Bobcats Host Grizzlies Today in Cat-Griz Showdown

Sunday, January 9

BOZEMAN

5 p.m.

Montana State University

Montana

Buy Tickets

1/9/2022 9:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Montana State and Montana meet in one of the longest-standing rivalries in Division I men’s basketball on Sunday when the ‘Cats face the Grizzlies in Worthington Arena for the 302nd time

By: Andrew Pedersen

Montana State Bobcats (11-5, 3-2) vs. Montana Grizzlies (11-5, 4-1)
Date and Time	Saturday, Jan. 9 - 5 p.m. MT
Location	Bozeman, Montana
Site	Worthington Arena Arena
Television	SWX Montana
Stream	ESPN+
Radio	KMMS 1450 AM \| Bobcat Sports Radio Network
Listen Live	Varsity Network app
Live Stats	MSUBobcats.com
Montana State	Game Notes \| Men's Basketball Home Page
Montana	Men's Basketball Home Page

BOZEMAN, Mont. – Montana State and Montana meet in one of the longest-standing rivalries in Division I men's basketball on Sunday when the 'Cats face the Grizzlies in Worthington Arena for the 302nd time. MSU heads into the Brawl of the Wild Series matchup, presented by Town Pump, trailing in the all-time series 153-148.

MSU has been defeated in the previous six contests against the Griz with the last victory for Montana State coming on Feb. 25, 2017, by a 78-69 score in Bozeman. Montana won both contests they played in 2019-20. MSU fell 78-64 in Missoula on Feb. 1 despite a career-high 37 points by then senior Harald Frey. Frey scored a team-high 18 points as the 'Cats dropped the Feb. 22 contest to Montana 59-54 in Worthington Arena. The two sides' matchups in 2020-21 were canceled.

Both Montana and Montana State enter Sunday's contest at 11-5 overall. The Griz sit ahead of the Bobcats in the Big Sky Standings with a 4-1 conference mark, while MSU is 3-2 in league action. Both teams lost to Northern Colorado in Greeley. Montana topped Weber State on a game-winning basket following MSU's 10-point loss to the Wildcats two days prior.

The Bobcats have won their last two games since dropping their Dec. 30 contest at home versus Weber state. MSU earned a victory in a low-scoring 60-40 affair versus Idaho State on New Year's Day. The Bobcats most recently traveled to Moscow and claimed a 92-72 win over Idaho on Jan. 6 in ICCU Arena. MSU's 92 points and 34 field goals made versus the Vandals were the most by the Bobcats against a Division I opponent this season.

MSU's 11-5 overall mark at the midway point of the 2021-22 regular season is one of the program's best in recent memory. The overall record matches the 16-game start to the year by the 2000-01 squad. MSU's best record through the opening 17 games in the last quarter century came in 1997-98 when that team began the year 17-4 overall before finishing 19-11.

The Bobcats continue to be paced by their customary starting lineup of Amin Adamu, Jubrile Belo, Xavier Bishop, Tyler Patterson and Abdul Mohamed. Four of those Bobcats have started in every game while Patterson has started in each contest but one. Each of the five players is averaging more than 25 minutes per game on the court, while Belo (13.8), Bishop (12.3) and Adamu (10.9) are averaging double digits in scoring through 16 games.

While Bishop surpassed the 1,500-career point total versus Portland on Dec. 19, he hit the 450-assist total for his career in MSU's win over Idaho State. Two other Bobcats are also closing in on achievements. Adamu stands at 838 points and is on pace for 1,000 in his career. Belo is closer to that career mark with 948 points.

Team trends continue to stand out for the Bobcats. MSU is 11-2 this year when an opponent shoots under 50%, including a 10-1 mark when the 'Cats outshoot their foe. The Bobcats are also 9-0 when they keep an opponent to scoring less than 70 points.

Montana State's game against Montana will be broadcast by SWX Montana and will be streamed on ESPN+. For those attending, the game is designated as a "Whiteout" as Bobcat fans are asked to wear white to the game presented by Universal Athletic. The game will also be broadcast on the Bobcat Radio Network on KMMS 1450 AM as well as on the Varsity Network app. Links for live streams, live stats and radio coverage are available on the men's basketball schedule page on msubobcats.com.