest for field goal percentage at 51.6 percent. 

The Yellowjackets (7-1) return to action on New Year’s Eve when they host Haskell Indian Nations at 8:00 p.m.