Yellowjacket Men Picked Second in HLC (11/3/05)

BILLINGS, MT – The Montana State-Billings men’s basketball team has been picked to finish second in the Heartland Conference in a poll of the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.  The Yellowjackets finished one point behind reigning league champion St. Mary’s (TX) in the poll.

MSU Billings was 19-8 overall last season and 9-6 in the Pacific West Conference.  This will be the Yellowjackets’ first season in the Heartland Conference. 

St. Mary’s, which won the conference championship and qualified for the NCAA Tournament last season, received 45 points in the poll.  The Yellowjackets were next in line with 44.  There was a considerable gap between the Rattlers and Yellowjackets and the rest of the field.  Oklahoma Panhandle State was picked third with 32 points followed by Incarnate Word (TX) in fourth with 27 points.  Rounding out the bottom half of the poll were Lincoln (MO) with 19 points, Western New Mexico with 15, and St. Edward’s (TX) with 14.

Senior guard Cameron Munoz (Chino, CA) was named to the Heartland Conference Preseason All-Conference Team.  Munoz averaged 20.4 points per game last year and made 111 3-pointers.  He will be chasing the career school record for 3-pointers this season needing just 67 to tie Marcus Hallgrimson for the top spot.

The Yellowjackets open the regular season on November 21 when they host Johnson & Wales University. 

Heartland Conference Preseason Poll
1. St. Mary’s – 45
2. MSU Billings – 44
3. Oklahoma Panhandle State – 32
4. Incarnate Word – 27
5. Lincoln – 19
6. Western New Mexico – 15
7. St. Edward’s – 14

Preseason All-Conference Team
Joe Allen – St. Mary’s (Sophomore, C/F)
Paul Connolly – Incarnate Word (Junior, G)
Steve Goff – St. Mary’s (Senior, F)
Eddie Moss – Panhandle State (Senior, G)
Cameron Munoz – MSU Billings (Senior, G)