Sunday, February 24
Bozeman, MT
1:00 p.m.
Montana State University
vs
SOUTH DAKOTA
Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson
Bobcats Host South Dakota in Ramada Bracketbuster Showdown
2/22/2013 9:13:00 AM | Men's Basketball
MSU, Coyotes get together for first time in nearly 70 years
Bobcat basketball fans don't need to reach far into the memory bank to access Montana State head coach Brad Huse's point-of-reference for South Dakota, which makes its first-ever trip to Bozeman Sunday for a Bracketbuster matchup.
And the memory is uneasy.
MSU Game Notes vs. South Dakota
“They remind me of Idaho State,” Huse said. “They will play zone, and they have some shooters. Their coach has had a lot of success there – one of my Jamestown teams played them – and they're always well-coached.”
The Coyotes use a small, well-balanced lineup. Juevol Myles, a Kansas State transfer, leads the team with 15.2 points a game. He scores in every conceivable way, hitting 42 three-pointers at a 32.1% clip, leading the team with 114 field goals and 301 attempts, and also leading the Coyotes by a wide margin with 126 free throws made and 142 attempted. He has nine 20-point games this season. Travis Gruis, a 6-10 center, chips in with 11.4 points and a team-high 5.7 boards a game.
Led by Myles, South Dakota is one of the nation's top free throw-shooting squads. USD presently ranks second nationally at 77%. The Coyotes have made 398 free throws this season, one fewer than their opponents have attempted.
The Bobcats enter Sunday's game on a four-game losing streak – USD's current skein is six – but the Cats enter the regular season's stretch run with high hopes. Center Paul Egwuonwu enter weekend play healthy, and Huse knows that re-establishing his team's defensive identity is an important factor in finishing strong.
“We need to play better defense,” he said. “There are some mitigating factors lately, but no excuses. We just need to dig down and defend.”
After Sunday afternoon's game, MSU sets off on a crucial weekend. The Bobcats visit Southern Utah on Thursday, and return to Bozeman Friday for a brief preparation for Saturday's huge Cat-Griz game.
And the memory is uneasy.
MSU Game Notes vs. South Dakota
“They remind me of Idaho State,” Huse said. “They will play zone, and they have some shooters. Their coach has had a lot of success there – one of my Jamestown teams played them – and they're always well-coached.”
The Coyotes use a small, well-balanced lineup. Juevol Myles, a Kansas State transfer, leads the team with 15.2 points a game. He scores in every conceivable way, hitting 42 three-pointers at a 32.1% clip, leading the team with 114 field goals and 301 attempts, and also leading the Coyotes by a wide margin with 126 free throws made and 142 attempted. He has nine 20-point games this season. Travis Gruis, a 6-10 center, chips in with 11.4 points and a team-high 5.7 boards a game.
Led by Myles, South Dakota is one of the nation's top free throw-shooting squads. USD presently ranks second nationally at 77%. The Coyotes have made 398 free throws this season, one fewer than their opponents have attempted.
The Bobcats enter Sunday's game on a four-game losing streak – USD's current skein is six – but the Cats enter the regular season's stretch run with high hopes. Center Paul Egwuonwu enter weekend play healthy, and Huse knows that re-establishing his team's defensive identity is an important factor in finishing strong.
“We need to play better defense,” he said. “There are some mitigating factors lately, but no excuses. We just need to dig down and defend.”
After Sunday afternoon's game, MSU sets off on a crucial weekend. The Bobcats visit Southern Utah on Thursday, and return to Bozeman Friday for a brief preparation for Saturday's huge Cat-Griz game.
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