MSUB men back at Alterowitz for GNAC games this week

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Tuesday, January 19, 2016 MSUB men back at Alterowitz for GNAC games this week

Two MSUB men’s basketball games will highlight a busy week for Yellowjacket Athletics, as both are part of doubleheaders with the MSUB women and surround MSUB’s Hall of Fame ceremony on Friday.

BILLINGS, Mont. – A ceremonial atmosphere will surround this week’s men’s and women’s basketball games at Montana State University Billings’ Alterowitz Gym, as a pair of Great Northwest Athletic Conference doubleheaders will sandwich MSUB’s 27th annual Hall of Fame and Distinction induction ceremony from Thursday through Saturday.

The Yellowjacket men, returning from a four-game road trip over the last two weeks, will host Seattle Pacific University on Thursday and Saint Martin’s University on Saturday in doubleheaders with the Yellowjacket women. Both games will tip off at 7:30 p.m. and will feature live video and statistics available through MSUB’s Stretch Internet portal here.

In between the four games, on Friday, former Yellowjacket men’s basketball star Troy Truvillion will be one of three legends inducted into MSUB’s Hall of Fame and Distinction in a ceremony at the Hilton Garden Inn. Truvillion, a former NAIA All-American for the ‘Jackets, will also be honored at halftime of Saturday’s men’s basketball game.

On the court, the Yellowjacket men will look to snap a four-game losing skid, as MSUB is coming off its longest road trip of the season. Playing four conference games in the span of 10 days, the ‘Jackets fell to 6-10 on the season and 3-5 in

conference play last week. After starting the GNAC season 3-1, MSUB lost 98-96 at Northwest Nazarene and 87-75 at Central Washington to begin the road trip. Continuing straight to Alaska and playing on Tuesday, the ‘Jackets lost to GNAC-leading University of Alaska Anchorage 81-61 before falling at the University of Alaska 69-58 last Thursday.

“Overall it was a good trip, and there were times that we played well and things we can build off of,” said MSUB head coach Jamie Stevens. “I felt like we had a chance in three of the four games, and you’d like to come away with a win, but it was a good growing experience for our guys.”

“It’s good to be back, and we are excited to have some home games,” said senior forward Emmanuel Johnson. “Right now our focus is on the game on Thursday against Seattle Pacific. They are a really solid team, so we just need to dial in on them.”

22 FOR #22: Johnson has strung together his most effective games of the season over the last three weeks, pushing a streak of double-digit scoring to five games during the road trip. Against the Nanooks on Thursday, Johnson netted a career-best 22 points on 7 of 14 shooting from the floor and 8 of 9 accuracy from the foul line. Johnson also grabbed five rebounds in each game in Alaska and had five assists.

Over the last five games, Johnson is averaging 15.2 points and five rebounds while shooting 49 percent (26-for-53) from the field and 85 percent (22-for26) from the foul line.

“I am just being more aggressive,” Johnson said. “Preston and I have really been connecting well offensively.”

OLUFEMI REACHING NEW HEIGHTS: Posting his best rebounding performance of the season on Thursday, junior Emmanuel Olufemi pulled down a dozen boards in 11 minutes to push his season average to a team-best 7.3. Olufemi also had two blocks, continuing his streak of at least one block in all eight games he has played.

Senior Emmanuel Johnson.

Though he has not played in enough games to qualify among GNAC statistical leaders, Olufemi has more blocks (23) than all but two players in the conference and his average of 2.9 per game matches the current GNAC leader (Joseph Stroud, CWU, 38 blocks in 13 games). Olufemi has had multiple blocks in seven games, and four or more on three occasions including a season-best six in his first game of the year against Azusa Pacific on Dec. 11, 2015 in Seattle.

PERRY PERFORMING AS STARTER: Starting five of the last six games for the ‘Jackets, sophomore Jordan Perry has averaged nine points and 5.2 rebounds during that time span. Perry also has at least one assist in every game this season, and is averaging 2.8 per game over his last six contests while committing just 10 turnovers. His 27.6 minutes per game ranks fourth on the team, and he also leads the squad with 18 steals on the year.

SEASON HIGHS FOR MATTHEWS: Junior Marc Matthews scored 17 points in back-to-back games, and finished with a dozen against the Nanooks on Thursday. Matthews matched his season high with six rebounds against Alaska, and had a season-best three steals against the Seawolves last Tuesday. Matthews continues to rank among GNAC leaders in free-

throw percentage (third, 86.5 percent) and in 3-point field-goal percentage (ninth, 42.9 percent). His 42 made threes and average of 2.6 per game ranks second in the conference, and his 98 attempts from beyond the arc ranks third.

DENHAM BACK AT POINT: Returning to his role as starting point guard, Kendall Denham has scored in double figures in three of his last four games including a career-best 25 against Northwest Nazarene on Jan. 7. Denham also grabbed a season-best four rebounds against the Nanooks and has made 11 of his last 22 3point attempts (50 percent).

BEVERLY STRONG IN CONFERENCE GAMES: Continuing to post big numbers in GNAC games, true freshman Preston Beverly is averaging 13.3 points and 6.4 rebounds in 22.1 minutes against conference opponents. Overall in his first season in the program, Beverly is averaging 10.6 points and 5.7 rebounds, and ranks fifth on the team with a shooting percentage of 42.0.

Sophomore Kendall Denham.

MAKING THE TURN: Saturday’s game against the Saints will mark the midway point in the conference season, as MSUB will have played each of its 10 GNAC opponents once. Though the ‘Jackets begin the second half of their GNAC schedule on the road at Western Washington and Simon Fraser next week, six of the team’s final 10 games are at home as the race to a berth in the conference tournament revs up. The top six teams in the regular-season standings will earn a spot in the GNAC Championships, which are scheduled for March 2-5 and are hosted by Saint Martin’s at Marcus Pavilion in Lacey, Wash.

“It is awesome being back home and playing on our court again,” said freshman forward Cade Alcorn. “Out of our last 12 games to come, eight are home games which is a big advantage.”

‘JACKET MEN TO BE FEATURED ON ROOT SPORTS FEB. 20: The Yellowjacket men will be featured on the GNAC’s ROOT SPORTS Game of the Week in February, when MSUB challenges Seattle Pacific. Tipoff is set for 10 p.m. Mountain time on Feb. 20, in a game televised on the ROOT SPORTS network throughout the western United States.

“These are two big games, and we know we have our hands full with Seattle Pacific,” Stevens said. “We are excited about the challenge and opportunity, and we know we are going to have to play well. We are really focused on Seattle Pacific, and after the game is over Thursday we will ramp up our preparation for Saint Martin’s.”

Thursday, January 21 – Seattle Pacific University Falcons – 7:30 PM 2015-16 Record: 12-4, 5-3 GNAC Head Coach: Ryan Looney, 6th season After getting off to a 9-1 start this season, three of the Falcons’ four losses came against the top-three teams in the GNAC. SPU has regained momentum however, winning its last three games against Concordia (91-63), Central Washington (75-62) and Northwest Nazarene (6952).

The Falcons will challenge the Saints on Tuesday in Seattle, before heading east to face the ‘Jackets on Thursday.

SPU is being led by preseason all-conference selection Mitch Penner, who is averaging 14.7 points per game and 5.4 rebounds. The senior is shooting 44.2 percent from the field and averages 25.9 minutes per game.

Also in double figures in scoring are Gilles Dierickx (12.3 ppg), Brendan Carroll (12.0 ppg), and Bryce Leavitt (10.7 ppg).

Leavitt is the team’s leader in rebounding with 7.1 per game, while the 7-foot University of Washington transfer Dierickx is close behind with 6.5 boards per game. Dierickx’ field-goal percentage of 60.7 leads the conference, while Leavitt’s 4.9 assists per game rank third in the GNAC. Will Parker is one of the top foul shooters in the league, ranking second with a free-throw percentage of 91.4.

The Falcons are the top defensive team in the GNAC, limiting opponents to just 64.5 points per game while scoring 76.3.

SPU is the No. 1 team in all of the NCAA Division II in rebounding margin at plus-13.1, as SPU leads the GNAC in rebounds per game with 41.5 and in rebounding defense allowing just 28.4.

The Series: Seattle Pacific holds a narrow 37-30 advantage in the all-time series between the teams. The Yellowjackets have performed well at home historically against the Falcons, winning 21 of 30 meetings at Alterowitz Gym. SPU has won six of the last seven meetings between the teams dating back to the 2012 season.

Last Time Out: The Falcons won both games last year, picking up a 60-44 win in Billings and an 81-59 victory in Seattle.

Matthews had 21 points in the road game, while Johnson added 10.

Saturday, January 23 – Saint Martin’s University Saints – 7:30 PM 2015-16 Record: 7-9, 1-7 GNAC Head Coach: Alex Pribble, 1st season The Saints are currently on a six-game losing skid, and will take on the Falcons on Tuesday before Saturday’s game in Billings.

Last week, SMU lost home games against Central Washington (75-71) and Northwest Nazarene (79-72), both times challenging its opponents down to the wire. The team’s lone GNAC win of the season came against Simon Fraser University in a 73-66 road victory on Dec. 5.

Fred Jorg is the lone Saint averaging in double digit points, as he leads the team in scoring with 10.3 points per game and in rebounding with 6.9 boards per game. Tyler Copp is just under double figures with 9.4 points per game, and leads the GNAC in free-throw percentage at 91.7. Copp is also the team’s top perimeter shooter, making shots at a clip of 40 percent from long range and averaging 24.5 minutes per game.

Cole Preston is another impact player for SMU, as he is averaging 9.2 points and leads the team with 68 assists (4.25 per game). As a team the Saints average 73.7 points per game and allow a GNAC-third best 70.8. SMU out-rebounds opponents 39.0-35.4, is shooting 40.5 percent from the field, 35.0 percent from 3-point range, and 74.7 percent from the foul line.

The Series: MSUB is 12-13 all-time against the Saints, and holds a 7-5 record in games played at Alterowitz Gym. SMU has won the last three meetings, and four of the last five dating back to the 2012-13 season.

Last Time Out: The last time SMU played at Alterowitz Gym, the Saints held off MSUB for a 66-65 victory on New Year’s Day, 2015. Denham had 14 points and Johnson added 13 for the ‘Jackets. In the road game last season, 21 points from Matthews was not enough in a 75-64 loss in Lacey, Wash.