Evolving Bobcats Host ISU in Crucial Contest Tonight
2/20/2014 2:33:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Marcus Colbert leads a revived MSU offense
Pointing out that basketball teams change considerably during the course of a long season might be clubbing an obvious point to death, but Montana State fans needing proof of that truism need look no further than their own team.
With an evolving personnel set, the Bobcats appear to be honing their offensive efficiency even as the season grinds through college basketball's version of the dog days. MSU shoots 44% and averages 67.1 points in conference play, but in the last three contests – two of them wins – the Cats shoot 50.4% and average 73.3 points.
Part of MSU's personnel changes arrived by necessity. A hand injury to starting point guard Michael Dison pushed the mercurial Antonio Biglow back into the starting five two weeks ago. Part of the evolutionary process came organically, specifically the elevation in minutes of sharp-shooter Stephan Holm and the transition of Marcus Colbert to a more offensive role.
Huse said development at this time of year is not uncommon and not unplanned. "Mike not being in the mix has been an injury-related thing," Huse said. "He's getting healthy so we have to evaluate where he's going to fit back in the mix. We're figuring out what gives us the best chance every night."
The ability to push different buttons arises from MSU's depth and versatility, but Huse said there are pitfalls to a rotation of up to 11 players. "A lot's been made of our depth," he said, "and I think it's been very positive, but at times it makes it a little harder as a player when you're minutes are a little sparse and split up. I think our players have all responded well to that and we've had some great moments."
One of the driving forces of MSU's recent offensive surge, Holm is 13-for-25 from the arc in MSU's hot spell, averaging 12.0 points in those games. "Stephan has really stepped up," Huse said. "Offensively he's a threat on every possession, and the guys have done a very good job finding him. He's responded, as we knew he would. His minutes have really spiked here, and his performance has been very good for us. He's made plays late in games, which you really like to see from a young player."
Hand in hand with Holm's transformation has been the enhanced offensive role of Marcus Colbert, a natural point guard with the ability to score in a variety of ways. He has averaged 14.3 points while shooting 66.7% in the last three. The versatility of those two, in conjunction with Biglow's ability to find open players, has boosted the offense.
"(Holm is) still learning the other nuances of playing," Huse said, "but he has a skill set that allows us to be a little more creative on offense and do some different things with him. With the lineup changes and the things the way they've happened Marcus is playing more off the ball and Antonio's minutes have gone up, and he's been pretty efficiently in that role. We've changed a little bit in the last week-and-a-half and we're seeing some byproduct of that in how efficient we've been at times on offense."
Biglow, a player in the eye of the team's changes, agrees. "Marcus and Steph are shooting the ball great right now from the perimeter," Biglow said, "so that helps me (distribute the ball) even more."
Huse has long advocated an inside-out approach on offense, a notion Biglow embraces. "If I penetrate teams have to help and I have a chance to get all the way to the bucket or if I draw to me I kick it out and nine times out of 10 it's going in. We like to get the ball to Paul (Egwuonwu, MSU's starting center) and (forward Flavien Davis) a lot because they get mismatches so we like to pound it inside and go inside out."
That approach, when executed and accompanied by good defensive rebounding, leads to increased transition opportunities, Biglow said. "When we get out and run in transition that's somewhat the guards' time so we pick our spots. I know where Marcus' sweet spot is and Steph's sweet spot is. I know where they are at all times, and I know I have Paul and Flav coming right down the middle behind me."
Tipoff Thursday night in Worthington Arena is 7:05 pm.
With an evolving personnel set, the Bobcats appear to be honing their offensive efficiency even as the season grinds through college basketball's version of the dog days. MSU shoots 44% and averages 67.1 points in conference play, but in the last three contests – two of them wins – the Cats shoot 50.4% and average 73.3 points.
Part of MSU's personnel changes arrived by necessity. A hand injury to starting point guard Michael Dison pushed the mercurial Antonio Biglow back into the starting five two weeks ago. Part of the evolutionary process came organically, specifically the elevation in minutes of sharp-shooter Stephan Holm and the transition of Marcus Colbert to a more offensive role.
Huse said development at this time of year is not uncommon and not unplanned. "Mike not being in the mix has been an injury-related thing," Huse said. "He's getting healthy so we have to evaluate where he's going to fit back in the mix. We're figuring out what gives us the best chance every night."
The ability to push different buttons arises from MSU's depth and versatility, but Huse said there are pitfalls to a rotation of up to 11 players. "A lot's been made of our depth," he said, "and I think it's been very positive, but at times it makes it a little harder as a player when you're minutes are a little sparse and split up. I think our players have all responded well to that and we've had some great moments."
One of the driving forces of MSU's recent offensive surge, Holm is 13-for-25 from the arc in MSU's hot spell, averaging 12.0 points in those games. "Stephan has really stepped up," Huse said. "Offensively he's a threat on every possession, and the guys have done a very good job finding him. He's responded, as we knew he would. His minutes have really spiked here, and his performance has been very good for us. He's made plays late in games, which you really like to see from a young player."
Hand in hand with Holm's transformation has been the enhanced offensive role of Marcus Colbert, a natural point guard with the ability to score in a variety of ways. He has averaged 14.3 points while shooting 66.7% in the last three. The versatility of those two, in conjunction with Biglow's ability to find open players, has boosted the offense.
"(Holm is) still learning the other nuances of playing," Huse said, "but he has a skill set that allows us to be a little more creative on offense and do some different things with him. With the lineup changes and the things the way they've happened Marcus is playing more off the ball and Antonio's minutes have gone up, and he's been pretty efficiently in that role. We've changed a little bit in the last week-and-a-half and we're seeing some byproduct of that in how efficient we've been at times on offense."
Biglow, a player in the eye of the team's changes, agrees. "Marcus and Steph are shooting the ball great right now from the perimeter," Biglow said, "so that helps me (distribute the ball) even more."
Huse has long advocated an inside-out approach on offense, a notion Biglow embraces. "If I penetrate teams have to help and I have a chance to get all the way to the bucket or if I draw to me I kick it out and nine times out of 10 it's going in. We like to get the ball to Paul (Egwuonwu, MSU's starting center) and (forward Flavien Davis) a lot because they get mismatches so we like to pound it inside and go inside out."
That approach, when executed and accompanied by good defensive rebounding, leads to increased transition opportunities, Biglow said. "When we get out and run in transition that's somewhat the guards' time so we pick our spots. I know where Marcus' sweet spot is and Steph's sweet spot is. I know where they are at all times, and I know I have Paul and Flav coming right down the middle behind me."
Tipoff Thursday night in Worthington Arena is 7:05 pm.
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