Bobcats Visit Idaho State on Saturday
1/16/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Montana State plays at Idaho State on Saturday at 7:05 pm. The game is available around Montana on the Bobcat Radio Network, and also on Big Sky TV at www.BigSkyTV.org.
THE SERIES... Montana State owns a 104-78 record in the all-time series against Idaho State, which dates back to a 28-25 Bengal win in 1913-14 in MSU's old Drill Hall... Montana State won the next seven meetings in the series, the Bobcats' third-longest win streak against Idaho State... MSU won six straight from the second meeting of 2004 to the first meeting of '07, but have lost their last two trips to Pocatello... MSU's two-game road losing streak in this series coincides with Idaho State's return to Holt Arena after four years in Reed Gym (2003-06), where the Bobcats won their final three contests... MSU is 12-25 all-time in the arena named for ISU's legendary coach and administrator Dubby Holt.
BOBCAT NOTES... The Bobcats' win at Weber State on Thursday was MSU's seventh all-time against the Wildcats in Ogden, and only the sixth in the Dee Event Center... the win was MSU's fourth road win of the season, one less than the previous two seasons combined... the last time MSU won as many as four road games in a season was the 2001-02 Big Sky regular season title team, which won eight road games, including an NIT tilt at Utah State... the Bobcats had not out-rebounded an opponent in the previous four games before grabbing 30 boards to Weber State's 29 on Thursday... the Cats have now hit at least one three-pointer in their last 421 consecutive games.
BOBCATS ON OFFENSE... Has been at or over 50% shooting in three of the last four halves... has 18 three-pointers in the last two games, including eight at Weber State, which was the team's most in a road game since the road opener at Colorado in November, an overtime win (MSU hit 11 in that game)... MSU turned the ball over 15 times on Thursday, 10 in the first half... the Bobcats are 7-2 when turning it over less than 15 times in a game this year... six different Bobcats have led the team in scoring this year, but Will Bynum leads the leaders with six times atop MSU's scoring list, even though he scored only two points Thursday... the Bobcats shot 76% from the line Thursday, its best since hitting 89% against Utah Valley.
BOBCATS ON DEFENSE... MSU led the Big Sky in scoring defense (61.0) and field goal defense (.409) before Thursday's win at Weber, and now allow opponents to shoot .400, although the scoring defense average is up to 62.8... MSU has forced 33 turnovers in the last two games.
PLAYER NOTES - Starters
#15 Bobby Howard, F: Collected his fourth 20-point game of the season by scoring 20 at Weber State on Thursday... entered the weekend 10th in the Big Sky in scoring, and now averages 12.9 points per game... averages 14 points in MSU's wins, 10.6 in its losses... has grabbed exactly six rebounds in five straight games, and at least that many in eight straight... hit the tying run in the last30 seconds of regulation in all three of MSU's overtime win.
#23 Erik Rush, F: Scored 14 point at Weber State on Thursday, his seventh straight game in double-digits... hit all eight of his free throws on Thursday, and has now hit 27-of-his-last-30 from the line... his 3-for-8 shooting night at Weber was his first below 50% in the last four games... his 12 steals is tied for third on the team... his six rebounds Thursday was his most since snagging eight against Fullerton at home in December.
#32 Divaldo Mbunga, C: His 12 points Thursday was his first in double-digits since getting 15 at Cal State Fullerton before Christmas... shot 5-for-7 from the field Thursday, his first game over 50% from the field in the last five... grabbed seven rebounds on Thursday, his average in conference play... has registered a steal in the last four games, and his 13 this season is second-most on the team.
#20 Will Bynum, G: Blocked his seventh shot of the season on Thursday, the second-best total on the team... scored only two points on Thursday, his second-lowest total of the season (he was shut out of the scoring column at Boise State)... dished out three assists at Weber State, his most since getting five against Fullerton at home in early December.
#3 Marquis Navarre, G: Set a career high with six assists at Weber State on Thursday... has only five turnovers in the last three games, and his 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio Thursday marked the second 3-to-1 rate in the last three games (three TOs, one assist vs. Sac State)... has scored at least five points in the last six straight games... team-high 47 assists.
PLAYER NOTES - Reserves
Austin Brown hit a three-pointer Thursday, his second in the last three games... 1-for-2 shooting on Thursday, but just 3-for-11 in the last six games.
James Hennessy is 8-for-11 shooting in the last six games, but did not attempt a field goal at Weber State... had two assists Thursday, and now has seven in the last three games.
Cameron Henderson has played in two of the last three games after missing six straight.
Danny Piepoli, now fully healthy after a bout with the flu, poured in 12 points at Weber State, his first double-digit game since Long Beach State before Christmas... hit three treys at Weber, his most since Washington State... his 4-for-5 shooting night was his best since the league opener at Eastern Washington on December 6.
Cody Anderson's field goal at Weber was his first since the Long Beach State game before Christmas.
THE SERIES... Montana State owns a 104-78 record in the all-time series against Idaho State, which dates back to a 28-25 Bengal win in 1913-14 in MSU's old Drill Hall... Montana State won the next seven meetings in the series, the Bobcats' third-longest win streak against Idaho State... MSU won six straight from the second meeting of 2004 to the first meeting of '07, but have lost their last two trips to Pocatello... MSU's two-game road losing streak in this series coincides with Idaho State's return to Holt Arena after four years in Reed Gym (2003-06), where the Bobcats won their final three contests... MSU is 12-25 all-time in the arena named for ISU's legendary coach and administrator Dubby Holt.
BOBCAT NOTES... The Bobcats' win at Weber State on Thursday was MSU's seventh all-time against the Wildcats in Ogden, and only the sixth in the Dee Event Center... the win was MSU's fourth road win of the season, one less than the previous two seasons combined... the last time MSU won as many as four road games in a season was the 2001-02 Big Sky regular season title team, which won eight road games, including an NIT tilt at Utah State... the Bobcats had not out-rebounded an opponent in the previous four games before grabbing 30 boards to Weber State's 29 on Thursday... the Cats have now hit at least one three-pointer in their last 421 consecutive games.
BOBCATS ON OFFENSE... Has been at or over 50% shooting in three of the last four halves... has 18 three-pointers in the last two games, including eight at Weber State, which was the team's most in a road game since the road opener at Colorado in November, an overtime win (MSU hit 11 in that game)... MSU turned the ball over 15 times on Thursday, 10 in the first half... the Bobcats are 7-2 when turning it over less than 15 times in a game this year... six different Bobcats have led the team in scoring this year, but Will Bynum leads the leaders with six times atop MSU's scoring list, even though he scored only two points Thursday... the Bobcats shot 76% from the line Thursday, its best since hitting 89% against Utah Valley.
BOBCATS ON DEFENSE... MSU led the Big Sky in scoring defense (61.0) and field goal defense (.409) before Thursday's win at Weber, and now allow opponents to shoot .400, although the scoring defense average is up to 62.8... MSU has forced 33 turnovers in the last two games.
PLAYER NOTES - Starters
#15 Bobby Howard, F: Collected his fourth 20-point game of the season by scoring 20 at Weber State on Thursday... entered the weekend 10th in the Big Sky in scoring, and now averages 12.9 points per game... averages 14 points in MSU's wins, 10.6 in its losses... has grabbed exactly six rebounds in five straight games, and at least that many in eight straight... hit the tying run in the last30 seconds of regulation in all three of MSU's overtime win.
#23 Erik Rush, F: Scored 14 point at Weber State on Thursday, his seventh straight game in double-digits... hit all eight of his free throws on Thursday, and has now hit 27-of-his-last-30 from the line... his 3-for-8 shooting night at Weber was his first below 50% in the last four games... his 12 steals is tied for third on the team... his six rebounds Thursday was his most since snagging eight against Fullerton at home in December.
#32 Divaldo Mbunga, C: His 12 points Thursday was his first in double-digits since getting 15 at Cal State Fullerton before Christmas... shot 5-for-7 from the field Thursday, his first game over 50% from the field in the last five... grabbed seven rebounds on Thursday, his average in conference play... has registered a steal in the last four games, and his 13 this season is second-most on the team.
#20 Will Bynum, G: Blocked his seventh shot of the season on Thursday, the second-best total on the team... scored only two points on Thursday, his second-lowest total of the season (he was shut out of the scoring column at Boise State)... dished out three assists at Weber State, his most since getting five against Fullerton at home in early December.
#3 Marquis Navarre, G: Set a career high with six assists at Weber State on Thursday... has only five turnovers in the last three games, and his 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio Thursday marked the second 3-to-1 rate in the last three games (three TOs, one assist vs. Sac State)... has scored at least five points in the last six straight games... team-high 47 assists.
PLAYER NOTES - Reserves
Austin Brown hit a three-pointer Thursday, his second in the last three games... 1-for-2 shooting on Thursday, but just 3-for-11 in the last six games.
James Hennessy is 8-for-11 shooting in the last six games, but did not attempt a field goal at Weber State... had two assists Thursday, and now has seven in the last three games.
Cameron Henderson has played in two of the last three games after missing six straight.
Danny Piepoli, now fully healthy after a bout with the flu, poured in 12 points at Weber State, his first double-digit game since Long Beach State before Christmas... hit three treys at Weber, his most since Washington State... his 4-for-5 shooting night was his best since the league opener at Eastern Washington on December 6.
Cody Anderson's field goal at Weber was his first since the Long Beach State game before Christmas.
Wednesday, August 19
Wednesday, June 10
Monday, March 23
Friday, March 13
