Loper Fall to Tourney Hosts in Montana

 The Montana State-Billings Yellowjackets got off to a fast start and had five score in double figures to beat Nebraska Kearney, 100-80, Sunday afternoon in Montana.

This was the third and final day of the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) Tip Off Classic at the Trailhead. MSUB went 3-0 in its own event while UNK went 1-2, beating Colorado School of Mines (0-3) and falling to Angelo State of Texas (3-0).

Billings jumped out to a 10-3 lead and never looked back as their full court pressure yielded 24 points off 19 turnovers. The 'Jackets also garnered 23 second chance points thanks to 22 offensive rebounds. UNK whittled a 14-point hole to six, 35-29, with four minutes left in the half. However, MSUB led by 17 at the break and kept their advantage in the second half.

"They have a lot of firepower and will be one of the top shooting teams across the board we'll see all year," said Loper head coach Marty Levinson on the KRVN Radio post-game show. "They have nice pieces to go with that, they are fast, they are athletic and have good bigs. That's a really good basketball team who has confidence and is playing at home."

Eleven different 'Jackets logged at least 10 minutes with none playing more than 30. Next, 11 players scored including four starters and junior reserve Gabe Hatler (12). Six-nine junior starter Croix Cox recorded a double double (16 points, 11 rebounds), senior transfer Mason Landdeck directed the show (15 points, eight assists, five steals and three boards) with junior transfer Miles Gurske 3 of 4 from deep.

"We weren't the best versions of ourselves. We had another slow start and turned it over too many times," said Levinson. "We had 19 assists which is cool, but they capitalized on our turnovers. That's what they do; they turn you up and this was the third day. We got pressed all three days, so we were a bit heavy and slow to our spots."

Billings was plus nine on the glass and overcame 12 of 22 free throw shooting by limiting UNK to a 9 of 28 effort from deep. Through three games the Lopers are shooting 26% from the arc.

Texas senior guard Ja'Bryant Hill (20), Denver senior wing Tom Connelly (19) and St. Louis senior Kendrick Gilbert (16) combined for 55 points. Hill added six assists, Connelly grabbed seven boards with Gilbert going 8 of 10 at the line. Finally, Texas junior post Taylor Harrell had 11 rebounds (nine defensive).

"It's all about growth and we definitely got better this weekend. We're trying to build depth, and you never know how a game is going to play out," said Levinson. "That's the part of coming out here and playing three games in a row.

UNK heads to Hays, Kan., next weekend to face Concordia-St. Paul and Southwest Minnesota State. The Lopers lost close games to both last season in Marshall, Minn.

All-Tournamet Team
MVP: Mason Landdeck, MSUB
Jesaiah McWright, Angelo State
Jaqai Murray, Angelo State
Ja'Bryant Hill, Nebraska Kearney
Kendrick Gilbert, Nebraska Kearney
Lazarek Houston, Central Missouri
Jevon Hill, Central Missouri
Markus Pastorcic-Straun, Colorado School of Mines
Miles Gurske, MSUB
Jonas La Tour, MSUB