ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University men's baseball team heads to Billings, Montana for a GNAC matchup.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Saturday, January 11
At Montana State Billings
7:00 p.m. MT (6:00 p.m. PT)
Billings, MT
 
QUOTABLE
"Montana State Billings has one of the best front courts in the conference," CWU Head Coach Brandon Rinta said. "They can score it inside and out.  We are going to have to work hard to limit their impact."
 
SCOUTING MONTANA STATE BILLINGS  
SCHEDULE | ROSTER | 2019-2020 STATS | 2018-2019 STATS
The Yellowjackets are 6-6 overall and 1-3 in GNAC play.  They have 10 of their last 16 games at home.
 
Montana State Billings ranks fourth in the GNAC with 37.7 rebounds per game. The Yellowjackets are second in the GNAC with 3.17 blocked shots per game and rank seventh in Division II with 13.3 personal fouls per game and ninth fewest fouls (159.)
 
Brendan Howard continues to lead the GNAC and is 22nd in Division II in scoring averaging 22.2 points per game. He has slide to second after leading the GNAC all year in terms of rebounds averaging 8.7 per game.  
 
The 'Jackets are averaging 74.46 points per game, while allowing 78.69.  They split a pair of conference games this week, falling to Western Oregon and defeating Concordia (Ore.). 
 
Howard finished with 48 points and 15 rebounds in the two games to lead the Yellowjackets. Howard opened with 28 points, seven rebounds and three assists at Western Oregon. He then added 20 points and eight rebounds at Concordia, making 6 of 6 from the free throw line.
 
Junior forward Zharon Richmond also connected for 23 points and 15 rebounds. He had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds at Western Oregon before finishing with 11 points and five rebounds at Concordia.
 
Chrishon Dixon and Psalm Maduakor each scored career high in points in the win over CU. Dixon had 17 and six rebounds while Maduakor scored 15 points and had eight rebounds.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Central Washington held on for a 72-70 victory over Northwest Nazarene University. 
 
Central extended its lead to five early in the second half with a free throw from Smith and a three from Kevin Baker.  The Nighthawks once again fought to snuff out the 'Cats lead, but Central was there to answer.  With 14:38 left in regulation, the Crimson and Black held a 49-43 lead.

Northwest Nazarene kept plugging away and kept the game within reach.  The Nighthawks eventually leveled the score at 52-52 with just 9:11 left in regulation.  They reclaimed a slim two-point lead, 54-52.

The Wildcats answered immediately.  Baker knocked down a pair of free throws, but Northwests Nazarene again took the lead, 56-54.  After the media timeout, Lucas knocked down a pair at the charity stripe.  On the Nighthawks' next possession, they missed a dunk to go ahead.  Matt Poquette grabbed the rebound and the Wildcats made good on Northwest Nazarene's missed shot, as Bolton knocked down a jumper in the paint for a 58-56 advantage.  

A pair of jumpers from NNU put the Nighthawks back in the driver's seat 60-58, but Gamaun Boykin leveled the score with 4:51 to play.  After a jumper from NNU's Olamilekan Adetunji, Lucas responded with a jumper of his own.  With just three minutes left in regulation, Baker put the Wildcats ahead for the final time with a trey, 65-64.  On the next possession for Northwest Nazarene, Boykin notched a steal and took it himself to the rim for a layup and a 67-64 lead.

After a free throw from Adetunji made the game a one-possession contest, a jumper from Bolton put Central ahead 69-65 with 46 seconds to play.  Adetunji knocked down a rare three for NNU, cutting Central's lead to one.

The ensuing inbound saw Jayden Bezzant foul Bolton to conserve what little time was left on the clock for the Nighthawks, but Bolton converted on both of his shots from the charity stripe with 13 seconds left.

Trailing by three as time waned, the Nighthawks looked to tie the game once more and force overtime.  Central's defense patrolled the arc tightly, denying the Nighthawks' chances to fire off a shot from distance.  Bezzant drove the lane and converted the layup, making the separation just one point, 71-70.  Northwest Nazarene managed to foul Xavier Smith with just over a second on the clock, sending Smith to the line.  He made the first as the Wildcats held on for a 72-70 victory.
 
Baker shot 60 percent from the floor and led the Wildcats' offense with 22 points.  He added six rebounds, two of which were offensive boards.
 
CWU v MSUB HISTORY
The Crimson and Black are 21-5 against Montana State Billings since 2006.  In Billings, CWU has posted a 9-3 record.  In the last 10 meetings, Central has gone 8-2. 
 
Montana State Billings and Central Washington split last year's season series, 1-1.  The Wildcats claimed a 111-102 victory in Ellensburg, before falling 87-47 in Billings.