Montana State University
UC Santa Barbara
Bobcats Face First-Ever Meeting with Cal Poly Monday
12/21/2009 4:42:24 PM | Men's Basketball
Montana State plays its second straight Big West foe Monday night, visiting Cal Poly for an 8 pm (MST) tipoff. The Bobcats toppled traditional Big West power UC Santa Barbara 76-64 in their final Worthington Arena appearance of 2009, and make a stop in Boise to face WAC foe and former Big Sky rival Boise State on Wednesday after Monday's game at Cal Poly. The Mustangs stand 3-6 overall under first-year coach Joe Callero, winning three of their last four contests. The team's only December blemish is a 90-42 loss at perennial Big 10 contender Wisconsin last week. The Mustangs opened the season with five losses before wins over Seattle, Pepperdine and South Dakota State. Guard Lorenzo Keeler leads Cal Poly with 12.7 points per game.
NEXT UP...
Montana State vs. Cal Poly
DATE
TIPOFF
SITE
ARENA
RADIO
VIDEO
LAST TIME
first meeting
BigSkyTV.org Bobcat Network (Jeff Lasky) Mott Gymnasium San Luis Obispo, CA 8 pm MT/7 pm PT
MISCELLANY...
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Since missing the first three games this year, Marquis Navarre has set career highs in scoring (21 vs. Northern Colorado), steals (four at Memphis), and assists (eight at San Francisco)l
Erik Rush dished out a career-high seven assists vs. UCSBl
Bobcat opponents have attempted at least 22 free throws in three straight games, converting at just a 61% rate
SERIES NOTES...
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Montana State and Cal Poly square off for the first time Monday nightl
MSU is 1-0 against the Big West this season, 3-3 under Brad Huse
ON THE OFFENSE...
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Montana State's 8.1 treys per game is second in the league, and its .372 three-point percentage is thirdl
The Bobcats have turned the ball over less than 10 times in four different games, and are tied for second in the Big Sky with only 13.0 per game
ON THE DEFENSE...
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MSU remains second in the Big Sky in blocks, with Austin Brown (third) and and Branden Johnson (T8th) among the league leadersl
UCSB became the first Bobcat opponent in the last five games to top 30% three-point shooting, but MSU now leads the league in three-point defensel
Northern New Mexico's 23 turnovers is the most forced by MSU this season December 21, 2009
