Bobcats Race Past Hornets
2/17/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Montana State forced 23 Sacramento State turnovers and survived a late Hornet run to earn an 87-82 win Sunday in Bozeman.
Vinnie McGhee led the Hornets with a game-high 30 points, but his 8-for-11 effort, which included converting all six of his three-point attempts, wasn't enough to counter a Bobcat attack featuring five players with at least 14 points. Casey Durham led MSU with 19 points, scoring all his points in the first 21 minutes of the game.
"We guarded poorly in the last 10 minutes and kind of limped home," said MSU coach Brad Huse. "They converted some opportunities and their energy amped up. We got less aggressive and they got more assertive."
After taking a 52-37 lead into the locker room at halftime, the Bobcats pushed that margin to 25 points on Phil Friesen's layup with 16:10 to play. From that Bobcat high-water mark, the Hornets chipped away at MSU's lead. Clark Woods' three-pointer at 9:01 drew Sac State within 10 at 9:01, and the Hornets drew to within four at 79-75 for the first time at 2:02. Vinnie McGhee's three-pointer with seven seconds left closed the gap to 85-82, but Mecklen Davis' two free throws with two seconds left sealed the Bobcat win.
McGhee became the first Bobcat opponent to score at least 30 points against MSU since Aaron McGhee of Oklahoma in 2000. Huse said McGhee's outstanding offensive game created a multitude of problems for the Bobcats. "McGhee got off on us at times, and when we put the emphasis on stopping him some of their other players were able to score," he said.
Bobcat senior Casey Durham played a huge role in MSU's quick start. He scored 16 points on 5-for-6 shooting in the first half, nabbing a pair of steals, as well.
Montana State shot 57% from the floor against the Hornets, its best mark of the season, and 53% from three-point range, the third-best mark this year. The Bobcats also forced 23 turnovers, matching its most against a Division I opponent this year.
With the win MSU moves to 15-10 overall and 7-5 in Big Sky play, good for a flat-footed tie with Weber State for third in the league. MSU travels to 6-6 Idaho State on Thursday. Sacramento State falls to 4-20 overall, 2-11 in the conference.
Vinnie McGhee led the Hornets with a game-high 30 points, but his 8-for-11 effort, which included converting all six of his three-point attempts, wasn't enough to counter a Bobcat attack featuring five players with at least 14 points. Casey Durham led MSU with 19 points, scoring all his points in the first 21 minutes of the game.
"We guarded poorly in the last 10 minutes and kind of limped home," said MSU coach Brad Huse. "They converted some opportunities and their energy amped up. We got less aggressive and they got more assertive."
After taking a 52-37 lead into the locker room at halftime, the Bobcats pushed that margin to 25 points on Phil Friesen's layup with 16:10 to play. From that Bobcat high-water mark, the Hornets chipped away at MSU's lead. Clark Woods' three-pointer at 9:01 drew Sac State within 10 at 9:01, and the Hornets drew to within four at 79-75 for the first time at 2:02. Vinnie McGhee's three-pointer with seven seconds left closed the gap to 85-82, but Mecklen Davis' two free throws with two seconds left sealed the Bobcat win.
McGhee became the first Bobcat opponent to score at least 30 points against MSU since Aaron McGhee of Oklahoma in 2000. Huse said McGhee's outstanding offensive game created a multitude of problems for the Bobcats. "McGhee got off on us at times, and when we put the emphasis on stopping him some of their other players were able to score," he said.
Bobcat senior Casey Durham played a huge role in MSU's quick start. He scored 16 points on 5-for-6 shooting in the first half, nabbing a pair of steals, as well.
Montana State shot 57% from the floor against the Hornets, its best mark of the season, and 53% from three-point range, the third-best mark this year. The Bobcats also forced 23 turnovers, matching its most against a Division I opponent this year.
With the win MSU moves to 15-10 overall and 7-5 in Big Sky play, good for a flat-footed tie with Weber State for third in the league. MSU travels to 6-6 Idaho State on Thursday. Sacramento State falls to 4-20 overall, 2-11 in the conference.
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