Jackets, Aggies Kick off HLC Playoffs (2/28/06)
Game Day Info Packet

BILLINGS, MT – For four Heartland Conference men’s basketball teams, the race for a spot in the NCAA Tournament will be decided this week in the conference playoffs.  The first round of the playoffs will take place Wednesday evening with games in Billings, Mont., and Austin, Tex.  Montana State-Billings, the No. 2 seed, will host No. 3 seed Oklahoma Panhandle State University.  Fourth-seeded Western New Mexico will play at No. 1 seed St. Edward’s University.

MSU Billings was 19-7 overall during the regular season and finished the Heartland Conference season with a 9-3 mark.  The Yellowjackets were conference co-champions with St. Edward’s, who also finished at 9-3.  The Hilltoppers received the No. 1 seed in the playoffs by winning a tiebreaking coin flip.

Oklahoma Panhandle State was just 10-17 overall but finished the season as one of the hottest teams in the conference.  They earned the No. 3 seed in the playoffs with a 7-5 record.  The Aggies started the season 1-14 before winning nine of their last 13 games.  OPSU was particularly strong at home, going 6-0 in conference games.

The Yellowjackets and Aggies met just one week ago with Panhandle State winning 80-60 in Goodwell, Okla.  The Yellowjackets shot just 27 percent from the field and 24 percent from 3-point range in the game.  The Aggies dominated on the glass, out-rebounding the Jackets 42-17.  MSU Billings defeated OPSU twice in Billings at the beginning of January, although the Aggies missed a last-second 3-pointer to win the game on the second night.

MSU Billings is led by senior guard Cameron Munoz, who leads the Heartland in scoring at 22.4 points per game.  Munoz also leads the conference and the nation in 3-point field goals made, averaging 5.4 per game.  He has been a three-time conference player of the week selection.  In his career at MSU Billings, Munoz has made 443 career 3-pointers, tying the NCAA Division II record.  His first 3-pointer in Wednesday’s playoff game will make him the all-time NCAA II 3-point leader.

Senior forward Mortiz Wohlers has been an impact player for the Yellowjackets all year, his first and only season at MSU Billings.  The 6-foot-8 transfer has averaged 19.2 points and 7.5 rebounds a game and was named conference player of the week twice.  He needs just one point and four rebounds on Wednesday to finish the season with over 500 points and 200 rebounds.

Carlin Hughes, a sophomore point guard, adds 17.0 points and 9.8 assists per game.  He has led the nation in assists all season.  In 26 games Hughes had 13 double-doubles for points and assists.  He was named HLC player of the week once.

Senior guard Buddy Windy Boy averages 11.4 ppg and is second on the team with 77 made 3-pointers.  Windy Boy, who was the conference player of the week once, also leads the Jackets with 20 blocked shots and is second on the team with 29 steals.  Jonathan Wiley will likely be the Jackets’ fifth starter Wednesday in place of Lucas Walker, who is out for the remainder of the season with an injury.  Wiley averages 4.3 points and 3.7 rebounds a game.

The Aggies will likely start five seniors on Wednesday.  They are led by Aaron Harrison, who averages 15.5 points and 9.1 rebounds a game.  The 6-9 transfer played in 17 games after becoming eligible in December.   Harrison shot 65 percent from the field during the regular season and was once named the Heartland player of the week.

Guard Eddie Moss averages 13.8 points per game and is second on the team with 58 made 3-pointers.  The two-time conference player of the week is also second on the team for assists, averaging 2.8 per game. 

Nick Malinowski and William Preston also average double figures for the Aggies at 13.2 and 10.7 ppg respectively.  Malinowski leads the team with 63 three-pointers.  Preston scored 21 points in the Aggies’ 20-point win against the Jackets last week.  Guard Tim Anderson also had a big game last Wednesday with 16 points and four 3-pointers.  He leads the team in assists at 4.0 per game.

In Wednesday’s other semifinal game, Western New Mexico will play at St. Edward’s.  The Mustangs earned the No. 4 seed by defeating St. Mary’s in a play-in game on Monday in Silver City, NM.  The winners of Wednesday’s games will play for the conference championship on March 4 at the higher remaining seed.  If St. Edward’s wins on Wednesday, the championship game will be in Austin since the Hilltoppers are the top seed.  If Western can upset the Hilltoppers, the championship game will be played at either MSU Billings or Oklahoma Panhandle State.  The Heartland Conference playoff champion will receive an automatic invitation to the NCAA Tournament.