Yellowjackets Soar Past Eagles, 85-64

Box Score

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BILLINGS, Mont. – Five players in double figures sparked the Montana State Billings men’s basketball team to an 85-64 victory over visiting Northern New Mexico College Friday evening at Alterowitz Gymnasium.  With the victory, the Yellowjackets improved to 4-2 on the year, while NNMC fell to 2-7.

The Yellowjackets were led by 18 points from Lasha Parghalava who was a team-high 7 of 11 from the field and 4 of 8 from beyond the arc.  Mike McCrary had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Derrick Wright had 17 points and eight rebounds and Brad Hodge chipped in 13 points.  DeAndre Chambers had another solid outing off the bench with 14 points and seven rebounds.  DaVell Jackson tallied 12 assists on the night.

The Eagles were led by 20 points from Charles Williams and 19 points and 11 rebounds from Eddie Fields.

MSUB shot 50 percent for the game on 31 of 61 from the field.  The Jackets were 7 of 16 from beyond the arc and 16 of 20 from the charity stripe.  MSUB held NNMC to 23 of 60 from the field for 38 percent, 6 of 23 from beyond the arc (26.1) and just 12 of 21 from the line for 57.1 percent. 

The Yellowjackets out-rebounded the Eagles 40-34 and 26-19 on the defensive end.  MSUB scored 42 points in the paint to 32 from the Eagles.  The Jackets led the entire game and held a 21 point lead at the end of the contest.

MSUB, playing in front of the largest crowd of the season at 1804, jumped out to an early 21-11 lead with 12 minutes left in the first half on a hoop-and-harm on DaVell Jackson. 

The Eagles cut the deficit to seven with 7:21 left on a hoop-and-harm foul on Charles Williams.  MSUB then went on a key 16-4 run to close the half for a 43-24 lead at intermission.

MSUB held the Eagles to just 32 percent shooting in the first half on 10 of 31 and were just 1 of 10 from downtown and 3 of 9 from the line.  MSUB shot 51.5 percent in the half on 17 of 33 and was 7 of 9 from the line.

The Jackets opened the second half and increased the lead to 20 points and held between a 19 and 17 point lead for much of the first four minutes of the half.  The Eagles found some momentum and began shooting more, cutting the deficit to eight with a triple from Williams with 8:57 left. 

Parghalava had the answer and pushed the lead back to double digits moments later.  Parghalava added another triple with four minutes left to push an 11-point advantage to 14 as MSUB increased the lead to 21 in the final minute on a triple from Derrick Wright.  It was Wright’s first made and attempted triple since he arrived at MSUB.

The Yellowjackets break for finals before hosting Dixie State, Dec. 21 at 7 p.m. at Alterowitz Gymnasium in a rematch of the Dixie Classic Championship, Dec. 5 as Dixie bested the Yellowjackets 78-75 in St. George, Utah.