LACEY, Wash. — The No. 11 Saint Martin's Men's Basketball team was defeated 77-71 at home against Montana State Billings on Pack the Pav at Marcus Pavilion on Thursday, January 29.
After trailing by 13 midway through the second half the Saints made a valiant comeback, but the closely-contested matchup ultimately swung toward the Yellowjackets down the stretch. The loss dropped the Saints' record to 17-3 overall and 9-1 in GNAC play, snapping a program record 14-game winning streak.
How It Happened
First Half
- The game started out neck-and-neck, as the teams played out an 11-11 tie through five minutes.
- Neither team led by more than one possession, until a layup by Kaden Hansen capped off a 6-0 run that put the Saints up 26-21 with 8:32 on the clock.
- The Saints led 28-22 with 8:14 on the clock, but the Yellowjackets responded with an 8-0 run that put Billings up 30-28 with 5:41 left in the half.
- The remainder of the half was close-knit, until the Yellowjackets scored four unanswered to take a 37-32 lead into halftime.
Second Half
- In the early stages of the second half, Kaden Hansen hit a jump shot, but MSUB hit two three-pointers to go up 43-34 with 17:46 on the clock.
- With 9:57 on the clock, Billings extended the lead to 57-44 with a layup by Croix Cox.
- The Saints bounced back with a 13-4 run that saw the deficit trimmed 61-57 with 6:23 left in regulation.
- At the 3:44 mark, Kaden Hansen drilled a three-pointer to pull the Saints within two points (68-66).
- The Saints came within just one point, as Diego Trejo-Delgado hit two free-throws to cut the MSUB lead to 69-68.
- The Yellowjackets responded with a 7-0 run to take control of the game, going up 76-68 with 21 seconds remaining. The Saints made a late push, but MSU Billings prevailed 77-71.
Top Performers
- Kaden Hansen led the Saints with 26 points, adding five assists and four rebounds.
- Diego Trejo-Delgado tallied 19 points, nine rebounds, and three assists.
- Pablo Navarro notched a double-double, finishing with 11 points.
Up Next
The Saints will remain at home, hosting Seattle Pacific at 5:15 p.m. on Jan. 31 at Marcus Pavilion.