Saturday, February 16
BOZEMAN
2 p.m.
Montana State University
vs
Weber State
Junior Blaire Braxton
Photo by: Andrew Pedersen
Cats Host Weber State in 'Pack the Place in Pink' Game
2/15/2019 4:48:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Bobcat women’s basketball team will close out the weekend against Weber State on Saturday, Feb. 16 at 2 p.m. Saturday’s game will celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day. It will also serve as MSU’s ‘Pack the Place in Pink’ game for breast cancer awareness.
WHO: Weber State at Montana State
WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019 @ 2 p.m. (MT)
WHERE: Bozeman, Mont. - Worthington Arena (6,772)
RECORDS: MSU- 12-12, 7-7, Weber State- 5-19, 2-12
SERIES: Montana State 51-32
LAST MTG: Jan. 24, 2019 - MSU 66, @ Weber State 59
RADIO: 1450 KMMS AM with Jason Alvine on play-by-play
VIDEO: Pluto TV ch. 238 or WatchBigSky.com
NEXT UP: The Bobcat women's basketball team will close out the weekend against Weber State on Saturday, Feb. 16 at 2 p.m. Saturday's game will celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day. It will also serve as MSU's 'Pack the Place in Pink' game for breast cancer awareness. A silent auction will be held during the game for the pink uniforms the Cats will be wearing.
ON A SERIES NOTE: MSU leads its all-time series with Weber State 51-32. The Bobcats handed the Wildcats a 66-59 setback on Jan. 24 in Ogden. Last winter, Weber State defeated Montana State 85-69 in Ogden, snapping a 21-game losing streak to the Bobcats. Prior to last year's victory, the last time the Wildcats had defeated Montana State (67-66) was Jan. 18, 2007 in the Dee Events Center. MSU is 10-1 in their last eleven games at Weber State.
STAT OF THE WEEK: On its current pace the Bobcats continue to make a charge at the all-time school free throw percentage record. The 2005-06 Bobcats established the school-record shooting 76 percent. The current Cats are at 74.7 percent, led by Oliana Squires at 90.5 percent from the line.
THAT WAS THE GAME THAT WAS:
Idaho State showed no love jumping out to a ten-point advantage after the opening quarter and held the margin throughout the remainder of the game to notch a 62-49 win over Montana State on Thursday night in Worthington Arena.
"Defensively, we were not ready to go," said MSU head coach Tricia Binford. "We had a great week of practice on the defensive end, but tonight we underachieved."
Idaho State (16-7, 11-3) built its largest lead of the game at 34-15 at the 3:06 mark of the second period, before Montana State (12-12, 7-7) closed out the frame on a 13-2 run sparked by Tori Martell's nine-point outburst.
The Bengals took a 36-28 advantage into intermission.
The Bobcats whittled the lead down to 44-40 at the 3:13 mark of the third quarter on an Oliana Squires' jumper. However, four turnovers, two missed shots and a pair of ISU free throws following a MSU bench technical gave the Bengals a 10-point margin to start the final quarter.
Idaho State opened the final frame on an 8-1 run and never looked back.
"Offensively, we need to be more attack-minded," Binford said. "I thought we forced the ball too much and you can't afford to give a team like Idaho State extra possessions."
Montana State was paced by Martell with a team-high 12 points, while Madeline Smith and Halle Wright added 11, apiece.
Estefania Ors, who got ISU out the gates early with four 3-pointers in the opening 20-minutes, finished with a game-high 16 points, while Grace Kenyon and Delaney Moore added 15 and ten points, respectively.
ISU shot 47.9 percent for the game, including a red-hot 66.7 percent in the first quarter.
The Bobcats shot 37.5 percent from the floor and got progressively better in the second and third quarters before going ice-cold in the final period connecting on just three-of-12 from the field.
The Bengals also won the battle of the boards, out-rebounding MSU 30-26. The Bobcats, who held a two rebound advantage at halftime, were led by Martha Kuderer and Wright with seven and five boards, respectively.
MORE ON THE WILDCATS: Weber State enters Saturday's game 5-19 overall and 2-12 in Big Sky Conference action. The Wildcats dropped a 64-56 decision at Montana on Thursday night. Weber State trailed 33-31 at intermission and were out-scored by the Lady Griz in the second half 31-25. The Wildcats had two players in double-figures led by J'aiamoni Welch-Coleman, who posted a game-high 18 points connecting on eight-of-20 from the field. Welch-Coleman also dished out three assists and added five rebounds and four steals. Also in double-figures for WSU was Kayla Watkins with 12 points. Weber State was led under the boards by Dominique Williams, who hauled down nine rebounds, while Kori Pentzer grabbed seven caroms. On the season, Welch-Coleman averages 16.6 points, while Emily Drake and Watkins chip in 12.8 and 12.6 ppg, respectively.
HOLY MOLY, OLI: Oliana Squires is averaging 10.6 points per game. The Colorado Springs, Colo., product notched a season and career-high 21 points in MSU's win over Northern Arizona on Dec. 31. In the season-opener against No. 19-ranked Marquette, Squires nailed four 3-pointers. She has been in double-digit scoring in 15 of MSU's 24 games. Squires nearly pulled off a triple double at Sacramento State on Jan.5 with 13 points, a career-high ten rebounds and seven assists. In Montana State's win over Montana on Feb. 2, she had an outstanding performance with a game-high 20 points on eight-of-16 from the field, including a four-of-eight from long distance. Squires tallied two points on one-of-five shooting on Thursday night against Idaho State.
KUDERER'S KUDOS: Martha Kuderer, who sat out last season after transferring from Seton Hall, is averaging 9.9 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. She had her best Big Sky outing recording 19 points and six rebounds in MSU's win at Sacramento State. Her best weekend of the season came against Delaware and Texas State in the WNIT when she averaged 19 points and 7.5 rebounds. Kuderer had a season-high 21 points against Texas State. On the season, she has been in double-digit scoring on ten occasions. After sitting out the Montana and Northern Colorado games under concussion protocol, Kuderer paced MSU in its win at Eastern Washington with a team-high 16 points, which included a seven-of-seven effort from the free throw line. On Thursday against Idaho State, Kuderer recorded eight points, seven rebounds and three steals.
BOUNDING WITH BLAIRE: Blaire Braxton pulled down a season-high 13 rebounds in Montana State's win over Eastern Washington on Feb.7 in Cheney. The thirteen boards gave Braxton 507 for her career. Against EWU, she became just the 24th member of MSU's 500-rebound club. Her current 513 rebounds is currently 20th all-time at Montana State. Braxton leads the Bobcats in rebounding averaging 5.9 per game. Offensively, she is shooting 58 percent from the field, which is tops on the team. Her 6.6 points per game average is up 2.9 per contest from last winter. Braxton recorded a career-high 18 points in MSU's loss to Idaho on Jan. 10. For the game, she connected on seven-of-11 from the field and was four-of-six from the line. On the season, she has been in double-digit scoring in six games. On Thursday night against Idaho State, Braxton saw 17 minutes of action and notched two points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals. In addition, her block vs. ISU moved her into 7th all-time at MSU.
MAD ABOUT YOU: Madeline Smith is currently averaging 7.6 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. The product of Snohomish, Wash., registered a season-high 16 points against No. Colorado on Jan. 14, knocking down seven-of-10 attempts to go along with seven rebounds. Smith has been in double-figure scoring on nine occasions. On Thursday night against Idaho State, Smith came off the bench to register 11 points, connecting on three-of-five from the field and five-of-eight at the free throw line.
BARDS OF THE BLOCK: Juniors Madeline Smith and Blaire Braxton have manned the blocks for the Bobcats the past three seasons. The duo has swapped starting time at the five and each average just under 20 minutes per contest. On the season, the duo has combined to shoot an impressive 57.1 percent (136-238) from the floor.
THE WRIGHT STUFF: Freshman Halle Wright received her first start against TCU on Dec. 8. The Aumsville, Ore., product missed the first three games with a leg injury, but has started 17 straight since coming back. She had one of her best games of the season against Eastern Washington on Jan. 19 seeing 36 minutes of action and recording 13 points, including nine points in the overtime period. Wright also added a season-high eight assists and seven rebounds. She is averaging 6.4 points and 4.2 rebounds in Big Sky play. Wright registered 11 points against Idaho State on Thursday night with seven coming in the first half. She finished the game shooting four-of-six from the field and three-of-four from the free throw line.
TORI, TORI, TORI: Tori Martell has connected on 34 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 7.8 points per game in Big Sky play. Martell found her stroke from outside in Montana State's win at Northern Colorado on Jan. 14 scoring a career-high 19 points, which included a 5-of-8 performance from beyond the three-point line. Against Idaho State on Thursday night, she recorded a team-high 12 points, including three 3-pointers. Her nine-point outburst in the 2nd quarter got MSU back into the game.
FEET TO THE FIRE: Freshman Gabby Mocchi has played in all 24 games and is averaging 3.5 ppg in Big Sky play. She tallied a career-high against Northern Colorado on Feb. 4, scoring nine points, all from long distance. Mocchi also pulled down five boards against the Bears. Freshman Kamden Hilborn has dished out 31 assists, while adding 13 steals. The Helena High product is averaging 11.5 minutes per game. Hilborn had a season-best five points at EWU. Brynley Fitzgerald has played in 11 games and notched a season-best six points against Northern Colorado on Feb. 4.
THROWING SHAIDE: Madisyn Shaide had a career night against then No. 19 Marquette posting six points on two 3-pointers.
WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019 @ 2 p.m. (MT)
WHERE: Bozeman, Mont. - Worthington Arena (6,772)
RECORDS: MSU- 12-12, 7-7, Weber State- 5-19, 2-12
SERIES: Montana State 51-32
LAST MTG: Jan. 24, 2019 - MSU 66, @ Weber State 59
RADIO: 1450 KMMS AM with Jason Alvine on play-by-play
VIDEO: Pluto TV ch. 238 or WatchBigSky.com
NEXT UP: The Bobcat women's basketball team will close out the weekend against Weber State on Saturday, Feb. 16 at 2 p.m. Saturday's game will celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day. It will also serve as MSU's 'Pack the Place in Pink' game for breast cancer awareness. A silent auction will be held during the game for the pink uniforms the Cats will be wearing.
ON A SERIES NOTE: MSU leads its all-time series with Weber State 51-32. The Bobcats handed the Wildcats a 66-59 setback on Jan. 24 in Ogden. Last winter, Weber State defeated Montana State 85-69 in Ogden, snapping a 21-game losing streak to the Bobcats. Prior to last year's victory, the last time the Wildcats had defeated Montana State (67-66) was Jan. 18, 2007 in the Dee Events Center. MSU is 10-1 in their last eleven games at Weber State.
STAT OF THE WEEK: On its current pace the Bobcats continue to make a charge at the all-time school free throw percentage record. The 2005-06 Bobcats established the school-record shooting 76 percent. The current Cats are at 74.7 percent, led by Oliana Squires at 90.5 percent from the line.
THAT WAS THE GAME THAT WAS:
Idaho State showed no love jumping out to a ten-point advantage after the opening quarter and held the margin throughout the remainder of the game to notch a 62-49 win over Montana State on Thursday night in Worthington Arena.
"Defensively, we were not ready to go," said MSU head coach Tricia Binford. "We had a great week of practice on the defensive end, but tonight we underachieved."
Idaho State (16-7, 11-3) built its largest lead of the game at 34-15 at the 3:06 mark of the second period, before Montana State (12-12, 7-7) closed out the frame on a 13-2 run sparked by Tori Martell's nine-point outburst.
The Bengals took a 36-28 advantage into intermission.
The Bobcats whittled the lead down to 44-40 at the 3:13 mark of the third quarter on an Oliana Squires' jumper. However, four turnovers, two missed shots and a pair of ISU free throws following a MSU bench technical gave the Bengals a 10-point margin to start the final quarter.
Idaho State opened the final frame on an 8-1 run and never looked back.
"Offensively, we need to be more attack-minded," Binford said. "I thought we forced the ball too much and you can't afford to give a team like Idaho State extra possessions."
Montana State was paced by Martell with a team-high 12 points, while Madeline Smith and Halle Wright added 11, apiece.
Estefania Ors, who got ISU out the gates early with four 3-pointers in the opening 20-minutes, finished with a game-high 16 points, while Grace Kenyon and Delaney Moore added 15 and ten points, respectively.
ISU shot 47.9 percent for the game, including a red-hot 66.7 percent in the first quarter.
The Bobcats shot 37.5 percent from the floor and got progressively better in the second and third quarters before going ice-cold in the final period connecting on just three-of-12 from the field.
The Bengals also won the battle of the boards, out-rebounding MSU 30-26. The Bobcats, who held a two rebound advantage at halftime, were led by Martha Kuderer and Wright with seven and five boards, respectively.
MORE ON THE WILDCATS: Weber State enters Saturday's game 5-19 overall and 2-12 in Big Sky Conference action. The Wildcats dropped a 64-56 decision at Montana on Thursday night. Weber State trailed 33-31 at intermission and were out-scored by the Lady Griz in the second half 31-25. The Wildcats had two players in double-figures led by J'aiamoni Welch-Coleman, who posted a game-high 18 points connecting on eight-of-20 from the field. Welch-Coleman also dished out three assists and added five rebounds and four steals. Also in double-figures for WSU was Kayla Watkins with 12 points. Weber State was led under the boards by Dominique Williams, who hauled down nine rebounds, while Kori Pentzer grabbed seven caroms. On the season, Welch-Coleman averages 16.6 points, while Emily Drake and Watkins chip in 12.8 and 12.6 ppg, respectively.
HOLY MOLY, OLI: Oliana Squires is averaging 10.6 points per game. The Colorado Springs, Colo., product notched a season and career-high 21 points in MSU's win over Northern Arizona on Dec. 31. In the season-opener against No. 19-ranked Marquette, Squires nailed four 3-pointers. She has been in double-digit scoring in 15 of MSU's 24 games. Squires nearly pulled off a triple double at Sacramento State on Jan.5 with 13 points, a career-high ten rebounds and seven assists. In Montana State's win over Montana on Feb. 2, she had an outstanding performance with a game-high 20 points on eight-of-16 from the field, including a four-of-eight from long distance. Squires tallied two points on one-of-five shooting on Thursday night against Idaho State.
KUDERER'S KUDOS: Martha Kuderer, who sat out last season after transferring from Seton Hall, is averaging 9.9 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. She had her best Big Sky outing recording 19 points and six rebounds in MSU's win at Sacramento State. Her best weekend of the season came against Delaware and Texas State in the WNIT when she averaged 19 points and 7.5 rebounds. Kuderer had a season-high 21 points against Texas State. On the season, she has been in double-digit scoring on ten occasions. After sitting out the Montana and Northern Colorado games under concussion protocol, Kuderer paced MSU in its win at Eastern Washington with a team-high 16 points, which included a seven-of-seven effort from the free throw line. On Thursday against Idaho State, Kuderer recorded eight points, seven rebounds and three steals.
BOUNDING WITH BLAIRE: Blaire Braxton pulled down a season-high 13 rebounds in Montana State's win over Eastern Washington on Feb.7 in Cheney. The thirteen boards gave Braxton 507 for her career. Against EWU, she became just the 24th member of MSU's 500-rebound club. Her current 513 rebounds is currently 20th all-time at Montana State. Braxton leads the Bobcats in rebounding averaging 5.9 per game. Offensively, she is shooting 58 percent from the field, which is tops on the team. Her 6.6 points per game average is up 2.9 per contest from last winter. Braxton recorded a career-high 18 points in MSU's loss to Idaho on Jan. 10. For the game, she connected on seven-of-11 from the field and was four-of-six from the line. On the season, she has been in double-digit scoring in six games. On Thursday night against Idaho State, Braxton saw 17 minutes of action and notched two points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals. In addition, her block vs. ISU moved her into 7th all-time at MSU.
MAD ABOUT YOU: Madeline Smith is currently averaging 7.6 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. The product of Snohomish, Wash., registered a season-high 16 points against No. Colorado on Jan. 14, knocking down seven-of-10 attempts to go along with seven rebounds. Smith has been in double-figure scoring on nine occasions. On Thursday night against Idaho State, Smith came off the bench to register 11 points, connecting on three-of-five from the field and five-of-eight at the free throw line.
BARDS OF THE BLOCK: Juniors Madeline Smith and Blaire Braxton have manned the blocks for the Bobcats the past three seasons. The duo has swapped starting time at the five and each average just under 20 minutes per contest. On the season, the duo has combined to shoot an impressive 57.1 percent (136-238) from the floor.
THE WRIGHT STUFF: Freshman Halle Wright received her first start against TCU on Dec. 8. The Aumsville, Ore., product missed the first three games with a leg injury, but has started 17 straight since coming back. She had one of her best games of the season against Eastern Washington on Jan. 19 seeing 36 minutes of action and recording 13 points, including nine points in the overtime period. Wright also added a season-high eight assists and seven rebounds. She is averaging 6.4 points and 4.2 rebounds in Big Sky play. Wright registered 11 points against Idaho State on Thursday night with seven coming in the first half. She finished the game shooting four-of-six from the field and three-of-four from the free throw line.
TORI, TORI, TORI: Tori Martell has connected on 34 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 7.8 points per game in Big Sky play. Martell found her stroke from outside in Montana State's win at Northern Colorado on Jan. 14 scoring a career-high 19 points, which included a 5-of-8 performance from beyond the three-point line. Against Idaho State on Thursday night, she recorded a team-high 12 points, including three 3-pointers. Her nine-point outburst in the 2nd quarter got MSU back into the game.
FEET TO THE FIRE: Freshman Gabby Mocchi has played in all 24 games and is averaging 3.5 ppg in Big Sky play. She tallied a career-high against Northern Colorado on Feb. 4, scoring nine points, all from long distance. Mocchi also pulled down five boards against the Bears. Freshman Kamden Hilborn has dished out 31 assists, while adding 13 steals. The Helena High product is averaging 11.5 minutes per game. Hilborn had a season-best five points at EWU. Brynley Fitzgerald has played in 11 games and notched a season-best six points against Northern Colorado on Feb. 4.
THROWING SHAIDE: Madisyn Shaide had a career night against then No. 19 Marquette posting six points on two 3-pointers.
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballBobcat Insider TV Show
Wednesday, January 26
vs. Seattle (Live Stream Video)
Saturday, December 18
Inside The Brick (Lexi Deden)
Thursday, November 04
Inside The Brick (Leia Beattie)
Tuesday, November 02
