Dustdevils Sweep Season Series with Jackets (1/4/06)
Box Score
Game Photos

BILLINGS, MT – For the second time this season, Texas A&M-International held on late for a win over the Montana State-Billings men’s basketball team.  The Dustdevils had five players score in double figures in their 80-73 win at Alterowitz Gym Thursday night, sweeping the home-and-home season series with the Yellowjackets.  TAMIU improved to 7-5 on the season while dropping MSUB to 1-8.

“We played this team a lot better on the road than we did tonight,” said Yellowjacket head coach Craig Carse.  “Give them a lot of credit.  They came in and played solid basketball.  They shot the ball well and hit the big shots.”

The game was close throughout with three ties and a dozen lead changes.  Ten of those lead changes came in the second half when momentum seemed to shift every other minute.  After falling behind by eight points in the first seven minutes of the second half, the Yellowjackets went on a run and briefly seized control of the momentum. 

Ammar Harknell (Stockholm, Sweden) knocked down one of his five 3-pointers with 10:18 to play to cap off a 9-0 run that gave the Jackets a 52-51 lead.  Following a Dustdevil basket at the other end, Harknell hit another 3-pointer for a two-point lead with 9:04 to play.  TAMIU’s Leon Jacob answered with a 3-pointer on the other end to spark a Dustdevil run. 

TAMIU used an 11-0 run to build its largest lead of the game at 64-55 with a little over seven minutes remaining.  The Jackets whittled away at the deficit over the next three minutes, outscoring the Dustdevils 14-4.  A Cody Samuelson (Broadus, MT) 3-pointer with 4:23 to play gave the Jackets a 69-68 advantage, but that proved to be the final lead of the night for MSUB.  The Dustdevils connected on 5-for-7 free throws down the stretch to seal the win.

“We put them at the line 23 times, and it’s tough to overcome that,” said Carse.  “We hit 15 threes, so we’re shooting the ball pretty well.  We shot the ball as well as we have all year.  We’re just not consistent.  We’re committing a lot of fouls at home.  We do a little better job on the road.  We need to adjust.”

Harknell and Tom D’Amore (Tucson, AZ) each hit five of the Jackets’ season-high 15 three-pointers.  D’Amore was 5-of-6 from behind the arc with Harnkell connecting on 5-of-10.  Both players finished with 17 points.  The 17 points and five 3-pointers were career highs for both.  Harknell also had six rebounds. 

Jeff Miner (Gresham, OR) also netted 17 points and notched the first double-double of his career with 10 assists.  Jonathan Wiley (Westlake Village, CA) added 13 points and six rebounds.  He was 6-of-7 from the line.  Samuelson finished with seven points.  As a team the Yellowjackets were 12-of-13 from the line and 15-of-33 from 3-point range.

The Dustdevils were led by Jacob’s 20 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field.  He converted all six of his free throw attempts.  Angel Encinas added 15 points and eight assists.  He was 5-of-8 from behind the arc.  Chris Swan finished with 14 points, Martell Lewis had 13, and Nick Ochoa had 10.  Lewis also grabbed 10 rebounds.  TAMIU shot a blistering 60 percent from the field in the game and out-rebounded the Jackets 29-24.

The Yellowjackets return to action Saturday with a Heartland Conference game against league leader St. Edward’s (10-3, 2-0).  It will be the second conference game of the season for MSUB, which won its HLC opener against Oklahoma Panhandle State last week.  Tip off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Alterowitz Gym.