Two days after Montana State won its first Big Sky Conference regular-season title in 20 years, two days after blue-and-gold confetti fell from the rafters and the 25-year-old scrap of net in Danny Sprinkle’s pocket became the most famous piece of string in Montana, the Bobcats returned to the court and added an “outright” to their title with a 75-69 win over Sacramento State in Bozeman on Thursday.
Celebrations usually come with a hangover. Not this one, not even after the party the Bobcats threw on the Worthington Arena hardwood on Tuesday after beating Southern Utah 69-53 to clinch at least a share of the program’s first conference title since 2002. There was the net-cutting, the trophy ceremony and then the teary pictures with the trophy. Sprinkle pulled out his piece of net from when he won the 1996 conference title as a player and talked about firing the team up after their weekend loss to Montana by showing them the banner that displayed the two Big Sky titles in program history.
After all of that – the memories and the history, the emotions and satisfaction that come with accomplishing a long-held goal all coming out in one cathartic, celebratory night – no one could have blamed the Bobcats if they finished the season in a funk. But people who have watched them all season would certainly have been surprised.
“We ultimately know what our goal is,” senior forward Abdul Mohamed said after the Southern Utah game. “This was a stepping stone, and we got it done. We still have to take care of the two games before the tournament, and then the tournament.”
On Thursday, the Bobcats crossed the first thing off that list, and they did it the way they have all season, with contributions from up and down the lineup and steely resolve late in a close game.
The highlights came from all over – and they were all necessary against a game Sacramento State squad that lost 13 of its first 15 Big Sky games but entered on a three-game winning streak.
RaeQuan Battle, a shoo-in for the Big Sky’s top reserve award, tiptoed the baseline to throw down an and-1 jam midway through the second half. Amin Adamu dribbled into a stepback 3-pointer from the top of the key to rescue a lost possession and push the Bobcats’ lead from three to six with just over two minutes to go. Xavier Bishop, who led MSU with 18 points and seven assists, made two crucial layups in the final minute, including one ridiculous finish on which the quicksilver 5-foot-8 point guard drove into a Sac State big and hung in the air just long enough to get his shot away. Jubrile Belo, the worst free-throw shooter in MSU’s closing lineup, made two clutch ones in the final minute. Reserve big Great Osobor (12 rebounds), along with Adamu and Mohamed (nine apiece) helped the ‘Cats to a 41-29 advantage on the boards.
“In the second half, we got our second wind,” Sprinkle said. The Bobcats trailed 38-32 at halftime. “I thought (Bishop) started it, he was aggressive and got us going, and (Battle), his minutes were fantastic.”
An 8-0 run, started by Battle’s 3-pointer and finished with five straight points from Bishop, gave Montana State its first lead of the second half with 13:22 to play. Sac State tied it back up at 48-48 seconds later on a Bryce Fowler jumper, but Bishop answered with a 3 and the Bobcats never trailed again.
Bishop either scored or assisted on nine of MSU’s 14 field goals in the second half.
“He completely found another gear,” Sprinkle said. “He was tremendous.”
Battle added 17 points, and Belo and Adamu 11 apiece for Montana State. Zach Chappell led Sac State with 22.
The win moved the ‘Cats to 15-4 in conference play, two games ahead of everybody else in the league with just one to play, and was Montana State’s 23rd of the year. No Bobcat team in 70 years has won as many.
They’ve battled through plenty this season, from COVID protocols that had them playing four games in a week to a shockingly bad weekend loss at Montana just days ago that threatened not only their regular-season Big Sky title, but their momentum heading into the conference tournament.
None of it altered their course. Now, add success to the list of things that have failed to knock Montana State off its track.
