MSU Billings Rebounds to Down Hawaii Pacific (January 16, 2003)

BILLINGS, MT – Two nights after Hawaii Pacific ended the nation’s longest home winning streak, MSU Billings bounced back for a 98-81 win.  Kyle Stirmlinger notched a double-double with 25 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Yellowjackets to their first conference victory.

With MSU Billings down to seven players because of injury, the Sea Warriors tried to force the tempo in the first half.  The Yellowjackets were able to withstand the 20-minute track meet in the opening twenty minutes to take a 50-43 lead into halftime.  Dan Thompson scored 17 first-half points including four 3-pointers to pace the Jackets to the seven-point lead.

MSU Billings used an 8-2 run opening the second half to claim a 13-point lead with 18:16 remaining.  Baskets by Stirmlinger, Thompson and Willy Davison led the surge.  Hawaii Pacific missed four of its first six shots of the half. 

The Sea Warriors were able to cut the lead to nine twice.  Marvin Noble’s 3-pointer with 15:51 remaining cut the Yellowjackets’ lead to 61-52.  MSU Billings pushed the lead back to as much as 15 with 9:03 remaining after Justin Hassell’s basket.  HPU again cut the lead to nine on Aaron Abrams’s basket at 8:00, making the score 76-67. 

Back-to-back 3-pointers within a span of 42 seconds by Buddy Windy Boy put the Yellowjackets ahead 82-67 and the lead was not threatened again.  The closest Hawaii Pacific could get after that was 13 points.  MSU Billings eventually built a 23-point lead after another Windy Boy 3-pointer made the score 95-72 with 1:31 left.

Thompson finished the game with 22 points and eight rebounds.  He left the game late in the second half after landing on his head when he was slammed to the floor while attempting a shot in the lane.  The Yellowjackets can hardly afford to lose another player to injury.  Freshman shooting guard Cameron Munoz missed Thursday's game with an injured ankle.

Hassell scored 18 points, 11 of which came in the second half.  Windy Boy added 14, and Davison tallied a double-double with 11 points and a career-high 11 assists.

The Sea Warriors were led by Abrams’s 30 points on 11-of-25 shooting from the floor.  Noble finished with 17, and Leandro Maruoka added nine points and 10 rebounds.  MSU Billings improves to 7-6, 1-4 while Hawaii Pacific falls to 12-3, 1-2.  The Yellowjackets will host BYU-Hawaii Saturday.  HPU will play at Western New Mexico Saturday.