Tuesday, December 18
Denver, CO
7 pm
Montana State University
at
Denver
Devin Kirby is among the young players developing for the Cats
Photo by: Andrew Pedersen
GAME #10: Bobcats Close Non-Conference Play at Denver on Tuesday
12/17/2018 12:07:00 PM | Men's Basketball
MSU visits Pioneer squad that is getting healthy as 2018 nears an end
BOZEMAN, Montana – Montana State closes out the non-conference portion of its 2018-19 schedule Tuesday when the Bobcats visit Denver for a 7 pm tipoff with the Pioneers. The game is televised on Altitude2.
The Bobcats face a talented DU (4-8 overall) squad that has been plagued by a rash of early-season injuries. Starters Joe Rosga and Tory Stewart-Miller have each missed at least four games. In spite of an 86-52 loss at UC Irvine on Saturday, the Pioneers have won two of their last three, including an overtime win at Wyoming. Ronnie Harrell Jr. leads Denver with 13.5 points a game, and contributes 5.2 rebounds. Rosga averages 13.0 points in his eight games, hitting 47% from the arc, while Ade Murkey scores 11.6 points game.
"You can tell how much those (previously injured) players mean to them," said Bobcat coach Brian Fish. "When they have their team together it is very talented." Denver shoots 44.3% from the floor, and out-rebounds its opponents 35.3-to-33.3.
The Bobcats (3-6 overall) emerge from finals week with one non-league road game before opening league play at Southern Utah and Northern Arizona in the week between Christmas and New Year's Day. Fish hopes his team continues to improve, as it did in the week dedicated to practice prior to MSU's win over Washington State. The Cats scored 95 points and shot 50.8% from the floor against the Pac 12 foe, the team's best offensive performance against a Division I opponent this season.
Montana State's three perimeter threats – star guards Tyler Hall and Harald Frey, and sharp-shooting wing Ladan Ricketts – continue to pace the offense. Frey scored a career-high 31 points last game at Washington State, while Hall added 24. Ricketts has been consistent offensively, scoring in double-figures in six of the last seven games and averaging 11.8 points on the season.
While Ricketts recently joined the starting lineup, the development of several youngsters has been one of MSU's strong December storylines. Devin Kirby, a 6-11 sophomore center, has vaulted off a redshirt season into a role as a primary offensive player and one of the team's most reliable defenders. True freshmen Zeke Quinlan, Quentin Guliford and Max Schuecker have each provided positive production in the team's rotation.
After Tuesday's game the Cats open Big Sky Conference play at Southern Utah on December 29 at 2 pm.
The Bobcats face a talented DU (4-8 overall) squad that has been plagued by a rash of early-season injuries. Starters Joe Rosga and Tory Stewart-Miller have each missed at least four games. In spite of an 86-52 loss at UC Irvine on Saturday, the Pioneers have won two of their last three, including an overtime win at Wyoming. Ronnie Harrell Jr. leads Denver with 13.5 points a game, and contributes 5.2 rebounds. Rosga averages 13.0 points in his eight games, hitting 47% from the arc, while Ade Murkey scores 11.6 points game.
"You can tell how much those (previously injured) players mean to them," said Bobcat coach Brian Fish. "When they have their team together it is very talented." Denver shoots 44.3% from the floor, and out-rebounds its opponents 35.3-to-33.3.
The Bobcats (3-6 overall) emerge from finals week with one non-league road game before opening league play at Southern Utah and Northern Arizona in the week between Christmas and New Year's Day. Fish hopes his team continues to improve, as it did in the week dedicated to practice prior to MSU's win over Washington State. The Cats scored 95 points and shot 50.8% from the floor against the Pac 12 foe, the team's best offensive performance against a Division I opponent this season.
Montana State's three perimeter threats – star guards Tyler Hall and Harald Frey, and sharp-shooting wing Ladan Ricketts – continue to pace the offense. Frey scored a career-high 31 points last game at Washington State, while Hall added 24. Ricketts has been consistent offensively, scoring in double-figures in six of the last seven games and averaging 11.8 points on the season.
While Ricketts recently joined the starting lineup, the development of several youngsters has been one of MSU's strong December storylines. Devin Kirby, a 6-11 sophomore center, has vaulted off a redshirt season into a role as a primary offensive player and one of the team's most reliable defenders. True freshmen Zeke Quinlan, Quentin Guliford and Max Schuecker have each provided positive production in the team's rotation.
After Tuesday's game the Cats open Big Sky Conference play at Southern Utah on December 29 at 2 pm.
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