Yellowjackets Close Out Home Slate This Week

BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State Billings men’s basketball team closes out the 2009-2010 home season with a pair of games this week.  The Yellowjackets entertain Western Oregon Thursday at 7 p.m. and Alaska Anchorage Saturday at 7 p.m. on Senior Night at Alterowitz Gymnasium.

Thursday’s game theme is Men’s Night as all men 18 years of age and older receive half price admission and the game is sponsored by Bob Smith Motors.  Saturday’s game theme is Alumni Night with all MSUB/EMC alumni admitted free.  The game sponsor is AMP.

In addition, Saturday also is Senior Night as the Yellowjackets will have seven seniors playing their final game at Alterowitz Gymnasium.  Tyler Hentzen, Brad Hodge, DaVell Jackson, Mike McCrary, Lasha Parghalava, Adam Weisz and Derrick Wright complete the 2010 senior class.  Each senior will be honored before the game.

The Yellowjackets stand at 12-9 on the year and 6-6 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.  With just one win in their final four games, the Jackets will secure their first winning season since the 2005-06 season.

Leading the way for the Jackets this season is DeAndre Chambers who leads the team averaging 15.8 points per game.  He leads the team with 118 field goals made, 55 made 3-pointers and is second on the team in rebounds at 4.6 clip.  Second on the team in scoring is Derrick Wright who is averaging 12.1 points per game.  Wright leads the team with a .550 average from the field (82 of 149) and leads the team with a 5.3 average in rebounds.  DaVell Jackson is third in scoring at 12.0 points per game.  He leads the team in assists with 119 and steals with 44.  Jackson ranks 16th nationally in assists.

As a team, the Yellowjackets are shooting 46 percent from the field on 545 of 1164.  MSUB has drained 143 triples for a .386 average and are shooting 73 percent from the field on 333 of 456.  The Jackets are outrebounding their opponents 33.0 to 32.5 and are scoring 74.6 points per game and allowing 73.6 points.

Western Oregon enters the week with an 11-13 record overall and a 4-9 mark in the GNAC.  The Wolves have dropped four straight, including at 103-95 setback in Monmouth, Feb. 13 to MSUB.  WOU has won just five of its last 16 games.

Leading the way for WOU this season is Rico Myles and Bair Wheadon who both are averaging 12.8 points per game.  Wheadon leads the team with 53 made 3-pointers, while Myles leads the team with 120 made field goals and a .531 field goal average.  Wheadon also leads the team with 85 assists and 56 steals.

As a team, the Wolves are shooting 46 percent from the field on the year, 35 percent from beyond the arc and 70 percent from the charity stripe.  WOU is pulling down 35.5 rebounds per game and allowing 34.2, while scoring 75.5 points per game and allowing 80.2 points.

In their highest scoring performance of the season, the Yellowjackets won at WOU with a 103-95 victory on Feb. 13.  In that game, the Jackets had a season-high three players score 20 or more points as Chambers led the way with 25, while Brad Hodge added 23 and Lasha Parghalava chipped in 20.  The Jackets shot an impressive 58.3 percent from the field for the game and 63.3 percent in the second half alone. 

Both teams really hit the deep shots as the teams combined for 25 made 3-pointers.  The Wolves had six of seven players in double figures led by 21 points from Kyle Long and 19 from Matt Schmidt.  WOU shot 64 percent from the field in the first half, but struggled to 45 percent in the second half.

The Seawolves enter the week with a 15-8 record overall and a 6-6 mark in conference play.  UAA hosts Alaska Fairbanks on Wednesday, before heading to Billings for Saturday’s game.  UAA has dropped two of its past three and five of eight.

Leading the way for the Seawolves this season is Brandon Walker who leads the team averaging 15.0 points per game.  He also leads the team in made field goals (123), made free throws (73) and blocks with 11.  Second on the team in scoring is Malcolm Campbell at 14.6 points.  He is averaging 5.5 rebounds per game which is good for second on the team.  Casey Robinson is third in scoring at 11.0 points , while Nick Pacitti leads the team averaging 6.8 rebounds per game.  Robinson leads the squad from distance with 49 made 3-pointers. 

As a team, the Seawolves are shooting 45 percent from the field, 35 percent from beyond the arc and 71 percent from the line.  UAF is averaging 36.5 rebounds per game and holding opponents to just 28.6 rebounds per game.  In addition, the Seawolves are scoring 70.6 points per contest and allowing 63 points per game.

Jackson scored a MSUB season-high 28 points in an 80-72 loss in the second game of the conference season at Alaska Anchorage on Jan. 9.  Chambers added 20 points and Parghalava chipped in 10.  MSUB struggled shooting in the first half (31 percent), but was down just six at intermission thanks to 6 of 7 from the line while UAA was just 2 of 3.  MSUB and UAA both shot better than 50 percent in the second half.  Walker led the way for the Seawolves with 19 points.