Brawl of the Wild, Part II: With Playoff Spot Secured, Cats Host Griz

Saturday, March 7

BOZEMAN

2 p.m.

Montana State University

University of Montana

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Sophomore Peyton Ferris

Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson

Brawl of the Wild, Part II: With Playoff Spot Secured, Cats Host Griz

3/6/2015 9:33:00 AM | Women's Basketball

Montana State is 14-14 overall and 8-9 in Big Sky action, after winning a pair of crucial home games last week. The Bobcats dispatched Eastern Washington 63-53, as the Eagles entered the contest in second place. MSU defeated Idaho 71-62 to complete the season sweep of the Vandals. Montana is 21-7 overall and atop the Big Sky standings with a 14-3 ledger.

By: Tom Schulz

BRAWL OF THE WILD, PART II:
The Montana State women's basketball team - winners of seven of its last ten games - will close out its regular-season slate hosting intra-state rival Montana in the 99th annual Brawl of the Wild game, Saturday, March 7 at 2 p.m. in Worthington Arena. The game will be televised live on ABC/FOX Montana affiliates around the Treasure State. Check your local listings for channel.

THIS WEEK'S VITALS:
Montana State is 14-14 overall and 8-9 in Big Sky action, after winning a pair of crucial home games last week. The Bobcats dispatched Eastern Washington 63-53, as the Eagles entered the contest in second place. MSU defeated Idaho 71-62 to complete the season sweep of the Vandals. Montana is 21-7 overall and atop the Big Sky standings with a 14-3 ledger.

THE LAST TIME OUT:
The Bobcats had their chances. And, despite a career day by Peyton Ferris, Montana State fell to Montana 62-48, Jan. 17 in Dahlberg Arena. MSU took an early 8-0 advantage on a Kalli Durham jumper at the 15:59 mark. UM established its first lead at the 9:38 mark on a Hannah Doran triple. The Lady Griz closed out the half with six points to take a 29-23 lead at intermission. In the second stanza, MSU rattled off a 12-0 run to claim a 41-33 lead with 12:25 remaining. MSU held an eight point edge with 10:47 left, before Montana went on a 10-0 run to take a 45-43 lead. The Bobcats cut the margin to one with 6:40 remaining, but the Lady Griz reeled off nine points in two minutes and never looked back. Ferris posted a game and career-best 20 points and 12 rebounds for her first career double-double.

TOURNEY TALK:
As always, the last week of regular-season Big Sky play will determine who is in postseason. What we do know... Montana wrapped up the regular-season Big Sky title and will host the conference tournament. Sacramento State, Northern Colorado, Eastern Washington and North Dakota secured spots last week, and Northern Arizona and Montana State clinched on Thursday night as the Lumberjacks defeated Portland State, and Sacramento State defeated Southern Utah to propel Montana State into postseason. Who is still in the hunt... With that said, the two remaining teams battling for the last entrance are Idaho State and Idaho. Idaho State will qualify for the Big Sky Conference postseason tournament if any of the four results happen. A victory over Idaho, Montana defeating Montana State, Northern Colorado beating North Dakota or Weber State defeating Eastern Washington. If all off those games go in the opposite direction then the Bengals will be left out.

TRENDING TOPICS:
Look for the 70-point mark to most likely decide the outcome of any Bobcat game. MSU is 9-2 when scoring over 70 points and just 5-12 when being held under 70 points. Likewise, Montana State's opponents are 12-2 when scoring over 70 points and just 2-13 when being held under 70 points...the Bobcats are 1-9 when trailing at halftime...twenty-two of MSU's 28 games have been decided by more than 10 points...the 'Battle of the Boards' is also important to Montana State. MSU is 9-3 when out-rebounding its opponents and just 4-11 when its opponents own the glass...MSU is 12-4 when it has more assists.

THE SCOUTING REPORT:
Montana 21-7 overall, 14-3 Big Sky: The Lady Griz are on a current four-game winning streak, including wins at home over Idaho and Eastern Washington, last weekend. Montana's last loss came on Feb. 14 when it suffered a 52-51 setback to Northern Colorado in Dahlberg Arena. UM is paced on the season by former Bozeman High product Kellie (Cole) Rubel, who is averaging 13.9 points per game. Kayleigh Valley and McCalle Feller also average double-digit scoring.

CAT CHAT:
The Bobcats are ranked fourth in the Big Sky shooting 42.0 percent from the field. Eastern Washington leads the league at 44 percent...MSU is ranked 82nd in the nation averaging 14.5 assists per game; 89th in field-goal percentage; and 101st in scoring offense at 68.2 ppg...Individually, Lindsay Stockton is 78th in the nation averaging 4.4 assists per game...The Gonzaga Prep graduate is also 152th overall in assist/turnover ratio at +1.48...Jasmine Hommes is ranked 97th in the country shooting 47.2 percent from the floor. In addition, she is 112th in scoring at 16.4 points per game...in the most current RPI, the Big Sky falls out as follows Montana 102, Sacramento State 141, Eastern Washington 144, Northern Colorado 150, North Dakota 165, Montana State 184, Idaho 204, Idaho State 236, So. Utah 238, Weber State 253, Northern Arizona 266, and Portland State 310.

CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK:
Like her dad, NBA Hall of Famer John Stockton, Lindsay Stockton has done an outstanding job distributing and taking care of the basketball in 28 games to date. Stockton is third in the Big Sky Conference averaging 4.4 assists per game. She posted a career-high ten assists at North Dakota on Jan. 1 to ring in the New Year. She has also posted 23-of-28 games without a negative assist/turnover ratio.

KICKIN' IT:
Jackie Elliott has started all 28 games for the Bobcats and is averaging 7.5 points and a team-best 6.4 rebounds per game. The Billings Central grad became part of MSU's prestigious 500 rebound club a month ago. Her 566 boards are 14th all-time. Not shabby for the 2011 Montana High School Gatorade Soccer Player of the Year. Currently serving as President of MSU's Student-Athlete Advisory Council, Elliott is heavily involved in community service and can be seen on TV in numerous Public Service Announcements. She is a mechanical engineering major.

BLEEDING BLUE AND GOLD:
Senior and Miles City product Kalli Durham has strong family ties to Montana State. Durham's grandfather Lin (who recently passed away), Uncle Mick and Cousin Casey all played for the Bobcat men's team. The daughter of former UM-Western Athletic Director and men's basketball coach Mark Durham, she has recorded 50 career double-figure scoring games in four seasons. Durham's 139 career 3-pointers are fourth best all-time at MSU.

FATHER'S DAY:
Lindsay Stockton is the daughter of legendary NBA Hall of Famer and former Utah Jazz standout John Stockton, while Alexa Dawkins' father Dale played football on the University of Miami's 1987 National Championship team. Dawkins later went on to play wide receiver for the New York Jets from 1990-93.

ALL IN THE FAMILY:
Jasmine Hommes recorded a career-high with 25 points in MSU's win over North Dakota on Feb. 14. The Lynden Christian product has recorded nine 20+ scoring games in 24 outings this season. She leads the Bobcats in scoring, averaging 16.4 points per game, which is good for fifth in the league. The 2013-14 Second-Team All-Big Sky honoree started all 30 games, last year. Hommes also has strong ties to the MSU women's basketball. She is the niece of former MSU and Big Sky MVP Blythe Hommes and former MSU and All-Big Sky performer Brooke Svendsen. Hommes' aunts made a combined 130 starts for MSU.

THE WHEELS ON THE BUS:
Sophomore redshirt Peyton Ferris has overcome the injury bug and is currently MSU's second leading scorer. The Twin Bridges native is averaging 9.3 points per and 5.5 rebounds per contest. Ferris had a career game at Montana notching 20 points and 12 boards for her first career double-double.

DIAPER DANDIES:
MSU's three freshmen on the active Bobcat roster have made significant contributions. Delany Junkermier, a 6-foot product of Mead High School in Spokane, is first in the Big Sky shooting 38 percent from beyond the arc. Hannah Caudill has played in all 28 games, including eight starts and is first on the team with 31 triples. Bozeman's Amy Davis is averaging 3.0 rebounds per game.

THE LILAC CITY:
The Bobcats have three players representing Spokane, Washington - The Lilac City. Lindsay Stockton, Hannah Caudill and Delany Junkermier combined for 16 points, ten rebounds, 13 assists and two 3-pointers at Idaho and Eastern Washington. Junkermier, a graduate of Mead High School, has connected on 29-of-76 from beyond the 3-point arc shooting 38 percent, while Caudill is averaging 7.0 points and 2.0 rebounds in 28 games. Stockton and Caudill played together at Gonzaga Prep.

BOZEMAN INK:
Annika Lai, a 6-1 guard from Boulder, Colorado signed a National Letter-of-Intent to play for the Montana State women's basketball program next season. Lai, who preps at Fairview High School, averaged 15 points, six rebounds, two blocks and two steals per game as a junior, guiding her squad to the second-round of the Colorado 5A state tournament. Lai comes from a strong basketball pedigree as mother, the former Amy Mathern, was a member of Colorado's 1993 Elite Eight team that knocked-off defending national champion Stanford at the NCAA West Regionals in Missoula.