Cats Open Season in Southern Cal

Friday, November 10

Los Angeles, CA

5 p.m.

Montana State University

USC

Photo by: Kelly Gorham

11/9/2017 4:34:00 PM | Women's Basketball

The two-time defending champion Montana State women’s basketball team will open its 2017-18 campaign at Pac-12 power USC, Friday, Nov. 10 at 5 p.m. (MT) in the Galen Center. The Bobcats will complete their southern California road-trip on Sunday, Nov. 12 at 2 p.m. (MT) at Long Beach State in the Walter Pyramid.

By: Tom Schulz

MSU NOTES l USC NOTES l LONG BEACH NOTES

MONTANA STATE (0-0) at USC (0-0)
Date: Friday, November 10, 2017
Tipoff: 5:00 p.m. (MST)
Site: Galen Center (10,258) - Los Angeles, CA
Radio: 1450 KMMS-AM; Play-by-Play with Jason Alvine
Live Video: pac-12.com/live/usc-2
Live Stats: sidearmstats.com/usc/wbball/

MONTANA STATE (0-0) at Long Beach State (0-0)
Date: Sunday, November 12, 2017
Tipoff: 2:00 p.m. (MST)
Site: Walter Pyramid (4,200) - Long Beach, CA
Radio: 1450 KMMS-AM; Play-by-Play with Jason Alvine
Live Video: longbeachstate.com (Fan Zone - Beach Vision)
Live Stats: longbeachstate.com (WBB - Schedule)

NEXT UP: The two-time defending champion Montana State women's basketball team will open its 2017-18 campaign at Pac-12 power USC, Friday, Nov. 10 at 5 p.m. (MT) in the Galen Center. The Bobcats will complete their southern California road-trip on Sunday, Nov. 12 at 2 p.m. (MT) at Long Beach State in the Walter Pyramid.

ON A SERIES NOTE: USC holds a 1-0 advantage in its all-time series with Montana State. The Women of Troy downed the Bobcats 82-61 on Dec. 13, 2008. MSU head coach Tricia Binford was in her fourth season at Montana State when the Cats faced USC. The Trojans held a six-point lead at intermission before blowing the game open midway through the second half. Montana State was led in scoring by Erica Perry and Jenny Heringer with 11 and ten points, respectively. Long Beach State holds a slim 2-1 lead in its all-time series with Montana State dating back to Dec. 1, 1979. MSU holds the last victory between the two schools, defeating the 49ers 78-68 on Nov. 17, 2006 - Binford's second season with the Bobcats. The game was played at Long Beach State and the Cats were paced by Rebecca Mercer and Whitney Connolly with 17 points, apiece. Connolly, an Ennis native, also had 10 boards.

SEASON-OPENERS: Montana State is 25-16 all-time in season-openers. Last season, the Cats opened at another Pac-12 foe and dropped a 74-64 decision at Utah. Binford is 7-5 in in season-openers as she begins her 13th year in Bozeman.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME: The Bobcats finished its 2016-17 home season with a perfect 13-0 mark. Its current 25-game home winning streak is fourth longest at the NCAA Division I level, behind UConn 64, Bucknell 28 and UCLA 27. The 25-game home win streak is a new school-record.

THE NITTY GRITTY: The Bobcats finished the 2016-17 season ranked No. 59 in the NCAA's final Nitty Gritty listings. It was the highest a MSU team has ever been ranked. The next closest Big Sky team was Northern Colorado at No. 128. USC finished the 2016-17 season ranked No. 59, while Long Beach State was No. 102.

BIG SKY TOURNEY CHAMPS: Montana State rode the back of its two seniors Peyton Ferris and Riley Nordgaard to a Big Sky Conference Tournament title - its second ever (1993). MSU claimed the Big Sky title with a 62-56 win over Idaho State. Big Sky MVP Peyton Ferris notched 23 points, while all-league performer Riley Nordgaard added 16 points and 10 rebounds.