Keljin Blevins is not your typical Big Sky Conference transfer. The 6-foot-6 Montana State swingman is not the maligned player joining a new school in hopes of being a star.
Blevins came to Montana State from Southern Miss knowing full well the Bobcats already had an established star in All-Big Sky guard Tyler Hall. As Blevins sat out last season, he watched point guard Harald Frey blossomed into MSU’s second straight Big Sky Freshman of the Year, following in Hall’s footsteps in earning the award.
During the first 14 games of this season, Blevins has been solid, averaging 9.2 points per game and leading the small-ball Bobcats with 5.4 rebounds per contest. But he’s been comfortable to default to Hall and Frey offensively in his 25 minutes per game.
On Saturday at J.Walkup Skydome, Blevins bailed the Bobcats out in a big way. The junior scored a career-high 26 points, including five of MSU’s 12 points in overtime, and grabbed six rebounds to help MSU complete a gritty comeback to post a 76-73 victory over Northern Arizona in Flagstaff.
Montana State junior Keljin Blevins/ by Brooks Nuanez
The victory helps Montana State complete the road sweep on the first road trip of the league season and moves MSU to 9-6 overall. NAU is now 0-2 in conference competition following Thursday’s 87-69 loss to Montana, 3-12 overall. MSU’s conference-opening road sweep is the program’s first since the 2004-05 season.
Thursday, Hall scorched the net by tying a career high with eight 3-pointers made, breaking Danny Sprinkle’s MSU career record of 263 triples in the process. Hall scored 36 points in MSU’s 104-99 win over Southern Utah and now has 266 triples in his illustrious career. Frey followed right behind, scoring 30 points, marking the first time since 1971 two Bobcats scored more than 30 in the same game.
Saturday, the Bobcat starting backcourt couldn’t buy a bucket. Hall scored 16 points, including three crucial free throws at the end of regulation to help ensure overtime but the shooting percentage pendulum swung to the other side for Hall and Frey.
Hall, who head coach Brian Fish said in his post-game interview played with flu-like symptoms, finished 4-of-18 from the floor, including 1-of-12 from beyond the arc. Frey, who played all but one of the 45 minutes in the contest, scored five of his seven points in the last three minutes, 26 seconds of OT, including a step-through 3-pointer with 46 seconds left which marked his first made field goal in 13 attempts. Frey finished 1-of-6 from deep.
The Bobcats won despite shooting 30.7 percent overall, including 5-of-29 from beyond the arc. MSU lost the battle on the glass 52-43 but only turned the ball over six times compared to 18 miscues for the hosts
Montana State fell behind 32-17 after missing 10 of its first 11 3-point attempts less than 48 hours after hitting 14 triples against SUU. Blevins scored nine of his 13 first-half points over the final 5:36 of the first half. MSU closed the stanza on a 13-2 run to enter halftime down 38-34.
Blevins got to the rim at will for most of the game, including two drives he converted into lay-ups during a 7-0 MSU run to open the second half and give the Bobcats their first lead since 2-0, 41-38. Hall scored five points during another 7-0 run to push the Bobcat lead to 49-43 with 13:54 left, MSU’s largest of the night. But NAU answered again, this time with an 11-2 run.
Montana State junior Tyler Hall/ by Brooks Nuanez
Blevins hit a pair of free throws with 2:02 left to give MSU a 61-60 lead. With 1:14 left, Hall shot a contested 3-pointer, missed off the front of the rim but snared his own rebound and reset the offense. Fish took a timeout, leading to a few good looks but no scores. Torry Johnson helped NAU steal the lead back by drilling a 3-pointer in Frey’s face with 29 seconds left in regulation.
On MSU’s final possession of regulation, Hall shot a contested 3-pointer was fouled by lanky NAU sophomore Chris Bowling, his harasser all evening. Hall drilled all three free throws, giving MSU a 64-63 lead with five seconds left. Johnson went coast to coast and drew a foul from Blevins with half a second left. Johnson made the first but missed the second to cue overtime. NAU finished 18-of-29 from the stripe.
In the extra period, Blevins hit a 3-pointer to give MSU the first lead and the Bobcats would not trail again. Frey’s 3-pointer, in which he incurred what looked ike a blocking foul before launching, pushed the MSU advantage to 74-69. MSU would lead by at least three for the rest of the game.
Bowling shadowed Hall all night while leading NAU with 16 pints, including four 3-pointers before fouling out. Johnson added 13 points for the hosts. Corey Brown scored 11 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Brooks DeBisschop had four points and 12 rebounds.
MSU junior Sam Neumann posted season-highs of nine points and 10 rebounds.
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