THE MATCHUP
Montana State stumbled against Weber State on Thursday, losing to the high-scoring Wildcats 85-75 to fall to 1-2 in Big Sky Conference play. Saturday, the Bobcats hosted struggling Idaho State in a matinee at Brick Breeden Fieldhouse.
THE RESULT
Idaho State plays a plodding style that is one of the slowest in the country. ISU entered Saturday’s game averaging 54 points per game. The Bengals forced Montana State to miss all 10 of its 3-point attempts in the first half and held the Bobcats to 23 points, yet still trailed by four entering intermission.
Over the first 10 minutes of the second half, MSU doubled its point total and build a 46-30 lead before cruising to a 60-40 win over an Idaho State team that fell to 0-4 in Big Sky Conference play, 2-11 overall. MSU is now 2-2 in league play, 10-5 overall
THE STANDOUTS
Montana State went on a 19-2 run over a nearly six-minute span, capped by a Nick Gazelas 3-pointer to take a 49-30 lead. MSU’s lead swelled to as many as 23 points before Idaho State’s final made field goal. ISU shot 25 percent for the game, including just 3-of-23 from beyond the arc.
The Bobcats shot just under 30 percent in the first half but converted 14 of 20 shots (70 percent) in the second half to pull away. The 40 points are the lowest Montana State has surrendered in a single game since 2019.
MSU senior guard Amin Adamu hit MSU’s first 3-pointer of the game a few minutes into the second half, part of a seven-point personal spurt that helped the hosts push the lead to double digits. Adamu finished 5-of-10 from the floor and had games highs with 13 points and eight rebounds.
Junior center Jubrile Belo scored 12 points while senior Xavier Bishop dealt out five of MSU’s 11 assists.
Emmitt Taylor scored 12 points but Idaho State lost for the 10th time in its last 11 outings.
QUOTEABLE
“It was an early game, it was really cold outside, I think that was all a part of the slow start,” Montana State head coach Danny Sprinkle said. “But we’ve got to be mature. I’m proud of the guys about how they responded after a tough game (on Thursday), and not even 48 hours later to come back out and pick up a victory.”
BOX SCORE (CLICK)
SOCIAL
WHAT’S NEXT
Montana State hits the road for its next contest when the Bobcats face Idaho in Moscow at 7 p.m. MT on Thursday. The Bobcats return home for the first of two Cat-Griz matchups on Sunday when MSU hosts Montana for a 5 p.m. tipoff in Worthington Arena. The game was pushed to Sunday because the Montana State football team plays North Dakota State in the FCS national championship football game on Saturday in Frisco, Texas.
