'Cats Face EWU Tonight
1/10/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
TONIGHT’S GAME
Fresh off its Big Sky-opening win at Portland State on Thursday, Montana State (9-5/1-0) travels to Eastern Washington (4-10/0-1) to face one of the teams favored to win the Big Sky in the preseason. The Eagles were stunned at home Thursday by Montana.
THE SERIES
Montana State leads the series 36-21, but the Eagles swept MSU last year and have won six of their last eight games against the Bobcats. Eastern is 13-10 against the ‘Cats in Cheney, but Montana State owns a 23-5 advantage in Bozeman. The teams are 3-3 on neutral floors.
THE COACHES
Mick Durham (MSU/’79) 212-176 in his 14th season as Montana State’s head coach. The Three Forks, Mont., native is now tied with Bobby Dye as the Big Sky Conference’s all-time winningest coach in league games with 102, and his 212 wins overall is the second-highest total in conference annals. Durham is 17-9 against Eastern, including 7-6 in games played in Cheney. Ray Giacoletti (Minot State/’85) is 104-80 in his seventh season as a collegiate head coach, 56-47 in his fourth season at Eastern Washington. Giacoletti is 4-2 against the Bobcats, including 2-1 in Cheney.
ABOUT THE BOBCATS
Montana State has won its first conference game for the fourth year in a row, with two of those wins at Portland State… the Bobcats have started conference play by winning its first two games five times in Mick Durham’s 13 previous seasons at MSU, but only once have the ‘Cats started 2-0 with those two wins being on the road… MSU’s current six-game winning streak is the program’s longest since the 2001-02 championship team won nine straight, which included an 8-0 start to the conference season… the team’s string of scoring 80 points in five straight games -- the longest such streak since January, 1994 -- ended when Portland State held the ‘Cats to 19 points below that mark… MSU hasn’t trailed at halftime during its six-game winning streak, and are 8-2 when leading at the half this season… Jason Erickson had three steals against Portland State, as many as in the four previous games combined… the Bobcats hit only one three-pointer against PSU on Thursday, their first time under five treys in a game this season… MSU forced 24 Portland State turnovers in the league opener, the fifth time in the last seven games that the ‘Cats have forced at least 20 opponent giveaways… in that stretch, the Bobcats have forced 22.3 turnovers a contest, including a season-high 36 turnovers against Mary… the 24 turnovers is the most forced by MSU away from home this year… Montana State turned the ball over 21 times against PSU, the most since the season opener (23) against Quinnipiac… MSU was outrebounded on Thursday for the first time since losing to Denver at home on December 20… the Bobcats have shot better in the second half than the first in five of the last six games… since Josh Barsh replaced Matt Towsley in the starting lineup due to Towsley’s back injury eight games ago, the Bobcats are 6-2… If the Bobcats Win, MSU will… snap its two-game losing streak, salvage the Weber-ISU trip with a split, get back to even in league play after dropping a home game last weekend, and earn the team’s third straight win in Pocatello. If the Eagles Win, MSU will… fall to 1-3 in the Big Sky for the first time since 1994-95, be swept on a conference road trip for the first time since losing at NAU and Northridge on the last road trip of the 2000-01 season, and will have lost in Pocatello for the first time since ’99.
PLAYER NOTES—Starters
#11 Frank Brown (Guard): Scored 13 points against Portland State, the second straight and fourth in the last six that he’s been in double figures… shot over 50% against PSU for the first time in four games… was 7-for-8 from the free throw line, his best game of the season, which snapped a 10-for-22 stretch spread out over seven games… his seven turnovers against Portland State was his season-high, but his six assists gave him at least that many in four of the last five… he is averaging 4.5 assists a game, fourth in the Big Sky.
MSU vs. Portland State Notes…/2
#10 Jason Erickson (Guard): Scored a team-high 14 points against PSU, and has been in double-digits scoring in every game this season… leads the Big Sky with 38 steals… became the 31st Bobcat to join the 1,000 point club on Thursday… turned the ball over only twice on Thursday, and leads the Big Sky in assist-turnover ratio… has shot 50% or better from the floor in nine straight games… leads the Big Sky in free throw shooting… his 136 career steals is fourth in school history, and he is just one away from catching Chris Conway for third place. #24 Josh Barsh (Forward): Struggled on Thursday, getting two points, one rebound, and turning the ball over four times… MSU’s defensive stopper… has seven turnovers in the last two games. #33 Danny Faaborg (Forward): Is 4-for-19 from the field, 2-for-13 from three-point range, in the last four games… had four rebounds against PSU, most in the last five games. #4 Calvin Ento (Center): Had five rebounds Thursday, and 13 in the past two games… averaging 5.7 boards, best on the team… his 3-for-10 shooting night on Thursday was his worst since the season’s first weekend… blocked his eighth shot of the season Thursday, and has four in the last three games.
PLAYER NOTES—Reserves
#3 Nick Dissly (Guard): Thursday’s win over PSU was Dissly’s first as a Bobcat without hitting a three-pointer… his 25 triples is most on the team… is 6-for-20 shooting in the last two games… had nine rebounds vs. Portland State, his second straight game with nine boards, and his 24 boards in the last three games is about 40% of his season total (56). #5 Dennis Woodall (Forward): Is 0-for-7 from the field and 1-for-7 from the line in the last two games. #20 Carson Durr (Guard): A true freshman who sees spot duty as a three player. #22 Wes Morales (Guard): Not on this trip. #23 Marcus Clift (Guard): Was 0-for-2 from the line but grabbed two boards against Portland State. #30 PJ Owsley (Center): Has not played in three of the last four, but had a basket and a rebound against Rocky.. #50 Martrel Johnson (Forward): Is not on the trip. #52 Matt Towsley (Center): Had 12 points and two blocked shots on Thursday… has five blocked shots in the last two games… his 16 blocks is nearly halfway to landing himself on MSU’s single-season top 10 list (10th place is 35 blocks)…5-for-14 from the field in the last two games, but is 9-for-10 from the line in that stretch.
MILESTONES
Mick Durham has 102 career Big Sky Conference wins, tied with Bobby Dye for the most in league history, and 212 wins overall, two behind Dye for the most overall wins in Big Sky history… Jason Erickson has 136 career steals, one away from Chris Conway’s third-place total… Jason Erickson’s 126 career three-pointers is eighth-best in school history.
Fresh off its Big Sky-opening win at Portland State on Thursday, Montana State (9-5/1-0) travels to Eastern Washington (4-10/0-1) to face one of the teams favored to win the Big Sky in the preseason. The Eagles were stunned at home Thursday by Montana.
THE SERIES
Montana State leads the series 36-21, but the Eagles swept MSU last year and have won six of their last eight games against the Bobcats. Eastern is 13-10 against the ‘Cats in Cheney, but Montana State owns a 23-5 advantage in Bozeman. The teams are 3-3 on neutral floors.
THE COACHES
Mick Durham (MSU/’79) 212-176 in his 14th season as Montana State’s head coach. The Three Forks, Mont., native is now tied with Bobby Dye as the Big Sky Conference’s all-time winningest coach in league games with 102, and his 212 wins overall is the second-highest total in conference annals. Durham is 17-9 against Eastern, including 7-6 in games played in Cheney. Ray Giacoletti (Minot State/’85) is 104-80 in his seventh season as a collegiate head coach, 56-47 in his fourth season at Eastern Washington. Giacoletti is 4-2 against the Bobcats, including 2-1 in Cheney.
ABOUT THE BOBCATS
Montana State has won its first conference game for the fourth year in a row, with two of those wins at Portland State… the Bobcats have started conference play by winning its first two games five times in Mick Durham’s 13 previous seasons at MSU, but only once have the ‘Cats started 2-0 with those two wins being on the road… MSU’s current six-game winning streak is the program’s longest since the 2001-02 championship team won nine straight, which included an 8-0 start to the conference season… the team’s string of scoring 80 points in five straight games -- the longest such streak since January, 1994 -- ended when Portland State held the ‘Cats to 19 points below that mark… MSU hasn’t trailed at halftime during its six-game winning streak, and are 8-2 when leading at the half this season… Jason Erickson had three steals against Portland State, as many as in the four previous games combined… the Bobcats hit only one three-pointer against PSU on Thursday, their first time under five treys in a game this season… MSU forced 24 Portland State turnovers in the league opener, the fifth time in the last seven games that the ‘Cats have forced at least 20 opponent giveaways… in that stretch, the Bobcats have forced 22.3 turnovers a contest, including a season-high 36 turnovers against Mary… the 24 turnovers is the most forced by MSU away from home this year… Montana State turned the ball over 21 times against PSU, the most since the season opener (23) against Quinnipiac… MSU was outrebounded on Thursday for the first time since losing to Denver at home on December 20… the Bobcats have shot better in the second half than the first in five of the last six games… since Josh Barsh replaced Matt Towsley in the starting lineup due to Towsley’s back injury eight games ago, the Bobcats are 6-2… If the Bobcats Win, MSU will… snap its two-game losing streak, salvage the Weber-ISU trip with a split, get back to even in league play after dropping a home game last weekend, and earn the team’s third straight win in Pocatello. If the Eagles Win, MSU will… fall to 1-3 in the Big Sky for the first time since 1994-95, be swept on a conference road trip for the first time since losing at NAU and Northridge on the last road trip of the 2000-01 season, and will have lost in Pocatello for the first time since ’99.
PLAYER NOTES—Starters
#11 Frank Brown (Guard): Scored 13 points against Portland State, the second straight and fourth in the last six that he’s been in double figures… shot over 50% against PSU for the first time in four games… was 7-for-8 from the free throw line, his best game of the season, which snapped a 10-for-22 stretch spread out over seven games… his seven turnovers against Portland State was his season-high, but his six assists gave him at least that many in four of the last five… he is averaging 4.5 assists a game, fourth in the Big Sky.
MSU vs. Portland State Notes…/2
#10 Jason Erickson (Guard): Scored a team-high 14 points against PSU, and has been in double-digits scoring in every game this season… leads the Big Sky with 38 steals… became the 31st Bobcat to join the 1,000 point club on Thursday… turned the ball over only twice on Thursday, and leads the Big Sky in assist-turnover ratio… has shot 50% or better from the floor in nine straight games… leads the Big Sky in free throw shooting… his 136 career steals is fourth in school history, and he is just one away from catching Chris Conway for third place. #24 Josh Barsh (Forward): Struggled on Thursday, getting two points, one rebound, and turning the ball over four times… MSU’s defensive stopper… has seven turnovers in the last two games. #33 Danny Faaborg (Forward): Is 4-for-19 from the field, 2-for-13 from three-point range, in the last four games… had four rebounds against PSU, most in the last five games. #4 Calvin Ento (Center): Had five rebounds Thursday, and 13 in the past two games… averaging 5.7 boards, best on the team… his 3-for-10 shooting night on Thursday was his worst since the season’s first weekend… blocked his eighth shot of the season Thursday, and has four in the last three games.
PLAYER NOTES—Reserves
#3 Nick Dissly (Guard): Thursday’s win over PSU was Dissly’s first as a Bobcat without hitting a three-pointer… his 25 triples is most on the team… is 6-for-20 shooting in the last two games… had nine rebounds vs. Portland State, his second straight game with nine boards, and his 24 boards in the last three games is about 40% of his season total (56). #5 Dennis Woodall (Forward): Is 0-for-7 from the field and 1-for-7 from the line in the last two games. #20 Carson Durr (Guard): A true freshman who sees spot duty as a three player. #22 Wes Morales (Guard): Not on this trip. #23 Marcus Clift (Guard): Was 0-for-2 from the line but grabbed two boards against Portland State. #30 PJ Owsley (Center): Has not played in three of the last four, but had a basket and a rebound against Rocky.. #50 Martrel Johnson (Forward): Is not on the trip. #52 Matt Towsley (Center): Had 12 points and two blocked shots on Thursday… has five blocked shots in the last two games… his 16 blocks is nearly halfway to landing himself on MSU’s single-season top 10 list (10th place is 35 blocks)…5-for-14 from the field in the last two games, but is 9-for-10 from the line in that stretch.
MILESTONES
Mick Durham has 102 career Big Sky Conference wins, tied with Bobby Dye for the most in league history, and 212 wins overall, two behind Dye for the most overall wins in Big Sky history… Jason Erickson has 136 career steals, one away from Chris Conway’s third-place total… Jason Erickson’s 126 career three-pointers is eighth-best in school history.
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