Yellowjackets Host No. 2 Hawaii Pacific (January 13, 2003)

BILLINGS, MT – The MSU Billings men’s basketball team won’t have an easy time in its quest for its first conference win of the season.  The Yellowjackets will host Hawaii Pacific University, which is ranked No. 2 in the West Region, at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday night.  MSU Billings (6-5, 0-3 PacWest) will also be putting its nation-best 38-game home winning streak on the line against the Sea Warriors (11-2, 0-1 PacWest).

The Yellowjacket have lost five straight, including three PacWest Conference games in Hawaii over the last two weeks.  The defending PacWest Champions will look to find the winning combination with three conference games at home this week.  The first team to come calling is Hawaii Pacific on Tuesday and Thursday. 

The Sea Warriors feature the league’s stingiest defense, holding opponents to 66.9 points per game.  Meanwhile, the Yellowjackets are the PacWest’s second-highest scoring team at 81.7 points per game.  When HPU visited Billings last year, the Sea Warriors unveiled the old “weave” offense in an attempt to hold down the high-scoring Yellowjackets.  The strategy almost worked as MSU Billings won 67-56.

The Yellowjackets have been hit hard by injuries over the first third of the season.  Starters Jerett Skrifvars and David Carse are lost for the season.  Reserve forward Ryan Wetzel is questionable for this week.  With the injuries, new stars have begun to emerge for the young Jackets.  Freshman Cameron Munoz scored 39 and 18 points respectively in last week’s two games at Hawaii-Hilo.  Munoz leads the Yellowjackets and the PacWest with 3.36 three-pointers a game. 

Four Yellowjackets are averaging double-figures, led by senior Dan Thompson’s 13.3 ppg.  Justin Hassell is scoring 11.9 ppg, followed by Munoz’s 11.8 and Kyle Stirmlinger’s 10.5.  Stirmlinger, Hassell and Bill Day each average over five rebounds per game.

The Sea Warriors’ leading scorer, Nic Walters (16.5 ppg) is reported to be out with an injury.  Marvin Noble is averaging 16 ppg, and Leandro Maruoka is adding 13.7.  Maruoka is also pulling down 7.7 rebounds per game.  Forward Nate Block leads the PacWest in blocks at 1.92 per game.