Jacket Men Drop Second Exhibition to Rocky (11/14/06)
Box Score
Game Photos

BILLINGS, MT – Only one week after winning an offensive shootout, Rocky Mountain used a stingy defense to win its second-straight game against Montana State-Billings Tuesday night, 81-66.  The Bears improved to 3-4 with the win.  The game was an exhibition for the Yellowjackets, who open the regular season on December 1.

The Yellowjackets led for the first 14 minutes of the game, building their lead to as many as nine midway through the first half.  Rocky tied the game and took its first lead, 25-24, at the 5:48 mark of the first half on two Chris Nickolei free throws.  The Bears never trailed again in the game, taking a 35-31 lead into halftime.  Rocky’s biggest lead of the game was 15 in the second half, and the Bears led by double digits for much of the final eight minutes.

The Bears shot 52 percent from the field in the game while holding the Jackets to 39 percent shooting.  MSUB was just 6-of-24 from 3-point range, including 2-of-9 in the first half.  Rocky was 0-for-2 from behind the arc in the first half, but knocked down 4-of-7 in the final 20 minutes.  The Bears converted 19-of-31 free throws while the Jackets hit just 8-of-17.

The Yellowjackets had four players score in double figures, led by Jeff Miner’s (Gresham, OR) 18 points.  He was 5-of-15 from 3-point.  Eric Cunningham (Phoenix, AZ) was 7-of-8 from the field and scored 15 points.  He also had six assists and four steals.  Jonathan Wiley (Westlake Village, CA) and Russell Steplight (Olympia, WA) each netted 10 points.

The Bears were led by Devin Uskoski’s double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds.  Rocky out-rebounded the Yellowjackets 41-36.  Chris Nickolei and Elijah Swan also scored 15 points apiece.

The Yellowjackets open the regular season on December 1 against 12^th-ranked Central Washington at the Northwest Nazarene Tournament in Nampa, ID.  They will play host NNU on December 2.  The Jackets’ home opener will be December 16 when they host West Liberty State.

Note: The first “Jacket Jackpot” of the year was won Tuesday night.  Marshall Left Hand of Lodge Grass, Mont., took home $1,000 from “Jacket Jackpot” sponsor RBC Dain Rauscher.  Yellowjacket fans can enter to win $1,000 at each Yellowjacket home men’s basketball game this year.