Jefferson Leads Cats to Win in Missoula
1/15/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
All week, Treasure State basketball fans talked about Montana State's four new starters facing the Grizzlies in Dahlberg Arena. In the end, one of those players hit the most dramatic shots the storied series has seen in recent years.
Ja'Ron Jefferson drained a three-pointer with six-tenths of a second to play capping a roller-coaster ball game that Montana State won 62-60.
"Beautiful," is how Jefferson described the shot that gives MSU a 3-0 start to Big Sky Conference play. MSU coach Mick Durham, a winner for just the fourth time in 15 trips to Missoula, didn't mind that the game-winning play didn't unfold exactly how it was designed.
"That wasn't how we drew it up," Durham said with a wry smile, "but that is the corner we put Ja'Ron in. He's one player that can get his own shot when he needs to. He can rise over people on his jumper. We're finding ways to win, and that's important."
If the 'Cats are finding ways to win, Jefferson was the lead discoverer on Saturday. The junior from Oklahoma City scored 25 points and snagged five steals and four rebounds. He scored 10 of Montana State's final 10 points covering the last 5:32, including two free throws at 5:32 that began the wild game-ending back-and-forth, a three-pointer at 3:59 that gave the Bobcats a short-lived 55-54 lead, and a short jumper that cut Montana's lead to 60-57.
Even aside from the five steals, Jefferson's defensive contribution was significant. He held Montana sharp-shooter Kevin Criswell to nine points. "I thought Ja'Ron did a real nice job on Criswell," Durham said.
Jefferson's all-around play didn't escape Durham. "He was in the middle of everything we did," Durham said. "When we needed a big steal he got it, he got to the line, he hit some big shots."
"My assignment was to guard Criswell," Jefferson said. "He's a great player, and at the end he really took it at me."
The Grizzlies kept the game close with a pair of second-half runs. Montana tied the game at 44 after a seven-minute Bobcat dry spell. The 'Cats had taken a 42-35 lead. Then UM scored on five straight possessions to build a five-point lead at 60-55 with 2:20 to play. Jefferson's two-points brought MSU to within three, then Nick Dissly's steal set up a short Marvin Moss jump hook to get the 'Cats within a point at 60-59. A Kevin Criswell miss gave MSU its chance to win.
"it's nice to have the last shot to win it," Durham said. "We realize Montana is playing without a real good player (Kamarr Davis), and I like how they're playing. They are a very good team. This is a good win for us."
The first half fell almost evenly into two distinctly opposite contests. MSU dominated the first seven minutes, and held a 20-7 lead when Ja'Ron Jefferson followed a three-pointer with a three-free throw trip to the line. On the next possession MSU turned the ball over and John Seyfert's twisting layup drew the Grizzlies within 20-9 and snapped a three-minute dry spell.
That was just the beginning. Seyfert took over the game down low, and freshman point guard Matt Martin's three-pointer with 5:52 remaining in the half started a 10-0 run. The Grizzlies eventually grabbed leads of 25-22 and 27-24, but a spinner by Marvin Moss tied the game at 29 with 1:35 to play in the half, and Branden Miller's three gave the 'Cats a 32-31 lead at the intermission.
With a 3-0 start to league play in its hip pocket, Montana State plays its first home game in 22 days on Thursday, hosting Sacramento State at 7:05 in Worthington Arena.
Ja'Ron Jefferson drained a three-pointer with six-tenths of a second to play capping a roller-coaster ball game that Montana State won 62-60.
"Beautiful," is how Jefferson described the shot that gives MSU a 3-0 start to Big Sky Conference play. MSU coach Mick Durham, a winner for just the fourth time in 15 trips to Missoula, didn't mind that the game-winning play didn't unfold exactly how it was designed.
"That wasn't how we drew it up," Durham said with a wry smile, "but that is the corner we put Ja'Ron in. He's one player that can get his own shot when he needs to. He can rise over people on his jumper. We're finding ways to win, and that's important."
If the 'Cats are finding ways to win, Jefferson was the lead discoverer on Saturday. The junior from Oklahoma City scored 25 points and snagged five steals and four rebounds. He scored 10 of Montana State's final 10 points covering the last 5:32, including two free throws at 5:32 that began the wild game-ending back-and-forth, a three-pointer at 3:59 that gave the Bobcats a short-lived 55-54 lead, and a short jumper that cut Montana's lead to 60-57.
Even aside from the five steals, Jefferson's defensive contribution was significant. He held Montana sharp-shooter Kevin Criswell to nine points. "I thought Ja'Ron did a real nice job on Criswell," Durham said.
Jefferson's all-around play didn't escape Durham. "He was in the middle of everything we did," Durham said. "When we needed a big steal he got it, he got to the line, he hit some big shots."
"My assignment was to guard Criswell," Jefferson said. "He's a great player, and at the end he really took it at me."
The Grizzlies kept the game close with a pair of second-half runs. Montana tied the game at 44 after a seven-minute Bobcat dry spell. The 'Cats had taken a 42-35 lead. Then UM scored on five straight possessions to build a five-point lead at 60-55 with 2:20 to play. Jefferson's two-points brought MSU to within three, then Nick Dissly's steal set up a short Marvin Moss jump hook to get the 'Cats within a point at 60-59. A Kevin Criswell miss gave MSU its chance to win.
"it's nice to have the last shot to win it," Durham said. "We realize Montana is playing without a real good player (Kamarr Davis), and I like how they're playing. They are a very good team. This is a good win for us."
The first half fell almost evenly into two distinctly opposite contests. MSU dominated the first seven minutes, and held a 20-7 lead when Ja'Ron Jefferson followed a three-pointer with a three-free throw trip to the line. On the next possession MSU turned the ball over and John Seyfert's twisting layup drew the Grizzlies within 20-9 and snapped a three-minute dry spell.
That was just the beginning. Seyfert took over the game down low, and freshman point guard Matt Martin's three-pointer with 5:52 remaining in the half started a 10-0 run. The Grizzlies eventually grabbed leads of 25-22 and 27-24, but a spinner by Marvin Moss tied the game at 29 with 1:35 to play in the half, and Branden Miller's three gave the 'Cats a 32-31 lead at the intermission.
With a 3-0 start to league play in its hip pocket, Montana State plays its first home game in 22 days on Thursday, hosting Sacramento State at 7:05 in Worthington Arena.
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