MSU Men's Team Fights for 66-60 Win over Idaho State

Thursday, February 20

Bozeman, MT

7:05 pm

Montana State University

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IDAHO STATE

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Idaho State

Montana State

Antonio Biglow led the Cats late on Thursday

Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson

2/20/2014 10:42:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Bobcats ride efficient second half to win

By: Bill Lamberty

Montana State scored points on nine of its last 10 possessions to hold off Idaho State for a hard-fought 66-60 victory in Bozeman on Thursday.

Antonio Biglow scored all 12 of his points in the game's final 8:14, including six in the final three-and-a-half minutes, to pace the Bobcats. MSU's senior guard said the team's offensive efficiency stemmed from finding creases in Idaho State's stifling zone defense.

"When we went in the locker room (at halftime) Coach (Brad) Huse showed us gaps that were open on the swing (pass)," he said. "That's why this whole week in practice we worked on penetrating, kicking, and attacking again, making the extra pass. We were fortunate to get some good shots to fall inside the paint."

After a grinding first half in which MSU shot 33%, and Idaho State only marginally better at 39%, the Cats hit at a 52% clip after the break. Eleven of the team's 13 second-half baskets came within 10 feet of the rim, and Flavien Davis joined Biglow in double-digit second-half scoring. MSU shot 14 three-pointers in the first half, one in the second.

"We maybe found the creases better" in the second half, Huse said. "We were a little bit more persistent in trying to find creases in there, and then converting, and then finding a way to the free throw line and making them in the second half."

Neither team led by more than six points in the first 39 minutes of a game featuring eight ties and 10 lead changes. The visiting Bengals appeared on the brink of gaining separation early, jumping out to a 7-2 lead that took five-and-a-half minutes to compile. But Terrell Brown launched a 7-0 Bobcat run to swing the momentum. The teams played on nearly even terms through the remainder of the first half, with a short Andre Hatchett jumper giving the Bengals a 30-29 lead at halftime.

The teams traded leads for the first 10 minutes of the second half, and Jeffrey Solarin's short jumper with 10:22 drew Idaho State even at 41-41. That was the game's last tie.

Paul Egwuonwu's free throw at 9:02 gave MSU a 42-41 lead, Biglow's first points of the night pushed the lead to three, and Michael Dison's acrobatic layup gave MSU a five-point lead. The lead teetered between three and five until 62 seconds remained, when Egwuonwu hit two free throws to give MSU a 60-53 lead.

The Bengals would not go away. Tomas Sanchez hit a three-pointer to draw ISU to within 60-56, but after the teams traded turnovers Davis hit a layup to give MSU a 62-56 lead with 26 seconds remaining. Chris Hansen converted a three-point play to halve the lead, but the Bobcats made all four of their free throws to close the game out.

Individual performances punctuated the tense contest. Terrell Brown was part of a multiple-player effort to slow down Idaho State's leading scorer, Hansen, whose string of consecutive games in double-figure scoring stopped at 18. Hansen scored seven. Flavien Davis, challenged by Huse after getting just two rebounds at Northern Colorado last time out, helped turn the tide in the game by grabbing a game-high eight boards.

With Hansen under wraps, Jeffrey Solarin and Andre Hatchett carried the scoring load. Solarin's 20 points was three short of his season high, while Hatchett scored 17.

Paced by Davis and Danny Robison, who matched his career high with seven rebounds, the Bobcats out-rebounded ISU 33-to-30. Each team turned the ball over 10 times, and each team hit 22 field goals and shot 19 free throws.

"They are a very tough team to play," Huse said. "I'm proud of our guys."

Montana State raised its record to 8-7 in Big Sky play with the win, while the Bengals fell to 7-8. The Cats host a Weber State on Saturday at 7 pm, with the Wildcats coming off a Thursday loss at Montana. Idaho State makes the trip to Missoula for a 7 pm game against the Grizzlies on Saturday.

After Thursday's Big Sky proceedings Weber State's lead has dwindled to one game over Northern Colorado at one game. The Wildcats at 11-4, while UNC is 10-5. Five teams – MSU, North Dakota, NAU, Montana and Sacramento State – stand at 8-7, while Eastern Washington is 7-7 and Idaho State and Portland State are 7-8. Southern Utah, 0-15, is the only league team not in the chase for a Big Sky Tournament berth.