(MSU Billings release)
BILLINGS – Announcing a full slate of 28 regular-season contests for the 2018-19 season on Wednesday, Montana State University Billings men’s basketball head coach Mick Durham revealed the Yellowjackets’ schedule.
In addition to its regular-season contests, MSUB will play a pair of NCAA Division I opponents in exhibition games to kick off the season. The ‘Jackets play at Grand Canyon University on Oct. 30, before taking on UNLV in Las Vegas on Nov. 2. It will be the first-ever meeting between MSUB and the Rebels, and the 12th against GCU and first since the 2012-13 season.
The team then faces an immediate test opening the regular season, taking on NCAA Division II west region opponents Point Loma Nazarene University and Fresno Pacific University of the PacWest Conference on Nov. 9-10 in San Diego. MSUB faces four more Division II opponents prior to conference play, including the season home-openers on Nov. 14 against the University of Mary and Nov. 17 against Minot State University. In total, the ‘Jackets will have a stretch of nine straight games in Billings after their season-opening road stretch.
“You want to have your schedule get you ready for your league games, and this schedule does that with the early road games,” Durham said. “We also have a chance to gain some momentum with a good stretch of home games before opening league play with the Alaska schools.”
The Yellowjackets host California Collegiate Athletic Conference foe Cal State Dominguez Hills, as well as Black Hills State University, at the MSUB Thanksgiving Tournament Nov. 23-24. Great Northwest Athletic Conference play then begins with the University of Alaska and University of Alaska Anchorage visiting Billings for two early games before the holiday break.
“The two Division I exhibition games will be exciting and a great experience for our guys,” said Durham. “Our Thanksgiving tournament at home will also give us two quality games right before the two GNAC home games.”
Also featured on MSUB’s schedule is a home-and-home series against Rocky Mountain College, with an exhibition game between the teams at the Fortin Center on Nov. 19 and a regular-season contest at Alterowitz Gym on Dec. 8.
There are five doubleheaders with MSUB’s women’s basketball team on the schedule, and Senior Night is scheduled for Feb. 16 against Western Washington.
2018-19 MSUB Basketball Doubleheaders
Date Men’s Opponent Start Time Women’s Opponent Start Time
11/23 CSU Dominguez Hills 7:30 PM Valley City State 2 PM
1/24 Seattle Pacific 7:30 PM Concordia 5:15 PM
4/26 Saint Martin’s 5:15 PM Western Oregon 7:30 PM
2/14 Simon Fraser 5:15 PM Northwest Nazarene 7:30 PM
2/16 Western Washington 7:30 PM Central Washington 5:15 PM
After a Dec. 18 home game against Dickinson State University, the ‘Jackets will have nothing but GNAC games among their final 18 contests of the year. MSUB will face a challenge down the stretch of the season, playing its final four conference games on the road. The ‘Jackets play Seattle Pacific University and Saint Martin’s University in Washington and wrap up the season against the two Alaska schools spanning from Feb. 21-March 2.
The Yellowjackets’ longest home stand during the conference portion of the season is Jan. 24-Feb. 2, with a total of four games over the two-week stretch.
The 2018-19 GNAC Men’s Basketball Championships will run March 7-9 at Sam Carver Gym in Bellingham, Wash., and will be hosted by Western Washington University. After missing the tournament last season, MSUB will have to earn a spot in the top-six in the GNAC regular-season standings in order to qualify for this year’s championships.
All home games and select road contests during the 2018-19 season will feature live video with play-by-play commentary and live statistics, available online through MSUB’s Stretch Internet portal here. Information on season ticket packages, as well as single-game ticket prices, can be found online here.
MSUB finished in ninth place in the GNAC in 2017-18, with an overall record of 13-18 and a league mark of 5-15.
MSUB Men’s Basketball All-Time Record vs. 2018-19 Opponents
Date(s) Opponent Total Games Wins Losses Streak Last Meeting (Result)
10/30 Grand Canyon (EXH) 11 3 8 L2 12/14/2012 (L, 71-61)
11/2 UNLV (EXH) 0 0 0 — —
11/9 Point Loma Nazarene 0 0 0 — —
11/10 Fresno Pacific 0 0 0 — —
11/14 University of Mary 10 7 3 W3 11/16/2017 (W, 75-73)
11/17 Minot State 8 8 0 W8 11/20/2010 (W, 83-63)
11/29; 12/8 Rocky Mountain College 170 89 81 L1 12/9/2017 (L, 95-87)
11/23 Cal State Dominguez Hills 1 0 1 L1 3/6/1981 (L, 61-52)
11/24 Black Hills State 18 11 7 W2 11/21/2015 (W, 82-80)
11/27; 3/2 University of Alaska 70 41 29 L3 2/22/2018 (L, 69-59)
12/1; 2/28 Alaska Anchorage 76 31 45 L3 2/24/2018 (L, 59-52)
12/18 Dickinson State 70 35 35 W12 12/16/2011 (W, 82-66)
1/3; 2/2 Northwest Nazarene 37 19 18 L1 2/25/2018 (L, 86-76)
1/5; 1/31 Central Washington 27 6 21 L2 1/27/2018 (L, 77-73)
1/10; 2/9 Western Oregon 27 11 16 L4 2/1/2018 (L, 71-60)
1/12; 2/7 Concordia 7 5 2 W2 2/3/2018 (W, 80-79)
1/17; 2/16 Western Washington 29 6 23 L3 2/8/2018 (L, 91-65)
1/19; 2/14 Simon Fraser 17 16 1 W15 2/10/2018 (W, 77-75)
1/24; 2/21 Seattle Pacific 73 30 43 L8 2/17/2017 (L, 74-60)
1/26; 2/23 Saint Martin’s 31 14 17 L2 2/15/2018 (L, 77-60)
