FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Monday, January 16, 2017 Beverly named GNAC Player of the Week again
Scoring 50 points to help MSUB’s men’s basketball to two more victories last week, sophomore Preston Beverly earns his second GNAC Player of the Week honor of the year. PORTLAND, Ore. – Scoring a career-high 28 points on Saturday after 22 points on Thursday, sophomore forward Preston Beverly helped lead the Montana State University Billings men’s basketball team to a pair of wins last week and has been named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Week announced Monday. This is Beverly’s second GNAC weekly award this season, and fourth overall for the Yellowjackets, as senior Marc Matthews has also twice been named the conference’s player of the week. “Like every individual honor these guys have received, a lot of it is based on the teamwork. When your team has success, individuals get to reap rewards,” said MSUB head coach Jamie Stevens. “Preston played very well last week, and Saturday was probably the best game of his career. Not only did he get it done on the court, but in timeout huddles, and other areas, he was leading really well. This is another well-deserved honor for him.”
Beverly started the week with 22 points and a career-high six assists in MSUB’s dramatic, 69-68 win over preseason favorite Alaska Anchorage on Thursday. Beverly made 6 of 7 free throws and chipped in six rebounds and three blocks in 35 minutes. The sophomore had a career game against the Nanooks on Saturday, completing his fourth double-double of the year with 10 boards to go along with his highestever scoring total. Beverly sunk four 3-pointers, and also had three assists, a careerbest four blocks, and two steals in 32 minutes. He did not have a single turnover against Alaska. Overall on the weekend he had 50 points, 16 boards, nine assists, seven blocks, and two steals. He shot 47.2 percent from the field (17-for-36), and 44.4 percent from 3-point range (4-for-9). This season, Beverly leads MSUB with 18.6 points per game and 8.5 rebounds per game. He ranks fourth in the conference in each category, and is the only player in the league in the top-4 in both scoring and rebounding. He has scored in double figures in all 16 games and has reached 20 or more points in seven games. The reigning GNAC Freshman of the Year’s big week helped MSUB improve to 6-2 in the GNAC, and the Yellowjackets are currently tied for second place in the conference standings. MSUB is next in action on Thursday at Saint Martin’s University, in a game that will be featured live on ROOT SPORTS starting at 10:10 p.m. Mountain time. The ‘Jackets will then face Seattle Pacific University on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Mountain time at Brougham Pavilion in Seattle.
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