Saturday, December 20
8:05 pm MT/7:05 pm PT
Montana State University
at
Portland
Brian Fish and the Bobcats battle Portland on Saturday
Photo by: Scott Quintard
Montana State Visits Portland to Close Long Road Trip
12/19/2014 4:44:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Pilots' only home loss was to Oregon State
If the Montana State men's basketball team isn't quite sure where it is when waking each morning, there's a pretty good reason.
The Bobcats wake in a different city for the seventh time in nine days Saturday in advance of an 8 pm (MT) tipoff with the University of Portland in the Rose City. The team flew from Sioux Falls, SD, to Portland on Friday after Thursday's 55-53 loss to South Dakota.
"We're seeing the country," quipped Bobcat coach Brian Fish as his team prepared to play in its seventh different state of the young season. And that doesn't count a few days spent in Omaha during this recent road trip.
Awaiting the Bobcats on Saturday is a veteran team that took UNLV to overtime in Las Vegas on Wednesday, and whose only home loss is an overtime defeat by Oregon State. Fish knows the task his team faces in snapping a six-game road losing streak to open the season – it's a 10-game road losing streak dating back to last season – is tall.
Literally.
"Portland is a very experienced team with a lot of seniors," Fish said, adding that the Pilots feature three 6-11 players in their starting lineup. They have very good big men, and really know how to play because of their age and experience. I'm very impressed with this team."
Two of Portland's near-seven footers – Voldymyr Gerun and Thomas van der Mars, both seniors – combine for 21 points and just shy of 15 rebounds and two blocked shots a game. Sharp-shooting guard Alec Wintering averages 12.6 points a game, but has taken it to a pair of Big Sky schools this year. He poured in 27 points against Portland State, and dished out a dozen assists against Sacramento State.
While the Bobcats remain short-handed, with guard Stephan Holm and forward Ryan Shannon each in Bozeman recovering from head injuries, the team is piecing production together from several different sources. Marcus Colbert, the team's point guard who had been among the nation's leaders in assists, scored 21 points on Thursday. Freshman forward Zach Green added eight, his most since the first two games of the season.
The team's defensive effort at South Dakota was superlative. MSU held the Coyotes to 29.8% shooting, MSU's best effort in that category in five years (28.1%, Northern New Mexico, 12/12/09). Guard Michael Dison led the way with three steals, although Eric Norman continued to practice rejection. He swatted four shots, raising his season total to 18.
MSU's defensive success against Portland likely depends on its ability to defend the paint. While the Pilots shoot 44.6% on the season, its primary inside offensive threats – Gerun and van der Maars, combine to shoot 55% from the floor.
After Saturday night's game – streaming video available at www.gopilots.com – the Bobcats return home for one last game before the calendar flips, a Tuesday night contest against Wyoming at 7 pm.
The Bobcats wake in a different city for the seventh time in nine days Saturday in advance of an 8 pm (MT) tipoff with the University of Portland in the Rose City. The team flew from Sioux Falls, SD, to Portland on Friday after Thursday's 55-53 loss to South Dakota.
"We're seeing the country," quipped Bobcat coach Brian Fish as his team prepared to play in its seventh different state of the young season. And that doesn't count a few days spent in Omaha during this recent road trip.
Awaiting the Bobcats on Saturday is a veteran team that took UNLV to overtime in Las Vegas on Wednesday, and whose only home loss is an overtime defeat by Oregon State. Fish knows the task his team faces in snapping a six-game road losing streak to open the season – it's a 10-game road losing streak dating back to last season – is tall.
Literally.
"Portland is a very experienced team with a lot of seniors," Fish said, adding that the Pilots feature three 6-11 players in their starting lineup. They have very good big men, and really know how to play because of their age and experience. I'm very impressed with this team."
Two of Portland's near-seven footers – Voldymyr Gerun and Thomas van der Mars, both seniors – combine for 21 points and just shy of 15 rebounds and two blocked shots a game. Sharp-shooting guard Alec Wintering averages 12.6 points a game, but has taken it to a pair of Big Sky schools this year. He poured in 27 points against Portland State, and dished out a dozen assists against Sacramento State.
While the Bobcats remain short-handed, with guard Stephan Holm and forward Ryan Shannon each in Bozeman recovering from head injuries, the team is piecing production together from several different sources. Marcus Colbert, the team's point guard who had been among the nation's leaders in assists, scored 21 points on Thursday. Freshman forward Zach Green added eight, his most since the first two games of the season.
The team's defensive effort at South Dakota was superlative. MSU held the Coyotes to 29.8% shooting, MSU's best effort in that category in five years (28.1%, Northern New Mexico, 12/12/09). Guard Michael Dison led the way with three steals, although Eric Norman continued to practice rejection. He swatted four shots, raising his season total to 18.
MSU's defensive success against Portland likely depends on its ability to defend the paint. While the Pilots shoot 44.6% on the season, its primary inside offensive threats – Gerun and van der Maars, combine to shoot 55% from the floor.
After Saturday night's game – streaming video available at www.gopilots.com – the Bobcats return home for one last game before the calendar flips, a Tuesday night contest against Wyoming at 7 pm.
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