MSU vs. Idaho Game Notes
11/27/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
MONTANA STATE (2-1) vs. Idaho (1-2)
Montana State opens its home season Saturday, hosting former Big Sky rival Idaho at 7 pm on Saturday. The Bobcats completed their swing through the state of Florida with a 2-1 mark, winning Florida International’s tournament with victories over Quinnipiac and Howard, before losing at #8 Florida. Idaho is 1-2 this season, with a win over Elon and losses at South Carolina and Gonzaga. NEXT UP: MSU plays at Denver next Wednesday at 7 pm.
GAME FACTS
TIPOFF 7:05 pm MST
SITE Bozeman, MT
ARENA Worhtington
RADIO Bobcat Radio Network
(Dean Alexander) TELEVISION none
HIGHLIGHTS
l Montana State’s 2-0 start was its first since 1998-99
l The ‘Cats are averaging 3.3 blocks a game this year, after getting just 1.9 a game last year
l Jason Erickson was named Big Sky Player of the Week on Tuesday
l MSU beat the Vandals 74-68 in Moscow last year
STREAKS
l MSU has had at least 15 assists in all three games this year
NOTEWORTHY
l Jason Erickson has hit his first eight free throws of the season after opening last season by hitting 26 straight
l Matt Towsley has five blocked shots this year, one-third the total of last year’s team-high for the season
l Jason Erickson has 13 steals through three games, after getting 25 all of last season
The Bobcats Idaho Vandals
‘03-04 RECORD 2-1 1-2
Home/Road/Neu 0-0/0-1/2-0 0-0/0-2/1-0
Conf./Record Big Sky/0-0 Big West/0-0
HEAD COACH Mick Durham Leonard Perry
Alma Mater MSU/’80 Idaho/’94
Overall/Years 205-172/14th 23-36/3rd
At School/Years same same
vs Opponent vs. UI: 11-8 vs. MSU: 0-1
7-2/3-6/1-0 0-1/0-0/0-0
SCHOOL INFO
Colors Blue, gold Silver, gold
Location Bozeman, MT Moscow, ID
Enrollment 12,000 12,435
Arena Worthington Cowan Spectrum
SERIES CAPSULES
MSU vs. Idaho 53-44 (37-9/15-35/1-0)
Last Time Out
Montana State ran into what the MSU coaching staff concurs is the most talented team a Bobcat squad has faced in the last 13 years, and perhaps ever, losing 112-73 at Florida on Tuesday. The game was the Gators’ season opener, and Florida shot 67% and outrebounded the Bobcats 47-17. Jason Erickson was spectacular for the ‘Cats, getting 10 points with six assists and five steals. Frank Brown had 12 points and five assists.
The Three Company
MSU has hit at least one three-pointer in the last 281 games. From 1986 to late ‘92-93 MSU rolled up 197 straight games with a trey, giving MSU at least one three in 478 of the last 479 games.
The Magic Number
The Bobcats are 101-15 when scoring at least 80 points since ‘93-94.
Eating Glass
In Montana State’s first two outings -- before running into the super-human Gators -- the Bobcats fared well in the statistical category most pundits assume will be a team shortcoming this year. Montana State outrebouned Quinnipiac 43-49, and was even with Howard, 37-to-37, on the glass. The Florida game -- in which MSU was outrebounded 47-to-17 -- will skew MSU’s rebounding stats for the season, but the Bobcats do appear to be improved on the boards this year.
Hot Start
Montana State’s two wins to start the season marked the first time in five years the Bobcats had started a season with two wins, and the first time since the early ‘60s that the Bobcats had begun a season with two wins away from the friendly confines of Worthington Arena.
Newbies
Bobcat coach Mick Durham is leading the youngest of his 14 Bobcat teams into the 2003-04 season. MSU’s roster features eight players out of 13 that did not play on the Bobcat varsity a year ago. In spite of that, however, four of the five Bobcat starters have previously seen action in the starting lineup for Montana State, including Jason Erickson, who has 52 starts. Six of MSU’s 13 varsity players -- which does not include redshirt Casey Durham, who is also a freshman -- are true or redshirt freshmen.
A Helping Hand
Montana State appears to be a much better passing team this year than it has been in the last couple of seasons, and a lot of the credit goes to the guard tandem of Frank Brown and Jason Erickson. Erickson leads the team with 18 assists in three games, while Brown has added 13 assists.
In the Way
The Bobcats have also improved in the shot-blocking category this year. Montana State has 10 blocked shots through three games, including five by Matt Towsley. Last year, MSU blocked 50 shots all season.
Montana State opens its home season Saturday, hosting former Big Sky rival Idaho at 7 pm on Saturday. The Bobcats completed their swing through the state of Florida with a 2-1 mark, winning Florida International’s tournament with victories over Quinnipiac and Howard, before losing at #8 Florida. Idaho is 1-2 this season, with a win over Elon and losses at South Carolina and Gonzaga. NEXT UP: MSU plays at Denver next Wednesday at 7 pm.
GAME FACTS
TIPOFF 7:05 pm MST
SITE Bozeman, MT
ARENA Worhtington
RADIO Bobcat Radio Network
(Dean Alexander) TELEVISION none
HIGHLIGHTS
l Montana State’s 2-0 start was its first since 1998-99
l The ‘Cats are averaging 3.3 blocks a game this year, after getting just 1.9 a game last year
l Jason Erickson was named Big Sky Player of the Week on Tuesday
l MSU beat the Vandals 74-68 in Moscow last year
STREAKS
l MSU has had at least 15 assists in all three games this year
NOTEWORTHY
l Jason Erickson has hit his first eight free throws of the season after opening last season by hitting 26 straight
l Matt Towsley has five blocked shots this year, one-third the total of last year’s team-high for the season
l Jason Erickson has 13 steals through three games, after getting 25 all of last season
The Bobcats Idaho Vandals
‘03-04 RECORD 2-1 1-2
Home/Road/Neu 0-0/0-1/2-0 0-0/0-2/1-0
Conf./Record Big Sky/0-0 Big West/0-0
HEAD COACH Mick Durham Leonard Perry
Alma Mater MSU/’80 Idaho/’94
Overall/Years 205-172/14th 23-36/3rd
At School/Years same same
vs Opponent vs. UI: 11-8 vs. MSU: 0-1
7-2/3-6/1-0 0-1/0-0/0-0
SCHOOL INFO
Colors Blue, gold Silver, gold
Location Bozeman, MT Moscow, ID
Enrollment 12,000 12,435
Arena Worthington Cowan Spectrum
SERIES CAPSULES
MSU vs. Idaho 53-44 (37-9/15-35/1-0)
Last Time Out
Montana State ran into what the MSU coaching staff concurs is the most talented team a Bobcat squad has faced in the last 13 years, and perhaps ever, losing 112-73 at Florida on Tuesday. The game was the Gators’ season opener, and Florida shot 67% and outrebounded the Bobcats 47-17. Jason Erickson was spectacular for the ‘Cats, getting 10 points with six assists and five steals. Frank Brown had 12 points and five assists.
The Three Company
MSU has hit at least one three-pointer in the last 281 games. From 1986 to late ‘92-93 MSU rolled up 197 straight games with a trey, giving MSU at least one three in 478 of the last 479 games.
The Magic Number
The Bobcats are 101-15 when scoring at least 80 points since ‘93-94.
Eating Glass
In Montana State’s first two outings -- before running into the super-human Gators -- the Bobcats fared well in the statistical category most pundits assume will be a team shortcoming this year. Montana State outrebouned Quinnipiac 43-49, and was even with Howard, 37-to-37, on the glass. The Florida game -- in which MSU was outrebounded 47-to-17 -- will skew MSU’s rebounding stats for the season, but the Bobcats do appear to be improved on the boards this year.
Hot Start
Montana State’s two wins to start the season marked the first time in five years the Bobcats had started a season with two wins, and the first time since the early ‘60s that the Bobcats had begun a season with two wins away from the friendly confines of Worthington Arena.
Newbies
Bobcat coach Mick Durham is leading the youngest of his 14 Bobcat teams into the 2003-04 season. MSU’s roster features eight players out of 13 that did not play on the Bobcat varsity a year ago. In spite of that, however, four of the five Bobcat starters have previously seen action in the starting lineup for Montana State, including Jason Erickson, who has 52 starts. Six of MSU’s 13 varsity players -- which does not include redshirt Casey Durham, who is also a freshman -- are true or redshirt freshmen.
A Helping Hand
Montana State appears to be a much better passing team this year than it has been in the last couple of seasons, and a lot of the credit goes to the guard tandem of Frank Brown and Jason Erickson. Erickson leads the team with 18 assists in three games, while Brown has added 13 assists.
In the Way
The Bobcats have also improved in the shot-blocking category this year. Montana State has 10 blocked shots through three games, including five by Matt Towsley. Last year, MSU blocked 50 shots all season.
Wednesday, June 10
Friday, March 27
Monday, March 23
Friday, March 13
