Thursday, January 12
BOZEMAN
7 p.m.
Montana State University
vs
North Dakota
Quinton Everett
Photo by: Kelly Gorham
Cats Host North Dakota Looking for Continued Improvement, Results to Match
1/11/2017 5:01:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Thursday showdown pits MSU against 3-1 Fighting Hawks
Brian Fish is seeing improvement. Now he wants results.
The next opportunity comes when Fish's Bobcat men's basketball team returns to Worthington Arena Thursday at 7 pm against North Dakota. Tipoff is at 7 pm.
"I'm very happy with the strides we're making," Fish said of the Bobcats, who are 1-3 in Big Sky play after an overtime loss at Idaho last Saturday. Thursday's game marks the end of a five-game, league-opening stretch of games featuring teams picked ahead of the Cats in the Big Sky Conference preseason poll. I think the guys are starting to fall into their roles and understand them."
The early part of this week featured a roster shakeup. Senior forward Sarp Gobeloglu quit the team on Tuesday, a day after junior forward Joe Mvuezolo was cleared to return. Gobeloglu averaged four points and two rebounds in a dozen games, but his role had diminished in recent weeks. Mvuezolo contributed 6.4 points and 2.6 rebounds a game before missing the last six with a cardiology condition.
"Getting Joe back is a shot in the arm," Fish said, adding that many of the new players and those in expanded roles have improved in recent weeks. "Harald (Frey) is growing, Devonte (Klines) is growing, I think Q(inton Everett) is getting out there and being productive, Benson (Osayande) is getting a lot better, DK's (Devin Kirby) coming along. Tyler (Hall) is playing at a level you don't see all the time. Things are coming together."
Hall continues to lead the Bobcats, averaging 24.2 points a game, third in the nation. He is also among the Big Sky's top 15 in rebounding. As has become normal, North Dakota brings a Big Sky MVP candidate to the floor as well on Thursday. Fighting Hawks guard Quinton Hooker averages 18.4 points, 3.4 assists and 1.4 steals a game. He is one of the league's most dynamic players.
Throughout the stretch of nine losses in the last 10 games, Fish's focus has remained on his team. To this point, the improvement has outstripped the results. Competing in close-and-late situations, as the team did at Moscow last Saturday, is among the steps.
"There's a process you have to go through to win basketball games," he said, "and we're starting to check boxes. We have a lot of guys that haven't been in late-game situations before, and it will happen again. Conference games will come down to these situations, hopefully we learn."
After Thursday's game, which is televised on SWX stations across Montana, the Bobcats host Northern Colorado on Saturday at 2 pm.
The next opportunity comes when Fish's Bobcat men's basketball team returns to Worthington Arena Thursday at 7 pm against North Dakota. Tipoff is at 7 pm.
"I'm very happy with the strides we're making," Fish said of the Bobcats, who are 1-3 in Big Sky play after an overtime loss at Idaho last Saturday. Thursday's game marks the end of a five-game, league-opening stretch of games featuring teams picked ahead of the Cats in the Big Sky Conference preseason poll. I think the guys are starting to fall into their roles and understand them."
The early part of this week featured a roster shakeup. Senior forward Sarp Gobeloglu quit the team on Tuesday, a day after junior forward Joe Mvuezolo was cleared to return. Gobeloglu averaged four points and two rebounds in a dozen games, but his role had diminished in recent weeks. Mvuezolo contributed 6.4 points and 2.6 rebounds a game before missing the last six with a cardiology condition.
"Getting Joe back is a shot in the arm," Fish said, adding that many of the new players and those in expanded roles have improved in recent weeks. "Harald (Frey) is growing, Devonte (Klines) is growing, I think Q(inton Everett) is getting out there and being productive, Benson (Osayande) is getting a lot better, DK's (Devin Kirby) coming along. Tyler (Hall) is playing at a level you don't see all the time. Things are coming together."
Hall continues to lead the Bobcats, averaging 24.2 points a game, third in the nation. He is also among the Big Sky's top 15 in rebounding. As has become normal, North Dakota brings a Big Sky MVP candidate to the floor as well on Thursday. Fighting Hawks guard Quinton Hooker averages 18.4 points, 3.4 assists and 1.4 steals a game. He is one of the league's most dynamic players.
Throughout the stretch of nine losses in the last 10 games, Fish's focus has remained on his team. To this point, the improvement has outstripped the results. Competing in close-and-late situations, as the team did at Moscow last Saturday, is among the steps.
"There's a process you have to go through to win basketball games," he said, "and we're starting to check boxes. We have a lot of guys that haven't been in late-game situations before, and it will happen again. Conference games will come down to these situations, hopefully we learn."
After Thursday's game, which is televised on SWX stations across Montana, the Bobcats host Northern Colorado on Saturday at 2 pm.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Basketball
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