Montana State University
Rice
Bobcat Women Open at Baylor-World Vision Invitational
11/11/2010 3:11:13 PM | Women's Basketball
The 2010-11 edition of Montana State women's basketball will open its season at the Baylor-World VIsion Invitational this weekend. MSU will face Rice on Friday afternoon.
NEXT UP:
The Montana State women's basketball squad will open its 2010-11 campaign at the World Vision Invitational, hosted by #2 Baylor, this weekend in Waco, Texas. MSU will open against Rice on Friday afternoon. MSU is 0-2 all-time against the Owls. Rice is coached by Greg Williams, who was MSU head coach Tricia Binford's assistant coach when she played in the WNBA for the Utah Starzz. The Bobcats trail Baylor 2-1 in the all-time series going back to the 1980-81 season. MSU's lone win over Baylor came on Nov. 30, 2002 when the 'Cats won 75-66 to capture the GranTree Classic in Bozeman during Kim Mulkey's third season in Waco. Baylor, then ranked No. 3, returned the favor (92-47) on Dec. 29, 2004. Sunday's meeting with Florida International will be the first between the two schools.
On The Air:
All 32 Montana State women's basketball games, plus all postseason action, will be broadcast on KZMY My 103.5 FM. Games are also available at www.msubobcats.com. Tyler Wiltgen enters his fourth year with the Bobcats and will begin his pregame show 20-minutes prior to tip. Born in Billings and raised in Wilsall, Wiltgen is a MSU grad with an undergraduate degree in agricultural education and a master's degree in applied economics. In his spare time, Wiltgen is Development Director for Bobcat Athletics and a side line reporter for MSU football games.
Name Change(s):
A pair of Bobcats underwent name changes during the summer. Associate head coach Amy Saneholtz married Montana State men's assistant coach Temesghen Starr on June 4, 2010, while senior forward Sarah Strand married Aaron Balian on Aug. 17, 2010.
Hard Block Cafe:
Last season, Montana State shattered all of the Bobcat block records. Senior Sarah Balian set a new single-season mark with 66 swats, including a record-breaking game high of seven against Sacramento State. Strand also became MSU's all-time career blocks leader with 115 in 93 games. As a team, the Bobcats recorded an all-time high 173 blocks. Balain was the 2009-10 Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Year and an All Big Sky Conference second team selection.
Dialing Long Distance:
Sophomore Katie Bussey moved into fourth on Montana State's all-time three=point makes list with 116 treys, just two away from moving into MSU's top three all-time. Last winter, Bussey converted 78-of-186 attempts from long distance. Bussey garnered All Big Sky Conference honorable mention kudos last March.
Starting With a Little Adversity:
Seventy-two hours before tipping off the 2010-11 season against Rice, the Montana State women's basketball squad received news that sophomore Ashley Albert will sit out the year following an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear in her right knee suffered during Monday night's practice. Albert had started at point-guard for the Bobcats in their two exhibition games. A 6-foot native of Hamilton, Albert averaged 13.5 points, six rebounds and two assists, while connecting on six three-pointers. Last winter, Albert was MSU's top player off the bench and averaged 6.3 points and 3.0 rebounds per game, as the Bobcats went 18-14 overall and 9-7 in Big Sky Conference action and advanced to the league's championship game. Albert expects to have surgery on her knee later this month.
Noting the World Vision Invitational:
Rice returns four starters from its 2009-10 squad that posted a 13-17 overall mark and a 7-9 Conference USA record...The Baylor Lady Bears' 2010 Final Four banner will be unfurled in pregame ceremonies on Friday. Baylor made its second trip to the Final Four in April when it played top-ranked UConn. The Lady Bears won the 2005 NCAA championship... Baylor became the first team in Big 12 history to claim all three of the preseason individual awards. Brittney Griner was named Preseason Player of the Year, Brooklyn Pope captured Preseason Newcomer of the Year and Odyssey Sims was selected Preseason Freshman of the Year in a vote of the league's head coaches...FIU's redshirt senior forward Elisa Carey was named to the Preseason All Sun Belt Conference First Team.
