Bobcats Fall in Opener
11/10/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
It was a starting point.
That was the most striking positive in Montana State’s 69-37 season-opening loss at Utah Valley State on Friday. “This is not the first time I’ve been on this end of something like this,” MSU head coach Brad Huse said after his first official game back on the Bobcat bench. “You hope this doesn’t happen, but when it does you expect to go back to work and learn from it.”
The veteran Wolverines, featuring a host of returners from last year’s squad, held MSU to 26% shooting, including just 2-of-20 from three-point range, forced 22 Bobcat turnovers, and outrebounded MSU 41-to-34. “You can’t turn the ball over and give yourself a chance,” Huse said. “We wanted to get the ball inside to Ted (Morris), but we didn’t handle their pressure well. Give Utah Valley credit, they defended us hard.”
The Wolverines, who have lost just four times on their home floor in their three seasons as a Division I institution, took much of the drama out of the game early. UVSC scored the game’s first nine points, jumping to a 22-7 lead. From that point, the Bobcats held the Wolverines scoreless for four-and-a-half minutes, but could only score four points themselves in that time.
“I thought we had decent stretches defensively,” Huse said. “You just can’t expect the defense to bail the offense out all night.”
MSU’s 22 turnovers eliminated any chance of continuity on the Bobcats’ offensive end. Montana State made field goals on two consecutive possessions just three times on the night. Utah Valley had only three stretches on the night with more than three possessions without a basket.
Senior center Ted Morris was the only Bobcat in double-figures scoring, getting 10 points on 5-for-8 shooting. Morris tied Casey Durham for team honors with nine rebounds, a career-high for Durham. Jordan Brady scored 14 to lead all scorers, while Ryan Toolson (11) and Chris Bailey (10) each added double-digit scoring efforts for the home team.
The Bobcats must regroup quickly, hosting UC Santa Barbara on Monday night at 7 pm in Worthington Arena.
That was the most striking positive in Montana State’s 69-37 season-opening loss at Utah Valley State on Friday. “This is not the first time I’ve been on this end of something like this,” MSU head coach Brad Huse said after his first official game back on the Bobcat bench. “You hope this doesn’t happen, but when it does you expect to go back to work and learn from it.”
The veteran Wolverines, featuring a host of returners from last year’s squad, held MSU to 26% shooting, including just 2-of-20 from three-point range, forced 22 Bobcat turnovers, and outrebounded MSU 41-to-34. “You can’t turn the ball over and give yourself a chance,” Huse said. “We wanted to get the ball inside to Ted (Morris), but we didn’t handle their pressure well. Give Utah Valley credit, they defended us hard.”
The Wolverines, who have lost just four times on their home floor in their three seasons as a Division I institution, took much of the drama out of the game early. UVSC scored the game’s first nine points, jumping to a 22-7 lead. From that point, the Bobcats held the Wolverines scoreless for four-and-a-half minutes, but could only score four points themselves in that time.
“I thought we had decent stretches defensively,” Huse said. “You just can’t expect the defense to bail the offense out all night.”
MSU’s 22 turnovers eliminated any chance of continuity on the Bobcats’ offensive end. Montana State made field goals on two consecutive possessions just three times on the night. Utah Valley had only three stretches on the night with more than three possessions without a basket.
Senior center Ted Morris was the only Bobcat in double-figures scoring, getting 10 points on 5-for-8 shooting. Morris tied Casey Durham for team honors with nine rebounds, a career-high for Durham. Jordan Brady scored 14 to lead all scorers, while Ryan Toolson (11) and Chris Bailey (10) each added double-digit scoring efforts for the home team.
The Bobcats must regroup quickly, hosting UC Santa Barbara on Monday night at 7 pm in Worthington Arena.
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