Sacramento State Uses Glasswork to Stop Bobcats Saturday

Saturday, January 13

Sacramento, CA

8 pm

Montana State University

11-8, 4-2

Sacramento State

5-13, 2-3

Montana State

Sacramento State

Benson Osayande scored a season-high 10 points

Photo by: Andrew Pedersen

Sacramento State Uses Glasswork to Stop Bobcats Saturday

1/13/2018 10:01:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Hornets use strong second half to power past Montana State

By: Bill Lamberty

SACRAMENTO, California – Sacramento State scored on 10 of 11 possessions beginning at the midway mark of the second half, riding that 17-2 run to an 87-68 win over Montana State on Saturday night in Sacramento.

The Hornets shot 59% on the night, the team's second-best shooting game against a Division I opponent this season, and topped their league scoring average by 17 points. Hornets start Justin Strings did much of the damage, scoring 31 points on the night on 14-for-24 shooting.

While getting on an offensive roll Sacramento State ratcheted up its defensive pressure and held the Cats to 43.6% shooting, 39.3% in the second half. The Cats hit just four three-pointers, the team's low-water mark since making just one at Central Michigan on December 5.

Brian Fish said the big difference Saturday was Sacramento State's rebounding dominance. The Hornets out-rebounded the Cats 35-to-25. "They whipped us on the glass," said MSU coach Brian Fish. "The difference tonight was rebounding and defense. We have to get better."

The first half was a back-and-forth affair, with 13 lead changes and seven ties. Sacramento State shot 58.6% from the floor to edge ahead 41-40, but Montana State stayed closed by hitting 11 of its 13 free throw tries. The resulting effect was 13 fouls on the Hornets, with three players carrying two fouls into the locker room and another with three. MSU's Keljin Blevins and Konner Frey each had three first-half fouls, as well.

Montana State out-rebounded the Hornets 15-to-14 in the opening period, but Sacramento State turned its five offensive boards into seven second-chance points. Calvin Martin snagged four of those offensive caroms. That trend didn't hold, as the Hornets our-muscled MSU on the glass 21-to-10 after the intermission.

Tyler Hall scored 20 points to lead MSU, the 43^rd 20-point game of his brilliant career, and Harald Frey added 10. Benson Osayande also scored 10 points, his season high. Joshua Patton added 18 points for Sac State.