FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Monday, December 5, 2016 ‘Jackets pick up first GNAC win, down WOU 79-71
Zack Lessinger and Marc Matthews carry the Yellowjackets through a strong second half, as MSUB defeats Western Oregon 79-71 Monday night in GNAC play at Alterowitz Gym. BILLINGS, Mont. – Picking up its first Great Northwest Athletic Conference win of the season against reigning conference champion Western Oregon University Monday night, the Montana State University Billings men’s basketball team used a strong second half to down the Wolves 79-71 at Alterowitz Gym. The Yellowjackets (5-4, 1-1 GNAC) overcame a five-point halftime deficit, taking the lead on a 3-pointer by senior Marc Matthews with 14:45 to go and never relinquishing it. Matthews finished with a game-high 20 points on 4 of 9 shooting from beyond the arc, and freshman forward Zack Lessinger led all players with nine rebounds in 19 minutes off of the bench. “I am excited about how the guys responded after the Saturday disappointment, and this was a true team victory,” said MSUB head coach Jamie Stevens. “All 10 guys played double-digit minutes, and the second half was sparked by really unselfish defensive and offensive basketball.”
It was a tale of two halves for the Wolves offensively, as the visiting team shot 55.8 percent from the floor in the first and only 37.9 percent in the second half. The ‘Jackets meanwhile shot consistently well throughout the game, finishing at a clip of 50.9 percent overall from the field (27-for-53). Lessinger was relentless underneath the basket defensively, and also contributed six points on the other end. “We were just trying to get that first GNAC win, and we wanted to get things back on track,” said Lessinger after the ‘Jackets snapped a three-game winning streak with a 92-82 loss to Concordia University on Saturday. “This is a big win and we just want to keep the momentum going.” The Wolves (4-5, 1-1 GNAC) were led by three double-figure scorers, as Ali Faruq-Bey (19 points), Yanick Kulich (16 points), and Tanner Omlid (15 points) accounted for 50 of their team’s 71 total points. The ‘Jackets out-scored the Wolves 33-14 off of the bench, led by nine points apiece from Christian Evans and Kendall Denham. Cinco Durr was also stellar in 19 minutes as a reserve, scoring seven points and chipping in four assists and a pair of steals. “Cinco was huge in the first half, and really helped keep us in the game,” said Stevens. Zack Lessinger led all players with a season-best nine rebounds in MSUB’s 79-71 win over Western Oregon Monday night.
A 14-0 run by Western Oregon came during a stretch where the ‘Jackets went 0-for-3 from the field and committed seven of their 18 turnovers. However, with the score at 25-15, MSUB came out of a timeout on a 6-0 run of their own to get back into the game.
Durr followed with back-to-back buckets as time wound down in the first, as MSUB kept pace with WOU and headed into the break trailing 40-35. After Matthews’ three gave MSUB the lead in the second half, the Wolves tied the score at 60-60 thanks to a three-point play by Faruq-Bey with 8:40 to play. MSUB never gave up the advantage however, as Lessinger scored a layup and Jace Anderson added five straight points on a trey and a pair of free throws. Perhaps the most significant bucket of the night came with just 48 seconds left on the clock, as Evans knocked down a three from the wing to make the score 77-71 and ice the game. Denham also had a key scoring burst offensively, scoring five-straight points midway through the second half to help the ‘Jackets wrestle a 55-52 lead into their hands. Preston Beverly was a major contributor in the first half for MSUB, nearing a double-double with 13 points and eight rebounds in 22 total minutes. Sven Jeuschede had a pair of assists in 17 solid minutes off of the bench, and Jordan Perry played strong in 13 minutes for MSUB. The ’Jackets made 10 of 22 shots from long range (45.5 percent) but struggled from the foul line for the second straight game at just 62.5 percent (15-for-24). The Wolves fared even worse however, shooting just 3-for-14 from the arc (21.4 percent) and 57.1 percent from the free-throw line (8-for-14).
THE BUZZ: Lessinger was picked as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the game…the redshirt freshman topped his previous season-high of six rebounds…this was the first time MSUB has shot 50 percent or better in a game since the team shot 53.6 percent in a 90-71 win over Alaska Anchorage at home on Feb. 9, 2016…MSUB snapped a six-game losing streak to Western Oregon, which dated back to the 2012-13 season. NEXT UP: MSUB plays its final game before the holiday break on Saturday, hosting Rocky Mountain College in the second game of a doubleheader at Alterowitz Gym. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m., and the game will be carried live on ESPN Radio 910 KBLG in Billings and on the web at www.espn910.com. Live video with play-by-play commentary and live statistics will also be available online through MSUB’s Stretch Internet portal here. --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--