Yellowjackets Leave the Islands with Third Straight Loss (Jan. 8, 2004)
Box Score

HILO, HI – The Montana State-Billings men’s basketball team has probably never been as happy to say aloha to Hawaii as they were after Saturday’s 106-85 loss at Hawaii-Hilo.  The Yellowjackets dropped all three of their PacWest Conference games in Hawaii this week, falling to 8-4 overall and 0-3 in the PacWest.  Twenty-fifth ranked Hawaii-Hilo improved to 15-1 on the season and 3-1 in conference play.

MSU Billings was outscored by an average of 22.7 points a game on the trip.  Despite scoring 85 points on Saturday, the Jackets still managed to average just 68.0 points through the three games.  They entered the week averaging a lofty 94.8 points.

The result of Saturday’s game wasn’t in doubt by the ten minute mark of the first half.  Hawaii-Hilo’s Brian Graham hit one of his five 3-pointers at the 14:11 mark to give the Vulcans an 11 point lead.  UH-Hilo stretched its lead to 21 with 9:03 to play in the half and built it to 64-39 by the break. 

The first ten minutes of the second half didn’t treat the Yellowjackets any kinder as the Vulcans increased their lead to 41 at 90-41 with 10:21 to play.  UH-Hilo led by as many as 42 before the Yellowjackets cut into the deficit over the final six minutes.  Six of the Jackets’ 13 3-pointers came during that span.

Justin Hassell (Sr., Brooklyn, NY) led the Yellowjackets with 19 points before fouling out with more than 10 minutes to play.  Carlin Hughes (Fr., Perth, Western Australia) added 17 points and was 5-of-10 from behind the arc.  Buddy Windy Boy (Jr., Lodge Grass, MT) finished with 11 points and a team-high four assists.

Cody Samuelson (So., Broadus, MT) came off the bench to net nine points for MSU Billings.  Jonathan Wiley (So., Westlake Village, CA) added eight points.  Freshman Drew Arnold (Tempe, AZ) led the team with five rebounds and had six points.  MSU Billings was out rebounded 40-23.

Five players scored in double figures for Hawaii-Hilo.  Skip Esene led all players with 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting.  He also grabbed a game-high eight rebounds.  Brian Graham finished with 19 points, and Alex Graham added 12.  Alex Cabagnot and Steven McMaryion each finished with 11 points.

The road doesn’t get any easier for the Yellowjackets next week as they fly to Provo, UT to take on Brigham Young University on January 11.  The Division I Cougars are 5-9 and host San Diego State on Saturday night.  The Yellowjackets’ game in Provo can be heard live on News Radio 970 KBUL in Billings and on the web at www.msubillings.edu/athletics.