Montana State University
Northern Arizona
Bobcats Open 'Northern' Swing with NAU Thursday
1/28/2010 9:58:23 AM | Men's Basketball
Montana State faces Northern Arizona to open a crucial road trip
If there's a hotter-shooting team in the country than
NEXT UP...
DATE January 28, 2010
TIPOFF 6:35 pm MT
SITE
ARENA Walkup Skydome
RADIO Bobcat Network (Jeff Lasky)
TV FCS (Mitch Strohman, Dave Brown)
LAST TIME MSU 62-50, 12/5/09 at
DATE January 31, 2010
TIPOFF 2:05 pm MT
SITE Greeley, CO
ARENA Butler-Hancock Pavilion
RADIO Bobcat Network (Jeff Lasky)
TV Altitude (Blake Olson, Mark Randall)
LAST TIME MSU 87-63, 12/4/09 in
MISCELLANY...
l Sophomore center Michel Swita has opted to leave the Bobcat program, and plans to transfer after the semester
l
l MSU owns two Big Sky road wins and four wins away from home overall
SERIES NOTES...
l NAU owns seven straight wins against the Bobcats in
l MSU's December win snapped a three-game skein against NC
ON THE OFFENSE...
l
l The Bobcats have committed fewer than 10 turnovers in four of their last five league games, and stand second in the Big Sky in turnover margin
ON THE DEFENSE...
l In Big Sky games, MSU leads the league in field goal and three-point defense, and second in scoring defense
l The Bobcats hold opponents to 31% from the arc in MSU 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, 111 total, leads the team and is 8th in the league.
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, (5th) and Johnson 16 (7th).
Three After Three
MSU has hit at least one three-pointer in its last 451 games. From 1986 to late '92-93 MSU rolled up a 197-game streak and has a three in 648 of the last 649.
Halfway There
Whatever defensive advice Brad Huse offers his team at halftime this season 2009-10 season seems to help.
Shooting Pctg
1st Half 229-507 .452
2nd Half 208-526 .395
D-D-D-Defense
The Bobcats have cranked up the defense during the league season. MSU is second in the Big Sky in scoring defense (62.8), first in field goal defense (41.1%), and first in three-point defense (32.1%).
Role Reversal
In a serious bit if swapped identities,
Marquee Marquis
Marquis Navarre is one of the league's most improved players this season.
PPG FG% 3FG% A-TO
'10 11.4 50.4% 51.3% 1.57
'09 5.4 37.9% 27.9% 1.45
Half Empty
In
Road Wins
The Bobcats 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
87-88 3-3 Prairie View, N. Texas,
64-65 3-4
63-64 3-1 NDSU, N. Dak., Washington
08-09 3-4
Telling the Turnover Tale
After turning the ball over 31 times in the weekend trip to Sacramento State and Cal State Bakersfield, the Bobcats gave it away only eight times against Montana.
Three-Point Efficiency
Three Bobcats have distinguished themselves from three-point range in league play. Marquis Navarre (2nd, .609), Danny Piepoli (7th, .450), and Erik Rush (10th, .421) are in the league's top 10.
