Yellowjackets Survive Low Scoring West Region Clash (Jan. 3, 2004)
Box Score

BILLINGS, MT – Western Oregon had three 3-point attempts in the final minute of Saturday afternoon’s game at MSU Billings, but missed all three as the Yellowjackets won their third straight West Region game, 72-70.  Trae Fortier and Cameron Munoz combined for 35 of the Jackets’ 72 points and six of their nine 3-pointers as MSUB improved to 6-2 overall.  The victory avenged a December loss at Western Oregon (8-3).  MSU Billings opens PacWest Conference play on January 6 at Hawaii Pacific.

Neither team found its shooting touch in the only home afternoon game of the year for the Yellowjackets.  MSU Billings shot just 36-percent from the field in the first half and 38-percent for the game.  Western Oregon was no better, hitting 35-percent in the opening half and 36-percent in the game.

The Wolves made 13-of-14 free throws in the first half to forge a 34-32 advantage at the break.  Robert Day and Ryan Medford were each 4-of-4 from the charity stripe in the opening half.  WOU shot 90-percent from the line on 20 attempts in the game.  Day finished with a game-high 22 points.

The opening 20 minutes saw seven lead changes, with the largest lead of the half coming after a Sean Kelly jumper gave the Wolves a 32-27 lead.  A Munoz 3-pointer at 1:45 cut the lead to two, and two Fortier free throws on the next possession tied the game at 32-32.  Medford sank two free throws with 42 seconds on the clock to give the Wolves their two-point halftime lead.  Medford scored six points in the game.

Fortier, who netted 18 points in the game, scored the Yellowjackets’ first five points of the second half, tying the game at 37 with 17:38 to play.  Day and Kelly then outscored the Yellowjackets 9-4 over a two-minute span to give the Wolves a five-point lead at the 15:33 mark.  Munoz and Dave Carse answered by scoring the Jackets’ next 11 points to give MSU Billings its first lead of the second half with 12:21 remaining.  It was the Yellowjackets’ first lead since 5:23 of the first half.  Munoz scored 17 in the game with four 3-pointers and five assists.  Carse added seven points and five assists.

MSU Billings followed with a 10-4 run to build a seven-point lead.  Alex Galloway scored five of the ten points during the run, including a dunk off a baseline drive.  Galloway scored 11 points in the game.

Back-to-back 3-pointers by WOU’s Kelly and Kevin Tyner sparked a 12-2 run that gave the Wolves a three-point lead with just 3:15 to play.  Kelly and Tyner finished with 17 and 14 points, respectively.  Tyner handed out a game-high eight assists.

Buddy Windy Boy’s 3-pointer on the next possession tied the game for the ninth time.  Windy Boy was just 1-of-5 from behind the arc in the game.  Following a Munoz steal, Fortier was fouled and sank both free throws to give the Jackets a 69-67 lead with 2:27 left. 

Neither team scored over the next 1:35, with the Yellowjackets committing three turnovers during that stretch.  Following a Munoz foul, Tyner made one of two free throws with 52 seconds to go in the game.  Day rebounded Tyner’s missed free throw and passed to Kelly, who missed an open 3-pointer.  Tyner grabbed the offensive rebound and Kelly missed another 3-point attempt, with Munoz finally corralling the rebound. 

Munoz was fouled with 17 seconds remaining, hitting both free throws to give the Yellowjackets a three-point lead, 71-68.  After an MSU Billings timeout, Tyner drove the right side of the lane, scoring a layup to draw the Wolves to within one at 71-70 with nine ticks on the clock. 

Munoz was fouled on the inbound with six seconds remaining, but missed the front end of the double bonus.  He made the second try, giving the Jackets a 72-70 lead and the Wolves one last chance to win the game.  Kelly’s 3-point attempt with time expiring was just off the mark, improving MSU Billings to 3-2 in the West Region.