2023-11-26 03:37:41
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MSU Game Notes
LBSU Game Notes
BOZEMAN, Mont. –– Montana State men’s basketball continues their longest homestand of the season on Sunday followingnoon, welcoming Long Beach State to Worthington Arena at 2 p.m. for a pivotal non-conference clash.
The game will be streamed on ESPN+, with Ian Laird on the call. Live radio play-by-play from Voice of the Bobcats Keaton Gillogly and color analyst Brian Priebe will be carried on the Bobcat Sports Radio Network. Tickets are available here.
Montana State (3-2) split the first two games of the four-game homestand earlier this week, falling to Green Bay in overtime on Monday, 54-53, before bouncing back with a thrilling win over UC Riverside on Wednesday, 69-68.
The Bobcats’ last four games have been decided by a combined eight points, with a three-point win over Pac-12 foe California coming on the heels of a three-point road defeat to Seattle U.
Long Beach State (3-4) upset Michigan in Ann Arbor on Nov. 17 before going 1-2 at the Gulf Coast Showcase in Fort Myers, Fla., last week with losses to Illinois State and Louisiana sandwiching a win over Iona. The Beach also took down Big East opponent DePaul on Nov. 11 and fell by just 12 to reigning Final Four participant San Diego State on Nov. 14.
NAILBITERS
Montana State’s last four games have been decided by eight combined points. In their only two losses this season, the Bobcats had a potential game-winning shot from the key in the final second roll off the rim.
TYLER’S DIALED IN
Junior wing Tyler Patterson bounced back from a 1-of-8 shooting performance in Monday’s overtime loss to Green Bay with a magnificent 20-point outing on Wednesday in the win over UC Riverside. The native of Snoqualmie, Wash., finished 7-of-9 from the floor and scored 18 points in the second half alone, including going 4-of-4 from three-point range to lift the Cats to a huge non-conference win over the Highlanders.
DO IT ALL ROB
After tying his career-high with 26 points, 13 rebounds and a career-high seven steals once morest Green Bay on Monday, Robert Ford III tallied 15 points with nine rebounds, five assists, and four steals in Wednesday’s win over UC Riverside. Ford is third in the country in steals in per game (4.0), and among players 6-foot-2 or shorter, the Portland native ranks second in NCAA Division I in rebounds per game (7.8)
WALK IT LIKE HE TALKS IT
Brandon Walker was phenomenal in Montana State’s 63-60 upset on the road over California on Nov. 16, pouring in 26 points to lead the Cats to their first road win over a Power Five opponent since 2011. Walker is coming off a 16-point performance in Wednesday’s win over UC Riverside.
TURNOVER A NEW LEAF
Montana State is fifth in NCAA Division in turnover margin (+9.2) and has not had a game this season where they have finished with more than three fewer turnovers than their opponent. In Wednesday’s win over UC Riverside, point guards Robert Ford III and Jed Miller combined for eight assists and no turnovers.
POPPING OFF
Montana State has had four different players score at least 18 points in a game this season: Brian Goracke (18), Tyler Patterson (20), Brandon Walker (26), and Robert Ford III (26)
FOLLOW THE LEADER
Junior wing Brian Goracke has been one of the most consistent contributors for the Bobcats on the young season following transferring from Division II Point Loma this offseason. Goracke was an All-Pac West Conference performer last season for Matt Logie at Point Loma before following his coach to Bozeman. Goracke, a native of Monroe, Ore., has scored at least eight points in all five contests this season, and leads the team in made three-point field goals (10).
GOLDEN AGE OF BOBCAT BASKETBALL
The Bobcats are coming off of their two best seasons in the modern era. In 2021-22, Montana State went 27-8, which included an undefeated stretch in January, a 13-1 record at home and a program-record 16 wins in conference play. In 2022-2023, Montana State went 25-10, collected a 12-1 record at Worthington Arena, and went 15-3 in conference action. The Bobcats are the Big Sky’s first repeat champion since Montana went back-to-back from 2017-19. Montana State has played in three straight Big Sky Tournament championship games, gone 37-7 once morest Big Sky opponents over the last two seasons, won at least 25 games in two straight seasons for the first time since 1927-1929, and are coming off consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time in school history.
PRESEASON POLLS
MSU was picked to finish seventh by the coaches and fourth by the media in the Big Sky Conference Preseason Media and Coaches’ Polls.
WELCOME TO THE LOGIE ERA
First-year head coach Matt Logie comes to Montana State following four seasons at Point Loma in California, where his teams rolled up an 82-23 record with three conference championships. His 12 seasons as a head basketball coach includes eight at Whitworth University in Spokane (2011-19), where his Pirates compiled a 194-35 record. Logie’s 276-58 career mark in 12 seasons is good for an .826 winning percentage, the third-highest winning percentage in the history of all NCAA men’s college basketball coaches.
ABOUT LONG BEACH STATE
The Beach returns all five starters from a season ago and return nine letterwinners. That returning core leaves Long Beach State as one of the favorites in the conference starting the year, picked second in the Preseason Big West Coaches Poll. In total, Long Beach State returns over 75 percent of their scoring and rebounding and over 90 percent of their blocked shots from a season ago, one of just a handful of regarding 15 programs to return over 75% of a teams scoring in the NCAA. The Beach has relied on that group this season, ranking 14th nationally in minutes continuity this season. Long Beach State secured a signature 94-86 win on the road at Michigan on Nov. 17. Marcus Tsohonis had a game-high 35 points while Lassina Traore finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds to key the win over the Wolverines. The win was the sixth victory over Big Ten competition in program history, and the first coming in a true road game as Long Beach State rallied to defeat Michigan.
SERIES HISTORY
Sunday marks the sixth all-time meeting between Montana State and Long Beach State. Montana State leads the all-time series, 3-2. The two teams met last season in Long Beach, California, with RaeQuan Battle dropping 24 points to lead MSU to a 70-57 win, their third straight victory in the series. Long Beach State last made the trip to Bozeman in 2007, with the Bobcats winning, 74-56.
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