Brian Fish has experienced the Treasure State’s fiercest rivalry just twice first-hand since taking over as the head coach of the Montana State men’s basketball program. Fish’s two Cat-Griz basketball battles are two more than nine players on his current roster.
MSU starting lineup (clockwise from 22) Marcus Colbert, Quinton Everett, Shy Blake, Zach Green & Tyler Hall
MSU’s second-year head coach dropped both his contests to the Montana Grizzlies during last winter’s 7-23 campaign. The overmatched Bobcats had a hard time keeping pace with any of the Big Sky Conference’s 12 teams in Fish’s first season, leading to a complete overhaul of the roster. In the off-season, Fish added eight new players to his squad.
Thus far this season, particularly recently, the results have been promising. Montana State snapped a three-game losing streak with a home sweep of defending league champion Eastern Washington and upstart Idaho last weekend to enter Saturday’s home game against the Griz with a 4-4 record in league play.
Saturday will almost certainly bring the largest crowd of the season to Brick Breedin Fieldhouse with the rival Grizzlies in town. MSU played in front of more than 6,000 fans in a season-opening tournament at Hawaii and in front of more than 5,000 in a loss at Wyoming in Laramie. MSU’s Border War matchup with the Cowboys in Billings drew 4,207 fans.
Rivalry games bring a different dynamic but Fish is sure his new faces, including freshman sensation Tyler Hall and newcomer contributors like Quinton Everett, Sarp Gobeloglu and Tyson Kanseyo should settle in just fine. Fish’s concern when playing Montana has nothing to do with the bright lights. It has everything to do with UM’s lighthouse big man, Martin Breunig.
“Our guys handled a big crowd well when we played in Billings (an 83-82 win over Wyoming),” Fish said on Monday. “But the atmosphere would be 99th on my list of worries right now. Breunig would be the first 70 or 80.”
UM forward Martin Bruenig/ny UM Athletics
Breunig has been a pillar of stability during Montana’s 7-1 start in Big Sky Conference play. The 6-foot-8 former Washington transfer is third in the league in scoring (18.7 points per game) and second in rebounding (9.2 boards per game) as UM has won eight of nine overall. The skilled decision maker is shooting 63.6 percent from the floor, including 68.5 percent in conference pay. The early MVP candidate is averaging 20.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per contest against Big Sky opponents.
“I don’t think anyone has slowed him down,” Fish said. “He’s a great player and they run great stuff for him. I’ve seen him play at Washington when I was (Dana Altman’s assistant) at Oregon. Now, the confidence he plays with and the swagger he brings to the floor, they’ve done a great job of developing him. He’s a fantastic player. I don’t think you can slow him down.”
Montana State’s success stems from its star backcourt. Hall, a true freshman from Rock Island, Illinois, is averaging 20.5 points per game during conference play. He is shooting 42.6 percent from beyond the 3-point arc and 85.2 percent fromt eh free throw line.
MSU guard Marcus Colbert
Marcus Colbert, the Big Sky’s Top Reserve a season ago, has blossomed into arguably the league’s best point guard. He is averaging 17 points per game and leads the league at 5.4 assists per outing.
“I’ve never played with two players like those two,” said Everett, a transfer from Gillette Community College who is also a starter in MSU’s four-guard lineup. “When we get them going, we just have to get out there and play defense. Marcus and Tyler are great scorers so if they play defense and the rest of the team plays defense, it will be hard to beat us.”
The Bobcats have employed a starting lineup featuring Hall, Colbert and Everett along with Zach Green at the four and a combination of senior Danny Robison, junior Shy Blake and Kanseyo in the post. Gobeloglu has proven to be one of the better bench players in the league, a 6-foot-10 forward with skill who can shoot out to 25 feet.
Although Breunig is a key for the Grizzlies, the defending Big Sky regular season champions have a deep roster bolstered by Walter Wright and Michael Oguine, a pair of guards experiencing breakout seasons. Wright, a junior college transfer originally expected to spell Mario Dunn, is averaging 15.4 points per game on 53 percent shooting in league play.
UM guard Walter Wright/by UM Athletics
Oguine, a true freshman, earned a starting spot three games into the season and has not relinquished it. He is averaging 11.5 points per game in league play and playing stout perimeter defense, the key to Montana’s strong start.
“That’s their key strength is it’s gone between Walter Wright, the freshman (Michael Oguine), (Brandon) Gfeller. Everyone has had their role in games,” Fish said. “Mario Dunn played well last game for them. They’ve had multiple people step up with the one consistent being Breunig.
“They are well coached, they play really hard and they can shoot it,” Fish said. “They look comfortable now with their rotations. They are a well-oiled machine. That’s why they are 7-1 in league play. I’m really impressed with them.”
Photos by Brooks Nuanez or noted. All Rights Reserved.
