Mayes MVP As MSUB Wins GNAC Title, NCAA West Regional Berth - Mar 10, 2012

Tournament MVP Robert Mayes (6'7''-F) had 16 points and 10 rebounds to lead Montana State Billings to a 74-70 win over Alaska Anchorage Saturday in the GNAC championship game at Marcus Pavilion in Lacey, Wash.
The win earns the Yellowjackets (18-11), who were seeded fifth, an automatic berth in the NCAA Division II West Regional which begins Friday, probably in Bellingham.
Mayes had 55 points and 27 rebounds in three tournament games, including wins over fourth-seed Western Oregon, No. 1 Western Washington and No. 2 Alaska Anchorage.
The Yellowjackets, under rookie coach Jamie Stevens , also were led by guard Jaxon Myaer (5'10''-G-89) and Taylor Stevens (6'7''-F), who both had 15 points, all from the three-point line.
Mayes earned the MVP award after not receiving a single vote in the all-conference balloting.
Robert Mayes played his best basketball these past three days and he is a well-deserving MVP,' Stevens said.
'Myaer was an honorable mention selection (in the all-conference voting), but in my opinion, Jaxon is the best point guard in the league and I wouldn't trade him for any other point guard in the GNAC.'
Myaer made five of 10 three-pointers and also had five assists, while Stevens made five of seven treys. Overall, MSUB made 12 of 26 from the arc.
Alaska Anchorage (22-6), which should advance to the regional as an at-large team, made 11 of 26 three-pointers and also had more rebounds (40-33 including 10 by Taylor Rohde) and fewer turnovers (11-9) but were outshot 49.1 percent (28-57) to 39.1 percent (25-64).
Point guard Steve White (6'0''-G-90) led the Seawolves with 16 points, connecting on seven of nine shots, while Travis Thompson (6'1''-G-91) and Rohde each had 15. Thompson scored all 15 of his points on five of seven shooting from the arc in the second half.
We didn't shoot very well and we didn't defend well in the second half, said UAA head coach Rusty Osborne . I give Billings a lot of credit for an extremely gutsy performance and congratulate Coach Stevens on a big victory for his program.
The Seawolves used a 12-0 run late in the first half to earn a 35-28 lead at the break, and then followed with a seven-point spurt out of the locker room.
MSUB slowly cut into the lead, however, behind the shooting of Myaer and Stevens, plus the strong interior play of Mayes. The Yellowjackets took their first lead of the second half (50-49) on Preston Richards (6'3''-G)' layup with 9:10 remaining.
The Seawolves retook the momentum on three straight three-pointer by Thompson in a 56-second span and UAA held a 68-61 lead with 3:08 left on a trey by White.
Stevens and Myaer answered back with consecutive threes of their own to make it 68-67 in favor of UAA, and Antoine Proctor (6'3''-G-87) made a go-ahead trey at the 1:09 mark.
After a Seawolf turnover, the Yellowjackets clinched the game from free throw line as guard David Arnold went 4 of 4 in the last 49 seconds.

Courtesy of GNAC

GNAC Tournament Final: Montana State Billings - Alaska Anchorage 74-70
GNAC Tournament Semifinals:
Montana State Billings - Western Washington 82-78
Alaska Anchorage - Central Washington 93-81

All-GNAC 1st Team 2011-2012
#s#	Rohde	Blanche	Wheadon	Proctor	Downs	#e#5