Monday, December 17
Flagstaff, AZ
6:35 p.m.
Montana State University
at
NORTHERN ARIZONA
Xavier Blount leads the Bobcats to Flagstaff on Monday
Photo by: Kelly Gorham
Bobcats Open Big Sky Play at NAU Monday
12/16/2012 8:59:00 PM | Men's Basketball
MSU, Lumberjacks square off in league opener
Jamie Stewart can't wait.
MSU Game Notes vs. NAU
Montana State's senior wing played just one game against a Big Sky Conference opponent in 2011-12 before being declared academically ineligible in late December. A year's worth of anticipation has built for Stewart, who leads Montana State to the Walkup Skydome in Flagstaff for Monday's 2012-13 Big Sky opener against Northern Arizona.
“I'm excited. I didn't play (conference games) last year,” Stewart said, “and this is what it's all about. Every game matters – not saying that non-conference games didn't matter, but conference games really matter. You're playing for something every night. Our goal since from the start, since the summer, has been to win a Big Sky Championship. We feel that with this team we can do that, or at least compete at a very high level to where we're in the top three in the conference, make the tournament, have a good run at it.”
Montana State enters the contest 2-5, while the Lumberjacks stand 3-5 under first-year head coach Jack Murphy. Bobcat head coach Brad Huse has been impressed with NAU's talent level, starting in the backcourt. “NAU is an interesting team,” Huse said. “They have a veteran guard who is an all-league performer in Gabe Rogers, and they have a freshman who's leading the league in scoring in DeWayne Russell. Their team has played really well together, and this is going to be a challenge for us.”
Rogers and Russell have unquestionably led the Lumberjacks, averaging 33.5 points between them – nearly half of NAU's total. Senior Michael Dunn joins Rogers and Russell in NAU's three-guard lineup, with Ephraim Ekanem and Gaellan Bewernick as veterans up front.
The Bobcat lineup has evolved through the first seven games, with Huse juggling lineups as players have become available from injuries and suspensions. Xavier Blount has led the team in scoring (14.1) in his five games since a two-game season-opening suspension. Huse likes the scoring punch from Blount and Stewart. “(Stewart) and Xavier have both been good scoring for us in the last week, and they've given effective leadership and production.”
Huse said his team emphasized work on the defensive end during the week-and-a-half break from competition leading up to the opening week of Big Sky play. “We have not been playing well enough on the defensive end,” Huse said. “You don't have to go far on the stat sheet to find that.”
After Monday's game at NAU, which begins at 6:35 pm and is aired on Fox College Sports and on DirecTV channel 695 and Dish Network channels 446 (SD) and 9516 (HD), the Bobcats face Sacramento State in the Hornets' Nest at 8 pm Wednesday.
MSU Game Notes vs. NAU
Montana State's senior wing played just one game against a Big Sky Conference opponent in 2011-12 before being declared academically ineligible in late December. A year's worth of anticipation has built for Stewart, who leads Montana State to the Walkup Skydome in Flagstaff for Monday's 2012-13 Big Sky opener against Northern Arizona.
“I'm excited. I didn't play (conference games) last year,” Stewart said, “and this is what it's all about. Every game matters – not saying that non-conference games didn't matter, but conference games really matter. You're playing for something every night. Our goal since from the start, since the summer, has been to win a Big Sky Championship. We feel that with this team we can do that, or at least compete at a very high level to where we're in the top three in the conference, make the tournament, have a good run at it.”
Montana State enters the contest 2-5, while the Lumberjacks stand 3-5 under first-year head coach Jack Murphy. Bobcat head coach Brad Huse has been impressed with NAU's talent level, starting in the backcourt. “NAU is an interesting team,” Huse said. “They have a veteran guard who is an all-league performer in Gabe Rogers, and they have a freshman who's leading the league in scoring in DeWayne Russell. Their team has played really well together, and this is going to be a challenge for us.”
Rogers and Russell have unquestionably led the Lumberjacks, averaging 33.5 points between them – nearly half of NAU's total. Senior Michael Dunn joins Rogers and Russell in NAU's three-guard lineup, with Ephraim Ekanem and Gaellan Bewernick as veterans up front.
The Bobcat lineup has evolved through the first seven games, with Huse juggling lineups as players have become available from injuries and suspensions. Xavier Blount has led the team in scoring (14.1) in his five games since a two-game season-opening suspension. Huse likes the scoring punch from Blount and Stewart. “(Stewart) and Xavier have both been good scoring for us in the last week, and they've given effective leadership and production.”
Huse said his team emphasized work on the defensive end during the week-and-a-half break from competition leading up to the opening week of Big Sky play. “We have not been playing well enough on the defensive end,” Huse said. “You don't have to go far on the stat sheet to find that.”
After Monday's game at NAU, which begins at 6:35 pm and is aired on Fox College Sports and on DirecTV channel 695 and Dish Network channels 446 (SD) and 9516 (HD), the Bobcats face Sacramento State in the Hornets' Nest at 8 pm Wednesday.
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