Bobcats Head to West Coast for Two-Game Swing
12/18/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
The Bobcats put the academic rigors of finals week behind them Saturday, traveling to the West Coast for contests with a pair of Big West Conference foes that have yet to lose at home this year, each featuring standout guards. MSU faces Long Beach State on Saturday. Dan Monson’s second 49er squad is dramatically improved, led by explosive guard Donovan Morris, who averages 17.7 points a game. Morris has led LBSU in scoring seven times this season, and scored 14 in MSU’s 74-56 home win over Long Beach State last season. Two days later, on Monday, the Bobcats face a rematch with Cal State Fullerton and explosive guard Josh Akognon, who averages 25.5 points a game, fourth in the nation. MSU topped the Titans 74-60 in Bozeman on December 9.
THIS WEEK...
Montana State vs. Long Beach State
DATE -- December 20, 2008
TIPOFF -- 4:05 pm MT/3:05 pm PT
SITE -- Long Beach, CA
ARENA -- Walter Pyramid
RADIO -- Bobcat Network (Jeff Lasky)
VIDEO -- none
LAST TIME -- MSU 74-56, 11/13/07
MISCELLANY...
* MSU is the only present Big Sky school with wins over Pac 10 and current Big 12 schools in the same year
* Montana State shoots 40% at home this year, but 44% in road games
SERIES NOTES...
* MSU owns home wins in its most recent meetings with the two upcoming opponents, against CS Fullerton this year and Long Beach State last year
* Fullerton is 0-1 against Big Sky teams other than MSU this year, with a loss to Portland State, while Long Beach State split a pair of games with Weber State
* MSU lost its only trip to Fullerton, 73-67 in 1998, and its only trip to Long Beach, 100-84 in 1965
ON THE OFFENSE...
* MSU’s 51 points against Washington State last time out is its season low
* Five different Bobcats have led the team in scoring in MSU’s eight games
* Montana State’s six turnovers at Washington State is its season low
* Montana State shot only 35% combined against its two WAC opponents, Nevada and Boise State
ON THE DEFENSE...
* Washington State’s 58% shooting night snapped a two-game streak in which MSU held the foe to 38% FG
* Divaldo Mbunga has at least one blocked shot in three straight games
Picking on the Big Boys
Before the calendar flipped to December, Montana State beat a pair of teams from power conferences. The Bobcats upended Colorado in Boulder on November 18, then toppled Oregon State in Corvallis on November 26. By doing so, MSU became the first current member of the Big Sky with wins over a Pac 10 and a current Big 12 school in the same season.
Three After Three
MSU has hit at least one three-pointer in its last 414 games. From 1986 to late ‘92-93 MSU rolled up a 197-game streak and has a three in 611 of the last 612.
Defensive Superlatives
Montana State’ team success on the defensive end this year begins with outstanding individual effort. While Boise State, Oregon State and Washington State each topped the 50% shooting mark, MSU has held two opponents to under 40%. Will Bynum has emerged as a leader on the defensive end for MSU, collecting 16 steals, the most in the Big Sky Conference. Divaldo Mbunga has blocked 14 shots this year, and his 1.9 blocks per game also leads the league.
Defending the Paint
Senior center Divaldo Mbunga has unrelentingly defended the inside for the Bobcats this year. The Angola native is sixth in the Big Sky with 6.4 rebounds a game, and leads the Big Sky with 1.9 blocked shots per contest.
Charity Chatter
Montana State’s 15-for-17 performance from the free throw line at Washington State - fueled by Erik Rush’s 10-for-12 showing - lifts the Bobcats from eighth to sixth in the Big Sky in free throw percentage (67.1%). MSU led the league in free throw shooting a year ago, but spent the early part of this season among the Big Sky’s bottom two, along with NAU, who also is regularly at the top of the league.
Not-so-Golden Coast
The Bobcats have lost five straight games in the state of California over the past two seasons. MSU lost at Sacramento State, UC Santa Barbara and Fresno State last year, and at Sacramento State and Fresno State in 2006-07.
Tale of the Turnover
After a fluky two-game stretch in which the Bobcats turned the ball over 36 times, Washington State forced just six Bobcat turnovers, the lowest mark by an MSU squad in Brad Huse’s two-plus seasons.On the season, MSU turns the ball over just 13.6 times a game, the third-lowest mark in the Big Sky.
Just Getting Acquainted
The Bobcats have struggled at times with the newer members of the Big Sky. In the 21st century, MSU is 18-21 against the teams admitted to the league since ‘96-97.
Twentysomethings
Will Bynum was not lauded as a scorer upon arriving at Montana State, but he has put together a pair of 20-point performances this season. Bynum scored 23 at Oregon State and 21 at Eastern Washington. Bobby Howard has three 20-pointers, including a 24-point game, which is tied for sixth in the Big Sky this year.
Extra Work
After not playing an overtime game since the spring of 2005, Montana State has taken a pair of teams to OT in ‘08-09. MSU beat both Colorado and Oregon State in road overtime games. Here is a look at MSU in overtime in the last 15 years...
08-09: Ore. St. 82-79*, Colo. 85-82*
04-05: SMU 61-69*, ISU 74-66*, PSU 82-88*
00-01: ISU 70-72*, at UM 82-84*
99-00: ISU 86-80*
98-99: at PSU 75-76*
97-98: NAU 96-102**, at PSU 100-101***
95-96: at NAU 77-84*, at TCU 96-98*
93-94: at Tex. A&M 95-102*, at SJSU 69-74*
*-number of OT periods played
THIS WEEK...
Montana State vs. Long Beach State
DATE -- December 20, 2008
TIPOFF -- 4:05 pm MT/3:05 pm PT
SITE -- Long Beach, CA
ARENA -- Walter Pyramid
RADIO -- Bobcat Network (Jeff Lasky)
VIDEO -- none
LAST TIME -- MSU 74-56, 11/13/07
MISCELLANY...
* MSU is the only present Big Sky school with wins over Pac 10 and current Big 12 schools in the same year
* Montana State shoots 40% at home this year, but 44% in road games
SERIES NOTES...
* MSU owns home wins in its most recent meetings with the two upcoming opponents, against CS Fullerton this year and Long Beach State last year
* Fullerton is 0-1 against Big Sky teams other than MSU this year, with a loss to Portland State, while Long Beach State split a pair of games with Weber State
* MSU lost its only trip to Fullerton, 73-67 in 1998, and its only trip to Long Beach, 100-84 in 1965
ON THE OFFENSE...
* MSU’s 51 points against Washington State last time out is its season low
* Five different Bobcats have led the team in scoring in MSU’s eight games
* Montana State’s six turnovers at Washington State is its season low
* Montana State shot only 35% combined against its two WAC opponents, Nevada and Boise State
ON THE DEFENSE...
* Washington State’s 58% shooting night snapped a two-game streak in which MSU held the foe to 38% FG
* Divaldo Mbunga has at least one blocked shot in three straight games
Picking on the Big Boys
Before the calendar flipped to December, Montana State beat a pair of teams from power conferences. The Bobcats upended Colorado in Boulder on November 18, then toppled Oregon State in Corvallis on November 26. By doing so, MSU became the first current member of the Big Sky with wins over a Pac 10 and a current Big 12 school in the same season.
Three After Three
MSU has hit at least one three-pointer in its last 414 games. From 1986 to late ‘92-93 MSU rolled up a 197-game streak and has a three in 611 of the last 612.
Defensive Superlatives
Montana State’ team success on the defensive end this year begins with outstanding individual effort. While Boise State, Oregon State and Washington State each topped the 50% shooting mark, MSU has held two opponents to under 40%. Will Bynum has emerged as a leader on the defensive end for MSU, collecting 16 steals, the most in the Big Sky Conference. Divaldo Mbunga has blocked 14 shots this year, and his 1.9 blocks per game also leads the league.
Defending the Paint
Senior center Divaldo Mbunga has unrelentingly defended the inside for the Bobcats this year. The Angola native is sixth in the Big Sky with 6.4 rebounds a game, and leads the Big Sky with 1.9 blocked shots per contest.
Charity Chatter
Montana State’s 15-for-17 performance from the free throw line at Washington State - fueled by Erik Rush’s 10-for-12 showing - lifts the Bobcats from eighth to sixth in the Big Sky in free throw percentage (67.1%). MSU led the league in free throw shooting a year ago, but spent the early part of this season among the Big Sky’s bottom two, along with NAU, who also is regularly at the top of the league.
Not-so-Golden Coast
The Bobcats have lost five straight games in the state of California over the past two seasons. MSU lost at Sacramento State, UC Santa Barbara and Fresno State last year, and at Sacramento State and Fresno State in 2006-07.
Tale of the Turnover
After a fluky two-game stretch in which the Bobcats turned the ball over 36 times, Washington State forced just six Bobcat turnovers, the lowest mark by an MSU squad in Brad Huse’s two-plus seasons.On the season, MSU turns the ball over just 13.6 times a game, the third-lowest mark in the Big Sky.
Just Getting Acquainted
The Bobcats have struggled at times with the newer members of the Big Sky. In the 21st century, MSU is 18-21 against the teams admitted to the league since ‘96-97.
Twentysomethings
Will Bynum was not lauded as a scorer upon arriving at Montana State, but he has put together a pair of 20-point performances this season. Bynum scored 23 at Oregon State and 21 at Eastern Washington. Bobby Howard has three 20-pointers, including a 24-point game, which is tied for sixth in the Big Sky this year.
Extra Work
After not playing an overtime game since the spring of 2005, Montana State has taken a pair of teams to OT in ‘08-09. MSU beat both Colorado and Oregon State in road overtime games. Here is a look at MSU in overtime in the last 15 years...
08-09: Ore. St. 82-79*, Colo. 85-82*
04-05: SMU 61-69*, ISU 74-66*, PSU 82-88*
00-01: ISU 70-72*, at UM 82-84*
99-00: ISU 86-80*
98-99: at PSU 75-76*
97-98: NAU 96-102**, at PSU 100-101***
95-96: at NAU 77-84*, at TCU 96-98*
93-94: at Tex. A&M 95-102*, at SJSU 69-74*
*-number of OT periods played
Wednesday, June 10
Friday, March 27
Monday, March 23
Friday, March 13
