Bobcats Fall to Grizzlies at Big Sky Tourney
3/8/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
On a night when Montana State held University of Montana stars Kamarr Davis, Kevin Criswell and Matt Dlouhy to a combined 17 points, and each to single figures, Montana's bit players made the difference.
Virgil Matthews didn't score against the Bobcats in the two regular season games, but had 13 points and six rebounds in Tuesday's semifinal game. Andrew Strait had 14 points in the two regular season games, and scored 16 on Tuesday. Matt Martin matched his two-game regular season total of 16 on Tuesday.
"In the first two games those guys didn't do anything to us," said MSU guard Ja'ron Jefferson, who joined backcourt mate Branden Miller in the team's scoring lead with 15 points. "They played great tonight."
After MSU scored the game's first four points, the Bobcats went more than five minutes without scoring, setting the stage for a night full of offensive miscues. Montana jumped to a 20-11 lead, and MSU cut that margin to five on a Miller three-pointer with just under two minutes left.
As they would do all night, Montana answered. Big. Virgil Matthews hit a short jumpre for a 30-23 lead, then Matt Martin closed the half with a banked three-pointer on a highly controversial play.
"The plays right before the half were important," Durham said. "If we could have stayed within five going in (at halftim) I thought we could stay right in it. To go in down by 10 was a downer."
Twice in the first seven minutes of the second half, MSU closed the Montana lead to five. Each time, Matt Martin answered with a three-pointer to expand UM's lead and kill the Bobcat momentum.
"Matt Martin hit some huge shots," Durham said.
In the ende, too much Grizzly balance and too few Bobcat rebounds spelled MSU's doom. The Grizzlies outreounded MSU 47-to-31, and the Bobcats shot just 41% to UM's 47%. A crowd of about 2,000 watched Tuesday's early game, with Bobcat fans outnumbering UM rooters about two-to-one.
MSU's season ends at 14-14. The 'Cats won two out of three against the Grizzlies this year, but have lost five straight Big Sky semifinal games to UM. The 17-12 Grizzlies, picked by many to win the league, have the chance to do that against Weber State on Wednesday.
Virgil Matthews didn't score against the Bobcats in the two regular season games, but had 13 points and six rebounds in Tuesday's semifinal game. Andrew Strait had 14 points in the two regular season games, and scored 16 on Tuesday. Matt Martin matched his two-game regular season total of 16 on Tuesday.
"In the first two games those guys didn't do anything to us," said MSU guard Ja'ron Jefferson, who joined backcourt mate Branden Miller in the team's scoring lead with 15 points. "They played great tonight."
After MSU scored the game's first four points, the Bobcats went more than five minutes without scoring, setting the stage for a night full of offensive miscues. Montana jumped to a 20-11 lead, and MSU cut that margin to five on a Miller three-pointer with just under two minutes left.
As they would do all night, Montana answered. Big. Virgil Matthews hit a short jumpre for a 30-23 lead, then Matt Martin closed the half with a banked three-pointer on a highly controversial play.
"The plays right before the half were important," Durham said. "If we could have stayed within five going in (at halftim) I thought we could stay right in it. To go in down by 10 was a downer."
Twice in the first seven minutes of the second half, MSU closed the Montana lead to five. Each time, Matt Martin answered with a three-pointer to expand UM's lead and kill the Bobcat momentum.
"Matt Martin hit some huge shots," Durham said.
In the ende, too much Grizzly balance and too few Bobcat rebounds spelled MSU's doom. The Grizzlies outreounded MSU 47-to-31, and the Bobcats shot just 41% to UM's 47%. A crowd of about 2,000 watched Tuesday's early game, with Bobcat fans outnumbering UM rooters about two-to-one.
MSU's season ends at 14-14. The 'Cats won two out of three against the Grizzlies this year, but have lost five straight Big Sky semifinal games to UM. The 17-12 Grizzlies, picked by many to win the league, have the chance to do that against Weber State on Wednesday.
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