Yellowjackets Snap 13-Game Skid in Home Opener, 81-76

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BILLINGS, Mont. – A double-double by Travis Bunker and four starters in double figures helped lead the Montana State Billings men’s basketball team to an 81-76 victory over visiting Montana Western Saturday evening at Alterowitz Gymnasium in the 2008-09 home opener.  With the victory, the Yellowjackets improve to 1-1 on the year and halted a 13-game losing skid dating back to last season. 

“I feel really good about our performance tonight,” head coach George Pfeifer said.  “In the second half we shot 54 percent and we held them under 40 percent in both halves.  We played pretty well from the scouting report and Coach Keller has them really tough to guard.”

The win was Pfeifer’s first win as a Yellowjacket.

Both teams looked a little tense to start the game as MSUB was 0 for 2 to start with two early turnovers and Montana Western was 0 for 4.  Two free throws by Travis Bunker put the Jackets up with 2-0 with just over 18 minutes left in the half.  Bunker followed with a trey for a 5-2 lead.

The Jackets built a 10-4 lead with a old fashion 3-point point play by Derrick Wright with just over 16 minutes left.  MSUB extended the lead to 16-6 as the Bulldogs went ice cold (1 for 6) over the next four minutes capped by a rebound and a fast break layup by Mario Burns.

A bucket by Eric Lipkin ended a seven minute scoreless drought and cut the deficit to 18-8 with 10:30 left.

Back-to-back 3-pointers by the Bulldogs cut the deficit to 20-18 and followed with another 3-pointer, after a Wright layup, to bring Montana Western within one at 22-21 with just over five minutes left in the half. 

Terry Hauser knocked down his second trey of the game giving the Bulldogs their first lead of the game at 24-22 with under five minutes left. 

The Jackets began the game making six of their first 12 shots, but went 3 for 12 from the field since the 11:55 mark to cool down to 34 percent.  Conversely, the Bulldogs began the game just 2 of 14, but heated up hitting 7 of their next 10 shots to get back into the contest. 

The Yellowjackets went into the locker room with a 37-30 lead led by 13 points from Travis Bunker as he was 4 of 8 from the field and 3 of 6 from beyond the arc.  He also pulled down six rebounds in the first half as well.  Wright chipped in nine points.  As a team, the Jackets shot 43 percent on 14 of 32 from the field and were 3 of 10 from downtown.  MSUB was 6 of 7 from the line as well.

UWM upped its average over the last 10 minutes of the first half, but still were under 40 percent on 11 of 28.  The Bulldogs were helped by six made 3-pointers to keep them in the game.  Both teams pulled down 18 rebounds.  Chad Myers led the way with nine points all on 3-pointers.

The Bulldogs opened the second half on fire, connecting on 7 of 15 from the field to cut the Yellowjacket lead to 49-47 with 14 minutes left.  The Jackets began the half 4 of 11 from the field.

Two free throws by Brown evened the score at 49, but a 3-pointer by Bunker put the Jackets back up 52-49 with over 11 minutes left.  Two more free throws and a jumper by Lipkin put UMW up 55-52 with 9:42 left. 

MSUB regained the lead on a hoop-and-harm foul on a layup by Wright.  It was his 16th point of the game.  Off three offensive rebounds, Myers hit a 3-pointer to put the Bulldogs back in front 62-61 with under seven minutes left.

A rebound and a put back by Wright and a 3-pointer by Hall gave MSUB a 70-64 lead with 2:49 left.  Burns stole the ball in the backcourt and laid it in for a 72-64 lead with less than two minutes left.
To that point, UWM hadn’t made a field goal since the 6:05 mark.

A tip in by Garrett Fink quelled a 5:35 drought and brought the Bulldogs to within 72-67 with under 1:40 to play.  Fink hit just the second field goal in the last six minutes, a 3-pointer with 41 seconds left to cut the deficit to 75-70.  Chad Myers hit a 3-pointer with 18.4 seconds left, to cut the Yellowjacket lead to 77-73.  Two free throws by Mario Burns and a steal and layup gave the Jackets an 81-73 lead.  UWM made a desperation 3-pointer to cut the deficit to a game final 81-76 score.

For the game, MSUB was led by a pair of 20 point performances from Hall and Wright and Burns chipped in 15 in the victory, while Bunker had his first double-double as a Yellowjacket with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Brad Hodge just missed a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds.  Burns led the team with eight assists and five steals. 

As a team, the Yellowjackets shot 54 percent in the second half and 48 percent for the game on 27 of 56 from the floor.  MSUB drained eight 3-pointers and won the game at the free throw line going 9 for 10 in the final five minutes to seal the victory.  For the game, the Jackets were a season-best 19 of 25 from the charity stripe.

UMW had five players in double figures led by 18 points from Myers all on 3-pointers.  Fink tallied a double-double for the Bulldogs with 11 points and 12 rebounds in the losing effort.  As a team, the Bulldogs were 28 of 71 from the field for 39.4 percent.  From deep, UWM was 12 of 30 and were 8 of 11 from the line.

MSUB continues at home on Wednesday at it entertains University of Mary at 7 p.m. at Alterowitz Gymnasium.

“Tonight we had different guys step up at different times and that was big,” Pfeifer added.  “Travis had 17 points and 10 rebounds and Brad Hodge had 11 rebounds and nine points which is a welcome sight.  I thought Mario Burns had some good defensive possessions which really did create a good atmosphere for us.  We had a scoring presence inside with Derrick (Wright) and we are fortunate to win against a very good Montana Western Team.”