Thursday, December 10
Provo, UT
2 p.m.
Montana State University
at
Brigham Young
Photo by: Garrett Becker
Bobcat Women Travel to BYU & Utah
12/9/2020 4:32:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The MSU women will travel down the I-15 corridor to face BYU and Utah
MSU WBB NOTES l BYU WBB NOTES
WHO: Montana State Brigham Young
WHEN: Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020 @ 2:00 p.m.
WHERE: Provo, Utah - Marriott Center (19,000)
RECORDS: MSU: 1-0, 0-0; Brigham Young: 2-1, 0-0
SERIES: BYU leads series 11-5; Streak: BYU W1
LAST MTG: Dec. 22, 2017 @ BYU 75, Montana State 54
RADIO: Live on 1450 KMMS AM with Mark Martello on the call; pregame begins 15-minutes prior to opening tip.
VIDEO: Montana State's game at BYU can be seen on the BYUtvApp, which is free on the App Store & Google Play.
WHO: Montana State at Utah
WHEN: Friday, Dec. 11, 2020 @ 5:00 p.m. (MT)
WHERE: Salt Lake City, Utah - Huntsman Center (15,000)
RECORDS: MSU: 1-0, 0-0; Utah: 1-1, 1-1 Pac 12
SERIES: Utah leads series 10-0; Streak: Utah W10
LAST MTG: Nov. 12, 2016 @ Utah 74, Montana State 64
RADIO: Live on 1450 KMMS AM with Mark Martello on the call; pregame begins 15-minutes prior to opening tip.
VIDEO: Montana State's game at Utah can be seen at https://pac-12.com/live/university-utah
THE SCOUTING REPORT:
BYU - Brigham Young defeated Utah State 87-66 on Monday night in Logan. The Cougars (2-1) were led by Shaylee Gonzales with 27 points and Lauren Gustin with 21 points and 17 rebounds. Gonzales is a 5-10 sophomore guard from Gilbert, Arizona, while Gustin is a 6-1 sophomore forward from Salem, Utah. After three games, BYU is led by Gonzales, who averages 20.7 points per game. She is also BYU's top three-point threat, connecting on ten triples to date. Also averaging double-digits in Gustin and Paisley Harding, who average 13.3 and 12.0 points, respectively. Gustin is hauling down a BYU best 13.7 rebounds per contest. As a team, the Cougars are shooting 42.7% from the field, 37.5% from long distance and 84.2% at the free throw line. In BYU's two wins over LSU and Utah State, the Cougars margin of victory was +18.5. BYU's lone loss was a 77-48 drubbing by Pac 12 rival Washington, in Seattle.
Utah - Utah (1-1, 1-1) opened its Pac 12 season last weekend, dropping an 85-43 decision to No. 10 Oregon in Eugene. Against the Ducks, Utah was paced by Niyah Becker, who tallied 11 points and two rebounds. She was the only Ute player in double-figures. As a team, Utah shot 28.6% from the field, including 15.4% from long distance. On Tuesday night, the Utes knocked off No. 15 Oregon State 85-79 in Corvallis. Brynna Maxwell, a 6-foot sophomore guard from Gig Harbor, Wash., guided the Utes with 34 points on 10-15 from the field, including four 3-pointers. Maxwell also went 10-10 at the line. On the season, Utah is led by Maxwell, who averages 20 points per game.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME: The Bobcats held the nation's second longest home court win streak (31) before it was snapped by Portland State on Jan. 11, 2018. Since losing to San Diego on Nov. 24, 2015, MSU has gone 56-11 (83%) in The Brick.
THE STREAK: With its win over North Dakota on Sunday afternoon, the Bobcats ran its consecutive winning streak to a school-record 18 games. Montana State started the streak last season on Jan. 11, 2020 with a 73-62 victory at Portland State. MSU closed out the 2019-20 season with a 76-71 win over Northern Arizona in semifinal action at the Big Sky Tournament on March 11 in Boise, Idaho. The season was halted the next day due to COVID-19. MSU's 18-game win streak is the third longest in the nation, behind only Oregon (23) and Princeton (22).
PRESEASON ACCOLADES: Montana State sophomore Darian White, who broke onto the women's basketball scene last winter, has been named to the preseason all-Big Sky Conference team voted on by BSC head coaches and media members. White, a product of Boise, Idaho, was the 2020 Big Sky Freshman of the Year, after helping the Bobcats to a 25-6 overall mark, a dominating 19-1 league ledger and a Big Sky title. In what was arguably one of the best inaugural campaigns in MSU history, White collected 394 points, 150 rebounds, 104 assists and 76 steals. She played and started in all 31 games, averaging 12.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.5 steals per game. White, who recorded 25 games in double-digit scoring, including the last ten games, notched a season-high 23 points in MSU's win at Eastern Washington connecting on eight-of-15 from the field and six-of-six at the line. She finished 25th in the nation in steals and 31st in the country in steals per game. In MSU's two victories at the Big Sky Tournament, White was averaging 19 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2.0 assists per game, before the championship game was called due to COVID-19. Northern Arizona's Khiarica Rasheed was tabbed the preseason MVP. Also named to the preseason all-conference squad were Gina Marxen, Idaho, Beyonce Bea, Idaho, Dora Goles, Idaho State and Alisha Davis, Northern Colorado.
NOTABLES:
*With its win over North Dakota, the Bobcats are ranked No. 1 in the nation in three-point field-goal percentage defense, after holding the Fighting Hawks to just two-of-16 (12.5%) from long distance.
*Conversely, the Bobcats were red-hot from beyond the arc against North Dakota. In fact, all of MSU's field-goals in the first quarter (7) came from long-distance. The Cats finished the UND game connecting on 14 3-pointers, which ranks No. 1 in the nation for three-pointers per game.
*Individually, Tori Martell's eight 3-pointers per game ranks No. 1 in the nation. Her eight triples against North Dakota broke the MSU school-record of seven previously held by Amy Meckling (Jan. 2, 2000), Brandi Lewis (Feb. 13, 2003) and Hannah Caudill (Jan. 28, 2017).
*Tori Martell's eight 3-pointers against North Dakota is the most in the nation this season. Martell's eight is tied for most with Tori Williams, Colorado State, Taylor Mikesell, Oregon, Katie Benzan, Maryland, Hanna Hall, Buffalo, Priscilla Williams, Syracuse, and Kyra Spiwak, Providence.
*Montana State leads the Big Sky Conference in 3-point field-goal defense (12.5%), 3-point field-goals per game (14.0), fewest turnovers (12.0) and fewest fouls (22).
*Montana State associate head coach Sunny Smallwood is one of the longest tenured assistants at the NCAA Division I level. Smallwood began her career at Washington State in 1990 and has gone on to serve at Washington, Cal, Nebraska, Boise State and Arizona. Before starting her collegiate career, she spent 7 years as head coach at Boise High School.
*The Bobcats have claimed three Big Sky regular season titles in the last five years. MSU won regular season championships in 2016, 2017, and 2020.
WHO: Montana State Brigham Young
WHEN: Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020 @ 2:00 p.m.
WHERE: Provo, Utah - Marriott Center (19,000)
RECORDS: MSU: 1-0, 0-0; Brigham Young: 2-1, 0-0
SERIES: BYU leads series 11-5; Streak: BYU W1
LAST MTG: Dec. 22, 2017 @ BYU 75, Montana State 54
RADIO: Live on 1450 KMMS AM with Mark Martello on the call; pregame begins 15-minutes prior to opening tip.
VIDEO: Montana State's game at BYU can be seen on the BYUtvApp, which is free on the App Store & Google Play.
WHO: Montana State at Utah
WHEN: Friday, Dec. 11, 2020 @ 5:00 p.m. (MT)
WHERE: Salt Lake City, Utah - Huntsman Center (15,000)
RECORDS: MSU: 1-0, 0-0; Utah: 1-1, 1-1 Pac 12
SERIES: Utah leads series 10-0; Streak: Utah W10
LAST MTG: Nov. 12, 2016 @ Utah 74, Montana State 64
RADIO: Live on 1450 KMMS AM with Mark Martello on the call; pregame begins 15-minutes prior to opening tip.
VIDEO: Montana State's game at Utah can be seen at https://pac-12.com/live/university-utah
THE SCOUTING REPORT:
BYU - Brigham Young defeated Utah State 87-66 on Monday night in Logan. The Cougars (2-1) were led by Shaylee Gonzales with 27 points and Lauren Gustin with 21 points and 17 rebounds. Gonzales is a 5-10 sophomore guard from Gilbert, Arizona, while Gustin is a 6-1 sophomore forward from Salem, Utah. After three games, BYU is led by Gonzales, who averages 20.7 points per game. She is also BYU's top three-point threat, connecting on ten triples to date. Also averaging double-digits in Gustin and Paisley Harding, who average 13.3 and 12.0 points, respectively. Gustin is hauling down a BYU best 13.7 rebounds per contest. As a team, the Cougars are shooting 42.7% from the field, 37.5% from long distance and 84.2% at the free throw line. In BYU's two wins over LSU and Utah State, the Cougars margin of victory was +18.5. BYU's lone loss was a 77-48 drubbing by Pac 12 rival Washington, in Seattle.
Utah - Utah (1-1, 1-1) opened its Pac 12 season last weekend, dropping an 85-43 decision to No. 10 Oregon in Eugene. Against the Ducks, Utah was paced by Niyah Becker, who tallied 11 points and two rebounds. She was the only Ute player in double-figures. As a team, Utah shot 28.6% from the field, including 15.4% from long distance. On Tuesday night, the Utes knocked off No. 15 Oregon State 85-79 in Corvallis. Brynna Maxwell, a 6-foot sophomore guard from Gig Harbor, Wash., guided the Utes with 34 points on 10-15 from the field, including four 3-pointers. Maxwell also went 10-10 at the line. On the season, Utah is led by Maxwell, who averages 20 points per game.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME: The Bobcats held the nation's second longest home court win streak (31) before it was snapped by Portland State on Jan. 11, 2018. Since losing to San Diego on Nov. 24, 2015, MSU has gone 56-11 (83%) in The Brick.
THE STREAK: With its win over North Dakota on Sunday afternoon, the Bobcats ran its consecutive winning streak to a school-record 18 games. Montana State started the streak last season on Jan. 11, 2020 with a 73-62 victory at Portland State. MSU closed out the 2019-20 season with a 76-71 win over Northern Arizona in semifinal action at the Big Sky Tournament on March 11 in Boise, Idaho. The season was halted the next day due to COVID-19. MSU's 18-game win streak is the third longest in the nation, behind only Oregon (23) and Princeton (22).
PRESEASON ACCOLADES: Montana State sophomore Darian White, who broke onto the women's basketball scene last winter, has been named to the preseason all-Big Sky Conference team voted on by BSC head coaches and media members. White, a product of Boise, Idaho, was the 2020 Big Sky Freshman of the Year, after helping the Bobcats to a 25-6 overall mark, a dominating 19-1 league ledger and a Big Sky title. In what was arguably one of the best inaugural campaigns in MSU history, White collected 394 points, 150 rebounds, 104 assists and 76 steals. She played and started in all 31 games, averaging 12.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.5 steals per game. White, who recorded 25 games in double-digit scoring, including the last ten games, notched a season-high 23 points in MSU's win at Eastern Washington connecting on eight-of-15 from the field and six-of-six at the line. She finished 25th in the nation in steals and 31st in the country in steals per game. In MSU's two victories at the Big Sky Tournament, White was averaging 19 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2.0 assists per game, before the championship game was called due to COVID-19. Northern Arizona's Khiarica Rasheed was tabbed the preseason MVP. Also named to the preseason all-conference squad were Gina Marxen, Idaho, Beyonce Bea, Idaho, Dora Goles, Idaho State and Alisha Davis, Northern Colorado.
NOTABLES:
*With its win over North Dakota, the Bobcats are ranked No. 1 in the nation in three-point field-goal percentage defense, after holding the Fighting Hawks to just two-of-16 (12.5%) from long distance.
*Conversely, the Bobcats were red-hot from beyond the arc against North Dakota. In fact, all of MSU's field-goals in the first quarter (7) came from long-distance. The Cats finished the UND game connecting on 14 3-pointers, which ranks No. 1 in the nation for three-pointers per game.
*Individually, Tori Martell's eight 3-pointers per game ranks No. 1 in the nation. Her eight triples against North Dakota broke the MSU school-record of seven previously held by Amy Meckling (Jan. 2, 2000), Brandi Lewis (Feb. 13, 2003) and Hannah Caudill (Jan. 28, 2017).
*Tori Martell's eight 3-pointers against North Dakota is the most in the nation this season. Martell's eight is tied for most with Tori Williams, Colorado State, Taylor Mikesell, Oregon, Katie Benzan, Maryland, Hanna Hall, Buffalo, Priscilla Williams, Syracuse, and Kyra Spiwak, Providence.
*Montana State leads the Big Sky Conference in 3-point field-goal defense (12.5%), 3-point field-goals per game (14.0), fewest turnovers (12.0) and fewest fouls (22).
*Montana State associate head coach Sunny Smallwood is one of the longest tenured assistants at the NCAA Division I level. Smallwood began her career at Washington State in 1990 and has gone on to serve at Washington, Cal, Nebraska, Boise State and Arizona. Before starting her collegiate career, she spent 7 years as head coach at Boise High School.
*The Bobcats have claimed three Big Sky regular season titles in the last five years. MSU won regular season championships in 2016, 2017, and 2020.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ 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
