**For Immediate Release**
MSU-Billings Stops Aggies 65-54
- by Scott Puryear of OPSU Sports on 12/31/06

Goodwell, Okla. - Cold shooting in the second half doomed the Oklahoma Panhandle State men’s basketball team in their 65-54 loss against Montana State-Billings in Billings on Saturday night. It was the Heartland Conference opener for both teams.

It was a tight first half, with the Aggies holding a 28-27 advantage with just over six minutes to play and the Yellowjackets coming back to lead by just four points, 36-32, at the halftime break. However, in the second half, the Aggies hit on just nine of their 33 attempts from the field.

OPSU’s fine inside player, Fred Durr, had a nice “double-double” and led both teams in scoring and rebounding with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Aggies Luke Ogden and LaChawn Anderson scored 14 and 12, respectively. OPSU’s E. J. Ollison had a game high six assists and Ogden blocked a pair of shots.

The Aggies, now 2-8, will spend next weekend in Texas. Their first stop will be in San Antonio for a Thursday night game with St. Mary’s, followed by a Saturday night showdown with Incarnate Word – and each of those games are Heartland Conference contests. Then, it will be on to Wichita Falls for a Monday night game with Midwestern State, a tough team from the Lone Star Conference.

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