Jackets Set to Host Mavericks

BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State Billings men’s basketball team will host a pair of games against the University of Nebraska-Omaha on December 22 and 23.  Both games will tip off at 1:00 p.m. at Alterowitz Gymnasium.

This trip to the Magic City marks the first for the Mavericks who are currently 8-1 on the season.  UNO topped the Yellowjackets 113-56 back on November 24th in Omaha at the Nebraska-Omaha Thanksgiving Tournament.  The Mavs have a game against Sioux Falls scheduled on December 19 before making the trip to Billings.

UNO suffered its only loss of the season thus far against Northwest Missouri State last week where they fell 84-64 at home in Omaha when just the previous week the Mavs handed the Bearcats an 80-66 home-court loss, splitting the series. 

Michael Jenkins leads UNO averaging 17.9 points per game.  Jenkins is shooting a consistent 45 percent from the field and has connected on 16-of-47 attempts from long range for 34 percent.  Teammete Andrew Bridger is contributing 13 points per game and a team-leading 4.7 assists and two steals per game.  Bridger also leads the Mavs knocking down 20 three-pointers thus far.  The 6-foot-7 Jerry Bennett has pulled down a team-leading eight boards per game and is averaging 0.9 blocks per game.

As a team UNO is 46 percent from the field and a steady 38 percent from the perimeter.  Five Mavericks have knocked down 10 or more three-pointers.   The team is 79 percent from the free throw line dropping 181-of-228 attempts.  The Mavs have out-bounded their opponents 42-37.

The Yellowjackets are still searching for their first win of the season, narrowly missing their chance as Rocky Mountain College picked up an 88-79 come-from-behind win over MSUB Monday night.

Aaron Terry (Moreno Valley, Calif.) continues to be the Jackets’ front-runner averaging 14 points per game.  Terry is shooting a solid 42 percent from the field and is handing out a team-leading 2.6 assists per game.  John Brooks (Perris, Calif.) is the only other Yellowjacket averaging in double figures with 10.9 points per game.  Brooks is shooting 34 percent from the field and 29 percent from behind the arc.  Tyler Hentzen (Brea, Calif.) leads the team averaging six rebounds per game, while Billings’ local Brett Taylor has knocked down a team-leading 18 three-pointers, good enough for 32 percent.

MSUB is shooting 36 percent from the field and 29 percent from long range.  In Monday’s game against the Bears the Yellowjackets hit 15 three-pointers showing signs of their ability to hit the long ball.  The team has been out-rebounded 46-34 by their opponents and are just 96-of-153 from the line for a chilly 63 percent.