Jackets Drop Another in Low Scoring Affair (1/13/07) 
Box Score

GOODWELL, OK – The Montana State-Billings Yellowjacket men’s basketball team continues to struggle offensively after dropping a second straight game to the Oklahoma State Panhandle Aggies 62-48. The loss is the third straight for the Jackets but they remain 2-1 in Heartland Conference play.  

The Yellowjackets got off to a slow start in the first half but stayed within reach thanks to a solid game by Russell Steplight (Olympia, WA). MSUB trailed by as much as 10 and slowly chipped away at the Aggie lead throughout the second half, getting as close as four. Steplight came off the bench to score 23 points on 10-of-17 shooting and knocked down 2 from behind the arc.    

“Russell played great and carried us tonight,” said Jacket head coach Craig Carse. “He had to do an awful lot and we put him at the point guard position. For a guy that hasn’t practiced much, we’ve asked him to do a lot and we’re really impressed with his effort tonight.” 

After shooting the lights out from beyond the arc in Friday’s fame against the Aggies, the Jackets cooled down and hit only 4-of-17. OPSU also controlled the boards 36-26 and took advantage of the Jackets’ 38.8% field foal percentage.  Freshman Jeff Miner (Gresham, OR) finished with 11 points on 3-of-15 shooting.  Miner also handed out four assists and picked up Three steals.  Carl Johnson (Rapid City, SD) led the team in rebounding with seven and added four points. No other Yellowjacket recorded more than one field goal. 

“Our sixty point average is thirty under, so we’re getting a great opportunity here to let guys like Troy Ruff (Custer, MT) and Carl Johnson get some minutes,” said Carse. “Jeff Miner is getting a great opportunity because he’s getting a lot of minutes and played really hard.  

The Jackets played Saturday’s game shorthanded once again. Senior Jonathan Wiley (Westlake Village, CA) saw limited action and Eric Cunningham (Phoenix, AZ) did not play at all because of an injury.   

“Not to have Jonathan on the court, that makes a difference with a veteran senior,” added Carse. “But you can’t make excuses and the guys’ efforts are great and their attitudes are good. We would like to get a little more production out of the older guys and I know they’ll continue to work hard.”

The Yellowjackets will be traveling to Odessa, Texas for a contest with the University of Texas-Permian Basin at 7:30 p.m on January 15. The game can be heard on the Yellowjacket athletic website or on AM 970 KBUL.