Montana State Topples Vikings in Stott Center

Saturday, February 13

Portland, OR

8:05 pm MST

Montana State University

Portland State

Bobby Howard soared to 22 points at Portland State on Saturday

Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson

2/13/2010 10:48:25 PM | Men's Basketball

The Bobcats led for the game's final 30 minutes to secure a crucial victory

By: Bill Lamberty

Bobby Howard scored a game-high 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds, leading Montana State to a 79-71 win at Portland State on Saturday.

The Bobcats used a 16-3 run late in the first half to build a double-digit lead through the middle portion of the game, and sealed the win with a season-best (vs. Division I competition) 81.5% free throw effort. All five Bobcat starters finished in double-digits scoring, and Howard scored over 20 points for the third time this season.

"We're at our best when we're moving the basketball and passing up some average shots for better ones," said Bobcat coach Brad Huse. "When you move the basketball and the defense ends up scrambling you tend to get open shots."

Montana State carried a 13-point lead into the intermission, and Erik Rush's three-pointer on the first possession of the half put the Bobcats up by 16. MSU held a 10-point lead until 7:47 remained, when three-pointers on three straight possessions drew the Vikings to within nine. "Once we got into a flow and relaxed and played it all came together," Huse said. "We shot well and stepped up to the free throw line and made free throws."

PSU got as close as seven on several occasions, and trailed by only six with 24 seconds remaining. A pair of Will Bynum free throws gave MSU its winning advantage.

While the Bobcats shot 52% on the game, the team's best performance against a Big Sky opponent, MSU held Portland State to 42.9% shooting. "I thought we mixed our defenses, the guys did a good job executing," Huse said. "We finished possessions with rebounds, which you have to do. I thought switching our defenses up in the second half was a key."

With the win, Montana State is one win or an Eastern Washington loss from clinching a spot in the Big Sky's post-season tournament. "This win was critical to finish in the top four," Huse said. "Winning at Portland State's tough, Montana State hasn't won here for a while." Montana State's last victory in Portland was 2004, which was also the last time MSU swept the regular-season series from the Vikings.