Bobcats Host Grizzlies Saturday

BASKETBALL NOTES AS PDF

Montana State reaches the midway point of its Big Sky Conference season Saturday with a daunting task, as Montana looks for its fourth win in five trips to Worthington Arena. The Grizzlies are led by Big Sky MVP candidate Anthony Johnson (17.2 ppg), the league's top big man Brian Qvale (7.2 rpg, 2.1 bpg), one of the league's top three-point threats (Ryan Staudacher, 41.7%), and freshman of the year front-runner Will Cherry (7.8 ppg, 39 assists, 32 steals). Montana stands 4-3 in league play, but enters Worthington Arena on a three-game winning streak with impressive non-league wins over the likes of Boise State, Oregon and Fresno State. The Bobcats earned a key conference road win over Sacramento State on Sunday afternoon before dropping a Monday night contest at Cal State Bakersfield.

NEXT UP...

Montana State vs. Montana

DATE January 23, 2010

TIPOFF 7:05 pm PT

SITE Bozeman, MT

ARENA Worthington Arena

RADIO Bobcat Network (Jeff Lasky)

TV Montana's News Network (Phil Buck, Amanda Maynard)

LAST TIME First meeting

MISCELLANY...

l Montana State out-rebounded Sacramento State 36-to-33, the only game in the last 11 the Bobcats have finished a game positive in rebound margin

l Montana State owns two Big Sky road wins this season and four wins away from home overall

l Sacramento State is the only team MSU has out-rebounded in the last 11 outings

SERIES NOTES...

l Montana owns three wins in its last four trips to Worthington Arena, and eight of its last 10 overall vs. MSU

ON THE OFFENSE...

l Montana State turned the ball over 31 times last weekend after only 36 giveaways in the previous four games

l Montana State shot a season-best 53.5% in the team's 71-61 loss at Cal State Bakersfield Monday

l The Bobcats stand fifth in the Big Sky in field goal percentage, and face the league's top field goal percentage defense on Saturday

ON THE DEFENSE...

l Montana State stands third in the Big Sky in field goal percentage defense, second in three-point defense

l Bobcat opponents shoot 45% in the first half, 39% in the second in '09-10

l MSU foes shoot 34% from three-point range in Worthington Arena, 31% in Bobcat road games

BJ Boardin'

Branden Johnson grabbed 280 rebounds, just over three per game, during his first three seasons as a Bobcat. This year, Johnson's 5.8 boards a game, 105 total, leads the team and is 7th in the league.

Swat City

MSU's unique shot-blocking tandem of Branden Johnson (6-8) and Austin Brown (6-4) has the Bobcats 2nd in the league in blocks. Brown has blocked 17 shots this season, (4th) and Johnson 16 (6th).

Three After Three

MSU has hit at least one three-pointer in its last 450 games. From 1986 to late '92-93 MSU rolled up a 197-game streak and has a three in 647 of the last 648.

Halfway There

Whatever defensive advice Brad Huse offers his team at halftime this sseason 2009-10 season seems to help. Montana State's defense has taken a marked upturn in the second half.

Shooting Pctg

1st Half
223-487 .458
2nd Half 197-504 .391

Charity

Montana State has raised its free throw percentage to 70.2%, 6th in the Big Sky, on the strength of a 69-for-92 (75%) stretch over the last four games. In league games only, MSU is 5th (73%).

And Free Throw Offense

After shooting 59% (32-for-54) from the line in their first four games, the Bobcats have shot 73% (109-for-149) since. More significantly, MSU raised its attempts-per-game rate from 13.5 in the first four to 18.6 in the last eight. MSU averages nearly five more attempts per game at home (19.3) than on the road (14.5). Erik Rush remains MSU's free throw mainstay, leading the team with 60 trips to the line while converting 76.7% of those shots.

Marquee Marquis

Marquis Navarre is one of the league's most improved players this season.

PPG FG% 3FG% A-TO

'10 11.3 50.4% 50.0% 1.50

'09 5.4 37.9% 27.9% 1.45

Half Empty

In Montana State's last three games, the Bobcats have lost twice when leading at halftime and won the game in which it was tied heading into the intermission.

Road Wins

Montana State won three non-conference road games in 2008-09, its second-most since helping to form the Big Sky in 1963. The Bobcats finish 2-4 in non-league road games this year, but already own a pair of league road triumphs.

Year Record Non-conf. road wins

94-95 4-0 Sac St, SUU, Colorado

87-88 3-3 Prairie View, N. Texas, Alabama

64-65 3-4 Bemidji, E. Mont., Seattle

63-64 3-1 NDSU, N. Dak., Washington

08-09 3-4 Colo., Ore. St., LBSU

Telling the Turnover Tale

After averaging 9.0 turnovers in the previous four games, the Bobcats gave the ball away 31 times in two games last weekend.

More on Turnovers

While Montana State has taken good care of the ball (12.4 to/g, second-best rate in the league), the Bobcats face a team that's been even better Saturday. Montana gives the ball away a league-low 11.7 times, including just 42 in the last five games.

Schedule

Next Event

Footer

Upcoming Events

Results

Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus #7 Idaho on March 8, 2026 , Loss , 74, to, 78

Completed Event: Men's Basketball at Northern Arizona on March 2, 2026 , Win , 76, to, 65

Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus Sacramento State on February 28, 2026 , Win , 82, to, 61

Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus Portland State on February 26, 2026 , Win , 84, to, 69

Completed Event: Men's Basketball at Idaho State on February 21, 2026 , Loss , 76, to, 91