LACEY, Wash. – The two top teams in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference battled on Thursday night in Marcus Pavilion, and the No. 3 Saint Martin's men's basketball team emerged victorious with a 69-63 scoreline over Montana State Billings. On a night that featured food trucks on hand to provide the most unique dining experience anywhere in the GNAC, an incredible halftime performance by Hui'O Hawai'i and the Pacific Islanders Club, and of course, a big win by the No. 3 team in the country, it couldn't have been scripted much better for Pack the Pav.
With a matchup that had clear trophy implications, the Saints stood up to the challenge navigating a defensive first have before finding a flurry of clutch shots down the stretch to build out enough of a cushion to down the Yellowjackets. After
Tyke Thompson took over the contest with three straight triples, MSUB fought back to score nine unanswered and cut their deficit to two. When the Saints needed a bucket, Marcel Steven cashed in a three followed by a
Kyle Greeley buck to put SMU up seven. Billings drew it back to two, but again it was time for a clutch shot and that time it was
Kaden Hansen to nail it.
When the Yellowjackets once again clawed it close with under a minute to go, the Saints executed a perfect possession ending with a Hansen pass finding Thompson who laid it in to put away the contest.
The Saints are now looking towards Saturday when they take on Seattle Pacific University at 5:15 PM at Marcus Pavilion.
