Bobcats Use Hot Start to Top PSU

Thursday, January 3

Bozeman, MT

7:05 p.m.

Montana State University

1-24-7/ Big Sky

PORTLAND STATE

1-23-7/ Big Sky

Portland State

Montana State

Paul Egwuonwu scored 14 points for the Bobcats against PSU

Photo by: Kelly Gorham

1/3/2013 10:16:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Bobcat big men lead the way

By: Bill Lamberty

Montana State used a quick start with just enough kick at the finish line to beat Portland State 62-59 in Bozeman on Thursday.

Fueled by 69% shooting, the Bobcats jumped out to a 23-12 lead in the game's first 12 minutes. Although shooting just 40% after halftime, the Bobcats hit five of their six free throws in the final minute to seal the win.

Bobcat coach Brad Huse was pleased with his team's effort and determination as much as the game's result. “The guys were really resilient,” he said. “I feel really good for that group in the locker room. They've really come together, they're buying into one another, they've made that commitment to one another. That got us over the hump.”

While Montana State's offense operated at a high efficiency rate for most of the game, shooting better than 50% through 33 minutes, the Bobcats' zone defense perplexed Portland State. The Vikings shot just 37.5% on the night, including 25% from beyond the circle. “We were active (defensively),” Huse said. “The guys were trying to get to (the right) spots. Overall I thought the guys were very attentive. With (PSU) getting them to miss a shot is not easy and getting the rebound is equally as difficult. The guys competed and figured out a way.”

MSU's two inside players led the way for the Bobcats. Paul Egquonwu scored a career-high 14 points and grabbed seven boards, while Flavien Davis' 16 points was the second-highest total of his career.

“He's a competitor, Flavien is,” Huse said. “He made some real nice plays for us, I thought he had timely baskets throughout the night. I thought Paul had two huge baskets for us in the last minute-and-a-half or two minutes when we were really struggling to get the ball in the basket.”

The Bobcats cruised through much of the game, but PSU's explosiveness tightened the game at the end of each half. After the Bobcats took a 13-point lead on a Flavien Davis layup with 5:13 left in the first half, the Vikings closed the half on an 8-2 run to grab momentum and trim MSu's lead to 29-22 at the intermission.

The Bobcats pushed the lead back to double-digits in the second half, and led 52-38 with 7:35 to play. But a two-minute MSU scoring drought spurred a 15-1 Vikings run, and a pair of Lateef McMullan free throws at the 3:05 mark tied the game. Paul Egwuonwu's short jumpr on the next possession and another point-blank basket with just under a minute left gave MSU a 57-53 lead.

Four Christian Moon free throws gave MSU a 61-53 lead, but a pair of McMullan free throws trimmed the margin to 61-59 before a Mike Dison free throw with two seconds left created the final score.