Montana State University
8-7,2-0Big Sky
Northern Arizona
6-9,0-2Big Sky
Miller, King Lead Bobcats to 77-68 Win Over Northern Arizona
1/3/2026 9:05:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Montana State secures first 2-0 start in conference play since 2020-21 season
BOZEMAN, Mont. – Jed Miller recorded his second 20-point game in three days with a 22-point performance in Worthington Arena, and Christian King added a career-high 18 points as Montana State extended its winning streak to four games with a 77-68 triumph over Northern Arizona on Saturday.
The Bobcats shot an impressive 16-of-32 (50.0%) from the field in the first half and 46.4% over the course of the game to improve to 2-0 in Big Sky play for the first time since MSU won six-straight to open the conference slate during the 2020-21 season. The Bobcats improved their overall record to 8-7 while Northern Arizona fell to 6-9 overall and 0-2 in Big Sky play.
I'm really proud of them, head coach Matt Logie said. This is a team that has gone through its share of adversity, a lot more than people even realize, and to be riding a four-game win streak right now and be 2-0 in conference play is a great feeling. These guys have earned every part of that with their toughness and their togetherness.
Northern Arizona jumped out to a 10-5 to start the game before Patrick McMahon responded with all seven points as part of a 7-2 run to tie the game at 12 points apiece at the 13:52 mark in the first half. Jed Miller knocked down a three at the 11:46 mark to spark a 13-2 Bobcat run to help Montana State take an eight-point lead, 30-22, with 8:27 remaining in the half. The Lumberjacks cut their deficit to seven twice in the next six and a half minutes, but Montana State maintained a consistent advantage through the end of the half and entered halftime with a 43-35 lead. 21 of the Bobcats' 43 first-half points came from bench players, led by Christian King with 10 points. Miller tallied 10 of his own as the Bobcats shot 16-of-32 (50.0%) from the field and 9-of-19 (47.4%) from three in the opening 20 minutes.
Montana State increased their lead to a game-high 18 points by the 14:28 mark in the second half, opening the period on a 10-3 scoring run. Following NAU's field goal at the 18:44 mark, the Bobcats held the Lumberjacks without a field goal for over five minutes to build their second-half advantage to 56-38. Northern Arizona slowly began to chip away at the Bobcats' lead starting with back-to-back buckets around the 13-minute mark, but Miller and King kept the Lumberjacks at bay, scoring each of the Cats' 17 points between the 12-minute and 53-second marks in the second half. Northern Arizona came within seven points of the Bobcats in crunch time, using a 7-2 run capped off by a three-point play by Chris Komin with 4:47 remaining in regulation to bring the score to 66-59, but Miller knocked down his fifth three of the game to bring the Bobcats lead back to 10, 69-59, with 4:19 remaining. NAU trimmed its deficit to seven twice more but came no closer as Montana State knocked down six-straight free throws in the final minute to earn the 77-68 win. The Bobcats made 13 of 14 free throws in the contest for a 92.9% clip, their highest clip of the season.
Montana State shot 46.4% from the field and 38.7% from three on Saturday, knocking down 12 of 31 shots from deep. The Bobcats limited the Lumberjacks, who entered the game averaging a Big Sky-leading 8.4 steals per game, to just two swipes. Montana State tallied more points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks than Northern Arizona in a strong showing in Bozeman.
Miller tallied a team-high 22 points on 8-of-15 shooting, including 5-of-10 from three, while adding five rebounds and a team-high two steals. Two of Miller's three career 20-point games have come in the last two contests. King added career highs in points (18) and rebounds (9) while chipping in one assist, recording a 7-of-14 clip from the field in an impressive showing. McMahon tallied 11 points, three rebounds, two assists, and one steal, and Seth Amunrud
posted nine points, four rebounds, and a team-high three assists.
Montana State will hit the road on Thursday, Jan. 8, to face Eastern Washington at 7 p.m. MT on SWX/ESPN+ before traveling to Idaho on Saturday, Jan. 10, for a 3 p.m. matchup with the Vandals (ESPN+).
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