Offense Sputters, Yellowjackets Upset at Western New Mexico (Jan. 29, 2004)
Box Score

SILVER CITY, NM – The nation’s top scoring offense found itself out of sync Thursday night as Western New Mexico stunned Montana State-Billings, 89-87.  It was the Yellowjackets’ first loss to the Mustangs since February 19, 1996 when they lost 78-60 in Silver City.  The Jackets (12-5 overall, 4-3 in the PacWest) entered the game with an 18-game winning streak against Western New Mexico (5-12, 2-5).  The win gave the Mustangs their second-straight home win over a PacWest contender after beating Hawaii-Hilo last week.

The Yellowjackets have had big scoring nights against the Mustangs in the past few years—including a school record 146 points last year—and entered the game averaging a Division II-best 95.4 points per game.  But the Jacket shooters didn’t find the range Tuesday night, shooting 49 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3-point range.  It was only the fifth time in the last fourteen meetings between the two teams that the Yellowjackets haven’t scored over 100 points.  MSU Billings had a 19-3 advantage in the all-time series against the Western N.M. entering the contest, and the Yellowjackets were 8-2 all-time in Silver City.

MSU Billings took a 34-31 lead into halftime after shooting just 43 percent from the field in the first twenty minutes.  The Yellowjackets were just 3 of 9 from behind the arc in the opening half, and 9 of 22 in the game.  The Jackets built an eight point lead with 2:56 remaining in the half, but saw it dwindle to just three points in the final three minutes. 

Behind a pair of baskets from Bill Day, MSUB extended its lead back to eight points in the first two minutes of the second half.  Day’s three-point play at 17:58 gave the Jackets a 41-33 lead. 

The Mustangs used a 15-7 run to tie the game by the 12:56 mark.  After three lead changes in the next half minute, Western N.M. took the lead for good on a pair of free throws from Brendon Malone at 12:28.  Malone scored a game-high 29 points and was a perfect 8 of 8 from the free throw line.  The Mustangs built their lead to as many as nine points with 9:10 remaining.

The Yellowjackets were able to cut into the Mustangs’ lead in the final minutes behind solid scoring from Trae Fortier.  After a Buddy Windy Boy jumper pulled the Jackets to within two with ten seconds remaining, the Yellowjackets forced the Mustangs’ Malone into a turnover with seven ticks on the clock, giving MSUB one last chance to win the game.  Munoz’s 3-pointer rolled in and out and the battle for the rebound allowed time to expire.

Fortier led the Yellowjackets with 28 points on 9 of 14 shooting.  He was also perfect from the line, making all nine of his attempts.  Munoz added 23 points, sinking five 3-pointers.  Jerett Skrifvars finished with 15 points and a team-high six rebounds. 

The loss drops MSU Billings 2½ games behind BYU-Hawaii for the PacWest Conference lead.  It will likely also bump them from their top eight ranking in the West Region power poll.  The Yellowjackets and Mustangs will meet again on Saturday in Silver City in what will be a must-win situation for MSU Billings if the Jackets are to stay in the hunt for a PacWest title and NCAA Tournament berth.