Bobcats Break Into Win Column with Rout of UT Arlington

Friday, November 28

7:05 pm

Montana State University

1-4

104

UT Arlington

3-3

Team	1	2	F
UT Arlington	36	45	81
Montana State	55	49	104

Michael Dison's career-high 32 points paced the Bobcats

Photo by: Kelly Gorham

11/28/2014 10:04:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

School-record three-point barrage leads to Brian Fish's first win

By: Bill Lamberty

The Montana State men's basketball team enjoyed a simple mathematical reality Friday night.

Three point shots count more than two-pointers.

The Bobcats poured in a school-record 18 three-pointers, complemented by just 10 from inside the arc, and hit the century mark for the first time against a Division I opponent since 1998 in a 104-81 win over UT Arlington in Bozeman. The win came over a Mavericks squad that had already notched road wins over Bradley and Grand Canyon.

Fish said the key to the basketball going in so frequently was the way his team's passing. "The way we moved the basketball and made the play to the open man, we had a good shot but we made a pass to get a great shot," Fish said. "Those are the shots the guys have been practicing in practice. They locked in and did a lot of good things."

In Montana State's first home game of the season, senior guard Michael Dison led the Bobcat barrage with 32 points on 7-for-8 three-point shooting. The points and treys were both career highs, and sophomore guard Stephan Holm notched career bests in each category as well, netting 25 points on 7-for-11 three-point shooting.

Junior point guard Marcus Colbert dished out a career-high nine assists, which he said came easy. "The guys knocked down shots," Colbert said. "It's easy to get assists when guys are making a lot of shots."

The shots came early and often against a talented, athletic UTA team in the midst of the kind of odyssey-like adventure the Cats just finished. Dison's trey on the game's second possession gave MSU a 3-0 lead, and Danny Robison followed with a triple the next time down the court. When Zach Green joined the triple play, the Cats led 9-0. Montana State would never trail.

While the scoring started with Dison – "He was locked in, he's a senior, he's a little disappointed with how he came off the road trip, he came in and got some extra shooting," Fish said – the offense was triggered by Colbert. "I thought Marcus Colbert really set him up for some nice plays. You get 2-to-1 (assists) you're happy, to get 9-to-1, that's unbelievable. All programs, all pro teams, everybody in basketball, it stops and starts with your point guard, and we got great point guard play tonight."

The Bobcats operated efficiently and effectively in almost every measurable way on Friday. The team's 28 field goals came from 22 assists, with only 10 turnovers. MSU out-rebounded the Mavericks 35-to-31, and sank 30 of its 33 free throws. MSU had made only 37 free throws in the four previous games combined.

The night was also historic. In addition to the school three-point record, which was just two shy of the all-time Big Sky mark, the Bobcats scored at least 100 points for the first time against a Division I opponent since a 101-100 triple overtime loss at Portland State on February 21, 1998. It was the team's first 100-point game against a Division I foe in regulation time since January 5, 1998, when the Cats topped Idaho State 100-56.

The victory gave Brian Fish his first win as MSU's head coach, raising the team's record to 1-4. UTA is now 3-3 on the season. Montana State's home-opening weekend continues on Sunday, when the team hosts North Dakota State at 5 pm.

GAME NOTES: The last time MSU made at least 30 free throws in a game was December 30, 2000, when the team connected on 35 against Radford… MSU's 69.2% night from the arc was just short of the school record of 75.3% against North Texas in 1988-89… while Dison's shooting will capture headlines, he also notched season-highs in rebounds (5) and assists (4).