Bobcats Visit Portland for Tourney Tilt
3/1/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Montana State enters its third straight Big Sky Conference tournament Saturday, but the task is a tall one. The Bobcats travel to the Rose City to face explosive, powerful Portland State at 8 pm MST. The Vikings and Bobcats split their regular season matchups, PSU winning by 14 in Portland and the Bobcats capping a furious second-half comeback with an eight-point win in Bozeman. The Bobcats have lost five straight Big Sky Tournament tilts, dating to a 1999 first round victory over Cal State Northridge in Ogden. Saturday’s winner advances to Ogden for semifinal action on Tuesday.
GAME FACTS
Montana State at Portland State
DATE: March 3, 2007
TIPOFF: 7:05 pm MST
SITE: Portland, OR
ARENA: Stott Center
RADIO: Bobcat Netw’k (Kris Atteberry)
VIDEO: BigSkyTV.org
LAST TIME: MSU 79-71, 2/3 in Bozeman
BIG SKY TOURNEY
• Montana State has lost five straight Big Sky Conference Tourney games
• Brad Huse is leading MSU into the Tournament for the first time
• Casey Durham’s 20 career points leads current ‘Cats in Tourney play
HIGHLIGHTS
• Nick Dissly (2nd Team) and Carlos Taylor (HM) earned all-league kudos
• After shooting 34 free throws against NAU on Sunday, MSU visited the free throw line only 10 times at ISU
• Casey Durham has hit 14 of his last 27 three-point shots
• Junior guard Carlos Taylor averaged 4.3 turnovers in his first 14 games, but has trimmed that to 2.1 in the last 13
• Montana and NAU are the only opponents in MSU’s last 20 games to shoot 50%
STREAKS
• Bobcat opponents out-rebounded MSU in three straight games
NOTEWORTHY
• The ‘Cats are 0-2 in OT this season
• MSU’s 26 turnovers vs. Sac was its most since 27 vs. Fresno (11/29/06)
• With his 1,109 career points, Nick Dissly has scored the most points of any Division I player from Bozeman
• UNC is the only team to out-shoot MSU in a Bobcat win this year
Last Time Out
Idaho State benefitted from Montana State’s ice-cold shooting in the first half (6-for-29) and earned the league’s final playoff spot with a 67-58 win. David Schroeder celebrated Senior Night in style, getting 20 points.
Three After Three
MSU has hit at least one three-pointer in the last 377 games. From 1986 to late ‘92-93 MSU rolled up a 197-game streak and has a three in 574 of the last 575.
Holding On Tighter
MSU averaged 16.4 turnovers against its non-conference schedule, but has trimmed that to 14.1 a game against Big Sky foes. Montana State has turned the ball over 45 times in two games against Sac State, but just 12.9 times in the other 11 league tilts.
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 (36.3) and fourth (+1.4) this season. MSU hasn’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 17 times this year. Morris has grabbed at least six rebounds in the last seven games.
Triple Threats
Two of MSU’s three in-state starters are moving up the school’s three-point charts.
5. 154 Tom Domako, 1984-88
6. 152 Nick Dissly, 2003-
9. 134 Kwesi Coleman, 1991-95
10. 130 Casey Durham, 2004-
More Triple Talk
MSU has hit at least half its three-point attempts in two of the last four games.
Beware the Brick
Montana State holds its opponents to 40% shooting in Brick Breeden Fieldhouse, including 32% from outside the arc. The Bobcats out-rebound opponents 37.6-to-35.3 this season, as well.
Bozeman’s Best
Nick Dissly’s 1,058 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.
1,109 - Nick Dissly, Bozeman HS 2003-07
1,084 - Ed Exum, Gallatin County HS 1934-38
1,033 - Scott Koelzer, Holy Rosary 1970-73
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 at Portland State
DATE: March 3, 2007
TIPOFF: 7:05 pm MST
SITE: Portland, OR
ARENA: Stott Center
RADIO: Bobcat Netw’k (Kris Atteberry)
VIDEO: BigSkyTV.org
LAST TIME: MSU 79-71, 2/3 in Bozeman
BIG SKY TOURNEY
• Montana State has lost five straight Big Sky Conference Tourney games
• Brad Huse is leading MSU into the Tournament for the first time
• Casey Durham’s 20 career points leads current ‘Cats in Tourney play
HIGHLIGHTS
• Nick Dissly (2nd Team) and Carlos Taylor (HM) earned all-league kudos
• After shooting 34 free throws against NAU on Sunday, MSU visited the free throw line only 10 times at ISU
• Casey Durham has hit 14 of his last 27 three-point shots
• Junior guard Carlos Taylor averaged 4.3 turnovers in his first 14 games, but has trimmed that to 2.1 in the last 13
• Montana and NAU are the only opponents in MSU’s last 20 games to shoot 50%
STREAKS
• Bobcat opponents out-rebounded MSU in three straight games
NOTEWORTHY
• The ‘Cats are 0-2 in OT this season
• MSU’s 26 turnovers vs. Sac was its most since 27 vs. Fresno (11/29/06)
• With his 1,109 career points, Nick Dissly has scored the most points of any Division I player from Bozeman
• UNC is the only team to out-shoot MSU in a Bobcat win this year
Last Time Out
Idaho State benefitted from Montana State’s ice-cold shooting in the first half (6-for-29) and earned the league’s final playoff spot with a 67-58 win. David Schroeder celebrated Senior Night in style, getting 20 points.
Three After Three
MSU has hit at least one three-pointer in the last 377 games. From 1986 to late ‘92-93 MSU rolled up a 197-game streak and has a three in 574 of the last 575.
Holding On Tighter
MSU averaged 16.4 turnovers against its non-conference schedule, but has trimmed that to 14.1 a game against Big Sky foes. Montana State has turned the ball over 45 times in two games against Sac State, but just 12.9 times in the other 11 league tilts.
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 (36.3) and fourth (+1.4) this season. MSU hasn’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 17 times this year. Morris has grabbed at least six rebounds in the last seven games.
Triple Threats
Two of MSU’s three in-state starters are moving up the school’s three-point charts.
5. 154 Tom Domako, 1984-88
6. 152 Nick Dissly, 2003-
9. 134 Kwesi Coleman, 1991-95
10. 130 Casey Durham, 2004-
More Triple Talk
MSU has hit at least half its three-point attempts in two of the last four games.
Beware the Brick
Montana State holds its opponents to 40% shooting in Brick Breeden Fieldhouse, including 32% from outside the arc. The Bobcats out-rebound opponents 37.6-to-35.3 this season, as well.
Bozeman’s Best
Nick Dissly’s 1,058 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.
1,109 - Nick Dissly, Bozeman HS 2003-07
1,084 - Ed Exum, Gallatin County HS 1934-38
1,033 - Scott Koelzer, Holy Rosary 1970-73
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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