It’s not quite home for the Holidays, but it’ll do. Montana State returns home for a break from the academic rigors of the semester’s end, hosting NAIA foe Northern New Mexico on Saturday at 7 pm in Worthington Arena. The Northern New Mexico game precedes finals week, and MSU’s December 18 contest against UC Santa Barbara. Northern New Mexico brings a 2-6 record into its contest at MSU-Billings on Friday. The team beat American Sports University on December 4 for its second victory. Eddie Fields leads the Eagles with 15.4 points a game. Northern New Mexico shoots 49% from the field, 38% from three-point range.
MSU Game Notes vs. Northern New Mexico
NEXT UP...
Montana State vs. Northern NM
DATE -- December 12, 2009
TIPOFF -- 7:05 pm
SITE -- Bozeman, MT
ARENA -- Worthington Arena
RADIO -- Bobcat Network (Jeff Lasky)
VIDEO -- BigSkyTV.org
LAST TIME -- first meeting
MISCELLANY...
* Since missing the first three games this year, Marquis Navarre has set career highs in scoring (21 vs. Northern Colorado) and steals (four at Memphis)
* Bobby Howard leads the team with 15 treys, and shoots 39.5% from three
* Bobcat opponents average 24.3 free throw attempts in MSU road games, but just 15.5 charity tosses per game in Worthington Arena
SERIES NOTES...
* Montana State has never played the Northern New Mexico Eagles
* The Bobcats topped Colorado Christian, its other non-Division I opponent this season, 68-58 on November 17
ON THE OFFENSE...
* Montana State’s 7.8 treys per game is second in the league, and its .369 three-point percentage is third
* After turning the ball over only 20 times in its back-to-back conference games, the Bobcats were pilfered 19 times by national power Memphis on Wednesday night
ON THE DEFENSE...
* MSU remains tied for second in the Big Sky in blocked shots, with Austin Brown (third) and Cody Anderson (seventh) among the league leaders
* The Bobcats have held three straight opponents to sub-.300 three-point shooting, and are up to fourth in the Big Sky in three-point defense (.329)
Three at a Time
Montana State has proven proficient in this young season at shooting the three-pointer. The Bobcats stand third in the Big Sky Conference in three-point percentage (.368) and second in three-pointers made (7.8 per game). More than one-third of the Bobcats’ points this season (186 out of 527, 35%) come from behind the arc.
Three After Three
MSU has hit at least one three-pointer in its last 443 games. From 1986 to late ‘92-93 MSU rolled up a 197-game streak and has a three in 640 of the last 641.
Halfway There
Whatever counsel Brad Huse offers his team at halftime in the defensive realm during the 2009-10 season seems to be working. Montana State’s defense has taken a marked upturn in the second half. A look...
1st Half: 105-215, .489
2nd Half: 87-217, .401
Free Throw Defense
Something about the Bobcats seems to bring out the best of opponents in the free throw shooting category. Bobcat foes shot 73.4% from the charity stripe, a figure that would have rank MSU’s opponents taken as a team in the top 60 among Division I’s 334 men’s basketball teams, until Memphis hit just 51%.
And Free Throw Offense
After shooting 59% from the line in their first four games, the Bobcats have shot 74% in the last four. More significantly, MSU raised its attempts-per-game rate from 13.5 in the first four to 19.7 until shooting just 13 at Memphis. Erik Rush continues as MSU’s free throw mainstay, leading the team with 40 trips to the line while converting 75% of those shots.
Personnel Palaver
A pair of lingering personnel situations continue to hang over MSU’s inside game. Seven-foot center Michel Swita, who has played three minutes this season, has been cleared to practice after suffering a concussion in practice, but remained in Bozeman to condition while the team traveled to Memphis. Forward Jeff Budinich (mono) has not yet been cleared.
Telling the Turnover Tale
One of the major factors leading to Montana State struggling in its losses this season has been its ability to hold onto the ball. Montana State is +4.0 in turnover margin in wins (10.8-to-14.8), -5.0 in losses (16.8-to-11.8).
Defending the Circle
Montana State’s three-point defense has taken a marked upturn in recent games. The Bobcats have held their last three opponents below 30% shooting from beyond the three-point circle. On the season, Bobcat opponents have shot just 31% behind the three-point arc in Worthington Arena, while hitting 35% of their triples in MSU road games. MSU has moved from seventh to fourth in three-point defense in the Big Sky in the past two weeks.