Bobcats Head to Rose City

Thursday, February 16

Portland, OR

8 p.m.

Montana State University

Portland State

Senior Margreet Barhoum playing some D against Southern Utah.

Photo by: Kelly Gorham

2/15/2017 4:08:00 PM | Women's Basketball

MSU WBB NOTES (pdf)

The Montana State women’s basketball team will make its final regular-season road trip when they travel to Portland State and Sacramento State this weekend.

By: Tom Schulz

MONTANA STATE (18-5, 11-2) at PORTLAND STATE (10-14, 4-8)
    Date:                           Feb. 16, 2017
    Tipoff:    8 p.m. (MST)
    Site:                            Stott Center (1,500) * Portland, OR
    Radio: My 103.5 FM; Play-by-Play with Jason Alvine
    Live Video: WatchBigSky.com
    Live Stats: goviks.com

MONTANA STATE (18-5, 11-2) at SACRAMENTO STATE (8-15, 4-8)
    Date:                           Feb. 18, 2017
    Tipoff: 3 p.m. (MST)
    Site:                            Hornets Nest (1,012) * Sacramento, CA
    Radio: My 103.5 FM; Play-by-Play with Jason Alvine
    Live Video: WatchBigSky.com
    Live Stats: hornetsports.com

NEXT UP: The Montana State women's basketball team will make its final regular-season road trip when they travel to Portland State and Sacramento State this weekend. MSU will face PSU, Thursday, Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. (MST) in the Rose City. The Bobcats will conclude weekend play at Sacramento State, Saturday, Feb. 18 at 3 p.m. (MST) in the Hornets Nest.

ON A SERIES NOTE: MSU is 36-21 all-time against Portland State dating back to the 1976-77 season. The Bobcats have claimed the last four meetings between the long-time rivals, including an 83-76 decision on Jan. 21 in Worthington Arena.

LOOKING AHEAD: MSU plays two on the road this week, before wrapping the regular-season with three consecutive home games Montana (2/25), Idaho State (3/1) and Weber State (3/3).

NO PLACE LIKE HOME: The Bobcats are riding a 22-game home winning streak after its 71-68 victory over Southern Utah on Saturday. The streak is tied for third longest at the NCAA Division I level, behind UConn 59, UCLA 25 and Bucknell 22.

STATE OF THE LEAGUE: The Big Sky is currently ranked 19th out of 32 conferences in the RPI. This week's NCAA Nitty-Gritty team RPI has MSU ranked 70, followed by Northern Colorado 113, Idaho 124, Eastern Washington 126, North Dakota 135, Idaho State 176, Weber State 214, Portland State 255, Sacramento State 284, Southern Utah 286, Northern Arizona 305 and Montana 326.

MSU PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Peyton Ferris averaged 15 .5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game as the Bobcats defeated Northern Arizona and Southern Utah, last week. The Twin Bridges product finished the week shooting 46 percent from the field, including 50 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. In addition, she notched eight assists and three steals. She had her best game vs. SUU with 19 points and nine rebounds.

SCOUTING THE VIKINGS:
Portland State is 10-14 overall and 4-8 in Big Sky Conference play heading into Thursday's contest with the Bobcats. The Vikings are looking to snap a six-game losing streak. PSU's last win came at Montana (64-44) on Jan. 19. In their first meeting this season, MSU handed the Vikings an 83-76 setback in Worthington Arena. The Bobcats were led in the game by Riley Nordgaard with 25 points, including six 3-pointers. Also in double digits for MSU were Peyton Ferris 17 and Delany Junkermier 13. PSU was paced by Ashley Bolston with 29 points.

TALE OF THE TAPE: MSU vs. PSU
MSU.................. Stat.................. PSU
72.9................... PPG................. 69.2
41.2................... FG%................. 45.5
33.9.................. 3FG%................ 30.9
70.2................... FT%................. 70.6
43.6.................. REB/G................ 38.1
15.7.................. AST/G................ 16.8
7.5.................... STL/G.................. 7.5
3.2................... BLK/G.................. 5.0
16.2.................. TO/G................ 21.0

BUELLER: Peyton Ferris, a two-time Big Sky Top Reserve of the Year, came off the bench in all 31 games last season. This year, Ferris has started every game. She leads the team and is third in the Big Sky averaging 18.4 points per game. Ferris is second on the squad in rebounding at 7.1 per contest, which is 11th in the league. Ferris joined MSU's 1,000-point club with a season-best 32 points at North Dakota. Currently, she is 17th on MSU's all-time scoring chart, and 48 points away from surpassing Ashley Brumwell (09-14) for 16th. In addition, Ferris became the 12th member of MSU's prestigious 1,000/500 club as she is 18th all-time with 518 rebounds. Ferris, who was voted 2016-17 preseason Big Sky MVP, recorded her second double-double of the year with 27 points and 12 boards at Montana on Feb. 4. In Big Sky action, the Twin Bridges product has notched five games over 20 points and two games over the 30-point plateau. At UM on Feb. 4, she swatted a career-high five blocks. Last year, Ferris finished eighth in the nation in field-goal percentage shooting at a 58 percent clip.

THE LIFE OF RILEY: Riley Nordgaard, the 2015-16 Big Sky Newcomer of the Year, made her debut on Nov. 23 at UC Davis. Nordgaard made an immediate impact earning Big Sky Player of the Week kudos, after averaging 12.7 points and 8.7 rebounds in three games. The Canby, Minn., product has six double-doubles on the season after posting 16 points and 13 rebounds in MSU's win over Northern Arizona. She recorded a career-high 26 points in MSU's win over Sacramento State on Jan. 19, connecting on eight-of-14 from the field. In MSU's win over Portland State on Jan. 21, Nordgaard connected on a career-high six 3-pointers. She had a career-high 13 rebounds against Idaho on Jan. 7. She is currently second on the team with 43 3-pointers and is second shooting 38.9 percent from beyond the arc.

DISHING THE ROCK: Junior Hannah Caudill is averaging 4.7 assists per game, which ranks third in the Big Sky. Her +1.4 assist-turnover ratio is fifth in the league. The graduate of Gonzaga Prep in Spokane, Washington posted a career-high 23 points at Eastern Washington on Jan. 5. Last winter, Caudill led the Big Sky averaging 5.4 assists per contest. She dished out 166 assists, which was second most ever recorded in a single-season at MSU. Caudill, who has averaged 6.2 assists per game over the last six outings, broke into MSU's all-time career assists rankings a month ago and is currently seventh all-time with 328 assists. She is also fifth all-time in three-point field-goals made at 132 triples.

THAT AINT NO LIE: Sophomore Annika Lai has started four games this season filling in during the absence of Riley Nordgaard. The 6-1 product of Boulder, Colorado posted a career-high 15 points against Idaho on Jan. 7, connecting on seven-of-13 from the field. She has six double-figure scoring games on the season. Lai opened the 2016-17 campaign with a pair of double-digit scoring outings. In Montana State's 83-68 win at Weber State, Lai grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds. She combined the performance with 13 points for her first-ever double-double. On the season, Lai is averaging 6.7 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. She is averaging 23.0 minutes per contest. Lai is third on the Bobcat team shooting 44.6 percent from the field. She is also fourth in scoring and rebounding.

JUNK MAIL: Delany Junkermier has delivered six double-figure scoring games this season, including a season-high 13 points, twice, with the last coming in MSU's win at Montana on Feb. 4. Averaging 6.7 points per game, the Spokane product has averaged 8.7 points per contest in the last seven outing. Last weekend, she had 9 points vs. So. Utah - going 3-of-5 from the beyond the arc.

FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS: Senior Margreet Barhoum has had a knack for answering the bell when MSU has needed a three-pointer this season. Barhoum answered the call and dialed up a key 3-pointer in Montana State's win over Pacific on Nov. 25 with 41-seconds left. She hit another big triple at Portland on Dec. 11 with 2:21 left to give the Cats the lead for good over the Pilots. Against Cal Poly on Dec. 20, her 3-pointer ignited a MSU fourth quarter run and her 3-pointer with six-minutes left vs. Portland State broke open a tie game. The Edmonds, Washington product, who is averaging 2.6 points per contest, finished with a season-high ten points - connecting on three-of-five from the field and two-of-two from beyond the 3-point line at Portland on Dec. 11. She also added two assists and a rebound against the Pilots. Barhoum is currently shooting 32 percent from long distance. Last weekend, she averaged 3.0 points and 2.0 assists per game.

FAB FRESH: All three Bobcat true-freshmen - Blaire Braxton, Oliana Squires and Madeline Smith - have made an impact this season. Braxton, a native of Highlands Ranch, Colo., has started all 23 games and is averaging 3.8 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. She is ninth in the Big Sky in rebounding and sixth in blocks per game. Braxton notched a career-high 10 points, last weekend against Northern Arizona. Squires has played in all 23 games and is averaging 6.7 points per game, which is fourth best on the team and the highest output of any Bobcat bench player. She posted a season-high 17 points in MSU's loss at Northern Colorado. She is averaging 14.4 minutes per game and is third on the team with 24 three-pointers. On. Jan. 7 against Idaho, Madeline Smith, a 6-2 post from Snohomish, Washington is averaging 15.3 minutes per game and is chipping in 6.1 points and 3.9 rebounds per contest. She posted her seventh double-digit scoring game with 12 points against Sacramento State. Smith is averaging 7.2 points per game in Big Sky play, while shooting 62.7 percent from the field. Against Cal Poly on Dec. 20, Smith had a season-high 10 boards.

BOZEMAN DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION: After the 23 games, the Bobcats have connected on 169-of-498 from beyond the three-point arc. MSU is paced from long distance by Hannah Caudill with 51 triples. The Spokane product is followed by Riley Nordgaard 43, Oliana Squires 24, Delany Junkermier 20, Peyton Ferris 14 and Margreet Barhoum 9. MSU is shooting 33.9 percent from beyond 20-feet, 9-inches, which is the 3rd best in the Big Sky Conference. Last year, the Bobcats went 179-of-498 (35.9%) from three-point territory. As a team, Montana State has recorded at least one 3-pointer in the last 125 consecutive games. The last time Montana State was held without a three-pointer was Jan. 24, 2013 (0-9) at Weber State in Ogden, UT.

STINGY D: The Bobcat defense has evolved into one of the best units in the Big Sky. MSU is first in three-point field goal defense (.281), rebounding offense (43.6), and defensive rebounds (30.1). Nationally, the Bobcats are ranked No. 6 in defensive rebounds per game; No. 12 in rebounds per game; No. 38 in 3-point field-goal percentage; No. 53 in field-goal percentage defense, No. 65 in rebound margin; and No. 68 in total rebounds

TO CATCH A THIEF: MSU had logged 166 steals on the season. Eight Bobcat players have recorded eleven or more steals, paced by Riley Nordgaard with 38. Nordgaard has made her presence felt on the defensive end having played in 20 games to date and averaging 7.9 rebounds. Last year, the 5-10 forward who transferred to Bozeman from Augustana College, recorded 76 thefts, the eighth highest single-season total in Montana State history.

QUICK CAT-CH UP: MSU head coach Tricia Binford, who is in her 12th year leading the Bobcat program, welcomes back six letterwinners, including two starters (Riley Nordgaard, Delany Junkermier), a two-time Big Sky Top Reserve of the Year (Peyton Ferris) and Big Sky Conference Newcomer of the Year (Nordgaard). MSU also welcomes five newcomers. Last winter, the Bobcats captured the program's first-ever outright Big Sky regular-season title last season going 14-4 in league play. MSU notched a 21-10 overall mark - its first 20-win season since the 2002-03 campaign.

SIGN ON THE DOTTED LINE: The Bobcats signed four players to National Letters-of-Intent during the early signing period. Signing with Montana State were Coral Gillette, a 6-foot guard from Bismarck, N.D., Tori Martell, a 5-8 guard from Somerset, Wis., Laura Pranger, a 6-2 forward from Centennial, Colo., and Ashley Van Sickle, a 5-7 guard from Arvada, Colo.

FANDEMONIUM: The 'Cats average 1,511 fans per game. The mark is third best in the Big Sky and ranks 100th in the nation, behind UTEP (1,517). South Carolina leads the country at 12,404 fans.