Last Second Shot Spoils Yellowjackets’ Upset Bid at BYU-Hawaii (Jan. 10, 2004) 
Box Score

LAIE, HI – In a nail biter of a game decided by seconds and inches, MSU Billings lost, 91-90, to BYU-Hawaii Saturday night in a meeting of two of the PacWest Conference’s top teams.  The Seasiders’ Jake Chrisman drained a 19-foot jumper with six seconds on the clock to give BYU-Hawaii its twelfth-straight victory, eleven of which have come at home.

With the Yellowjackets trailing by two with less than 30 seconds remaining, Jerett Skrifvars scored in the lane off a pass from Dave Carse, who had grabbed one of the Jackets’ dozen offensive rebounds in the game.  Skrifvars was fouled on the shot and completed the three-point play to give the Yellowjackets a 90-89 lead with 20.6 seconds left in the game. 

BYU-Hawaii’s Michael Stowell tried to drive the lane on the Seasiders’ next possession, but was tied up by Bill Day with 9.1 ticks on the clock.  The alternating possession went to the Seasiders, who would inbound from under the basket.  Jake Chrisman took the inbound pass in the right corner and dropped in a 19-footer with about five seconds remaining to give BYU-Hawaii the one-point lead.  The Yellowjackets quickly pushed the ball up the floor for the potential game winning shot, but Cameron Munoz’s jumper was off the mark and Bill Day’s put back attempt glanced off the rim as time expired.

The Seasiders (13-2 overall, 3-0 PacWest) haven’t lost to a Division II team this season and have three wins over Division I opponents.  Despite the loss, the Yellowjackets (7-4, 1-2) captured an important conference win Thursday at Hawaii Pacific and leave their first trip to Hawaii still in position to contend for the PacWest title.  MSU Billings will host BYU-Hawaii twice in Billings in February.

MSU Billings jumped to an early 13-4 lead behind strong outside shooting to start the game.  Trae Fortier scored eight points in that run as the Yellowjackets were able to put BYU-Hawaii on its heels.  The Seasiders answered back quickly, however, converting four free throws and three straight baskets to take a 14-13 lead at the 14:11 mark.

Buddy Windy Boy’s 3-pointer with 11:37 left gave MSU Billings its last lead of the opening half at 20-18.  A 10-0 Seasiders run lifted BYU-Hawaii an eight-point advantage with 8:28 remaining, and they converted that momentum into a 50-40 halftime lead.

The Seasiders would extend their lead to as many as 13 early in the second half before the Yellowjacket shooters caught fire from outside.  With 18:06 left in the game, a Shawn Opunui 3-pointer gave BYU-Hawaii a 13-point lead.  By the 15:37 mark the Yellowjackets led by one.  Two Munoz 3-pointers sparked the run, followed by two baskets and a free throw from Skrifvars, a dunk by Day, and a 3-pointer from Carse.

The lead shifted back and forth from that point until back-to-back 3-pointers from Carse and Munoz gave the Yellowjackets their largest lead of the game, 77-70, with 8:12 on the clock.  BYU-Hawaii was able to rally again, taking a one point lead on two Stowell free throws with 2:14 remaining.  There were two ties and three lead changes in the final 1:39, ending with Chrisman’s game-winner with six seconds left.

Five Yellowjackets scored in double figures, led by Fortier’s 25.  Skrifvars finished with 18 points and seven rebounds, and Carse and Munoz each added 15 points.  Day notched his first double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds.  MSU Billings shot 48-percent from the field and were 12-of-25 from 3-point range.  Each team made 31 field goals in the game and the Jackets dropped in seven more 3-pointers, but BYU-Hawaii outscored MSU Billings 24-16 at the free throw line. 

BYU-Hawaii was paced by Chrisman’s 30 points.  Opunui added 21, including a perfect 4-of-4 from beyond the arc.  Austin Smylie finished with a double-double of 13 points and 14 boards.

MSU Billings returns home next week for a pair of non-conference games against Green Mountain College from Vermont on January 16 and 17.  Both nights will be double headers with the Yellowjacket women’s team with the men’s game will following the women’s each night.  The Yellowjackets resume conference play on January 20 and 22 when they host Hawaii-Hilo.  MSUB will host Chaminade on January 24.