Bobcats Grab Win at Sacramento State

Thursday, January 6

8:05 PM

Montana State University

Sacramento State

Erik Rush hit the a short hook shot with 13 seconds left to spur MSU.

Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson

1/6/2011 10:40:19 PM | Men's Basketball

Rush, Howard add finishing touches to come-from-behind win

By: Bill Lamberty

Erik Rush hit a running hook shot with 13 seconds to play and Bobby Howard's free throw with less than four seconds left propelled Montana State to a 61-59 win at Sacramento State on Thursday.

MSU-Sac State box score

“It wasn't easy, it was a battle,” said MSU coach Brad Huse. “They got off to a good start, but we competed hard and didn't panic. I thought that was the key to the ball game, we kept our composure and kept battling away.”

Rush finished with 19 points and Howard with 13 to lead the Bobcats to their first road win of the season. MSU led for only the last 24 seconds of the first half and for less than five minutes of the second half, but neither team led by more than five in the last 35 minutes of the game.

The Bobcats countered Sacramento State's hot shooting (the Hornets shot 50% from the floor) by taking care of the basketball and chipping away from the three-point circle. MSU committed only seven turnovers, matching the season low mark and extending the consecutive game streak with less than 10 turnovers to three. MSU also matched its season average by hitting nine three-pointers.

The Bobcats trailed by five with just over four minutes to play, when Howard hit a three-pointer. After a Sac State turnover, Danny Piepoli nailed an 18-footer to tie the game. A Hornet free throw gave Sac State the lead, but Rush's jumper at 1:57 gave MSU the lead. Duro Bjegovic hit a layup to set up Rush's late-game heroics.

With just under a minute to play, Rod Singleton's layup was blocked. Sultan Toles-Bey turned the ball over, and with 13 seconds left Rush's soft hook shot from the right block gave MSU the lead. On the other end of the floor, Howard rebounded Jackson Carbajal's shot, then made a free throw after being fouled. John Dickson rebounded Howard's miss, but heaved the ball the length of the floor and MSU had its road victory.

Howard matched season high with three steals, while had three steals, four assists, and a team-high five rebounds. Singleton led MSU's 16-assist effort with six.