GAME #1: Bobcats Open 2016-17 at Washington State

Friday, November 11

Pullman, WA

5 p.m. MT

Montana State University

Washington State

Harald Frey

Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson

11/10/2016 5:16:00 PM | Men's Basketball

MSU Notes vs. Wazzou

5 pm MT Tipoff Airs on Pac 12 Network

By: Bill Lamberty

Brian Fish, who spent four seasons in the Pac 12 Conference as an assistant coach at Oregon, is getting a been-there-done-that feeling as his Montana State men's basketball team makes final preparations for its season opener at Washington State on Friday.

"Having been in that league for four years I know this team has talent," Fish said of the Cougars, who MSU faces at 5 pm MT on Friday, the beginning of the 2016-17 college basketball season. The game is televised on the Pac 12 Network. "They're bigger than us. They're Pac 12 so they're probably more talented than us. We can't make it a game about talent. We have to execute."

"Bigger than us" stands as a sizeable understatement. Five Cougars stand 6-7 or taller and those players average 235 lbs. Only three Bobcats hit 6-7 on the measuring stick, and MSU's inside players average just 205 lbs.

Execution – as always with Fish – begins on the defensive end, where the Cats will deal with 6-10 forward Josh Hawkinson. He was an All-Pac 12 Honorable Mention choice a season ago, when he led his conference in defensive rebounds (9.5 per game) and double-doubles (20). He averaged 15.4 points and 11.1 rebounds, and Fish calls him "a double-double beast."

The task of checking Hawkinson falls to Bobcat junior Zach Green, who cedes six inches of height and 35 pounds. Nonetheless, Green understands the focus. "Rebounding is always on the top of the list for us," said the third-year starting forward. "Their (center, Conor Clifford) is big, like Coach Has (Chris Haslam, Bobcat assistant coach). (Hawkinson), the one I'm guarding, is 6-8, 230, so I really have to work on my positioning on him."

Hawkinson and guard Ike Iroegbu, "a very aggressive rim-to-rim" player according to Fish, led the Cougars in scoring a season ago. Iroegbu, who averaged 12.7 points a game, was also second on the team with 3.4 boards a contest.

Montana State also returns its leading scorer from a season ago. Tyler Hall set an MSU freshman record with 578 points, and his 96 three-pointers set a school record in that category. Hall is joined by Green and senior Quinton Everett on the wings, but newcomers populate the post and point. Sophomore Sam Neumann slots into the starting lineup at center, but at 6-7, 200 lbs, his stature falls short of Washington State's seven-footer. A pair of newcomers, junior Benson Osayande and freshman Devin Kirby, will be asked to contribute inside, as well.

The point is manned by freshman Harald Frey from Norway, who played in a European professional league as an amateur. Fish said competition against more experienced players has helped. "The speed of the game isn't new to him," Fish said. "That's something he's adjusted to pretty well."

The Bobcats maintained a rebounding margin of +2.3 a season ago despite not having a single player grab more than five-and-a-half a game. That same pack-rebounding mentality will be necessary this year, he said. "That's something we emphasize, but we're not there yet. We have work to do."

Regardless of what happens Friday, the Bobcats won't have long to dwell on the results. MSU returns to Bozeman Saturday and begins preparation for a Monday night home game against the Ragin' Cajuns of Louisiana. Tipoff is 7 pm. Purchase tickets for Monday's home opener at msubobcats.com.