Monday, November 7
Phoenix, AZ
7 p.m.
Montana State University
0-1
54
at
60
Grand Canyon
1-0
1
2
F
Montana St.
36
18
54
Grand Canyon
19
41
60
Patrick McMahon
Photo by: Kyle Cajero
Bobcats Fall to Grand Canyon in Season Opener
11/7/2022 10:29:00 PM | Men's Basketball
A 19-point Montana State second-half lead evaporated in the Bobcats’ opening-night loss to Grand Canyon.
PHOENIX, Ariz. — The Montana State men's basketball team put together a stellar first half and carried a 36-19 halftime lead against the Grand Canyon Antelopes, yet the home team chipped away in the second half to hand the Bobcats a 60-54 loss on opening night.
The Bobcats (0-1) bolted out to a sizable lead off its defense and a 15-0 run early in the first half, yet the Lopes (1-0) bounced back by shooting 58.6% in the second half. Montana State shot 22.2% (6-27) from the field and didn't make a field goal in the final 4:55.
MSU out-rebounded GCU 35-34, but the Lopes connected on 43.4% (23-for-53) of their field goals compared to the Bobcats' 38.5% (20-for-52) clip
"I thought they were the aggressors in the second half and we were the aggressors in the first half," Montana State head coach Danny Sprinkle said. "The game came down to the fact that we couldn't stop any of their runs and we missed a bunch of good looks that could've stymied their runs."
Great Osobor led the Bobcats with 11 points off the bench while adding four rebounds and a steal. Fellow forward Jubrile Belo finished with nine points, a team-high six rebounds, two assists and two blocks. All 10 Bobcats who logged minutes scored.
For GCU, Jovan Blacksher Jr. led all players with 18 points on 7-for-18 shooting, while Gabe McGlothan added 13 points.
Despite falling behind 4-0 early off two Jovan Blacksher Jr. baskets, the Bobcats threw an early haymaker with a 15-0 run in 8 minutes and 2 seconds. Sam Lecholat scored MSU's first points of the year off a straightaway three, then Belo's turnaround jumper gave the Bobcats a 5-4 lead at the 16:40 mark.
Yet the Bobcat defense was the impetus behind the run. MSU's defense put the clamps down early, forcing two shot-clock violations and six first-half turnovers. Meanwhile, MSU kept beating the Lopes inside with a balanced attack off baskets from five different Bobcats. In a play that fired up the MSU bench, Caleb Fuller backed his man off the elbow, hesitated, then split two defenders for a strong finish that put the Bobcats up 15-4.
GCU went on a 7-0 run to get back into things, but the Bobcats held them at arm's length. Tyler Patterson's buzzer-beating three-pointer going into halftime gave MSU a 36-19 lead.
The pace quickened in the second half as MSU kicked off the scoring with Darius Brown II dropping a bounce pass to Jubrile Belo for the flush as the shot clock expired. This dunk gave MSU a 19-point lead — its biggest of the game. Battle threw down another dunk in transition to give the Bobcats a 40-21 lead with 18:01 left, yet that would be the last field goal for over five minutes.
"I thought we didn't lose our poise in the first half," Sprinkle said. "We did a really good job at getting open shots, but we just weren't making them."
GCU responded with 13-2 run bolstered by wide-open threes from Isaiah Shaw and Noah Baumann to make it a 42-31 game. Ray Harrison's and-one play cut MSU's lead into single digits at the 13:21 mark.
Osobor tipped in a Bobcat miss to help MSU regain momentum, albeit only for a moment. The Lopes scored on back-to-back possessions to make it a 44-38 game with 11:54 to go. GCU would pull all the way within two and then finally tie the game on a Jovan Blacksher Jr. layup with 6:51 to play.
GCU would finally take a 51-50 lead with 5:14 to go with Blacksher splitting a pair of free throws. McMahon's right-handed layup gave MSU a late lead, then on the next possession, fought for a loose ball at the other end and appeared to secure possession and pass out to an open teammate. Yet the call on the floor was a jump ball that gave the ball back to GCU. Everything came up Grand Canyon way, as Ray Harrison gave the home team a 53-52 lead.
A string of six empty MSU possessions late in the game nearly proved to be the difference as the Lopes held on to win 60-54.
MSU's road trip continues next Sunday, November 13 at Long Beach State. The game will tip off at 5 p.m. MT and will be streamed on ESPN+.
The Bobcats (0-1) bolted out to a sizable lead off its defense and a 15-0 run early in the first half, yet the Lopes (1-0) bounced back by shooting 58.6% in the second half. Montana State shot 22.2% (6-27) from the field and didn't make a field goal in the final 4:55.
MSU out-rebounded GCU 35-34, but the Lopes connected on 43.4% (23-for-53) of their field goals compared to the Bobcats' 38.5% (20-for-52) clip
"I thought they were the aggressors in the second half and we were the aggressors in the first half," Montana State head coach Danny Sprinkle said. "The game came down to the fact that we couldn't stop any of their runs and we missed a bunch of good looks that could've stymied their runs."
Great Osobor led the Bobcats with 11 points off the bench while adding four rebounds and a steal. Fellow forward Jubrile Belo finished with nine points, a team-high six rebounds, two assists and two blocks. All 10 Bobcats who logged minutes scored.
For GCU, Jovan Blacksher Jr. led all players with 18 points on 7-for-18 shooting, while Gabe McGlothan added 13 points.
Despite falling behind 4-0 early off two Jovan Blacksher Jr. baskets, the Bobcats threw an early haymaker with a 15-0 run in 8 minutes and 2 seconds. Sam Lecholat scored MSU's first points of the year off a straightaway three, then Belo's turnaround jumper gave the Bobcats a 5-4 lead at the 16:40 mark.
Yet the Bobcat defense was the impetus behind the run. MSU's defense put the clamps down early, forcing two shot-clock violations and six first-half turnovers. Meanwhile, MSU kept beating the Lopes inside with a balanced attack off baskets from five different Bobcats. In a play that fired up the MSU bench, Caleb Fuller backed his man off the elbow, hesitated, then split two defenders for a strong finish that put the Bobcats up 15-4.
GCU went on a 7-0 run to get back into things, but the Bobcats held them at arm's length. Tyler Patterson's buzzer-beating three-pointer going into halftime gave MSU a 36-19 lead.
The pace quickened in the second half as MSU kicked off the scoring with Darius Brown II dropping a bounce pass to Jubrile Belo for the flush as the shot clock expired. This dunk gave MSU a 19-point lead — its biggest of the game. Battle threw down another dunk in transition to give the Bobcats a 40-21 lead with 18:01 left, yet that would be the last field goal for over five minutes.
"I thought we didn't lose our poise in the first half," Sprinkle said. "We did a really good job at getting open shots, but we just weren't making them."
GCU responded with 13-2 run bolstered by wide-open threes from Isaiah Shaw and Noah Baumann to make it a 42-31 game. Ray Harrison's and-one play cut MSU's lead into single digits at the 13:21 mark.
Osobor tipped in a Bobcat miss to help MSU regain momentum, albeit only for a moment. The Lopes scored on back-to-back possessions to make it a 44-38 game with 11:54 to go. GCU would pull all the way within two and then finally tie the game on a Jovan Blacksher Jr. layup with 6:51 to play.
GCU would finally take a 51-50 lead with 5:14 to go with Blacksher splitting a pair of free throws. McMahon's right-handed layup gave MSU a late lead, then on the next possession, fought for a loose ball at the other end and appeared to secure possession and pass out to an open teammate. Yet the call on the floor was a jump ball that gave the ball back to GCU. Everything came up Grand Canyon way, as Ray Harrison gave the home team a 53-52 lead.
A string of six empty MSU possessions late in the game nearly proved to be the difference as the Lopes held on to win 60-54.
MSU's road trip continues next Sunday, November 13 at Long Beach State. The game will tip off at 5 p.m. MT and will be streamed on ESPN+.
Team Stats
MSU
GCU
FG%
.385
.434
3FG%
.231
.286
FT%
.611
.571
RB
35
34
TO
10
10
STL
5
4
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
11
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
9
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
6
FGM
1
3FGM
1
FTM
3
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