Bobcats Top Portland State in Battle of Hot-Shooting Teams

Thursday, January 9

Portland, OR

7:05 pm PT

Montana State University

8-6, 3-0

at PORTLAND STATE

5-7, 0-3

Montana State

Portland State

Antonio Biglow paced the Bobcats in Thursday's road win over PSU

Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson

Bobcats Top Portland State in Battle of Hot-Shooting Teams

1/9/2014 10:43:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Biglow nails down win from free throw line

By: Bill Lamberty

Antonio Biglow scored 15 points and Montana State converted seven of its 10 free throws in the game's final 71 seconds, as the Bobcats held off Portland State 79-76 in Portland on Thursday.

MSU shot 56% from the floor, 53% from the three-point line, in earning its second straight win over the Vikings in the Rose City. Biglow aided the shooting effort, hitting five-of-eight from the floor and all five of his free throws while dishing out four assists with a blocked shot and a steal. MSU out-rebounded the home team 29-to-23, and the Bobcats made 17 of its 25 free throws while the Vikings were 8-for-10.

"That was a battle," Montana State coach Brad Huse said after his team raised its road record to 3-3 on the season and its Big Sky mark to 3-0. "We couldn't stop them the way they were bouncing the ball at us and attacking. They're a very difficult team to guard. I thought our zone got us a lead late, and we figured out a way to hold on for the win."

The game was a back-and-forth affair for much of the night, and was tied at 57-57 with 12:29 to play. But Danny Robison hit a free throw, then Eric Norman drained a three-pointer and Robison followed with a jumper to give the Bobcats a 63-57 lead. A Calen Coleman trey and a pair of Flavien Davis free throws handed MSU its biggest lead.

Portland State rattled off seven straight points to pull to within two on Tim Douglas' three-pointer with 4:06 to play, but an and-one by Antonio Biglow and a free throw by Davis pushed MSU's lead to six. PSU answered with five straight, but free throws by Marcus Colbert and Biglow boosted the lead to five and Portland State couldn't get closer than two points the rest of the way.

"I thought our execution all night was pretty good," Huse said. "We got a little conservative and a little tentative (in the second half), but we made the free throws we needed to make."

Huse lauded his three primary guards – Colbert, Biglow and Michael Dison – for their composure. The three combined shoot 10-for-19 from the floor and 11-for-13 from the line with 13 assists and only six turnovers against a small, athletic Vikings lineup.

"All three of those guys are catalysts for us, guys we really rely on," Huse said. "Antonio got into a groove tonight, but I thought all three of those guys really played well."

Montana State's shooting marks from the floor and the arc were season highs against Division I opponents. Portland State also shot well, shooting 54.5% from the floor, but Huse was proud of his team's effort. "I thought Portland State played really well tonight," Huse said, "but we played well. I'm proud of the guys. I'm proud of their unity and their poise."

The Bobcats fly to Spokane on Friday and play at Eastern Washington Saturday afternoon at 2 pm PT. "The quick turnaround is a grind, but this is a good way to start this road swing," Huse said.