Durham Bomb Leads Cats to Win
12/19/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Casey Durham hit a half-court three-pointer at the buzzer to lift Montana State to a 70-68 win over Portland in Bozeman on Monday.
The first half-court game-winner of his career gave the Bobcats a much-needed win. "We needed that win," Bobcat forward Marvin Moss said after the game, "I don't care how we got it."
That the Bobcats needed a game-winning three seemed improbable just seconds earlier. Darren Cooper, a former Eastern Washington standout, nailed a step-back three with 2.0 seconds left to give the Pilots a 68-67 lead. "I thought the last 13 seconds we defended Portland great," said Bobcat coach Mick Durham. "I just hoped when Darren Cooper shot it would be inside the three-point line. When he put it up it looked good."
With Nick Dissly on the inbounds pass and two seconds remaining, Casey Durham curled around Moss and took the pass in the backcourt. He took a pair of dribbles and pulled up just inside the center court line. "Our guys executed the last two seconds," Mick Durham said. "Nick was crucial, Marvin ran a little interference, and (in the huddle) I said, 'Casey, make it.' For once, he listened to Dad."
The classic finish wiped out a sterling second-half effort by Portland. The Bobcats trailed only one time in the game before Cooper's late shot, a one-point first half deficit at 10:58 that came on a Pooh Jeter three-pointer. Ted Morris answered with a layup that triggered a 20-3 run. The Bobcats led by 16 at 2:27 of the first half on Carson Durr's short jumper, and took a 36-26 lead to the intermission.
MSU maintained that lead through most of the second half, but the Bobcats cooled off from the free throw line at exactly the time when the Pilots began heating up from the field. MSU led 61-51 at 6:52, but a 9-1 run got Portland within two at 62-60. Portland hit three baskets, including one three-pointer, and a pair of free throws in that time, while the 'Cats missed three of four from the line.
The win came on a day that MSU lost guards Branden Miller, who became academically ineligible, and Ryan Holmes, who left the team. "We definitely know who our two go-to guys are now," Casey Durham said, referring to Moss and Ja'Ron Jefferson. "This was a wake-up call."
Moss led the Bobcats with 18 points and six rebounds, while Cooper scored 24 for Portland. Each team shot 47% from the field, but MSU outrebounded the Pilots 40-to-24. Durham's three-pointer was his only field goal of the game.
Montana State returns to action Thursday, hosting Denver. MSU is now 4-6 this year, while Portland is 4-7.
The first half-court game-winner of his career gave the Bobcats a much-needed win. "We needed that win," Bobcat forward Marvin Moss said after the game, "I don't care how we got it."
That the Bobcats needed a game-winning three seemed improbable just seconds earlier. Darren Cooper, a former Eastern Washington standout, nailed a step-back three with 2.0 seconds left to give the Pilots a 68-67 lead. "I thought the last 13 seconds we defended Portland great," said Bobcat coach Mick Durham. "I just hoped when Darren Cooper shot it would be inside the three-point line. When he put it up it looked good."
With Nick Dissly on the inbounds pass and two seconds remaining, Casey Durham curled around Moss and took the pass in the backcourt. He took a pair of dribbles and pulled up just inside the center court line. "Our guys executed the last two seconds," Mick Durham said. "Nick was crucial, Marvin ran a little interference, and (in the huddle) I said, 'Casey, make it.' For once, he listened to Dad."
The classic finish wiped out a sterling second-half effort by Portland. The Bobcats trailed only one time in the game before Cooper's late shot, a one-point first half deficit at 10:58 that came on a Pooh Jeter three-pointer. Ted Morris answered with a layup that triggered a 20-3 run. The Bobcats led by 16 at 2:27 of the first half on Carson Durr's short jumper, and took a 36-26 lead to the intermission.
MSU maintained that lead through most of the second half, but the Bobcats cooled off from the free throw line at exactly the time when the Pilots began heating up from the field. MSU led 61-51 at 6:52, but a 9-1 run got Portland within two at 62-60. Portland hit three baskets, including one three-pointer, and a pair of free throws in that time, while the 'Cats missed three of four from the line.
The win came on a day that MSU lost guards Branden Miller, who became academically ineligible, and Ryan Holmes, who left the team. "We definitely know who our two go-to guys are now," Casey Durham said, referring to Moss and Ja'Ron Jefferson. "This was a wake-up call."
Moss led the Bobcats with 18 points and six rebounds, while Cooper scored 24 for Portland. Each team shot 47% from the field, but MSU outrebounded the Pilots 40-to-24. Durham's three-pointer was his only field goal of the game.
Montana State returns to action Thursday, hosting Denver. MSU is now 4-6 this year, while Portland is 4-7.
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