Saturday, March 9
Portland, OR
8 p.m.
Montana State University
at
Portland State
Photo by: Courtesy Sacramento State Sports Information
GAME #30: Bobcats Close Regular Season at Portland State Looking for Tourney Bye
3/8/2019 10:27:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Montana State, Vikings meet with much at stake
PORTLAND, Oregon – An arduous, emotional 2018-19 regular season boils down to one last game Saturday, with Montana State and Portland State fighting for the same prize - a spot in the Big Sky's top five and the accompanying first round bye in the league tournament.
The Bobcats meet PSU at 8 pm MT in the new Vikings Pavilion, with plenty at stake for each team. A Bobcat win at Portland State (15-15 overall, 10-9 Big Sky) gives the Cats the fourth seed on next week's tourney in Boise, but a Vikings win most likely seals a PSU bye and pushes MSU (14-15, 11-8) to sixth place.
There may be much riding on Saturday's tilt, but Bobcat coach Brian Fish isn't applying words to the preparation process. "We don't really talk about" tournament seeding with the team, he said. "We have smart guys. They know what's at stake. We use our energy on getting ready for the next game."
The next game brings Montana State a unique challenge. The Vikings play at the fastest tempo in the Big Sky, utilizing a pressure defense that averages 7.2 steals per conference game, second in the Big Sky, and 12.9 turnovers forced per game, third in the league. Contrast that with a Bobcat team whose 10.6 turnovers per game is the lowest rate in the conference, and optimizing possessions emerges as an important factor.
"We have to take care of the ball," Fish said. "Valuing possessions against (Portland State) is important. Sacramento State got physical with us and we didn't respond."
The Bobcats turned the ball over 16 times against the Hornets on Thursday, tied for the most since Portland State turned the Cats over 18 times on January 3. MSU won that game 98-88 by shooting 53.6%, the Vikings' weakness this season. PSU allows league opponents to shoot 47.0% from the floor, ninth in the Big Sky. MSU allows 47.3% shooting.
Senior guard Tyler Hall, who scored 34 points at Sacramento State on Thursday, poured in 32 in the first meeting this season with PSU. Harald Frey added 25. Guards Holland Woods and Michael Mayhew scored 17 points each for the Vikings in that game, more than two months ago.
That contest was the third league game this season for MSU, and Saturday's is the 20th. Montana State's next outing after Saturday comes in Boise, and Saturday's outcome likely determines when the Bobcats next play. A win Saturday and Montana State clinches a first round by and a tourney debut on Thursday. A loss likely pushes the Cats to sixth, which lines MSU up to play Idaho on Wednesday.
But none of that matters at this moment to Fish. "We just need to get ready and play well (on Saturday)."
#GoCatsGo
The Bobcats meet PSU at 8 pm MT in the new Vikings Pavilion, with plenty at stake for each team. A Bobcat win at Portland State (15-15 overall, 10-9 Big Sky) gives the Cats the fourth seed on next week's tourney in Boise, but a Vikings win most likely seals a PSU bye and pushes MSU (14-15, 11-8) to sixth place.
There may be much riding on Saturday's tilt, but Bobcat coach Brian Fish isn't applying words to the preparation process. "We don't really talk about" tournament seeding with the team, he said. "We have smart guys. They know what's at stake. We use our energy on getting ready for the next game."
The next game brings Montana State a unique challenge. The Vikings play at the fastest tempo in the Big Sky, utilizing a pressure defense that averages 7.2 steals per conference game, second in the Big Sky, and 12.9 turnovers forced per game, third in the league. Contrast that with a Bobcat team whose 10.6 turnovers per game is the lowest rate in the conference, and optimizing possessions emerges as an important factor.
"We have to take care of the ball," Fish said. "Valuing possessions against (Portland State) is important. Sacramento State got physical with us and we didn't respond."
The Bobcats turned the ball over 16 times against the Hornets on Thursday, tied for the most since Portland State turned the Cats over 18 times on January 3. MSU won that game 98-88 by shooting 53.6%, the Vikings' weakness this season. PSU allows league opponents to shoot 47.0% from the floor, ninth in the Big Sky. MSU allows 47.3% shooting.
Senior guard Tyler Hall, who scored 34 points at Sacramento State on Thursday, poured in 32 in the first meeting this season with PSU. Harald Frey added 25. Guards Holland Woods and Michael Mayhew scored 17 points each for the Vikings in that game, more than two months ago.
That contest was the third league game this season for MSU, and Saturday's is the 20th. Montana State's next outing after Saturday comes in Boise, and Saturday's outcome likely determines when the Bobcats next play. A win Saturday and Montana State clinches a first round by and a tourney debut on Thursday. A loss likely pushes the Cats to sixth, which lines MSU up to play Idaho on Wednesday.
But none of that matters at this moment to Fish. "We just need to get ready and play well (on Saturday)."
#GoCatsGo
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