Bulldog hoops in South Dakota for two games

UMW News Bureau

The Bulldogs close out their non-conference basketball season with two games in South Dakota. By Wally Feldt After a two-week break, the University of Montana Western men’s basketball team returns to action with two games at the Perkins Classic hosted by Black Hills State University in Spearfish, S.D. Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 29 and 30, 2009. The Bulldogs face the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Hardrockers on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. and the Black Hills State University Yellow Jackets on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Montana Western is 10-4 on the season. Their last game was a 60-82 loss to the College of Idaho on Dec. 12. The Bulldogs received votes in the last NAIA Division I power poll, but not enough to move into the top 25. JaRon Brown leads Montana Western in scoring  and rebounding with 15.5 points per game (ppg) and 7.4 rebounds per game. Also scoring in double figures are Layne Glaus with 14.6 ppg, Brandon Lawson with 11.9 ppg and Terry Hauser with 11.8 ppg. Garrett Fink is second on the team in rebounding with 7.1 per game. The Bulldogs average 86 ppg while giving up 73.7 and out-rebound their opponents 43.9 to 36 rebounds per game. Both South Dakota Tech and Black Hills State are NAIA Division II schools and are members of the Dakota Athletic Conference (DAC). The Hardrockers last played on Dec. 12 when they lost 72-74 at Dana College. The Hardrockers are 9-4 overall and 1-0 in the DAC. Kyle Turpin leads in scoring and rebounding with 12 ppg and six rebounds per game. Also scoring in double figures is A.J. Trennepohl with 11.5 ppg. The Hardrockers outscore their opponents 71 ppg to 68 ppg. Black Hills State is 9-4 overall and 0-1 in the DAC. Their last action was also Dec. 12 when they scored a 66-64 road victory over Presentation College. Luke Enos leads the Yellow Jackets in scoring with 16 ppg followed by Cain Atkinson with 15 ppg. Will Johnson leads the team in rebounding with 11 rebounds per game. The Yellow Jackets average 75.9 ppg while giving up 70. The Bulldogs open Frontier Conference play on Jan. 7 in Billings, Mont. against Rocky Mountain College.