Thursday, January 4
BOZEMAN
7 pm
Montana State University
vs
Northern Colorado
Devonte Klines
Photo by: Andrew Pedersen
GAME #16: Bobcats Host Hot Bears in Early Season Showdown on Thursday
1/3/2018 5:51:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Montana State faces 'improved' and 'impressive' Northern Colorado
It's a natural tendency across the college basketball landscape to assess schedules in chunks, weigh one weekend opponent or set of weekend opponents against another, analyze trends and tendencies in the big picture. But Montana State head coach Brian Fish has a simple message for Big Sky fans and analysists.
"I don't think you can do that in our league this year," he said. "You have to take the next game up on its own, put all your focus on that, and then get ready for the next one when that one's over."
The next one up for Montana State is Northern Colorado, one of the hottest and most improved teams in the Big Sky. The Bears struggled to an 11-18 season in 2016-17, but three players who redshirted a year ago lead this year's UNC squad. Anthony Johnson is a fifth year senior who scores 11.5 points a game after sitting last season. Arizona State transfer Andre Spight ranks 73rd in the nation and fifth in the Big Sky with 18.8 points a game, while Tanner Morgan chips in 5.5 a game after redshirting last season.
The Bears offensive diversity is a challenge. Spight is 19th nationally with 46 three-point field goals made, and UNC is 49th in that category with 133. By way of comparison, MSU's 126 triples is 75th nationally. Fish said Northern Colorado's offensive intelligence, knowing "the pecking order of who to get shots for," aids the cause.
Defensively the Bears limit opponents to 42.8% shooting, third in the Big Sky, and lead the league with 63 blocked shots. "They're playing well defensively," Fish said. "They're playing with energy."
The net result, Fish said, is a team playing good basketball. "A lot of (Big Sky) teams have winning records and Northern Colorado's one of those," he said. "They're 11-4, they're playing with extreme confidence, they have great guards, they're scoring the ball at will, they have some big road wins. They beat Wyoming and gave UNLV a really good run. They're certainly a tough team, it's going to take our best effort to have a chance."
The Cats also enter Thursday's showdown coming off a pair of big conference wins. While Northern Colorado was holding serve at home with enormous wins over preseason Big Sky favorite Idaho and perennial contender Eastern Washington, the Cats were escaping Southern Utah and Northern Arizona with conference victories.
While Montana State stands 9-6 overall and 2-0 league mark, Northern Colorado stands 11-4 and 2-0. Fish knows that Thursday's tilt marks the early moments of a long Big Sky season. "It's an 18-lap race and each game is one time around the track," he said, adding that how a team wins or how close the game is matters little. "It's left side of the column or right side, a win or a loss."
Tipoff is 7:05 pm Thursday in Worthington Arena.
NOTE: Coach Fish announced Wednesday that freshman center Luke Schultz has left the Bobcat program. "Luke informed me of his decision earlier this week," Fish said. "I support him, appreciate his contributions to the program, and wish him the best." Originally from Fredericksburg, Texas, Schultz played in 10 of MSU's first 15 games, logging 49 minutes.
"I don't think you can do that in our league this year," he said. "You have to take the next game up on its own, put all your focus on that, and then get ready for the next one when that one's over."
The next one up for Montana State is Northern Colorado, one of the hottest and most improved teams in the Big Sky. The Bears struggled to an 11-18 season in 2016-17, but three players who redshirted a year ago lead this year's UNC squad. Anthony Johnson is a fifth year senior who scores 11.5 points a game after sitting last season. Arizona State transfer Andre Spight ranks 73rd in the nation and fifth in the Big Sky with 18.8 points a game, while Tanner Morgan chips in 5.5 a game after redshirting last season.
The Bears offensive diversity is a challenge. Spight is 19th nationally with 46 three-point field goals made, and UNC is 49th in that category with 133. By way of comparison, MSU's 126 triples is 75th nationally. Fish said Northern Colorado's offensive intelligence, knowing "the pecking order of who to get shots for," aids the cause.
Defensively the Bears limit opponents to 42.8% shooting, third in the Big Sky, and lead the league with 63 blocked shots. "They're playing well defensively," Fish said. "They're playing with energy."
The net result, Fish said, is a team playing good basketball. "A lot of (Big Sky) teams have winning records and Northern Colorado's one of those," he said. "They're 11-4, they're playing with extreme confidence, they have great guards, they're scoring the ball at will, they have some big road wins. They beat Wyoming and gave UNLV a really good run. They're certainly a tough team, it's going to take our best effort to have a chance."
The Cats also enter Thursday's showdown coming off a pair of big conference wins. While Northern Colorado was holding serve at home with enormous wins over preseason Big Sky favorite Idaho and perennial contender Eastern Washington, the Cats were escaping Southern Utah and Northern Arizona with conference victories.
While Montana State stands 9-6 overall and 2-0 league mark, Northern Colorado stands 11-4 and 2-0. Fish knows that Thursday's tilt marks the early moments of a long Big Sky season. "It's an 18-lap race and each game is one time around the track," he said, adding that how a team wins or how close the game is matters little. "It's left side of the column or right side, a win or a loss."
Tipoff is 7:05 pm Thursday in Worthington Arena.
NOTE: Coach Fish announced Wednesday that freshman center Luke Schultz has left the Bobcat program. "Luke informed me of his decision earlier this week," Fish said. "I support him, appreciate his contributions to the program, and wish him the best." Originally from Fredericksburg, Texas, Schultz played in 10 of MSU's first 15 games, logging 49 minutes.
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