Thursday, January 5
Cheney, WA
7 p.m. MT
Montana State University
at
Eastern Washington
Bobcat forward Quinton Everett
Photo by: Kelly Gorham
Bobcats Visit Palouse to Face Eagles Thursday, Vandals Saturday
1/4/2017 11:16:00 AM | Men's Basketball
MSU makes first conference road trip of 2017
Brian Fish doesn't spend a lot of time looking back, but he didn't mind a few moments in reflection this week. The target? Last Saturday afternoon.
"I think in our three years here, (Saturday's win over Idaho State) was the best we've played defensively," Fish said of his team's 80-63 victory. "We were locked in for 40 minutes. It was a cohesive unit, it was a talking unit, and if we can build on that we've got a chance."
The 63 points and .370 field goal percentage allowed by Montana State's defense marked the team's best effort of the season in those categories. The team's intensity and execution on the defensive end allowed the Bobcats to control the game pretty much from start to finish.
As Fish looks ahead to Montana State's next outing, he said his team's charge on Thursday will be simple – slow down an explosive Eastern Washington team that earned an impressive 69-62 road win at Idaho last Saturday. "They score real easy," he said. "They're one of the few teams whose starting lineup is between 6-5 and 6-8. They're a big team, and they've had some really, really nice wins. They're always really good at home, and for Montana State Eastern's become a rival. I think it will be an intense game."
Bobcat forward Zach Green said that Eastern Washington utilizes players interchangeably, which presents both challenge and opportunity. "They run five threes out there," MSU's junior forward said. "We match up a little better that way. I think (EWU's) isolation game is still the same, but they can do it with all five guys now."
Green will be one of the Bobcats tasked with slowing Bogdan Bliznyuk, one of the Big Sky's top offensive players. The 6-6 junior stands fifth in the Big Sky in scoring (19.8 points a game), fourth in assists (4.4) and 12th in rebounding (6.1). "He's a handful," Green says.
Bliznyuk receives plenty of support. Jacob Wiley (6-7, sr.) has played previously at both Montana and Lewis-Clark State, and he 7.7 rebounds a game, fourth in the Big Sky with a league-leading 46 blocked shots. He is second on the Eagles with 14.3 points, and veteran Felix Von Hofe (6-5, sr.) chips in 14.1 points a game.
The Bobcats' focus this week has been clear. "As a team we're struggling on defense," Green said, "and that's been our main focus. We're scoring enough points to win games, we just have to play better defense."
Fish concurs. "We have to stay locked in on defense," he said of the weekend's games at Eastern Washington and Idaho. "If we do that we have a chance."
Tipoff is 7 pm MT on Thursday at EWU. On Saturday, the Bobcats play Idaho in Moscow at 8 pm MT.
"I think in our three years here, (Saturday's win over Idaho State) was the best we've played defensively," Fish said of his team's 80-63 victory. "We were locked in for 40 minutes. It was a cohesive unit, it was a talking unit, and if we can build on that we've got a chance."
The 63 points and .370 field goal percentage allowed by Montana State's defense marked the team's best effort of the season in those categories. The team's intensity and execution on the defensive end allowed the Bobcats to control the game pretty much from start to finish.
As Fish looks ahead to Montana State's next outing, he said his team's charge on Thursday will be simple – slow down an explosive Eastern Washington team that earned an impressive 69-62 road win at Idaho last Saturday. "They score real easy," he said. "They're one of the few teams whose starting lineup is between 6-5 and 6-8. They're a big team, and they've had some really, really nice wins. They're always really good at home, and for Montana State Eastern's become a rival. I think it will be an intense game."
Bobcat forward Zach Green said that Eastern Washington utilizes players interchangeably, which presents both challenge and opportunity. "They run five threes out there," MSU's junior forward said. "We match up a little better that way. I think (EWU's) isolation game is still the same, but they can do it with all five guys now."
Green will be one of the Bobcats tasked with slowing Bogdan Bliznyuk, one of the Big Sky's top offensive players. The 6-6 junior stands fifth in the Big Sky in scoring (19.8 points a game), fourth in assists (4.4) and 12th in rebounding (6.1). "He's a handful," Green says.
Bliznyuk receives plenty of support. Jacob Wiley (6-7, sr.) has played previously at both Montana and Lewis-Clark State, and he 7.7 rebounds a game, fourth in the Big Sky with a league-leading 46 blocked shots. He is second on the Eagles with 14.3 points, and veteran Felix Von Hofe (6-5, sr.) chips in 14.1 points a game.
The Bobcats' focus this week has been clear. "As a team we're struggling on defense," Green said, "and that's been our main focus. We're scoring enough points to win games, we just have to play better defense."
Fish concurs. "We have to stay locked in on defense," he said of the weekend's games at Eastern Washington and Idaho. "If we do that we have a chance."
Tipoff is 7 pm MT on Thursday at EWU. On Saturday, the Bobcats play Idaho in Moscow at 8 pm MT.
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