Yellowjackets’ Home Winning Streak Comes to an End (January 14, 2003)
BILLINGS, MT – The Montana
State University-Billings men’s basketball team lost
at home for the first time in the
last 39 tries Tuesday night, falling to No. 2
Hawaii Pacific 72-71. The loss ended the nation’s
longest current home winning streak at 38 games.
MSU Billings last lost at home on December 15, 2000
to Michigan Tech. The last home conference loss was
to Hawaii Pacific on February 6, 1999.
Aaron Abrams scored a game-high
28 points, 16 in the second half, to lead the Sea
Warriors. Abrams made 9-of-21 shots from the field
and 8-of-8 from the free throw line. Marvin Noble
added 17 points and six assists.
The Yellowjackets led by as
many as 10 in the first half behind solid 3-point
shooting. MSU Billings made 9-of-22 from behind the
arc in the half. In a game of offensive spurts by
both teams, Hawaii Pacific was able to cut the
Jackets’ lead to just three at the half. Abrams
scored the final five points of the half to make the
score 42-39.
It was Hawaii Pacific who came
out hot in the second half. The Sea Warriors built
a six-point lead at 17:03 on a seven-point run
capped by a 3-pointer from Rashad Davis. The
Yellowjackets quickly closed the gap at took over
the lead, pushing ahead to as many as five late in
the game. Two free throws by Justin Hassell gave
the Jackets a 71-66 lead with 2:14 remaining.
The Yellowjackets went cold and
the Sea Warriors went to the line in the final two
minutes. Hassell’s free throws were the Jackets’
final points of the game. Abrams made four free
throws between the 1:34 and 0:46 marks. A Maruoka
basket at 1:06 made the score 71-70. Abrams' final free
throws provided the winning margin for HPU. Cameron Munoz's long 3-point attempt was off the
mark for the Yellowjackets as time expired.
The Yellowjackets were led by Dan Thompson’s career-high 27 points. He was
10-of-23 from the field and made five 3-pointers.
Thompson added 10 rebounds to finish with a
double-double. The Yellowjackets finished the game
with a season-high 13 three-pointers. Buddy Windy
Boy had four for 12 points.
Hawaii Pacific wins its first
conference game of the year and improves to 12-2,
1-1 PacWest. MSU Billings falls to 6-6, 0-4. The
same teams meet again Thursday at 7:00 p.m. |
