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BILLINGS, Mont. (Dec. 5) -- Seniors MARK MCLAUGHLIN (Bothell/Inglemoor HS) and JB PILLARD III (Kirkland/Juanita HS) combined for 31 points, but the Central Washington University men's basketball team was unable to keep pace with host Montana State University Billings in an 82-67 loss to the Yellowjackets on Thursday night at Alterowitz Gymnasium.

The Wildcats fell to 3-3 overall and 0-1 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play, while MSUB improved to 4-3 overall and 1-0 in the conference.

McLaughlin scored 21 points and added seven rebounds and four assists, making 10 of 18 shots from the field. Pillard scored 10 points on 5 of 6 shooting before fouling out.

CWU led 6-5 midway through the first half but then saw MSUB go on a 14-2 run that extended the Yellowjackets' lead to 13 at 12-8. The Wildcats trailed by as many as 16 at one point in the first half before a 16-4 run brought them to within four (32-28) with 1:58 to go before halftime, but a 4-0 run at the end of the period by Montana State Billings gave the hosts an eight-point edge at the break.

The Wildcats came out of the locker room and scored the first seven points of the second half to cut their deficit to one, but they were never able to regain the lead. MSUB scored eight of the next 10 points and later used a 25-8 spurt to post its largest lead -- 20 points -- with 3:44 remaining. A 10-1 spurt by CWU closed the margin to 11 with 1:08 left before the Yellowjackets scored the game's final four points.

CWU committed just 10 turnovers in the contest and shot 44.3 percent as a team. However, the Wildcats forced just eight miscues by MSUB and were outscored 21-7 at the free throw line. The host Yellowjackets also held a 36-28 advantage in rebounding and made three more three-pointers.

Fellow starters JOSHUA LORD (Jr., Tacoma/Mount Tahoma HS), JOEY ROPPO (So., Monroe), and KEVIN DAVIS (Sr., Federal Way/Todd Beamer HS) combined for 24 points with nine, eight, and seven, respectively, and Davis led the way with 10 rebounds. That trio combined to shoot just 33.3 percent, however, on 8 of 24.

MSUB saw four players -- including three starters -- score in double figures. Starter Devon Wallace and reserve Jonathan Mesghna scored 15 points apiece, while Austin Hudson had a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds. Connor Donaldson added 11 points, and guard Kalob Hatcher finished with nine points and seven assists.

CWU will remain on the road this Saturday (Dec. 7), facing 16th-ranked Seattle Pacific University at Brougham Pavilion.