Bobcats Face Hornets, Grizzlies at Home
2/6/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
With a home sweep over Eastern Washington and Portland State in its hip pocket, Montana State faces two crucial conference home games this weekend. MSU hosts Sacramento State Thursday for the teams’ first time this season, then battles arch-rival Montana, who shares second place in the Big Sky with MSU and Idaho State, on Saturday. MSU vaulted into the league’s top half with a balanced offense led by Carlos Taylor and Nick Dissly, timely contributions from Carson Durr and Mecklen Davis, solid board work by Ted Morris and the steady hand of Casey Durham.
GAME FACTS
Montana State vs. Sacramento State
DATE February 8, 2007
TIPOFF 7:05 pm
SITE Bozeman
ARENA Worthington Arena
RADIO Bobcat Netw’k (Kris Atteberry)
VIDEO BigSkyTV.org
NEXT TIME 2/14 in Sacramento
Montana State vs. Montana
DATE February 10, 2007
TIPOFF 7:05 pm
SITE Bozeman
ARENA Worthington Arena
RADIO Bobcat Netw’k (Kris Atteberry)
VIDEO BigSkyTV.org, MTN stations
LAST TIME UM 73-65 in Missoula, 1/13
HIGHLIGHTS
• Even after shooting 63% from the line Saturday, MSU still shoots free throws at an 85% clip in the last four
• MSU’s win over Portland State was its second of the year on a Saturday and second when trailing at halftime
• Junior guard Carlos Taylor averaged 4.3 turnovers in his first 14 games, but has trimmed that to 1.6 in the last eight
STREAKS
• MSU has held 13 of its last 14 opponents to less than 50% shooting, with NAU’s 51% effort standing alone
• The Bobcats’ string of three straight games of 85% or better from the line ended on Saturday
NOTEWORTHY
• Carlos Taylor celebrated his 21st birthday with 19 points on Saturday
• Carson Durr registered his first career double-double Thursday, a week after his first collegiate dunk
• Nick Dissly has 1,016 career points
• UNC is the only team to out-shoot MSU in a Bobcat win this year
From Bobcat Coach Brad Huse
On Sac State: “They have explosive weapons, guys that can really score. They play hard and play a different style than we do. They get out and pressure you and bring a lot of intensity defensively. Offensively they attack, all five guys will take the ball off a rebound and try to get in transition. They will play at a high pace for the full 40 minutes.” On UM: “Montana has a great tandem inside and a lot of guys that can make baskets on the perimeter. They are hard to prepare for, and it seems like they’ve found a pretty solid groove except for the two-point loss to Portland State.” On the Bobcats: “Having some success has been good for us. The guys are playing hard, but they played hard early in the season without a lot of wins to show for it. Now we’re starting to turn that around. Some confidence has seeped into these guys, and they have earned it. They work hard and believe in themselves. We’re on the edge, our guys know they have to show up and grind it out every night.”
HORNETS NOTES
Sacramento State leads the Big Sky in turnover margin, getting 20 a game but giving up only 14.2... The Hornets also grab a league-high 14.4 offensive rebounds a game
GRIZZLIES NOTES
UM forward Jordan Hasquet is the reigning Big Sky Player of the Week, averaging 25.5 points in the Grizzlies’ games last weekend... the Grizzlies are the best team in the Big Sky at taking care of the basketball, with a +1.2 assist-to-turnover ratio
Last Time Out
MSU overcame an 11-point second half deficit, rallying for a 79-71 win over Portland State. Carlos Taylor led all scorers with 19 points, and the Bobcats held Portland State to 25% shooting in the second half.
Three After Three
MSU has hit at least one three-pointer in the last 373 games. From 1986 to late ‘92-93 MSU rolled up a 197-game streak and has a three in 570 of the last 571.
Holding On Tighter
MSU averaged 16.4 turnovers against its non-conference schedule, but has trimmed that to 13.5 a game against Big Sky foes.
Glasswork
After finishing fourth in the Big Sky in rebounding (34.2) and seventh in rebound margin (-1.1) last year, the Bobcats are second (36.0) and fifth (+1.1) this season. The Bobcats haven’t finished a season positive in rebound margin since 1998-99.
The Glass Master
Ted Morris has keyed MSU’s rebounding resurgence. He is second in the Big Sky with 7.3 boards a game and has led MSU in that category 16 times this year.
Triple Threats
Two of MSU’s three in-state starters are moving up the school’s three-point charts.
7. 147 Justin Brown, 1998-01
8. 144 Nick Dissly, 2003-
10. 122 Johnny Mack, 1989-93
116 Casey Durham, 2004-
Pups
True freshmen Danny Piepoli and Erik Rush helped key MSU’s comeback from a 14-point deficit at Northern Colorado on January 25. This week, those two and redshirt freshman Branden Johnson were on the floor when the ‘Cats turned a two-point deficit into a six point halftime lead against Eastern Washington.
What Home Court Edge?
The Cats are 2-4 in league road games this year. Before Saturday, when Big Sky home teams posted a 4-0 mark for only the second time this season, the league stood 22-24 in conference road games.
Climbing the Ladder
Nick Dissly’s 1,016 career points leaves him withing striking distance of scoring more career points as a Bobcat, and possibly as a Division I player, than any Bozeman product.
1,084 Ed Exum, Gallatin County HS 1934-38
1,033 Scott Koelzer, Holy Rosary 1970-73
1,016 Nick Dissly, Bozeman HS 2003-07
733 Les Craft, K-State, Bozeman HS 1981-85
First-Year Facts
Brad Huse is working against history during his first season as MSU’s head coach. Since 1960, only two of the school’s seven head coaches posted a winning mark in his first season... Huse is the third straight Bobcat basketball coach to have previously served as an MSU assistant... MSU has now been coached by a native Montanan for 17 straight years.
GAME FACTS
Montana State vs. Sacramento State
DATE February 8, 2007
TIPOFF 7:05 pm
SITE Bozeman
ARENA Worthington Arena
RADIO Bobcat Netw’k (Kris Atteberry)
VIDEO BigSkyTV.org
NEXT TIME 2/14 in Sacramento
Montana State vs. Montana
DATE February 10, 2007
TIPOFF 7:05 pm
SITE Bozeman
ARENA Worthington Arena
RADIO Bobcat Netw’k (Kris Atteberry)
VIDEO BigSkyTV.org, MTN stations
LAST TIME UM 73-65 in Missoula, 1/13
HIGHLIGHTS
• Even after shooting 63% from the line Saturday, MSU still shoots free throws at an 85% clip in the last four
• MSU’s win over Portland State was its second of the year on a Saturday and second when trailing at halftime
• Junior guard Carlos Taylor averaged 4.3 turnovers in his first 14 games, but has trimmed that to 1.6 in the last eight
STREAKS
• MSU has held 13 of its last 14 opponents to less than 50% shooting, with NAU’s 51% effort standing alone
• The Bobcats’ string of three straight games of 85% or better from the line ended on Saturday
NOTEWORTHY
• Carlos Taylor celebrated his 21st birthday with 19 points on Saturday
• Carson Durr registered his first career double-double Thursday, a week after his first collegiate dunk
• Nick Dissly has 1,016 career points
• UNC is the only team to out-shoot MSU in a Bobcat win this year
From Bobcat Coach Brad Huse
On Sac State: “They have explosive weapons, guys that can really score. They play hard and play a different style than we do. They get out and pressure you and bring a lot of intensity defensively. Offensively they attack, all five guys will take the ball off a rebound and try to get in transition. They will play at a high pace for the full 40 minutes.” On UM: “Montana has a great tandem inside and a lot of guys that can make baskets on the perimeter. They are hard to prepare for, and it seems like they’ve found a pretty solid groove except for the two-point loss to Portland State.” On the Bobcats: “Having some success has been good for us. The guys are playing hard, but they played hard early in the season without a lot of wins to show for it. Now we’re starting to turn that around. Some confidence has seeped into these guys, and they have earned it. They work hard and believe in themselves. We’re on the edge, our guys know they have to show up and grind it out every night.”
HORNETS NOTES
Sacramento State leads the Big Sky in turnover margin, getting 20 a game but giving up only 14.2... The Hornets also grab a league-high 14.4 offensive rebounds a game
GRIZZLIES NOTES
UM forward Jordan Hasquet is the reigning Big Sky Player of the Week, averaging 25.5 points in the Grizzlies’ games last weekend... the Grizzlies are the best team in the Big Sky at taking care of the basketball, with a +1.2 assist-to-turnover ratio
Last Time Out
MSU overcame an 11-point second half deficit, rallying for a 79-71 win over Portland State. Carlos Taylor led all scorers with 19 points, and the Bobcats held Portland State to 25% shooting in the second half.
Three After Three
MSU has hit at least one three-pointer in the last 373 games. From 1986 to late ‘92-93 MSU rolled up a 197-game streak and has a three in 570 of the last 571.
Holding On Tighter
MSU averaged 16.4 turnovers against its non-conference schedule, but has trimmed that to 13.5 a game against Big Sky foes.
Glasswork
After finishing fourth in the Big Sky in rebounding (34.2) and seventh in rebound margin (-1.1) last year, the Bobcats are second (36.0) and fifth (+1.1) this season. The Bobcats haven’t finished a season positive in rebound margin since 1998-99.
The Glass Master
Ted Morris has keyed MSU’s rebounding resurgence. He is second in the Big Sky with 7.3 boards a game and has led MSU in that category 16 times this year.
Triple Threats
Two of MSU’s three in-state starters are moving up the school’s three-point charts.
7. 147 Justin Brown, 1998-01
8. 144 Nick Dissly, 2003-
10. 122 Johnny Mack, 1989-93
116 Casey Durham, 2004-
Pups
True freshmen Danny Piepoli and Erik Rush helped key MSU’s comeback from a 14-point deficit at Northern Colorado on January 25. This week, those two and redshirt freshman Branden Johnson were on the floor when the ‘Cats turned a two-point deficit into a six point halftime lead against Eastern Washington.
What Home Court Edge?
The Cats are 2-4 in league road games this year. Before Saturday, when Big Sky home teams posted a 4-0 mark for only the second time this season, the league stood 22-24 in conference road games.
Climbing the Ladder
Nick Dissly’s 1,016 career points leaves him withing striking distance of scoring more career points as a Bobcat, and possibly as a Division I player, than any Bozeman product.
1,084 Ed Exum, Gallatin County HS 1934-38
1,033 Scott Koelzer, Holy Rosary 1970-73
1,016 Nick Dissly, Bozeman HS 2003-07
733 Les Craft, K-State, Bozeman HS 1981-85
First-Year Facts
Brad Huse is working against history during his first season as MSU’s head coach. Since 1960, only two of the school’s seven head coaches posted a winning mark in his first season... Huse is the third straight Bobcat basketball coach to have previously served as an MSU assistant... MSU has now been coached by a native Montanan for 17 straight years.
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