Montana State University
SAGU American Indian College
Cats Return to the Court After Long Layoff
12/15/2023 10:19:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Montana State hosts SAGU American Indian College on Saturday night ten days after last action
BOZEMAN, Mont. -- After ten days off for final exams, the Montana State men's basketball team returns to action on Saturday hosting SAGU American Indian College at Worthington Arena.
Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN+, with live radio play-by-play from Keaton Gillogly and Brian Priebe airing on the Bobcat Sports Radio Network. Tickets are available here.
Montana State (3-5) is looking to snap a mini three-game skid after falling 85-61 at Washington on December 5. The Bobcats have three non-conference games remaining before kicking off Big Sky Conference play on Dec. 28 on the road at Idaho State and on Dec. 30 at Weber State.
IMPRESSIVE CONSISTENCY
A Matt Logie-coached team has not lost three games in a row since Point Loma dropped three straight from Feb. 5-15, 2020. The Bobcats' current three-game losing streak marks just the third time in Logie's 13-year coaching career that a team under his direction has lost three straight. Logie has never lost four games in a row as a head coach.
HIGH POINT TOTAL
On December 22, 2021, Montana State scored a then-school record 124 points against SAGU American Indian at Worthington Arena. The Bobcats broke that record in 2022 against Northwest Indian College (144).
BRIAN IS BALLING
Point Loma transfer Brian Goracke has been a model of consistency for the Cats, scoring at least eight points in all eight games this season, including a season-high 19 against Long Beach State on Nov. 26. Goracke, a native of Monroe, Oregon, has made at least two three-pointers in seven of eight games this season and has scored in double-figures on six occasions.
TYLER'S DIALED IN
Tyler Patterson was named Big Sky Conference Co-Player of the Week on Monday, Nov. 27 after notching consecutive 20-point games. The junior from Snoqualmie, Wash., finished 7-of-9 from the floor and scored 18 points in the second half alone against UC Riverside, including going 4-of-4 from three-point range to lift the Cats to a huge non-conference win, then dropped 20 more points with seven rebounds while going 6-of-11 from three in a tight loss to Long Beach State.
HIGHWAY ROB-BERY
Robert Ford III ranks fifth in the country in steals in per game (3.25) and 13th in total steals (26). On Nov. 20, Ford recorded a career-high seven steals against Green Bay, the second-most in a single game in program history and the most by a Bobcat since 2013. Among players 6-foot-2 or shorter, the Portland native ranks second in NCAA Division I in rebounds per game (8.0). Ford had a career-high 26 points and a career-high 16 rebounds against SAGU American Indian College on December 18, 2020, while playing for Idaho State.
BALL SECURITY
Montana State ranks 16th in the country and first in the Big Sky Conference in turnover margin (+5.0) and is first in the Big Sky in steals per game (8.9) and turnovers forced per game (15.62)
OLMSTED ASSERTS HIMSELF
After playing just six total minutes over five games from Nov. 11 to Nov. 26, graduate transfer forward John Olmsted has carved out a role in the frontcourt the past two games, playing 18 minutes and scoring eight points and collecting four rebounds against Rocky Mountain College and playing 22 minutes and snagging six rebounds against Washington the Bobcats' last time out. Olmsted arrived in Bozeman this summer after earning his degree at Arizona State. Olmsted spent nine years growing up in Chile, where his father was a copper miner. The big man, who is bilingual and fluent in Spanish, moved to Morenci, Arizona, when he was in middle school. Olmsted grew up playing soccer and baseball in addition to basketball.
SHARPSHOOTER
Tyler Patterson is second in the Big Sky in 3-point percentage (38.9%), is second in three-pointers made per game (2.62), and is fourth in total made three-point field goals (21)
WHOSE TURN IS IT ANYWAY
Montana State has had four different players score at least 19 points in a game this season: Brian Goracke (19), Tyler Patterson (20), Brandon Walker (26), and Robert Ford III (26)
TAKING DOWN THE BIG BOYS
Before beating Cal on Nov. 16, Montana State had last taken down a Power Five opponent on December 9, 2018, defeating Washington State, 95-90 in a neutral site game in Kennewick, Wash. Montana State is 54-101 against schools currently making up the Pac-12 (including Colorado, Utah, etc.)
REINFORCEMENTS
After a wrist injury kept him sidelined for the first eight games, forward Jaden Geron is expected to make his return to action soon, potentially Saturday against SAGU AIC, to provide the Bobcats with bench depth at the wing position.
GOLDEN AGE OF BOBCAT BASKETBALL
The Bobcats are coming off of their two best seasons in the modern era. In 2021-22, Montana State went 27-8, which included a 13-1 record at home and a program-record 16 wins in conference play. In 2022-2023, Montana State went 25-10, collected a 12-1 record at Worthington Arena, and went 15-3 in conference action. Montana State has played in three straight Big Sky Tournament championship games, gone 37-7 against Big Sky opponents over the last two seasons, won at least 25 games in two straight seasons for the first time since 1927-1929, and are coming off consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time in school history.
NEW-LOOK CATS
Montana State brings back six letter-winners from last year's squad, and welcomes ten newcomers in 2023-2024, including seven transfers and three freshmen. The Bobcats will replace four starters from last season: First Team All-Big Sky forward RaeQuan Battle (West Virginia), four-time All-Big Sky big man Jubrile Belo (graduated), Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year Darius Brown II (Utah State), and Big Sky Reserve of the Year Great Osobor (Utah State)
WELCOME TO THE LOGIE ERA
First-year head coach Matt Logie comes to Montana State after four seasons at Point Loma in California, where his teams rolled up an 82-23 record with three conference championships. His 12 seasons as a head basketball coach includes eight at Whitworth University in Spokane (2011-19), where his Pirates compiled a 194-35 record. Logie's 276-58 career mark in 12 seasons is good for an .826 winning percentage, the third-highest winning percentage in the history of all NCAA men's college basketball coaches.
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