BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Picking up its first-ever road win at Western Washington University on New Year's Eve, the Montana State University Billings men's basketball team used a 28-point effort from senior Marc Matthews to hand the No. 19 Vikings a 100-93 defeat at Whatcom Community College in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action Saturday afternoon.
 
Matthews shot 6-for-11 from 3-point range, leading a team effort of 14-for-28 overall from the arc (50.0 percent). Fellow senior Jace Anderson chipped in 18 points on five threes of his own, while Preston Beverly had 15 points and Kendall Denham added 10.
 
"I am proud of the guys today," said MSUB head coach Jamie Stevens. "They played well, but most importantly they are playing and fighting together. These guys we have don't quit at any point, and they

continue to fight throughout the game." 

MSUB won for the seventh time in its last eight games, and improved to 8-4 overall and 3-1 in the GNAC. The Vikings lost for the third time in their last four games, moving to 9-3 overall and even with MSUB at 3-1 in league play.
 
WWU's Taylor Stafford had 27 points, while Daulton Hommes had a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double. Deandre Dickson (18 points), and Jeffrey Parker (12 points) were also in double figures for the Vikings, who shot 45.5 percent from the floor (35-for-77), but just 28.6 percent (6-for-21) from 3-point range.
 
The 'Jackets led by as much as eight and the Vikings as much as six during an even first half, and momentum carried back-and-forth to a 38-38 stalemate by halftime.
 
The Vikings pulled ahead by five points midway through the second half on a three by Hommes, but four different Yellowjackets scored points on an ensuing 10-0 run that gave MSUB the lead for good. With the 'Jackets leading by five with six minutes to play, Matthews drilled back-to-back threes and Beverly added a layup that extended MSUB's edge to 90-81.
 
The 'Jackets hit 10 of 12 free throws over the final two minutes of the game to withstand WWU's final press. MSUB made 20 of 22 free throws overall in the game (90.9 percent), and won despite being out-rebounded 43-36.
 
Two nights after becoming the 22nd player in MSUB history to score 1,000 career points, Matthews tied a career best with 10 made field goals and came within one of his personal best with a team-best eight rebounds. He also had five assists, a block and a steal, and turned the ball over just once.
 
Anderson's big effort came exactly 365 days after he suffered a season-ending knee injury in MSUB's win over Western Washington last year on New Year's Eve in Billings, Mont. "We had some great contributions, but to have Jace play the way he did today exactly a year after his injury against the same team was awesome," Stevens said. "I am very happy for him."
 
Beverly matched Matthews and reached a new personal best with five assists, while adding three blocks, a steal, and six rebounds. Freshman guard Cinco Durr led MSUB with four steals, and also scored six points in 15 minutes. Zack Lessinger had eight points and four rebounds, and Kamal Tall contributed six boards.
 
The 'Jackets are guaranteed at least a tie for first place in the conference standings after the second week of league play, as WWU was the lone undefeated team remaining entering Saturday's game.
 
"The GNAC is a great league and we are looking forward to getting back to work on Monday," said Stevens.
 
THE BUZZ: Matthews was picked as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…this marks the first time in program history that MSUB has won both games during a conference road trip, since the team joined the GNAC in 2006-07…this is the first time MSUB has scored 100 points in back-to-back games since the 2005-06 season, when the 'Jackets beat St. Edward's University 136-101 on Jan. 28 and handed Lincoln University a 128-82 loss on Feb. 3, 2006…MSUB is now 6-20 all-time against WWU…this was Matthews' sixth 20-point game of the year, and his fourth in-a-row…Saturday marked the first time MSUB defeated a ranked opponent since a 72-70 win over No. 13 Seattle Pacific on Feb. 23, 2014.
 
COMING UP: MSUB returns home for four straight GNAC games at Alterowitz Gym. The 'Jackets host Central Washington University on Jan. 5 at 7 p.m., and Northwest Nazarene University two evenings later at the same start time. Live video with play-by-play commentary and live statistics will be available for both games through MSUB's Stretch Internet portal here.