Walk-Off Three-Pointer Lifts Omaha Past Bobcats

Sunday, December 6

1:05 pm

Montana State University

4-4

100

Omaha

4-4

Omaha

100

Montana State

Marcus Colbert scored 32 points against Omaha on Sunday

Photo by: Shellenberg Photography

12/6/2015 5:24:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Individual heroics mark UNO-MSU matinee

By: Bill Lamberty

Devin Patterson scored 41 points, but the last three were the biggest.

Omaha's senior guard drained a three-pointer from the corner as time expired Sunday, boosting the Mavericks to a 100-97 win over Montana State in Worthington Arena. Patterson's 38 points is most by a Bobcat opponent this season.

"He played a heck of a game," Bobcat coach Brian Fish said of Patterson's performance. "He wore us out."

The 5-11 sharp-shooter's heroics were necessary because of some spectacular shot-making of MSU guard Marcus Colbert. The Bobcat senior poured in 35 points,two points over the career 1,000-point mark. Colbert's final two points came on a fadeaway jumper in the lane to tie the game at 97 with 2.9 seconds to play.

On the ensuing possession, a long pass was tipped out of bounds by MSU forward Zach Green, giving UNO possession in the deep corner down the baseline from the Mavericks bench. A screen sprung Patterson for his game-winning three. "We just lost number three, who we had trouble guarding all night," Fish said, "and he made a shot. You've got to give him credit. If you felt the feel of the game you felt it was going in when he caught it because of where he was at."

That the game would come down to a buzzer-beater seemed unlikely for most of the afternoon. Omaha led by as many as 18 in the second half, and its cushion was still double-digits with 11:52 to play. But a Tyler Hall three-pointer trimmed the margin to eight, and Stephan Holm's trey made the score 75-70. Colbert's triple brought the Cats to within two with 10:16 remaining.

After Omaha's lead ballooned up to nine on several occasions, the Bobcats mounted a final rally. With 2:40 remaining and UNO leading 96-88, Hall hit a three-pointer. After MSU forced a shot-clock violation Hall's jumper brought the Cats within three at 96-93 with 1:49 left, then Colbert's layup trimmed the margin to one with 69 seconds remaining.

Patterson converted one of two free throws with 20 seconds remaining to leave the door cracked for Montana State, and Colbert shoved his foot in the crack. His contorted game-tying shot knotted the score at 97, leaving Patterson just enough time to counter.

While everyone present will remember the frenzied final minutes, Fish focuses on the first half. Omaha grabbed a 59-44 lead at the intermission, shooting 58% in the process. "We gave up (almost) 60 in the first half on 60 percent shooting," he said. "It was just a layup-fest, and we didn't want to guard. We put them on the line and they made free throws and we didn't."

The offensive statistics reflected both team's efforts. Omaha shot 52.1% from the floor and was 4-for-15 from the arc. MSU shot 51.5% from the floor and hit 15 of its 31 three-point attempts. Omaha made up the scoring difference by converting 22 of its 25 freethrows, while MSU was 14-for-21 from the line. UNO out-rebounded the Cats 36-35, and forced 16 MSU turnovers while giving the ball away just 11 times.

Tre'Shawn Thurman supplemented Patterson's scoring with 20 points, and he grabbed a game-high nine rebounds. Zach Jackson (14 points) and Tra-Deon Hollins (12) each scored in double-figures. Hollins, who leads the nation in steals, produced five pilfers while dishing out nine assists.

Colbert's 32 points gave him a career single-game high, even as he neared the 1,000-point mark. Holm scored 21 for the Bobcats, while Hall added 17. Hall and Quinton Everett each paced MSU with seven rebounds.

Montana State and Omaha each stand 4-4 on the season after Sunday's thriller. MSU's next outing is Sunday, when the Bobcats pay a return visit to San Jose State. The Cats topped SJSU 81-69 on November 20 in Bozeman. Omaha plays at Missouri on Wednesday.