Big Sky Conference

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: Robison hopes for memorable win at the Brick with rival Griz in town

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As Danny Robison stood in the center of Brick Breeden Fieldhouse, a freshly cut net hanging from his neck, it seemed like a wonderful omen of things to come.

The Billings West star had just capped his senior season in style, helping the Golden Bears to a AA state championship following four straight title game losses. West’s rallying cry all season had been “No More Silver”. Behind Robinson’s 20 points and seven rebounds, West finished Robison’s final campaign with gold. Robison celebrated his greatest victory with his head coach and father, Doug Robison, the architect of one of Montana’s top Class AA programs.

MSU forward Danny Robison vs. Sac State in 2015

MSU forward Danny Robison vs. Sac State in 2015-16

The 6-foot-8 forward showed a quick first step, an efficient pull up jump shot and an ability to finish through contact in earning State AA Tournament MVP honors. On that Saturday in March of 2012, Danny Robison seemed destined for success. He would return that upcoming fall to play for Brad Huse and the Montana State Bobcats in an arena that had already staged his triumphs.

“Those days were pretty special, having my whole family here and being able to play in front of Coach Huse,” Robison said. “To have a lot of Bobcat fans in the crowd and to be able to win was a great experience. The Bozeman community has done so much for me ever since.”

On Saturday, Robison will celebrate an anniversary of the end. Montana State will host rival Montana for the final Cat-Griz home game of Robison’s career. The MSU senior has experienced a roller coaster ride of a career, battling through injuries and a coaching change to reach this point. A tingling hand as a result of elbow surgery has ravaged Robison’s offensive production during this season.

But the Bobcat captain could care less about reliving any successes or feeling sorry for himself for the pain he’s endured. He simply wants to beat Montana, something he has not accomplished in his four years at Montana State.

“I did have high expectations to be honest for my career and this season but I could care less right now as long as we are winning,” said Robison, who’s Bobcats ride a two-game winning streak into Saturday evening’s showdown. “If I can do little things to help us score one more point, that’s all that matters. This weekend, I could care less if I score 20 points or 0, all I want to do is beat the Griz.”

MSU forward Danny Robison vs. Southern Utah in 2014

MSU forward Danny Robison vs. Southern Utah in 2014-15

Robison is a stalwart among what might be a dying breed. On Saturday, he and Riley Bradshaw (Corvallis) and Bryden Boehning (Glendive) of the Grizzlies are the only Montana natives on scholarship who are likely to see any court time during the rivalry.

For a moment, Robison entertained the notion of becoming a Grizzly like his sister, Shadra, did. During a visit to Missoula as a high school senior, Robison’s older brother, Shane, a Bobcat tight end at the time, saw Huse in the halls of the Fieldhouse and told him Danny was visiting with the enemy. Huse called Danny shortly after with an offer.

After earning Montana Gatorade Player of the Year honors, Robison earned playing time as a true freshman before a bout of mononucleosis ravaged his rookie year 15 games in. As a sophomore, he broke into the starting lineup for four games in Huse’s final season at the helm.

Last winter in Brian Fish’s first season at the helm, the new Bobcat coach heaped a load of responsibility upon Robison. He demanded leadership and put the power forward in an elevated scoring role. Robison responded, averaging nearly 10 points per game. He netted a career-high 25 points at Portland State.

Toward the end of last season with MSU playing at Idaho, Robison found himself pinned between two Vandals fighting for a rebound. His left arm was pinned and jerked. Then he heard a pop and felt his elbow essentially dislocate from its socket.

MSU forward Danny Robison vs. Eastern Washington in 2016

MSU forward Danny Robison vs. Eastern Washington in 2015-16

“I thought I broke my arm,” Robison said. “That’s’ the worst pain I’ve ever experienced.”

Robison waited for six weeks after his junior season to see if the torn UCL in his left elbow would heal on its own. After several meetings with Fish, Robison elected to have Tommy John surgery, an operation much more common for baseball pitchers than starting power forwards.

During the first part of his senior season, Robison felt a tingling in his left hand but did not affect his game much. He scored in double figures for four straight games, including a 10-point performance on 4-of-5 shooting in MSU’s 83-82 win over Wyoming, a game played at Rimrock Arena in Robison’s hometown of Billings.

“Danny is A+ just to have on a team,” Fish said. “He’s helped me grow into being understanding and appreciate the state of Montana, just by how much he loves it. To see his face when we played in Billings game, to come home and play there and see what it means to be here and tell me he doesn’t want to leave Bozeman or the state when he graduates, that resonates with me. Growing up in Indiana, that’s the way a lot of Indiana people are. I’ve been able to connect to the state through Danny because of his love of it.”

Around Christmas time, Robison began having issues catching the ball. His pain increased and his sleep dissipated. Over the last month, Robison has struggled offensively, scoring 44 points total during Montana State’s 4-4 Big Sky Conference start.

MSU forward Danny Robison vs. Sac State 2015-16

MSU forward Danny Robison vs. Sac State in 2015-16

“We wanted a bigger scoring role for him this year and he can’t do it. It’s not talent issues. It’s a physical limitation on that arm. It just hurts him and it hurts me,” Fish said. “Sometimes we have to have meetings just to let him know he’s helping the team even it it’s not statistically helping the team. His leadership is not replaceable.”

Although Robison has not started for MSU over the last three games, he is still Montana State’s unquestioned leader along with fellow senior Marcus Colbert. Robison played 28 minutes off the bench against Northern Colorado and 25 minutes in MSU’s key win over Idaho last week. Regardless of his stat line, Robison garners the respect of his teammates each time the Bobcats take the hardwoord.

“He’s not fraudulent,” Fish said. “He is who he is. Danny has never spent a day trying to be something else. He doesn’t wear his hat backward trying to act like he’s this or he doesn’t wear designer clothes to try to be something. He is very comfortable with who he is.”

Last season was filled with challenges for Robison and the Bobcats. MSU stumbled to a 7-23 record that included a pair of losses to the Griz and a 4-14 mark in Big Sky Conference play. Fish said he sees the coach’s son in Robison every day. He knows Robison takes the losses as hard as any Bobcat but also sees his consistent desire to get better daily no matter the pain he is enduring.

MSU head coach Brian Fish coaching forward Danny Robison

MSU head coach Brian Fish coaching forward Danny Robison

Robison hopes MSU’s sweep of Eastern Washington and Idaho last weekend energizes the Bozeman community and heightens the support for MSU’s rivalry game. The Bobcats are hoping to snap a 10-game losing streak to the Grizzlies dating back to before Colbert or Robison wore blue and gold.

“I’ve loved Bozeman and I’ve loved MSU and I couldn’t be happier that I’m a Bobcat,” Robison said. “The friendships I’ve built with teammates and coaches and students have been phenomenal. I wouldn’t change it for the world. I’m happy with my decision to come here the last four years. I got a great education. The last thing I want to do is beat the Griz at home.”

Photos by Brooks Nuanez. All Rights Reserved.

About Colter Nuanez

Colter Nuanez is the co-founder and senior writer for Skyline Sports. After spending six years in the newspaper industry with stops at the Missoulian, the Ellensburg Daily Record and the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, the former Washington Newspaper Association Sportswriter of the Year and University of Montana Journalism School graduate ('09) has cultivated a deep passion for sports journalism during his 13-year career covering the Big Sky Conference. In August of 2014, Colter and brother Brooks merged their passions of writing and art to found Skyline Sports.

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