Saturday, November 9
Bozeman, MT
4:35 pm
Montana State University
vs
CAL STATE FULLERTON
Calen Coleman and the Cats face Cal State Fullerton Saturday at 4:35 pm
Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson
Bobcat Men's Basketball Opens Season at Home Saturday at 4:35 pm
11/7/2013 5:16:00 PM | Men's Basketball
CS Fullerton visits, marking only the second time a Brad Huse team has opened at home
If Brad Huse could design the perfect week of practice leading to Saturday's season opener against Cal State Fullerton at 4:35 pm in Worthington Arena, it would have featured intensity and focus and effort.
And popcorn, cheering, and stage lights.
"If you could simulate putting people in the seats and turning the lights on and getting some popcorn popping, that would be the number one thing," Montana State's eighth-year head coach said of his team's needs in preparing for the upcoming season. "(Live competition) definitely changes mindsets, it changes approaches. We looked out of character in some spots (during last Sunday's exhibition game) in terms of what we're coaching and what we've been trying to execute in practice."
The Titans return two starters and four other lettermen from a 14-18 squad in 2012-13, but also welcomes new head coach Dedrique Taylor. One of Taylor's staff members, West Coast coaching veteran Danny Sprinkle, was a freshman guard at MSU during Huse's first season as a Bobcat assistant in 1995-96, and was on Huse's coaching staff during his first two seasons as Bobcat head coach, 2006-08.
Sprinkle and Fullerton head coach Dedrique Taylor lead a team featuring junior guard Alex Harris, who averaged 10.5 points with 55 steals a year ago. Harris scored 22 points to lead all players in CSF's exhibition win over Redlands last weekend, adding 13 rebounds, two assists and a steal. Guard Jared Brandon scored 20 points, with the Titans shooting 57% from the floor in the 108-77 win.
Montana State's win over Dickinson State featured several bright spots, Huse said, but was punctuated with some uneasiness. "We had jitters," he said. "We didn't execute particularly well. Watching film we were very average in our execution. I thought our energy was good, but we just weren't always in the right spots."
Huse is also working with some new personnel this season, beginning with a coaching staff that returns Shawn Dirden but also includes newcomers Justin Wetzel, Chris Haslam and Luke Fennelly. Three members of Saturday's likely starting lineup have little experience in that role, and newcomers Stephan Holm and Terrell Brown will be counted on for quality minutes on the wing.
But the Bobcats also feature several veterans who found success in Blue and Gold last year. Guard Antonio Biglow was among the Big Sky's leaders, and 125th nationally in steals, while center Paul Egwuonwu averaged 10 boards a game in MSU's last six contests. Guard Marcus Colbert was among the top freshmen in the Big Sky a year ago, as well. Holm opened eyes with a 20-point performance in the exhibition.
After Saturday afternoon's tilt, MSU visits UC Riverside a week from Saturday, then Central Michigan for a tournament the next weekend. Huse said he expects gains from his squad over the next few weeks. "I feel like you make your biggest gains at this time of year, especially in the time between games, just seeing us getting tighter and more consistent."
And popcorn, cheering, and stage lights.
"If you could simulate putting people in the seats and turning the lights on and getting some popcorn popping, that would be the number one thing," Montana State's eighth-year head coach said of his team's needs in preparing for the upcoming season. "(Live competition) definitely changes mindsets, it changes approaches. We looked out of character in some spots (during last Sunday's exhibition game) in terms of what we're coaching and what we've been trying to execute in practice."
The Titans return two starters and four other lettermen from a 14-18 squad in 2012-13, but also welcomes new head coach Dedrique Taylor. One of Taylor's staff members, West Coast coaching veteran Danny Sprinkle, was a freshman guard at MSU during Huse's first season as a Bobcat assistant in 1995-96, and was on Huse's coaching staff during his first two seasons as Bobcat head coach, 2006-08.
Sprinkle and Fullerton head coach Dedrique Taylor lead a team featuring junior guard Alex Harris, who averaged 10.5 points with 55 steals a year ago. Harris scored 22 points to lead all players in CSF's exhibition win over Redlands last weekend, adding 13 rebounds, two assists and a steal. Guard Jared Brandon scored 20 points, with the Titans shooting 57% from the floor in the 108-77 win.
Montana State's win over Dickinson State featured several bright spots, Huse said, but was punctuated with some uneasiness. "We had jitters," he said. "We didn't execute particularly well. Watching film we were very average in our execution. I thought our energy was good, but we just weren't always in the right spots."
Huse is also working with some new personnel this season, beginning with a coaching staff that returns Shawn Dirden but also includes newcomers Justin Wetzel, Chris Haslam and Luke Fennelly. Three members of Saturday's likely starting lineup have little experience in that role, and newcomers Stephan Holm and Terrell Brown will be counted on for quality minutes on the wing.
But the Bobcats also feature several veterans who found success in Blue and Gold last year. Guard Antonio Biglow was among the Big Sky's leaders, and 125th nationally in steals, while center Paul Egwuonwu averaged 10 boards a game in MSU's last six contests. Guard Marcus Colbert was among the top freshmen in the Big Sky a year ago, as well. Holm opened eyes with a 20-point performance in the exhibition.
After Saturday afternoon's tilt, MSU visits UC Riverside a week from Saturday, then Central Michigan for a tournament the next weekend. Huse said he expects gains from his squad over the next few weeks. "I feel like you make your biggest gains at this time of year, especially in the time between games, just seeing us getting tighter and more consistent."
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