FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Wednesday, November 2, 2016 MSUB comeback effort falls just short in 76-72 exhibition loss to Carroll
A last-ditch 3-point attempt by Jace Anderson rattles out, and Carroll College holds on for a 76-72 exhibition win over MSUB on Wednesday night. BILLINGS, Mont. – A wild finish signaled the start of the 2016-17 Montana State University Billings men’s basketball season Wednesday night at Alterowitz Gym, as a late comeback effort by the Yellowjackets came up just short in a 76-72 loss to Carroll College in an exhibition contest. Zach Taylor iced the game with a pair of free throws with 3.5 seconds left on the clock, capping off a game-high 22 points that led the Saints (3-0) to their third win of the season. Carroll entered the game as the No. 9 ranked team in the NAIA. MSUB remained 0-0, as the game did not count for the host team. “We want to win these games, but I believe every time we go on the court we want to get something out of it, so we scheduled really good teams,” said MSUB head coach Jamie Stevens. “The crowd was awesome tonight, and I think they liked what they saw with our freshmen and sophomores. We have some young guys who are going to be special.”
The evening served as a welcoming back of sorts for senior Jace Anderson, whose 2015-16 campaign was cut short after tearing his ACL. With the ‘Jackets trailing 74-72 and 10 seconds left coming out of a timeout, Anderson was called upon to hit a signature 3-pointer to give his team the lead. Opening up a solid look from the top of the arc, his shot rattled out and Taylor leapt up for the rebound before being fouled. “That was not a hard decision, and Jace is a money guy,” Stevens commented on the decision to put the ball in Anderson’s hands with the game on the line. “Jace was just awesome tonight, and we saw a lot of good things as a team.” Introducing themselves loudly Wednesday night were freshmen Ryan Chappell and Cinco Durr, who consistently sparked a roar from a crowd of nearly 700. Durr, a 6-foot point guard from Sacramento, Calif., put his blazing speed and crafty skill on display with a pair of assists, three points, and two boards in 18 minutes. Chappell brought fans to their feet with a pair of breakaway dunks after steals late in the second half, and led the team with 16 points on the evening. “Ryan is the ultimate gamer, and when the lights come on the guy can go,” Stevens said. “Cinco was just great tonight, and he has a different pace than anybody in the gym.” Freshman Ryan Chappell led MSUB with 16 points on Wednesday evening against Carroll College.
The Saints used an 11-0 run to start the game, jumping out to a big lead thanks in part to early shooting woes for the ‘Jackets. An ensuing 7-0 run by MSUB spurred the team to life offensively however, and the ‘Jackets cut the deficit to as little as 1613 midway through the first half. The Saints distanced themselves the rest of the period, leading 42-34 at the break. Kamal Tall was impressive off the bench, collecting 10 rebounds and adding seven points in a very productive 16 minutes. He was one off the team-high in boards, as Christian Evans grabbed 11 and scored eight points in 37 minutes. A loud dunk by Chappell with 10 minutes remaining was followed by a defensive stop and a layup by Evans to cut the deficit to 62-56. Chappell came through with another breakaway dunk after a steal, this time flushing down a lefthanded slam that brought the ‘Jackets within three points with eight minutes left. MSUB stayed within striking distance down the stretch, working to cut the score to a single possession with just seconds remaining. Match Burnham (14), Oliver Carr (13), and Ryan Imhoff (12) were each also in double figures for the Saints, while the latter led the team with seven rebounds. MSUB out-rebounded Carroll 36-33, and created 14 turnovers while committing 13. The Saints cooled off from a hot 56.7 shooting percentage in the first half to a mark of 48.1 in the second half. Carroll made just 1 of 5 3-pointers, while the ‘Jackets converted on 9 of 28 attempts from long range.
Preston Beverly joined Chappell as a double figure scorer, as he finished with a dozen points on 5 of 13 shooting and five rebounds. Senior Marc Matthews made 3 of 8 shots from the arc for nine points. MSUB struggled from the foul line, shooting 52.4 percent on the game (11-for-21). “We got everything we wanted out of that game,” said Stevens. “It would have been nice to say we won the game, but in the end we are 0-0 no matter what.” Chappell was picked as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game. NEXT UP: MSUB hosts Montana Tech in another exhibition game at Alterowitz Gym on Friday night. The game will be part of a doubleheader with MSUB’s women’s basketball team, and players will wear throwback jerseys on EMC Night. The Yellowjacket women tip off at 5:15 p.m., and the men follow at 7:30 p.m. --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--