GAME #26: Bobcats Head to Missoula for Second Cat-Griz Showdown of 2018-19

BOZEMAN, Montana – The implications for both teams are obvious. The stakes are high. Two days before tipoff, emotions are already stoked.

And Bobcat guard Harald Frey, facing his sixth Cat-Griz game on Saturday night in Missoula, boils it down simply. "As players, these games are the ones you want to play in," he said as his Bobcats prepare to face league-leading Montana. Tipoff is 7 pm Saturday in Dahlberg Arena.

The long grind of a 70-day Big Sky Conference season is down to five regular season games for the Bobcats, who meet the Grizzlies in a game with severe implications for both squads. While Montana (19-6 overall, 12-2 Big Sky) sits in the catbird seat, two games clear of second-place Northern Colorado, the Bobcats are in fourth place. MSU (12-13, 9-6) is one game behind Weber State, who swept the regular season series between the teams, and two behind UNC. Eastern Washington, at 8-6 in league play, is one-half game behind the Bobcats.

None of this is occupying much of Bobcat coach Brian Fish's attention. "There's too much still that can happen," Fish said. "I think everyone's aware of it, but it's still too early to worry about all of that."

Montana has played well for most of the season, but last week lost center Jamar Akoh, who averages 16.3 points and 9.1 rebounds during the conference season. Fish said the Grizzlies have taken that loss in stride. "They've really handled it well," he said. "Sayeed has stepped up and been as good as anybody in the league the last couple of weeks. Ahmaad (Rorie) and (Michael) Oguine, we know what they can do. You wouldn't expect it because Akoh was so dominating, but they're playing a more open style and I'm very impressed with how they're playing since he's been out."

Montana State has shot more free throws than any Big Sky team in conference play, but the Grizzlies flipped the script on MSU in the previous meeting between the teams, an 83-78 UM win on February 2 in Bozeman. "Them getting to the line 32 times to our 18 and out-scoring us by 12 or 13 there was too much to overcome. We have to quit fouling and keep them off the line, and at the same time we need to finish through contact, get ourselves to the line, make that a little more even."

The Bobcats ride the long-time duo of Tyler Hall and Harald Frey, who combine for nearly 39 points per conference game. Hall is one of the league's pure shooters, while Frey has shown the ability to score inside and out while operating the offense efficiently. He is among the nation's leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio. Fish said those two give the Bobcats a strong, settling presence in road games. "We have veteran guards, and they know what they're getting into and how to handle things (on the road)," Fish said.

Saturday's showdown matches the top scoring teams in the Big Sky – MSU averages 82.1 points in league games, Montana 81.4 – but the Grizzlies pair that with tremendous defense. Montana allows opponents just 69.4 points a game and 42.6% shooting, both second-best in the Big Sky. The Grizzlies also score efficiently, leading the league in shooting (.496) and three-point (.390) percentages.

After Saturday's showdown, Montana State braces for a season-ending flourish unlike any other conference team faces. The Cats host Northern Arizona on Saturday and face Southern Utah Monday for Senior Night. Then, MSU becomes the only Big Sky team to finish off a third stretch of four-games-in-eight-days by playing at Sacramento State March 7 and Portland State March 9.

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Schedule

GAME #26: Bobcats Head to Missoula for Second Cat-Griz Showdown of 2018-19

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Players Mentioned

Harald Frey

Tyler Hall

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