Bobcats Use Extra Period to Top Omaha

Friday, November 10

Great Falls, MT

6 pm

Montana State University

1-0

Omaha

0-1

Team	1	2	OT 1	F
Omaha	25	43	12	80
Montana State	32	36	21	89

Photo by: Kelly Gorham

11/10/2017 10:39:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Game Stats

Late defensive stand, overtime explosion key MSU win

By: Bill Lamberty

GREAT FALLS, Mont. – Tyler Hall had been there before.

Two seasons ago, Omaha hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer in Bozeman to beat the Bobcats 100-97 during Hall's freshman season at MSU. On Friday in Great Falls, the Bobcats were seconds from the same fate. The Mavericks possessed the ball with the game tied at 68. But two years of experience, and one excellent defensive possession, proved the difference in an 89-80 overtime win for the Cats over Omaha.

"There was a lot of pressure on that last stop," Hall said. "I didn't want to lose. I didn't want to let my teammates down."

Hall neutralized Omaha's Daniel Norl, who finished with a game-high 29 points, and the Bobcats forced overtime. Harald Frey scored the first six points and the Bobcats never looked back.

"We've emphasized attention to detail, getting stops," said Bobcat coach Brian Fish. "Last year we lost a game at Idaho we lost a game because we were jumping around on defense (on the last possession of regulation) like crickets. Tonight we talked about staying down (on the last defensive possession of the second half). If they were going to hit a shot, they'd have to hit it over us."

Frey scored 12 of his team-high 29 points – also a career-high – in overtime, and after his six-point spurt to open the period Omaha never drew within a single possession. "I thought we defended better at times in overtime," Fish said. "We ran a play for Harry to get a three-pointer, and that was a big shot to get us going (in overtime)."

Late in regulation, it didn't look like overtime would be in the conversation. Keljin Blevins converted a layup to give Montana State an 11-point lead with 4:42 to play. But Omaha's 14-2 run gave the Mavericks a lead. One Blevins free throw tied the game to set up the final regulation-time stand.

Hall scored 19 for the Bobcats, and Blevins added 12 in is MSU debut. The Bobcats won their first season opener since 2003, and now travel to Logan, Utah, to face Utah State on Monday.