December 22, 2007
 

Quick-Starting Yellowjackets Falter Against Nebraska-Omaha, 88-77
   Box Score
   MSUB Season Stats
   Game Photos

BILLINGS, Mont. – The University of Nebraska-Omaha men’s basketball team defeated Montana State Billings Saturday afternoon 88-77 at Alterowitz Gym, dropping the Yellowjackets to 0-9 on the year, while the Mavericks improved to 10-1.  Despite the loss, MSUB’s freshman Aaron Terry (Moreno Valley, Calif.) tallied a game and career-high 26 points for the Jackets.

The game began with MSUB taking the early lead six minutes into the contest.  With 14:29 to play in the first half, the Yellowjackets went on one if their best runs of the season, an 18-4 spurt to put the Jackets up 30-14 with 9:44 to play.  UNO would not go away quietly as it came roaring back using a 17-4 run to almost erase the 16-point deficit over the next four-plus minutes. 

A trey by freshman guard John Brooks (Perris, Calif.) put MSUB back up five with just over five to play in the half.  UNO again had the answer as it erased the deficit and took its first lead of the game with 1:44 to play in the half on a shot by Nate Owen.  UNO held a 48-47 lead at halftime.

For the half, the Jackets shot 39 percent on 14 of 36 from the floor.  From beyond the arc, MSUB was 8 of 16 and 11 of 16 from the charity stripe.  The Mavericks shot 49 percent on 17 of 35 from the field.  They were 3 of 9 from beyond the arc and 11 of 12 from the line.  Terry led all scores with 15 points in the half, while Jerry Bennett paced UNO with 11.

The second half opened as UNO jumped out to a six point advantage early.  The Yellowjackets cut the deficit to three on two separate occasions, but the Mavericks continued to push the lead back out through the first 10 minutes of the second half. 

MSUB got as close as four points with 7:38 left on a trey by freshman Kirk Blaine (Gillette, Wyo.), but a jumper by Owen moments later sparked UNO to a 13-5 run to seal the victory.

For the game, Terry was 10 of 18 from the field, 3 of 5 from beyond the arc and 3 of 9 from the line for 26 points.  Brooks chipped in 16 points and Blaine added 10 for the Jackets.  UNO was led by a double-double from Bennett as he tallied a team-high 17 points and 11 rebounds.

The Jackets and Mavericks will be back in action again tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Alterowitz Gymnasium.  Live video streaming, free live stats, and free internet broadcast can be accessed by visiting http://www.msubillings.edu/athletics/broadcasts.htm.