Montana State University
Weber State
Bobcats Resume League Play at Weber State on New Year's Eve
12/30/2009 10:12:20 AM | Men's Basketball
MSU Looks to Extend Hot Start
NEXT UP...
DATE December 31, 2009
TIPOFF 3 pm
SITE
ARENA
RADIO Bobcat Network (Jeff Lasky)
VIDEO BigSkyTV.org
LAST TIME MSU 70-61, 3/10/09 at WSU
DATE January 3, 2010
TIPOFF 2 pm
SITE
ARENA Holt Arena
RADIO Bobcat Network (Jeff Lasky)
TV Altitude (Bill Riley, Jay McMillan)
LAST TIME ISU 63-56, 2/12/09 at MSU
MISCELLANY...
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l MSU resumes league play ranked among the nation's top 120 schools in most simulated RPI polls
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SERIES NOTES...
l Two of MSU's eight all-time wins vs. Weber in
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ON THE OFFENSE...
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l The Bobcats have 12 turnovers or less in six of the last nine games
ON THE DEFENSE...
l MSU is second in the BSC in blocks, with Austin Brown 3rd and Branden Johnson tied for 8th
l Bobcat opponents shoot 46% in the first half, 38% in the second
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BJ Boardin'...
Branden Johnson grabbed 280 rebounds, just over three per game, during his first three seasons as a Bobcat. This year, Johnson's 6.3 boards a game, 75 total, which leads the team and is fifth in the Big Sky.
...and Blockin'
Johnson has also asserted his presence inside by blocking shots. He has blocked 12 shots, 1.0 per game, also the fifth-best mark in the Big Sky Conference.
Three After Three
MSU has hit at least one three-pointer in its last 446 games. From 1986 to late '92-93 MSU rolled up a 197-game streak and has a three in 643 of the last 644.
Halfway There
Whatever counsel Brad Huse offers his team at halftime in the defensive realm during the 2009-10 season seems to be working.
Shooting Pctg
1st Half 155-332 .461
2nd Half 125-334 .385
Free Throw Defense
Bobcat opponents shot 71.7% from the line (129-for-180) in the first nine games of the season, but that number has dipped to 63% in the last three (33-for-52).
And Free Throw Offense
After shooting 59% (32-for-54) from the line in their first four games, the Bobcats have shot 73% (109-for-149) since. More significantly, MSU raised its attempts-per-game rate from 13.5 in the first four to 18.6 in the last eight. MSU averages nearly five more attempts per game at home (19.3) than on the road (14.5). Erik Rush remains MSU's free throw mainstay, leading the team with 60 trips to the line while converting 76.7% of those shots.
Half the Story
Road Wins
Year Record Non-conf. road wins
87-88 3-3 Prairie View, N. Texas,
64-65 3-4
63-64 3-1 NDSU, N. Dak., Washington
08-09 3-4
Telling the Turnover Tale
Ball security has been one of the key factors in
For Openers
