Yellowjackets Cruise to Senior Night Victory (March 8, 2003)

BILLINGS, MT – Senior Dan Thompson’s 33 points led the MSU Billings men’s basketball team to an 87-66 victory over Nova Southeastern on Senior Night as the Yellowjackets finished the season 18-9.  Thompson scored 76 points in two games against Nova to finish the season with a 19.1 points per game scoring average.

The game looked like it might be a blowout early as the Jackets raced to a 7-2 lead after all three seniors scored in the first 1:15.  Willy Davison opened the game with a three-pointer, followed by baskets from Thompson and Kyle Stirmlinger.  The three combined for 62 of the Yellowjackets 87 points.

The Knights battled back to take a 14-13 lead on a Brandon Weiss basket at the 13:43 mark.  Sophomore guard Kluis Wimbush again started with a hot hand, scoring 10 of Nova’s first 14 points.  He scored 16 in the first half and 24 in the game.

While the Jackets were trying to find an answer for Wimbush, the Knights were trying to find a way to stop MSUB on the inside.  Thompson continually posted up their men in the first half, scoring in the paint or getting to the free throw line.  After a Weiss basket with 8:58 left in the half pulled the Knights to within one at 25-24, the Yellowjackets reeled off a 10-2 run to take their largest lead of the half at 35-26 with 6:00 remaining.  Davison’s three-pointer capped the run.

The Yellowjackets held the nine-point lead for the rest of the half and went to the locker room with a 50-41 advantage.  Thompson, Davison and Stirmlinger each scored double-digits in the opening half, led by Thompson’s 18.  He was a perfect 7-of-7 from the free throw line in the half as the Knights put a guard on him to try to counter his three-point fireworks from the night before.

As they did the night before, the Yellowjackets put the game away with an early second-half run.  A 22-6 run to open the half gave MSU Billings a 25-point lead with 10:36 remaining in the game.  The Knights were unable to cut the lead to less than 20 until Wimbush’s free throw with only 24 seconds remaining made the score 85-66.  Cameron Munoz found Joe Cook for a fast break dunk for the final basket of the game.