BILLINGS, Mont. – The Rocky Mountain College men's basketball team opened their first game of the season in rip-roaring fashion with a 94-40 win over Yellowstone Christian College.

Rocky started their season ranked No. 14 according to the preseason 2018 NAIA Division 1 Men's Basketball Coaches's Top 25 Poll released today.

The Battlin' Bears opened the game with 14 straight points before the Centurions could manage to even score.

For the rest of the night, Rocky kept a comfortable lead as Yellowstone Christian was unable to gain any traction due to offensive errors and a stiff Battlin' Bears defense.

Rocky only got better as the night progressed. Their shooting improved in the second half, giving them a 48% field goal percentage on the night.

Jared Samuelson, the 2018-2019 Preseason Men's Basketball Player of Year in the Frontier Conference, led the Battlin' Bears in scoring and rebounding on the night. He put in a solid 20 points and pulled in eight rebounds.

Brandon The Boy had a special night for his first official game as a Battlin' Bear. He put in 13 points, shooting three of six from beyond the arc, while leading the team in steals with an impressive seven.

Rocky's strength in depth shined as they scored 44 points off their bench.

The Battlin' Bears will stay in Billings as they prepare to take on Salish Kootenai Friday. That game will take place at 3 p.m. in Fortin Education Center.