Yellowjackets Head to the Last Frontier at Alaska Anchorage and Alaska Fairbanks

BILLINGS, Mont. - The Montana State Billings men’s basketball team concludes a four-game road swing this weekend at Alaska Anchorage Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Alaska time and at Alaska Fairbanks Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Alaska time.  The Yellowjackets enter the week with a 9-11 record overall and a 4-5 record in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.  MSUB dropped two heartbreaking road losses last week at Western Oregon and at Saint Martin’s. 

MSUB is looking for its first road victory since a 68-67 victory at Lincoln University Feb. 2007 and the first conference sweep since the 2005-06 season.  MSUB defeated Alaska Anchorage in Billings Jan. 28, 69-60 and defeated Alaska Fairbanks 118-112 in double-overtime Jan. 17. 

Leading the way for the Yellowjackets this season is Michael Hall who is averaging a team-best 18 points per game.  He leads the team in field goals made with 116 and 3-pointers with 64.  Hall is shooting .423 from the field and .400 from beyond the arc.  Derrick Wright is second on the team in scoring at a 15.7 clip.  He is second on the team in rebounds (5.7) and made field goals with 112.  Wright is shooting a team-best .536 from the field (112 of 209) and is 90 of 124 from the charity stripe for a .726 clip.   Travis Bunker is third on the team in scoring at 14.4 points per game.  He leads the team averaging 8.5 rebounds per contest.  Bunker is second in made 3-pointers with 58.  Mario Burns leads the team in assists with 134 and is fourth in scoring at 10.6 points per game.  Burns also has a team-best 38 steals on the year. 

As a team, the Yellowjackets are shooting just under 47 percent from the field for the season (532 of 1140) and are at a 38 percent average for 3-pointers (141 of 364).  MSUB is shooting just south of 70 percent from the line 293 of 423 for the season.  The ‘Jackets are averaging 33.9 rebounds per game compared to a 32.7 average by the opposition. In addition, are outscoring their opponents 74.9 to 74.3.

MSUB has picked up the pace in conference games as Hall leads the way averaging 21 points per game.  Wright upped his average to 18 per game and 6.3 rebounds per conference game as well.  Bunker leads the team with 6.4 rebounds per game and Burns is averaging 10.1 points.  As a team, MSUB is shooting just over 50 percent from the field, as well as 41 percent from downtown and 69 percent from the line.  The Yellowjackets are averaging 34.4 rebounds per game in conference play and scoring 80.1 points per game.

Alaska Anchorage enters the week with an 11-11 record and a 5-4 record in conference, ½ game ahead of MSUB in the standings.  The Seawolves are led by Kenny Barker who leads the team averaging 18.8 points per contest.  Barker also leads the team in made field goals (134), made 3-pointers (38) and made free throws (88).  In fact, Barker is shooting 86 percent from the charity stripe on 88 of 102.  He also leads the team averaging 6.4 rebounds per game with 73 assists and 29 steals to lead the way.  Casey Robinson is second in scoring (15.0), followed by Jeremiah Trueman (14.4) and Brandon Walker (12.0).

The Seawolves are shooting 48 percent from the field for the year on 572 of 1178.  UAA is just under 40 percent from deep and are a good free throw shooting club at 78 percent.  Alaska Anchorage is averaging 33.2 rebounds per game, but holding teams to a 29.5 clip.  UAA is averaging 71.5 points and allowing 66.2

UAA leads the all-time series with MSUB 30-25, including a 24-4 record in Anchorage.  The last MSUB win in Anchorage came Jan. 29, 1998, in a 91-73 decision.  Since, UAA has won five-straight at home.  MSUB snapped a four-game skid earlier this season with a win in Billings, 69-60, Jan. 28. 

Alaska Fairbanks enters the week with a 5-13 record overall and a 2-7 record in conference play.  The Nanooks have dropped three straight and seven of nine.  Leading the way for UAF this season is Emmanuel Jenkins who leads the team averaging 19.2 points per game.  He also leads the team with 118 made field goals and is second with 30 made 3-pointers.  Jenkins boasts a .769 average from the line on a team-best 60 of 78 attempts.  Jon Moe is second on the team in scoring at 19.0 points per game.  He is second in made field goals (116) and leads the team with 52 made 3-pointers.  Nashorn Maynard is third in scoring at 11.2 points and leads the team with 9.1 rebounds per game.  Colin Matteson adds 10.0 points per game as well.

As a team, the Nanooks are shooting 44 percent from the field for the year on 532 of 1187.  The team is just 116 of 341 from long range for 34 percent, but does shoot free throws well at 72 percent on 247 of 340.  The Nanooks are averaging 35.5 rebounds per game, but allow just under 41 rebounds per game. 

MSUB leads the all-time series 33-16, including winning the first meeting 118-112 in double overtime earlier this year in Billings.  The Yellowjackets’ lone win last season was a 65-55 victory over Alaska Fairbanks in Billings as well.  UAF leads the all-time series in Fairbanks, 14-8.  MSUB has not won in Fairbanks, since Feb. 8, 1997 with a 109-103 victory. 

After the road trip, MSUB returns home to its final three home games of the season beginning Sat., Feb. 21 at 7:30 p.m. versus Saint Martin’s on Hall of Fame Weekend.

The Hall of Fame activities begin Fri., Feb. 20, as MSUB will induct the 1999 MSUB Elite Eight women’s basketball team, Gina Langer (Volleyball, '00), Greg Anderson (Gymnastics, ’86), Roy McPipe (Men’s Basketball, ’74) and Mike Conroy as Coach of the Year ('68) into the Yellowjacket Athletic Hall of Fame at the Hilton Garden Inn at 2465 Grant Road in Billings.  The festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. and tickets can be purchased for $30 by calling Denis Wynia in the MSUB Athletic Department at 406-657-2369.

In addition, each of the 2009 inductees will be honored at halftime of the MSUB vs. Saint Martin’s game Feb. 21.