Bobcats Host Eastern Washington Saturday on Pack the Place in Pink Day

Saturday, February 8

BOZEMAN

2 p.m.

Montana State University

Eastern Washington

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Photo by: Andrew Pedersen

Bobcats Host Eastern Washington Saturday on Pack the Place in Pink Day

2/7/2020 3:45:00 PM | Women's Basketball

WBB NOTES

Montana State will sandwich a home game around four road contests when it hosts Eastern Washington on Saturday, Feb. 8 at 2 p.m. in Worthington Arena.

By: Tom Schulz

WHO:             Eastern Washington at Montana State
WHEN:           Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020 @ 2 p.m. (MT)
WHERE:         Bozeman, Mont. - Worthington Arena (6,772)
RECORDS:      MSU: 14-6, 10-1; E. Washington: 2-18, 1-10
SERIES:           Montana State leads E. Washington 46-43
LAST MTG:    Jan. 18, 2020 - MSU 89, @EWU 85 - 2OTs
RADIO:           Live on My 103.5 FM with Jason Alvine on the call; pregame begins 15-minutes prior to opening tip.
STATS:            Live statistics can be accessed at bobcatstats.com; running play-by-play and boxscore are available.
VIDEO:            Montana State's game with Eastern Washington is available on Pluto TV (Channel 538) and at WatchBigSky.com

BACK IN THE WARM CONFINES: Montana State will sandwich a home game around four road contests when it hosts Eastern Washington on Saturday, Feb. 8 at 2 p.m. in Worthington Arena. The Cats are coming off two road victories at Montana and Idaho and will travel to Idaho State and Weber State next week.

SERIES NOTE: Montana State holds a 46-43 advantage in the all-time series. The Cats have won two straight and have captured six of the last seven meetings. EWU's lone win was an 89-87 overtime decision last winter in Bozeman.

PACK THE PLACE IN PINK: Saturday's game with Eastern Washington has been designated Pack the Place in Pink, which benefits women battling cancer in Montana. All fans in visible PINK will be admitted for $5.

BIG SKY PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Fallyn Freije recorded a career-high 27 points, while pulling down a career-high 14 rebounds to spark the Bobcats to a come-from-behind overtime victory at Montana. Freije scored MSU's last four points in regulation and scored 10 of MSU's 15 points in OT to secure the win.

DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS: MSU has done an outstanding job on the defensive end this season. The Bobcats lead the Big Sky in field-goal defense (36.2%), rebounding (44.5), rebound margin (+8.6), and steals (10.6); are third in scoring defense (621.7 and 3-point FG% *31.7)) and fourth defensive rebounds (28.5) and defensive rebounds (35.8). Montana State boasts five players averaging 4.2 rebounds per game or better in Big Sky Conference play paced by Fallyn Freije (8.9), Darian White (5.6), Madeline Smith (5.5), Martha Kuderer (4.8) and Blaire Braxton (4.5).

OFFENSE HELPS, TOO: Montana State is also one of the top offensive squads in the Big Sky Conference. The Bobcats lead the league in scoring at 76.8 points per game, scoring margin at +15.1 and offensive boards at 15.9 per contest and field-goal percentage at 43%. Individually, three players are ranked in the top 20 in the league in scoring led by Fallyn Freije (8th, 13.3 ppg), Darian White (17th, 11.5) and Oliana Squires (19th, 11.0).

MORE ON THE EAGLES: Eastern Washington hosted Montana in front of nearly 3,000 elementary school students for Kid's Day on Thursday (Feb. 6), where the Eagles lost 77-56. Montana came out hot and fast and the Eagles could never catch up. Turnovers troubled EWU, committing 16 that turned in to 24 UM points. Bella Cravens earned her third double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Kennedy Dickie led the team with 13 points followed by Jenna Dick who had 10. Jessica McDowell-White dished out seven assists. Cravens is currently second in the Big Sky Conference and ranks 139th in the nation with 8.0 rebounds per game. She has grabbed double-digit rebounds in six games this season and nine in three. Her career and season-high is 15 against Northwest Christian. As a team, Eastern Washington is dangerous behind the three-point line. They make 8.4 three-pointers per game to rank 20th in the nation, draining 33.3 percent of their attempts to rank 80th. The Eagles have made 168 to rank 45th.

BOBCATS VS. TOP 25: Montana State is 3-24 all-time against teams ranked in the AP Top 25 or USA Today/WBCA Coaches polls, following its 78-67 loss to No. 11 Texas A&M on Dec. 21 in Puerto Rico. MSU's victories have come over Montana, twice, when the Lady Griz were ranked. The Bobcats defeated #17 Montana (58-52 in Bozeman) on March 4, 1994 as well as #16 Montana (58-56 in Bozeman) on March 5, 1988. MSU's other victory of a top 25 school came at #21 Boise State (69-68) on Jan. 28. 1994. The highest ranked team Montana State has played was #2 Baylor on Nov. 13, 2010- a 93-56 loss in Waco.

HOLY MOLY, OLI: Oliana Squires, a 2019-20 preseason All-Big Sky pick, is currently averaging 11.0 points per game, third highest on the squad. She became the 24th member of MSU's 1000-point club on Jan. 4 after posting 11 points in MSU's win over Southern Utah. Her career 1,054 points ranks 19th all-time. Squires notched a season-high 17 points at Seattle U on Nov. 30. She's been in double-digit scoring in 14 of 18 games. Squires dished out a season-best seven assists at Sacramento State on Dec. 28 and had a season-best four steals against Wichita State in Puerto Rico. The senior tri-captain has posted 27 three-pointers and 54 assists this season. Last winter, Squires earned All-Big Sky Third-Team accolades after guiding the Bobcats averaging 11.4 points, 3.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds and a steal per game.

MAD ABOUT YOU: Madeline Smith, who has started all 20 games for the Bobcats, is currently averaging 8.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Smith posted her third double-double of the year leading MSU to a double overtime win at Eastern Washington with 14 points and 13 rebounds. The Snohomish, Wash., product posted MSU's first double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds in the Cats' victory over MSU Northern on Nov. 17. After 20 games, Smith is shooting 51.6% from the field, which leads the team. Last winter, Smith was third in the Big Sky in field-goal percentage, shooting 53.7% from the floor. She had ten games in double-figure scoring and posted a career-high 27 points against Southern Utah. Her current total of 620 rebounds ranks 15th all-time.

MARTHA'S MOMENTS: Martha Kuderer has started in all 20 games and is averaging 9.2 points and 4.6 rebounds, while shooting 46.4%. She has been in double-digits on seven occasions, including a career-high 23 points to lead MSU to a victory over Sacramento State Dec. 28. In Big Sky games, the Eden Prairie, Minn., product is averaging 10.7 points per game, while shooting 47.2% from the field. In addition, she is hitting at a 44% percent clip from beyond the arc and has connected on 11-of-25 3-pointers over the last 11 league games.

BOUNDING WITH BLAIRE: Blaire Braxton, who played in all 31 games, including seven starts for the Bobcats, last winter, is currently averaging 4.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. Braxton posted a season-high 12 points in Montana State's win over Weber State on Jan. 23, connecting on three-of-four from the line and career six-of-six from the free throw line. In addition, she added seven rebounds and a blocked shot. Braxton is currently 13th on MSU's all-time rebounding chart with 634 boards. Last winter, Braxton averaged 7.0 points per outing and notched seven games in double-figure scoring, including a career-high 18 points against Idaho. She also recorded two double-digit rebounding games, including a season-high 13 boards in MSU's win at Eastern Washington. She saw remarkable improvement in field-goal percentage shooting a team-best 55.8% from the field.

PRESEASON MVP: Despite not playing in a game for over a year and not ever wearing the Blue and Gold, senior Fallyn Freije was named preseason Big Sky Conference MVP. The Edmore, N.D. product played three seasons at North Dakota before transferring to Bozeman. Freije was a two-time All-Big Sky performer for the Fighting Hawks, where she averaged 13.2 points and 7.7 rebounds per game as a junior. She played in 90 games and started in 58. Freije has recorded 1,104 points and has amassed 660 rebounds over the course of her collegiate career.

DEEP FREIJE: Senior Fallyn Freije is currently averaging a team-best 13.3 points per game. She is first on the squad pulling down 7.9 rebounds, as well. On the season, Freije has been in double-digit scoring on 16 occasions, including a career-high 27 points in MSU's overtime win at Montana, last Saturday. Freije posted her fourth double-double of the season with 27 points and 14 rebounds at Montana. The 14 boards were a new career best. Over the past five games, Freije has averaged 15.0 points and 9.4 rebounds, while shooting 40.6% from the field and 95.2% (20-21) from the line.

BARDS OF THE BLOCK: Madeline Smith and Blaire Braxton have manned the blocks for the Bobcats the past four seasons and last Saturday at Montana they became the all-time senior tandem in MSU history when it comes to rebounding. The duo has combined for 1,254 rebounds, surpassing the old mark of 1,248 boards held by the senior duo of Blythe Hommes and Julie Brown (1997). Other top senior combos include Alaina Bauer/Sandy Neiss, 1,196 (1991); & Kelly Martin/Serena Merrill, 1,034 (2001).

TORI, TORI, TORI: Tori Martell has connected on 33 3-pointers this season. She is averaging 7.5 points per game and is shooting 44.8% from the field and 38.8% from long distance. Martell, who filled in for Oliana Squires for four games, notched a season-high 17 points in MSU's double overtime win at Eastern Washington connecting on five-of-10 from the field, including four 3-pointers on Jan. 18. As part of the starting rotation, she averaged 12 points per game and connected on 11 three-pointers.

FRESH START: True-freshman Darian White is making a good impression in the Blue and Gold. The Boise, Idaho product has started all 20 games and is second on the team averaging 11.5 points game. She has been in double-figure scoring 15 times. White notched a season-high 23 points in MSU's double overtime win at Eastern Washington. White connected on eight-of-15 from the field and went 6-of-6 at the line. In addition, she pulled down nine rebounds, dished out seven assists and had five steals. In Big Sky Conference play, White has averaged 12.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.1 steals per game. White is currently ranked 35th in the nation in steals per game 2.50 per contest. Last winter, she was the Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year.

ALL JACKED UP: Madison Jackson has averaged 15.4 minutes over 20 games. The Parma, Idaho native is averaging 5.5 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. She recorded a season-high 15 points in Montana State's win at Eastern Washington. Jackson's points all came from beyond the arc as she connected on 5-of-8 from long distance. Jackson was an Idaho state champion in the 100 and 330-meter hurdles, the high jump and as a member of the 4X400-meter relay.

I'LL HAVE A KOLA, PLEASE: Kola Bad Bear is averaging 2.5 points and 2.7 rebounds per game over the first 20 outings. The Billings Senior grad recorded a season-best 8 points at Sacramento State on December 28, hitting 4-6 from the field. Bad Bear hauled down nine rebounds in MSU's win over MSU Northern. For the season, Bad Bear is averaging 10.8 minutes per game.