Five players scored in double figures and the men’s basketball team forced Montana State Billings into 22 turnovers as the Redhawks ended the 2007-08 season with a convincing 96-56 victory over the Yellowjackets Saturday night in GNAC action at the .
On Senior Night, seniors Ryan Coldren (, ) and Travis Welt (, ) scored the first seven points of the game, and expanded the lead to 16 at 29-13 with nine minutes remaining in the first half. Montana State Billings scored eight consecutive points to come within five, but that would be as close as the Yellowjackets got as SeattleU took a 43-31 lead into halftime.
picked up the pace in the second half, shooting 53.7 percent from the field as it outscored Montana State Billings (1-28, 1-17 GNAC), 53-25, after halftime. Meanwhile, the Yellowjackets shot just 24 percent from the field in the second half, including 3-of-16 from behind the three-point line.
Michael Wright (, ) led with a career-high 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field, plus he pulled down eight rebounds and earned three steals. Chris Gweth (, ) earned 16 points, eight rebounds, and four assists, Mike Boxley () contributed 14 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and four steals, and Leigh Swanson (Mountlake Terrace, Wash.) added 12 points and six rebounds to the winning effort.
In their final collegiate games, Coldren earned 14 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals, while Welt earned a career-high nine points along with five rebounds and a blocked shot. won the rebounding battle, 53-31, including 18 offensive rebounds, and dished out 20 assists while committing only seven turnovers.
Aaron Terry led Montana State Billings with 21 points and three assists, while Tyler Hentzen led all players with 13 rebounds. John Brooks scored 11 points for the Yellowjackets, and Brett Taylor earned ten points in the game.
finishes the 2007-08 season with an 18-9 overall record, including an 11-7 record within the conference. Next season the team begins the reclassification process towards Division I status.