Yellowjackets Seventh in Initial NCAA West Region Poll

BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State Billings men’s basketball team is ranked seventh in the initial NCAA Division II West Region Poll announced Wednesday.  MSUB is one of five teams from the Great Northwest Athletic Conference ranked in the top-10 poll, including five of the top nine.

“We obviously know this is January and not the first part of March when this ranking will truly mean something,” MSUB head coach George Pfeifer said.  “But we are proud that in a year and a half, we have witnessed the program go being near the bottom to moving in the direction we would like it to go. There are an awful lot of really good teams and we have a long way to go.”

Seattle Pacific, Western Washington and Alaska Anchorage lead this week’s poll as the GNAC owns the top three spots.  Cal State San Bernardino is fourth, followed by Dixie State, Humboldt State, MSUB and BYU-Hawaii round out the top eight.  Central Washington is ninth, followed by Cal Poly Pomona.  The top eight in the region advance to the NCAA Tournament in March.

The Yellowjackets stand at 9-5 overall and 3-2 in the GNAC and begin a crucial three game home stand Thursday with Central Washington at 7:30 p.m. at Alterowitz Gymnasium.  MSUB then hosts Western Washington on Saturday at 7:30 p.m., followed by a Feb. 3 matchup with Alaska Fairbanks at 7 p.m.

Fans can watch and listen to all MSUB home men’s and women’s basketball games.  Yellowjacket play-by-play announcer Ken Adelblue will have the call.

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