Vikings End Bobcats' Season
Bill Lamberty
3/7/2010 6:59:17 AM
Portland State guard Melvin Jones' game-winning three-pointer with 3.7 seconds to play advanced the Vikings to the Big Sky Conference semifinals, and ended Montana State's season. The shot gave the Vikings a 68-65 victory.
Jones' game-winner from the deep corner gave PSU the win in a game in which the biggest lead by either team was six and capped a wild final minute. With one minute left, Branden Johnson hit a three-pointer coming out of an MSU time to give the Bobcats a 65-63 lead.
"It looked good when I shot it," Johnson said.
A half-minute later Marquis Navarre picked Julius Thomas clean on the perimeter and raced toward the Bobcat basket, but Paul Guede blocked Navarre's layup. Guede was fouled on the other end of the floor and converted both free throws to tie the game.
After the free throws, Erik Rush was called for over-and-back after catching a pass from Branden Johnson, setting up Jones' game-winning shot. "It happens," said Bobcat coach Brad Huse. "What can you say? It happens."
The game featured post-season intensity from the outset. Portland State built a six-point lead on Melvin Jones' three-pointer with 4:06 left in the first half, but Danny Piepoli hit back-to-back three-pointers to tie the score, and when Bobby Howard tipped in a Branden Johnson three-pointer with two seconds left in the half the teams entered intermission tied at 29.
The second half provided more of the same. PSU led by five twice, but neiter lead lasted even a minute and three was the biggest advantage for either team in the last seven minutes.
Julius Thomas finished with a game-high 19 points for PSU, while Melvin Jones added 17. Howard and Piepoli each scored 16 for MSU, while Erik Rush added 13.
Portland State ended Montana State's season for the third time in four years, including last year's conference championship contest. In spite of the loss, Montana State finishes the season with a winning mark at 15-14, only the program's second in the last six seasons, and the team's 10-6 conference mark was MSU's best since 2002.