MSU Tops Portland State
2/7/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jason Erickson scored 21 points, including 12 straight points for the Bobcats at one point in the second half, to lead Montana State to a 64-56 win over Portland State on Saturday.
The win was the only victory by a Big Sky home team on Saturday, and launched MSU back into the thick of the league's playoff hunt with a 4-5 conference record, 12-10 overall. Portland State falls to 9-13, 3-6 in conference play.
After shooting just 24% in the first half, the 'Cats shot 48% in the second half. "It's amazing what can happen when you hit a few shots," said MSU coach Mick Durham, who chalked up his 215th win on Saturday, the most by a head coach in Big Sky history. "It energizes not only the coaches and players, but the fans."
At the outset of the second half, Erickson was the player hitting most of the shots. He scored 12 straight MSU points to get the 'Cats back in the game, hit a big step-through scoop shot with 4:01 to play to give MSU a 54-51 lead, then hit a left-handed shot in the lane to extend MSU's lead to 58-53 with two minutes remaining.
"When you start wondering if Jason's due to have kind of a bad game," said Durham, "he starts hitting shots. He hit those threes, he hits those up-and-unders. When you think you've seen it all from Jason, he gives you something you haven't seen before."
For all of Erickson's heroics, his backcourt mate Frank Brown may have hit the game's biggest shot. After the Bobcats had clawed back to within one with 4:33 to play, Brown nailed an open three-pointer to give MSU a lead it would not relinquish. "That was a huge shot by Frank," Durham said. Brown finished with 14 points and six rebounds.
Portland State shot 53% in the first half, but the Bobcats held the Vikings to 32% in the second half, and forced 22 Viking turnovers. MSU turned the ball over just 11 times.
The win was the only victory by a Big Sky home team on Saturday, and launched MSU back into the thick of the league's playoff hunt with a 4-5 conference record, 12-10 overall. Portland State falls to 9-13, 3-6 in conference play.
After shooting just 24% in the first half, the 'Cats shot 48% in the second half. "It's amazing what can happen when you hit a few shots," said MSU coach Mick Durham, who chalked up his 215th win on Saturday, the most by a head coach in Big Sky history. "It energizes not only the coaches and players, but the fans."
At the outset of the second half, Erickson was the player hitting most of the shots. He scored 12 straight MSU points to get the 'Cats back in the game, hit a big step-through scoop shot with 4:01 to play to give MSU a 54-51 lead, then hit a left-handed shot in the lane to extend MSU's lead to 58-53 with two minutes remaining.
"When you start wondering if Jason's due to have kind of a bad game," said Durham, "he starts hitting shots. He hit those threes, he hits those up-and-unders. When you think you've seen it all from Jason, he gives you something you haven't seen before."
For all of Erickson's heroics, his backcourt mate Frank Brown may have hit the game's biggest shot. After the Bobcats had clawed back to within one with 4:33 to play, Brown nailed an open three-pointer to give MSU a lead it would not relinquish. "That was a huge shot by Frank," Durham said. Brown finished with 14 points and six rebounds.
Portland State shot 53% in the first half, but the Bobcats held the Vikings to 32% in the second half, and forced 22 Viking turnovers. MSU turned the ball over just 11 times.
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