Montana State University
Idaho
Bobcat Women Host Idaho on Thursday
1/9/2019 11:06:00 AM | Women's Basketball
A new 20-game Big Sky schedule quirk comes into play this week. MSU hosts Idaho on Thursday, and travels to Northern Colorado on Monday.
WHO: Idaho at Montana State
WHEN: Thursday, Jan. 10, 2019 @ 7 p.m. (MT)
WHERE: Bozeman, MT - Worthington Arena (6,772)
RECORDS: MSU- 8-6, 3-1, Idaho- 6-7, 3-1
SERIES: Montana State leads 35-16
LAST MTG: March 7, 2018 - UI 78, MSU 74 - BSC Tournament
RADIO: 103.5 KZMY FM with Jason Alvine on play-by-play
VIDEO: WatchBigSky.com; Pluto TV ch. 238
NEXT UP: A new 20-game Big Sky schedule quirk comes into play this week. MSU hosts Idaho on Thursday, and travels to Northern Colorado on Monday.
ON A SERIES NOTE: Montana State leads the all-time series with Idaho 35-16 going back to March 1, 1975 when the Bobcats handed the Vandals an 81-50 setback in Bozeman. In more recent times, the Vandals have won the last two meetings between the Big Sky rivals, including a 78-74 win in quarterfinal action at last year's Big Sky Conference Tournament. Prior to the last two losses, Montana State had won five straight over Idaho. MSU's last victory over the Vandals, 66-61, came on Jan. 26, 2017 in Moscow. The Bobcats' last win over UI in Bozeman, 80-64, came on Jan. 7, 2017. In her 14 years at the helm of the Montana State women's basketball program, head coach Tricia Binford is 8-2 against the Vandals.
STAT OF THE WEEK: Sacramento State's Kennedy Nicholas entered last Saturday's game 3rd in the nation in offensive boards and 8th in rebounding at 12.4 per game. MSU held Nicholas to just three rebounds, all defensive.
THAT WAS THE GAME THAT WAS:
Montana State used a strong second half defensive effort to keep one of the nation's top offensive teams in check, en route to a convincing 69-53 win over Sacramento State on Saturday afternoon in The Nest.
Montana State's (8-6, 3-1) defense stymied the Big Sky's top offensive team holding Sacramento State (4-7, 0-3) well below its season average of 78.8 points per game. MSU also held the nation's eighth best rebounder, Kennedy Nicholas, to just three defensive caroms. Nicholas entered the game averaging over 12 boards per contest and ranked third in the country in offensive rebounds.
And, while the Bobcat defense was doing its part, Claire Lundberg and the MSU offense got going out-scoring the Hornets 40-21 in the second half.
"I'm really proud of our effort, especially on the defensive end against a team that is hard to defend," said MSU head coach Tricia Binford.
Montana State trailed 32-29 at intermission, but used a 22-point third quarter explosion to begin pulling away from Sacramento State. MSU shot 47.1 percent from the field in the third frame as Lundberg notched 11 points, including a pair of three-pointers.
Sacramento State closed to within four points early in the fourth quarter, but the Bobcats responded with a 12-0 run sparked by a pair of triples by Lundberg and freshman Kamden Hilborn. MSU held its double-digit lead down the stretch to post its first Big Sky road win of the season.
Lundberg finished with a game-high 25 points, including five 3-pointers. Also in double-figures were Martha Kuderer 19 and Oliana Squires 13.
Kuderer had her biggest offensive output in nearly two months connecting on seven-of-13 from the field. Squires, who was held scoreless against Portland State on Thursday, nearly pulled off a triple double adding a team and career-high ten rebounds, while dishing out seven assists.
Montana State out-rebounded the league's top squad under the glass 42-32. Aside from Squires' effort, also chipping in under the boards were Blaire Braxton with seven, and Lundberg and Kuderer with six rebounds, apiece.
Sacramento State was led by Hannah Friend with 17 points.
MORE ON THE VANDALS: The Vandals enter Thursday's game 6-7 overall and 3-1 in Big Sky play- tied for second place with Montana State one game behind Northern Colorado. Last weekend, Idaho defeated Eastern Washington 84-68 as senior all-conference performers Taylor Pierce and Mikayla Ferenz notched 30 and 15 points, respectively. On Saturday, Northern Colorado out-scored Idaho 32-12 in the fourth quarter to remain undefeated. Ferenz led UI with 28 points, while Pierce added 20. Known as the 'Splash Sisters,' Ferenz and Pierce have combined for 86 3-pointers on the season. That's just five less than the entire Bobcat team. On the year, Ferenz is averaging 22.4 points, while Pierce is adding 16.6 points per contest. Idaho's third leading scorer, Gina Marxen, is averaging just 6.9 points per contest.
PRESEASON WNIT: MSU played in the preseason WNIT for the first time in its history. The Cats fell at #19 Marquette 100-52 in Milwaukee on Nov. 9. MSU rebounded to win its consolation pod defeating Delaware 69-60 and Texas State 67-59. Marquette went on to defeat Northern Iowa 102-61, before falling to Miami 63-55 in the semifinals. Iowa State captured the WNIT title with a 75-52 win over Miami.
LAUDING LUNDBERG: Transfer Claire Lundberg has made an immediate impact on the court for the Bobcat women's basketball program. The Anoka High School product is third in the Big Sky averaging 18.9 points per contest. In addition, she is first in three-point field-goal percentage (43.2); second in points (265) and field-goals made (53); third in free throw percentage (87.0), 3-point field-goals made (35) and field-goal percentage (49.2); and fourth in 3-point field-goals made per game (2.5) and field-goals attempted (193). Lundberg opened the season hitting her first 22 attempts from the charity stripe, just three shy to the record held by Rebecca Mercer. On the season, Lundberg has been in double-digit scoring in all 14 games, including six games with 20 points or more. She posted a season-high 28 points in MSU's win over Delaware on Nov. 16. Lundberg was named the Big Sky Player of the Week for Nov. 20 after averaging 27 points and six rebounds per game as MSU knocked-off Delaware and Texas State in WNIT action. For the two games, the native of Andover, Minn., shot 76.2 percent from the field, 83.3 percent from beyond the arc; and was 17-17 at the charity stripe. Lundberg threw a perfect game against Texas State on Nov. 17 hitting eight-of-eight from the field, four-of-four from long distance and six-of-six from the free throw line. Last weekend at Portland State and Sacramento State, she averaged 20.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, while shooting 50%.
HOLY MOLY, OLI: Oliana Squires is averaging 10.9 points per game. The Colorado Springs, Colo., product notched a season-high, as well as a career-high 21 points in MSU's win over Northern Arizona on Dec. 31. Against the Lumberjacks, she went 5-of-11 from the floor and was nine-of-10 from the line. Against Omaha on Dec. 16. Squires notched a career-high eight assists and seven rebounds. In the season-opener against No. 19-ranked Marquette, Squires nailed four 3-pointers. She has been in double-digit scoring in nine of MSU's 14 games. Squires nearly pulled off a triple double at Sacramento State on Saturday afternoon with 13 points, a career-high ten rebounds and seven assists.
KUDERER'S KUDOS: Junior Martha Kuderer, who also sat out last season after transferring from Seton Hall, is averaging 10.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, after recording 19 points and six rebounds in MSU's win over Sacramento State. She had her best weekend of the season as Montana State faced Delaware and Texas State in the WNIT in November. The 5-11 forward from Eden Prairie, Minn., averaged 19 points and 7.5 rebounds, while shooting 62.5 percent from the field against the Blue Hens and Bobcats. Kuderer had her best outing against Texas State with a season-high 21 points, connecting on 8-12 from the floor. In MSU's win over Delaware, she posted 17 points and 10 rebounds for her first double-double at MSU. On the season, she has been in double-digit scoring on seven occasions, including the last four games.
BARDS OF THE BLOCK: Juniors Madeline Smith and Blaire Braxton have manned the blocks for the Bobcats the past two seasons. The duo has swapped starting time at the five and each average 19 minutes or more per contest. Braxton, a product of Highlands Ranch, Colo., is first on the team hauling down 5.9 rebounds per game, while Smith, from Snohomish, Wash., is third averaging 5.1 per contest. Braxton's best outing of the season came against Long Beach State with a career-high 15 points going 5-of-5 from the field and 5-of--5 from the line. She also provided a spark off the bench for MSU against Northern Arizona on Dec. 31 with 13 points and seven rebounds. Smith registered ten points and 11 boards against Long Beach State for her first double-double of the season. Smith posted 10 points and eight boards against Portland State on Thursday. On the season, the duo has combined to shoot an impressive 58 percent (71-122) from the floor.
THE WRIGHT STUFF: Freshman Halle Wright received her first start against TCU on Dec. 8. The Aumsville, Ore., product posted four assists and three rebounds in her debut against the Horned Frogs. Wright missed the first three games with a leg injury. She had her best outing in MSU's win over Long Beach State with eight points, three boards and two assists. Wright averaged 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists last weekend.
TORI, TORI, TORI: Montana State sophomore Tori Martell has connected on 15 three-pointers this season. The Somerset, Wis., native connected on 36 three-pointers, including 19 in the last eight games of the season, last winter. She is currently averaging 5.7 points per game. Martell did not travel with the Bobcats last weekend sitting out the two games with an injury. Martell is averaging 25.7 minutes per game.
FEET TO THE FIRE: Freshman Gabby Mocchi has played in all 13 games and is averaging 2.2 points per game. She posted a season-best eight points at Wyoming on Nov. 27. Freshman Kamden Hilborn has played in 12 games and has dished out 15 assists, while adding eleven steals. On Thursday, the Helena High product scored a season-high 8 points and added 3 assists.
THROWING SHAIDE: Madisyn Shaide had a career night against then No. 19 Marquette. The Missoula native went 2-of-4 from beyond the arc for a career-high six points.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME: The Cats saw the nation's second longest home court win streak snapped against Portland State on Jan. 11, 2018. The loss broke MSU's 31-game home streak. Before the loss to PSU, Montana State's last defeat in Worthington Arena was a 62-49 decision to San Diego on Nov. 24, 2015. MSU has won 40 of its last 43 games in The Brick. The Bobcats are averaging 2,344 fans per game, which includes its sold out crowd of 6,772 against Carroll College on Nov. 6. MSU is ranked 52nd in the nation in attendance.
