Yellowjackets Open Conference Play at Alaska Fairbanks and Alaska Anchorage

Game Notes in PDF format

OPENING TIP
The Montana State Billings men’s basketball team opens the 2010 Great Northwest Athletic Conference slate on the road for the second consecutive year this week at Alaska Fairbanks and at Alaska Anchorage.  The Yellowjackets play at Alaska Fairbanks Thurs., Jan. 7 at 7 p.m. and at Alaska Anchorage Sat., Jan. 9 at 7 p.m.  MSUB stands at 6-3 on the year, while the Nanooks enter with a 5-4 mark and winners of three straight.  UAA is 9-2 on the year and has won six straight.  The Yellowjackets enter winners of three of their last four.

MAGIC NUMBER FOR 1,000TH VICTORY
The magic number for the 1,000th victory is one.  MSUB is 999-890 all-time for a .530 winning percentage.  The Yellowjackets can become the sixth current GNAC school with 1,000 or more career wins with a win this week.

SCOUTING MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
The Yellowjackets are led this season by DeAndre Chambers who leads the team averaging 13.7 points per game.  He leads the team with 45 made  field goals, 17 made 3-pointers and is second in rebounding at 4.6 rebounds per game.  Second on the team in scoring is Derrick Wright at 12.2 points per contest.  He leads the team pulling down 5.9 rebounds per game and is shooting a team-best .603 from the field on 38 of 63.  Lasha Parghalava is third in scoring at 12 points per game and he is tied for the team lead in triples with 17 and is second in made field goals with 40.  DaVell Jackson is fourth in scoring at 10.3 points per game and leads the team with 44 assist and 23 steals.

As a team, the Yellowjackets are shooting 47 percent from the field and are shooting 37 percent from beyond the arc with 55 triples.  The team is shooting just under 72 percent from th charity stripe and is pulling down 33.4 rebounds per game and scoring 73.6 points per contest.

Conversely, MSUB is holding opponents to 45 percent shooting from the field and 35 percent from beyond the arc.  The opposition is shooting 67 percent from the line and is pulling down 31 rebounds per game  and 68.3 points per game.

RECAPPING GREAT FALLS
The Yellowjackets used a number of big runs to blow past University of Great Falls, 88-61 last Saturday.  MSUB had four players in double figures led by 17 points from Derrick Wright and eight assists.  DeAndre Chambers had his team-best ninth game in double figures with 15 points and seven rebounds.  Brett Taylor had 13 points off the bench in the winning effort.  MSUB shot 50 percent for the game and 54 percent in the first half en route to a 45-25 lead at intermission.  MSUB used a 39-15 run after a 10-6 deficit through the first five minutes of the game to take control.

SCOUTING ALASKA FAIRBANKS
The Nanooks enter the week with a 5-4 record and own a three game winning streak after a 2-4 start.  Leading the way for UAF this season Parrish West who leads the team averaging 21.8 points per game.  West also leads the team with 79 made field goals (.541) and 65 rebounds for a team-best 7.2 average.  Emmanuel Jenkins also is averaging over 20 points per game at a 20.4 clip.  He is second in field goals made (58) and leads the team with 23 made 3-pointers.  Jenkins also leads the team with 48 assists and is tied for second on the team in blocks with six.  Jon Moe is third in scoring at 16.9 points and leads the team with 23 assists.

As a team, the Nanooks are shooting 46 percent from the field, 31 percent from beyond the ar and 68 percent from the line.  UAF is pulling down 39.4 rebounds per game and allowing 39.6.  UAF is averaging 83.8 points per game and allowing 84.6.

INSIDE THE SERIES
The Yellowjackets own a 33-17 record over the Nanooks, but are just 8-15 in Fairbanks.  MSUB has won 11 of the last 17 in the series, but has lost six straight in Fairbanks and haven’t won there since Feb. 8, 1997 (103-84).

SCOUTING ALASKA ANCHORAGE
The Seawolves enter the week with a 9-2 record and have won six straight.  Leading the way for the Seawolves this season Brandon Walker who averages a team-best 15.5 points per game.  He also leads the team with 23 made 3-pointers (.460) and is second in field goals made with 60.  Walker is second in rebounds (66) and has 29 assists and 10 steals.  Second on the team in scoring in Malcolm Campbell who is averaging 14.7 points.  He leads the team with 64 made field goals. 

As a team, the Seawolves are shooting 46 percent from the field, 40 percent from beyond the arc and 71 percent from the line.  UAA is pulling down 39.2 rebounds per game and averaging 73.8 points per contest.  The Seawolves defense is holding teams to just 40 percent shooting from the field, 31 percent from deep and 65 percent from the line.  In addition, UAA has dominated the battle of the boards as the opponents are averaging just 26.2 rebounds per game and 59.1 points per contest.

INSIDE THE SERIES
UAA leads the all-time series 31-25 and has won five of the last six.  MSUB downed the Seawolves last season 69-60 in Billings for the first win in five tries.  Prior that, MSUB had won seven of nine.  UAA owns a 25-4 record in Anchorage, while MSUB leads 20-6 in Billings.  MSUB has not won in Anchorage since a 91-73 victory on Jan. 29, 1998.

WINNING THE CLOSE ONES
Of the seven games this season, the Yellowjackets have had four games decided by four points or less.  MSUB is 3-1 in those games and three have happened at home where MSUB is 5-0 on the year. 

TAYLOR MADE
Junior Brett Taylor came off the bench versus University of Great Falls last week for 13 points as he was deadly from long range.  Taylor hit four triples in the game at opportune times to help the Yellowjackets build a big lead and the eventual 88-61 victory.

ROAD UNKIND
The road has been unkind to the Yellowjackets in recent years.  Last year MSUB was 1-10 on the road and the year before 0-10.  Since the 2000-01 season, the Yellowjackets are just 18-77 in road games.  Moreover, the Yellowjackets are just 2-32 on the road since 2005-06.  MSUB is 0-3 on the road this season.

ONE IN THE CHAMBER(S)
Junior DeAndre Chambers has continued to have an impressive first season as a Yellowjacket.  He has scored in double figures in every game this season to lead the team.  Chambers leads the team averaging 13.7 points per game and garnered his first start at the University of Mary (12/30).  He also started the game against Great Falls (1/2). 

WENDY’S THREE’S
Anytime the Yellowjackets hit seven 3-pointers in a home game, everyone in the crowd will receive a free coupon for one small chili at Wendy’s.  The Yellowjackets hit exactly seven triples versus Colorado Christian.  MSUB followed with six triples versus Mary, seven versus Northern New Mexico College and seven versus Dixie State.  The Jackets have 27 for the year at home with two Wendy’s Three’s Winner.  For the season, MSUB has 43 triples.

THE WRIGHT REJECTION
Senior Derrick Wright leads the team with six blocks on the season and has 24 for his career.  He needs just three blocks to move into the top-10 in career blocks at MSUB.

JACKETS PICKED FIFTH
The Yellowjackets were picked preseason fifth by the conference coaches.  The Jackets tallied 52 points, one point behind fourth place Alaska Anchorage.  Seattle Pacific was tabbed league favorite.

LISTEN TO COACH PFEIFER
Fans can listen to the weekly Coach Pfeifer Show on the internet each Tuesday.  Log on to www.msubillings.edu/athletics to listen to Pfeifer’s thoughts on the previous week and the coming weeks.