Bobcats Continue WNIT Play in Texas

Friday, November 16

San Marcos, TX

3 p.m.

Montana State University

Delaware (WNIT)

Photo by: Ricky Bassman

11/15/2018 3:52:00 PM | Women's Basketball

WBB NOTES

The Montana State women’s basketball team will continue play in the preseason WNIT when it travels to San Marcos, Texas for a pair of games. The Bobcats will face Delaware on Friday afternoon.

By: Tom Schulz

WHO:                   Montana State vs. Delaware
WHEN:                 Friday, Nov. 16, 2018 @ 3 p.m. (MT)
WHERE:               San Marcos, TX - Strahan Arena (10,000)
RECORDS:            MSU- 1-1, 0-0; UD- 0-1, 0-0
SERIES:                 First Meeting
LAST MTG:          First Meeting
RADIO:                 vs. Delaware (103.5 FM); Sat at 2:45 p.m. (103.5 FM); Sat at 5:45 p.m. (1450 AM)
STREAMING:      txstatebobcats.com
LIVE STATS:         txstatebobcats.com

NEXT UP: The Montana State women's basketball team will continue play in the preseason WNIT when it travels to San Marcos, Texas for a pair of games. The Bobcats will face Delaware on Friday afternoon. MSU dropped its opening-round WNIT contest to #19 Marquette last Friday, while the Blue Hens were dealt a 79-67 setback at Northern Iowa. Also playing at the Texas State site will be the TSU Bobcats and Nicholls State. Texas State dropped an 81-51 decision to New Mexico, while the Colonels were defeated 80-59 at Auburn. MSU will face either TSU or NSU on Saturday at 3 or 5:30 p.m.

ON A SERIES NOTE: Friday's game against the Blue Hens will be the first ever meeting between Montana State and Delaware. Montana State is 2-0 all-time against Texas State. In a home-and-home series, MSU defeated TSU 85-70 on Nov. 28, 2003 in San Marcos and 68-52 on Dec. 20, 2004 in Bozeman. Of special note, current MSU assistant coach and former Montana State standout Kati (Burrows) Mobley played a big role in both Bobcat victories. In the first meeting, Mobley posted eight points and 10 rebounds, and followed that performance with eight points and 13 rebounds the next season.

THAT WAS THE GAME THAT WAS:
   Allazia Blockton, the preseason BIG EAST MVP selection, scored a game-high 23 points on 10-of-12 shooting to lift No. 19-ranked Marquette to a 100-52 win over Montana State on Friday night at the Al McGuire Center in the opening-round of the preseason WNIT.
   Blockton led six Marquette (2-0) players in double-digits, while Montana State (1-1) was paced by Oliana Squires and Claire Lundberg with 14 and ten points, respectively.
   "There's a reason they're ranked No. 19," said MSU head coach Tricia Binford. "They are a very experienced and athletic team. They established themselves from the opening tip. Marquette converted 23 turnovers into 35 points and they shot lights-out."
   The Golden Eagles jumped out to a 28-9 lead after the first 10-minutes. The Bobcats responded in the second frame as Squires scored eight straight points halfway through the stanza. MU out-scored the Cats 29-17 in the second quarter.
   "A game like this exposes a lot of things that we need to get better at," Binford said. "We were at our best when we moved the ball efficiently and were able to settle ourselves down."
   Marquette won the battle of the boards as well out-rebounding Montana State 47-34. The Bobcats were paced by Blaire Braxton with ten rebounds, while Madeline Smith added seven. Braxton and Smith also added seven and five points, respectively. Junior Madisyn Shaide came off the bench to give MSU a brief spark in the second half, connecting on a career-high six points on a pair of three-pointers.
   Freshman Kamden Hilborn, along with Martha Kuderer dished out a team-best three assists, each.

PRESEASON WNIT: Montana State is playing in the preseason WNIT for the first time in its history. Along with MSU and MU, participating in this season's WNIT are Iowa State, Niagara, Northern Illinois, Yale, New Mexico, Texas State, Auburn, Nicholls State, Miami, Stephen F. Austin, Hartford, Morgan State, Northern Iowa and Delaware. The winner's portion of the WNIT bracket moved to the final four as #19 Marquette dispatched Northern Iowa 102-61, Iowa State downed Northern Illinois 70-60, Miami defeated Hartford 75-62 and Auburn edged by New Mexico 79-76. Iowa State moved to the championship game with a 67-64 win over Auburn on Tuesday, while Marquette and Miami meet in The Magic City on Thursday night.

MORE ON THE BLUE HENS: Delaware is 1-0 on the season after dropping its opening round game of the WNIT at Northern Iowa 79-67 on Friday, Nov. 9. The Blue Hens were paced in the loss by freshman Jasmine Dickey, who recorded 21 points and 12 rebounds in 29 minutes of action. For her efforts, Dickey was named the Colonial Athletic Association Rookie of the Week. Also hitting double-digits for the Blue Hens were Samone DeFreese 13, Abby Gonzales 12, and Paris McBride 10. UD shot 37.5 from the field and went just three-of-13 on long distance. Delaware went 10-15 from the line. Last season, the Blue Hens posted a 19-13 overall mark and an 11-7 ledger in CAA play, finishing fourth in the league. Delaware went on to play in the postseason WNIT were they fell 67-57 to Georgetown. The Blue Hens return four starters and 11 letterwinners to its line-up. Delaware is under the direction of Natasha Adair, who is in her second season on the Newark campus.