Durham Steals Win for 'Cats
1/28/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
On Sunday, Mick Durham can analyze his son's impact on the last 76 seconds of Montana State's 69-68 win over Portland State on Saturday.
He can marvel that the 6-0 point guard grabbed the two biggest defensive rebounds on a game in which the Bobcats were pounded on the glass. He can ponder the finer points of the drawn charge in front of the Bobcat bench with one minute left, wondering if that trait is genetic, because the elder Durham remains legendary in the Big Sky for his ability to force offensive fouls.
The elder Durham, Montana State's all-time free throw percentage leader, can revel in the fact that his son essentially won the game from the free throw line, where he has converted 22 of his last 24. And he can think back in amazement at the moment where Casey Durham made exactly the right defensive call in the huddle before MSU got a game-winning stop.
Mick Durham can ponder all those things on Sunday. But on Saturday he boiled it down pretty well. "That was just a kid making plays."
Making plays, indeed. Casey Durham turned in one of the spectacular individual performances covering a minute-and-a half of Mick Durham's 16 years as Bobcat head coach.
Durham, of course, didn't do it alone. Moss grabbed a huge rebound in the last minute that set up a three-pointer, and hit two huge free throws at exactly the right time. Ja'Ron Jefferson carried the 'Cats offensively through a rough 30-minute stretch.
But in the end, Durham's heroics stand out.
In the last 76 seconds, Durham grabbed two rebounds, scored six points, and drew a charge that turned the game's tide toward the 'Cats.
With a minute 16 to play, Durham walked to the line and nailed a free throw, cutting Portland State's lead to six. He missed the next shot, though, snapping a string of 16 straight free throws converted. It proved to be the luckiest break of the night, as Marvin Moss earned a jump ball on the possession, and Durham nailed a three-pointer on the ensuing inbounds play.
"That's just a play we have," the younger Durham said.
As Portland State tried to inbound the ball, Durham drew a charge from PSU point guard Ryan Sommer. "That charge really got the crowd into the game," Durham said. "It gave us a chance."
Moss, 2-for-6 from the line before that possession, made two free throws to get MSU within one.
Portland State had a couple of good looks at the basket on the next trip down the floor, but Casey Durham terminated that possession with a defensive rebound. He was fouled on the play, and calmly drained both free throws.
As if he hadn't done enough, in the time out that followed Durham made the most important suggestion of the night. He encouraged Jacques Wilson to guard PSU point guard Sommer, while Durham switched off and took Josh Neeley.
Wilson hounded Sommer into turning the ball over as time expired, giving MSU an extremely unlikely 69-68 win.
One of the most memorable moments of the night came after Durham sunk the game-winning free throw with 20 seconds left. After the ball tickled the twine, Durham gave the crowd of 4,379 a patented fist pump. The fist pump is not patented by him, but by his father, who has given Bobcat fans so many of those through the years.
It was a gesture that will live in time for Bobcat basketball, a moment and a win lived by the son and, hopefully, enjoyed by the father.
He can marvel that the 6-0 point guard grabbed the two biggest defensive rebounds on a game in which the Bobcats were pounded on the glass. He can ponder the finer points of the drawn charge in front of the Bobcat bench with one minute left, wondering if that trait is genetic, because the elder Durham remains legendary in the Big Sky for his ability to force offensive fouls.
The elder Durham, Montana State's all-time free throw percentage leader, can revel in the fact that his son essentially won the game from the free throw line, where he has converted 22 of his last 24. And he can think back in amazement at the moment where Casey Durham made exactly the right defensive call in the huddle before MSU got a game-winning stop.
Mick Durham can ponder all those things on Sunday. But on Saturday he boiled it down pretty well. "That was just a kid making plays."
Making plays, indeed. Casey Durham turned in one of the spectacular individual performances covering a minute-and-a half of Mick Durham's 16 years as Bobcat head coach.
Durham, of course, didn't do it alone. Moss grabbed a huge rebound in the last minute that set up a three-pointer, and hit two huge free throws at exactly the right time. Ja'Ron Jefferson carried the 'Cats offensively through a rough 30-minute stretch.
But in the end, Durham's heroics stand out.
In the last 76 seconds, Durham grabbed two rebounds, scored six points, and drew a charge that turned the game's tide toward the 'Cats.
With a minute 16 to play, Durham walked to the line and nailed a free throw, cutting Portland State's lead to six. He missed the next shot, though, snapping a string of 16 straight free throws converted. It proved to be the luckiest break of the night, as Marvin Moss earned a jump ball on the possession, and Durham nailed a three-pointer on the ensuing inbounds play.
"That's just a play we have," the younger Durham said.
As Portland State tried to inbound the ball, Durham drew a charge from PSU point guard Ryan Sommer. "That charge really got the crowd into the game," Durham said. "It gave us a chance."
Moss, 2-for-6 from the line before that possession, made two free throws to get MSU within one.
Portland State had a couple of good looks at the basket on the next trip down the floor, but Casey Durham terminated that possession with a defensive rebound. He was fouled on the play, and calmly drained both free throws.
As if he hadn't done enough, in the time out that followed Durham made the most important suggestion of the night. He encouraged Jacques Wilson to guard PSU point guard Sommer, while Durham switched off and took Josh Neeley.
Wilson hounded Sommer into turning the ball over as time expired, giving MSU an extremely unlikely 69-68 win.
One of the most memorable moments of the night came after Durham sunk the game-winning free throw with 20 seconds left. After the ball tickled the twine, Durham gave the crowd of 4,379 a patented fist pump. The fist pump is not patented by him, but by his father, who has given Bobcat fans so many of those through the years.
It was a gesture that will live in time for Bobcat basketball, a moment and a win lived by the son and, hopefully, enjoyed by the father.
Wednesday, June 10
Friday, March 27
Monday, March 23
Friday, March 13
