Bobcats Topple EWU
2/1/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Carson Durr notched his first career double-double and Montana State's switching defenses held Eastern Washington to 18 points below its season scoring average in an 84-67 Bobcat win on Thursday.
In a game that began without a field goal for three minutes, Eastern's sensational Rodney Stuckey and Montana State's balanced offense each heated up as the night progressed. In the end, five Bobcats scored in double figures and the team shot 50% for the game, holding Eastern to 41% from the floor.
"Even though we got off to a sluggish start we kept battling," MSU coach Brad Huse said. "We got some great contributions off the bench, had some guys come back from slow starts. It was just a good team effort. I liked the tempo, I thought that was where we needed it to be. And yet, when you get into a half-court game with them it's dangerous because of the versatility they have."
One of college basketball's top players, Stuckey finished with 24 points with three assists and a steal. MSU's multiple defenses limited him to 6-for-18 shooting and 0-for-2 from three-point range. Still, Huse was impressed. "You just can't shut him down, it's not going to happen. You have to stop him with the second defender. He's like a great running back, he's not looking at the first guy he's looking at the second guy. He's a great player. You just can't guard him."
Montana State was able to control the game's tempo by controlling the boards, Huse said. "I was real pleased with our rebounding tonight," he said. "I told the guys I don't know that there were very many rebounds that we could have got that we didn't. That was an emphasis."
Durr identified MSU's transition defense as a key to keeping Eastern Washington off balance, as well. "We were getting back, getting into our zone, getting into our box, getting into our triangle. We were getting back quick. That's how Stuckey gets a lot of his points, he gets out in transition and scores or gets fouled."
The win leaves Montana State in a four-way tie for second-place in the loss column in the Big Sky. Weber State leads the way at 8-3, but NAU is 7-4 after winning at Idaho State, and Montana, Idaho State and MSU each stand at 5-4. Portland State won at Missoula on Thursday, and is 6-5.
In a game that began without a field goal for three minutes, Eastern's sensational Rodney Stuckey and Montana State's balanced offense each heated up as the night progressed. In the end, five Bobcats scored in double figures and the team shot 50% for the game, holding Eastern to 41% from the floor.
"Even though we got off to a sluggish start we kept battling," MSU coach Brad Huse said. "We got some great contributions off the bench, had some guys come back from slow starts. It was just a good team effort. I liked the tempo, I thought that was where we needed it to be. And yet, when you get into a half-court game with them it's dangerous because of the versatility they have."
One of college basketball's top players, Stuckey finished with 24 points with three assists and a steal. MSU's multiple defenses limited him to 6-for-18 shooting and 0-for-2 from three-point range. Still, Huse was impressed. "You just can't shut him down, it's not going to happen. You have to stop him with the second defender. He's like a great running back, he's not looking at the first guy he's looking at the second guy. He's a great player. You just can't guard him."
Montana State was able to control the game's tempo by controlling the boards, Huse said. "I was real pleased with our rebounding tonight," he said. "I told the guys I don't know that there were very many rebounds that we could have got that we didn't. That was an emphasis."
Durr identified MSU's transition defense as a key to keeping Eastern Washington off balance, as well. "We were getting back, getting into our zone, getting into our box, getting into our triangle. We were getting back quick. That's how Stuckey gets a lot of his points, he gets out in transition and scores or gets fouled."
The win leaves Montana State in a four-way tie for second-place in the loss column in the Big Sky. Weber State leads the way at 8-3, but NAU is 7-4 after winning at Idaho State, and Montana, Idaho State and MSU each stand at 5-4. Portland State won at Missoula on Thursday, and is 6-5.
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