By TOM SCHULZ
Montana State sports information
Dec. 31, 2016 – POCATELLO, Idaho – Idaho State snapped Montana State’s seven-game win streak with a 67-59 decision over the Bobcats Saturday afternoon in Reed Gym. MSU scored a season-low and lost the battle of the boards for the first time in nine games.
Coming off two dominant fourth quarter performances, the Bobcats watched Idaho State (8-5, 2-0) use a 19-9 advantage in the final frame to secure the win. The Bengals also controlled the boards, out-rebounding Montana State (8-4, 1-1) 53-38, which included a sizeable 18-8 margin on the offensive glass.
“They dominated the glass and you can’t give up 18 offensive boards and expect to win on the road or at home,” said MSU head coach Tricia Binford. “I thought we gave ourselves a great opportunity heading into the fourth quarter with a two-point lead in a tough environment. We just had too many defensive breakdowns to finish the game.”
The game was a rematch of the quarterfinals in last spring’s Big Sky Tournament in which Idaho State hit a 35-footer at the buzzer to beat No. 1 seed Montana State.
MSU opened strong taking an eight-point lead and held a 19-15 advantage after the first 10-minutes.
The Bobcats maintained the margin following a technical called on ISU head coach Seton Sobolewski. MSU senior Riley Nordgaard went one-of-two on the technical, and senior Peyton Ferris connected on both tosses after being fouled to give the Bobcats a 24-20 advantage with 8:34 left in the half. Idaho State then used three field-goals and a 6-of-12 effort from the line to enter intermission with 33-32 lead.
Montana State freshman Oliana Squires/ by Brooks Nuanez
ISU took a six-point cushion at the 4:42 mark of the third quarter, before MSU responded with a 13-5 run to take a 50-48 lead into the final period. The Bobcat run was sparked by five points from freshman Oliana Squires.
Idaho State’s Grace Kenyon scored the first five points of the fourth quarter to give the Bengals a three-point lead. However, MSU regained the advantage at 57-56 on a Nordgaard triple with 4:07 remaining. With the game tied at 59-all, following a basket by MSU freshman Madeline Smith with 2:21 left, the Bobcats wouldn’t score again as ISU finished on an 8-0 run, six of which came at the free throw line.
For the game, the Bobcats shot 35 percent from the field, but connected on just four-of-19 in the final stanza. ISU hit at a 37 percent clip and went just 60 percent from the line.
“We’ll grow from this experience and clean up our defense,” Binford commented.
Ferris paced the Bobcats with 16 points and a career-high seven assists, while Nordgaard and Smith each chipped in ten points, apiece. Nordgaard also guided the Cats under the glass with nine rebounds.
Montana State will host Eastern Washington on Thursday at 7 p.m., in Worthington Arena.
