Brian Fish has preached all season that his team’s offensive production is not his main concern. Montana State’s third-year head coach has tried to impress upon his team that tough defense — particularly on the interior in help situations — a nose for the basketball on the glass, and keeping opponents off the free throw line are the keys for MSU to earn Big Sky Conference victories.
On Thursday night in Pocatello, MSU turned the ball over 14 times, its second-highest total in 15 games. The Bengals out-rebounded the Bobcats 33-30, scored 36 points in the paint and gave up 10 second-chance points. MSU did attain one goal by holding ISU to 6-of-10 at the free throw line compared to 6-of-11 from the stripe for the Bobcats.
None of those statistics mattered. Montana State sophomore Tyler Hall drilled his first 3-point attempt of the game, giving him eight consecutive made field goals stemming back to his virtuoso 37-point performance in a win over rival Montana last week. He didn’t let up, drilling 8-of-11 shots, including 4-of-6 3s, to finish with 20 points on a night where Montana State had a hard time missing.
Hall’s performance spearheaded a 59.6 percent shooting night (31-of-52) en rout to a 79-68 victory. The Bobcats hit 18-of-28 (64.3 percent) of their second-half field goal attempts, including 6-of-10 from beyond the arc on a night MSU hit 11 3-pointers in 21 attempts.
MSU head coaching Brian Fish talking with forward Sam Neumann
“I saw how we responded coming off a Montana loss earlier and I wanted to see how we would respond,” Fish said, referring to a 90-84 setback in Missoula on February 4 that snapped a five-game winning streak and preceded a 69-63 loss at Northern Arizona, the defeat Fish considers MSU’s worst this Big Sky season. “We responded better.
“We got the ball spread out, guys took good shots, I liked the shots we took. When we made passes, it was to guys who were set in their shooting areas. We found a way to win. I like that.”
The win is Montana State’s 10th in its last 12 games. The Bobcats are 11-6 in Big Sky Conference play, 16-14 overall. The 11 wins marks the most in league play since 2002 and MSU’s fourth road win matches its best mark away from Bozeman in conference since 2010.
“I’m proud of how we came out, took a lead and got a road win,” said Hall, who reached 20 points for the 21st time this season and now needs five points to reach 700 in his sophomore season.
Before the game, Fish praised ISU head coach Bill Evans and his vaunted zone defense in the days leading up to the game. But ISU employed man-to-man defense for almost all the first half and the first eight minutes of the second half. When MSU hit its first four shots of the second half to extend a 32-29 halftime lead to 38-31, ISU switched back into the matchup zone.
Montana State forward Sam Neumann (4) scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds Thursday
Idaho State pushed ahead 41-40 with 15:23 to play when Balint Mocsan nailed the fifth of his five 3-pointers. MSU sophomore Sam Neumann, who finished with 13 points and six rebounds, hit a whirling layup to give MSU a 42-41 lead and launched a stretch where MSU scored on eight of nine possessions. When the run ended MSU led 58-52 with just under 10 minutes left. The Cats wouldn’t trail again.
“We started playing smarter and the ball was moving (after halftime),” said Hall, who added six rebounds, four steals and three assists. “The ball was sticking in the first half. We got the ball moving and people started hitting shots.”
Last season, Big Sky Newcomer of the Year Ethan Telfair scored 31 points in an Idaho State win in Pocatello over MSU, one of seven 30-point outings for the explosive guard in league play. This season, Telfair has been mired in a season-long slump that came to a head on Thursday. The one-time pro prospect continued to see his stock spiral, missing all four of his field goal attempts, not reaching the free throw line a single time and scoring zero points in 29 minutes.
“I was surprised but I was still aware of who he is, maintain, make sure to focus, not play light on him just because he’s not attacking right now because you never know when he is going to be aggressive,” said MSU sophomore Devonte Klines, Telfair’s primary defender and MSU’s third double-figure scorer with 13 points. “He’s a real good player.”
MSU guard Devonte Klines (10)
Klines also helped to hold ISU stud freshman guard Brandon Boyd to nine points on 2-of-13 shooting. Mocsan (15), Robert Jones (16), Novak Topalovic (14) and Geno Luzcando (12) each finished in double figures for ISU, which fell to 3-14 in league play, 5-24 overall.
Montana State’s attention now turns to Weber State. Montana posted a 78-74 win in Ogden over the reigning Big Sky champions, who have now lost four straight. MSU, Idaho (a 77-75 victor at NAU on Thursday) and Weber are now tied for third place at 11-6 in league play. The winner of the MSU-WSU game Saturday night will earn the No. 3 seed at next week’s Big Sky Tournament in Reno. The loser could fall as low as sixth depending on UM’s result at ISU and Idaho’s result at Southern Utah on Saturday.
“We are going there, Senior Night, it is what it is, we have to go play and find a way,” Fish said. “They lit us up pretty good (hit 17 3s in 87-75 Weber win in Bozeman) two months ago. (Senior guard Jeremy) Senglin had his way (27 points) so we have to get them and guard them.
“I think we are a better team that we were back then but that’s why they keep score. We are going to have to play 40 minutes to prove it.”
Photos by Brooks Nuanez. All Rights Reserved.
