Saturday, January 19
Cheney, WA
3 pm
Montana State University
at
Eastern Washington
Photo by: Andrew Pedersen
GAME #17: Bobcats Head to Eastern Washington for Saturday Matinee with History on the Line
1/17/2019 4:50:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Tyler Hall needs just two points to reel in the Big Sky Conference's all-time scoring record
BOZEMAN, Montana – Tyler Hall has a sense for history. He can't help but be aware that he is two points from breaking the Big Sky Conference's all-time scoring record, and sees the intrigue in the possibility that it could come Saturday at Eastern Washington on the home court where Bogdan Bliznyuk finished off that record last spring.
But Montana State's senior guard doesn't care.
"I really want (the record to fall) in a win," he said. "Where it happens, and who it's against, that stuff doesn't matter to me. It really doesn't. I just want to win."
Hall and the Bobcats (7-9 overall, 4-2 Big Sky) look for their next win Saturday afternoon at 3 pm MT (2 pm PT) at Eastern Washington (4-12, 2-3). Bobcat coach Brian Fish expects an intense game, similar to his team's first six league contests. "Every game is a fight," he said in a comment not limited to the games his team has played. "This league is very competitive."
The Eagles certainly occupy that category. The margin of victory or defeat in Eastern's five Big Sky games fall in a range of 12 points, while Montana State's last five league games have been decided by 14 points or less. Junior forward Mason Peatling missed the season's early weeks, but averages 16.3 points and 6.3 rebounds a game in the last six. Senior Jesse Hunt chips in 14.3 points a game.
"Anybody that loses their leading scorer would be in trouble, but they get after it," Fish said, who sees a tall challenge in the Eagles. "They play a European style of basketball, a lot of penetrate and kick, they shoot a lot of three-pointers. They're coming off a nine-day break so they'll have a chance to put in some things that we haven't seen."
The Eagles allow just 71.8 points per game, fourth in the Big Sky, and Eastern's +3.00 turnover margin (13.2 turnovers forced per game, to just 10.2 EWU turnovers per outing) leads the Big Sky. Peatling's 18.8 points per game in Big Sky play is fourth in the loop.
But Fish isn't as concerned about what Eastern Washington brings to Saturday's contest as he is his own team. "I'm a believer that in league play you have to really, really focus on yourselves," he said. "What we can control are the 12 guys in our locker room."
Fish said his team got away from its style of play in Monday's 73-70 loss to Northern Colorado. "Our identity's been hustle plays, and that's defined by getting to the line more (than the opponent), by rebounding the basketball, by diving on the floor for loose balls, and I didn't think we did that (on Monday)," Fish said. "We didn't do a good job in the hustle plays, and that's something we can control."
While Hall continues to lead the way, scoring 19.3 points in league play, junior guard Harald Frey isn't far behind. He averages 18.5 points a game while dishing out 5.5 assists per game in league play (third in the Big Sky) with a +2.8 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Saturday's game airs across the Treasure State on SWX Montana.
#GoCatsGo
But Montana State's senior guard doesn't care.
"I really want (the record to fall) in a win," he said. "Where it happens, and who it's against, that stuff doesn't matter to me. It really doesn't. I just want to win."
Hall and the Bobcats (7-9 overall, 4-2 Big Sky) look for their next win Saturday afternoon at 3 pm MT (2 pm PT) at Eastern Washington (4-12, 2-3). Bobcat coach Brian Fish expects an intense game, similar to his team's first six league contests. "Every game is a fight," he said in a comment not limited to the games his team has played. "This league is very competitive."
The Eagles certainly occupy that category. The margin of victory or defeat in Eastern's five Big Sky games fall in a range of 12 points, while Montana State's last five league games have been decided by 14 points or less. Junior forward Mason Peatling missed the season's early weeks, but averages 16.3 points and 6.3 rebounds a game in the last six. Senior Jesse Hunt chips in 14.3 points a game.
"Anybody that loses their leading scorer would be in trouble, but they get after it," Fish said, who sees a tall challenge in the Eagles. "They play a European style of basketball, a lot of penetrate and kick, they shoot a lot of three-pointers. They're coming off a nine-day break so they'll have a chance to put in some things that we haven't seen."
The Eagles allow just 71.8 points per game, fourth in the Big Sky, and Eastern's +3.00 turnover margin (13.2 turnovers forced per game, to just 10.2 EWU turnovers per outing) leads the Big Sky. Peatling's 18.8 points per game in Big Sky play is fourth in the loop.
But Fish isn't as concerned about what Eastern Washington brings to Saturday's contest as he is his own team. "I'm a believer that in league play you have to really, really focus on yourselves," he said. "What we can control are the 12 guys in our locker room."
Fish said his team got away from its style of play in Monday's 73-70 loss to Northern Colorado. "Our identity's been hustle plays, and that's defined by getting to the line more (than the opponent), by rebounding the basketball, by diving on the floor for loose balls, and I didn't think we did that (on Monday)," Fish said. "We didn't do a good job in the hustle plays, and that's something we can control."
While Hall continues to lead the way, scoring 19.3 points in league play, junior guard Harald Frey isn't far behind. He averages 18.5 points a game while dishing out 5.5 assists per game in league play (third in the Big Sky) with a +2.8 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Saturday's game airs across the Treasure State on SWX Montana.
#GoCatsGo
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballBobcat Insider TV Show
Thursday, March 03
Inside The Brick (Amin Adamu)
Friday, November 05
Inside The Brick (Nick Gazelas)
Monday, November 01
Inside The Brick (Abdul Mohamed)
Sunday, October 31
