The Big Sky's last two remaining undefeated (in the conference) teams get together Saturday night in Greeley, when Montana State visits Northern Colorado. Even with the 2011 Big Sky season in its nascent stages, Saturday's game stands out as an impact contest between a pair of teams picked for the middle reaches of the league standings. MSU collected its first road win of the season Thursday at Sacramento State, a 61-59 win punctuated by Erik Rush's go-ahead hook shot and a big three-pointer and free throw by Bobby Howard. Northern Colorado moved to 3-0 in Big Sky play with an emphatic 63-45 win home win over Montana, marking the Bears' first 3-0 start as a Big Sky member.
MSU vs. NC Game Notes
NEXT UP...
Montana State at Northern Colorado
DATE
TIPOFF
SITE
ARENA
RADIO
TV
LAST TIME
NC 74-68, 1/28/10 in Greeley Altitude Bobcat Network (Jeff Lasky) Butler-Hancock Greeley, CO 7:05 pm
MISCELLANY...
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MSU beat Sac State 64-61 in football last fall, with the teams combining for more points than in the Bobcats' 61-59 basketball win on Thursday
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Montana State is 5-0 when turning the ball over less than 10 times this season, with only 23 turnovers in the last three games
SERIES NOTES...
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Northern Colorado has won four of its last five against the Bobcats, including two straight in Greeley
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Erik Rush scored just two points in his last game vs. NC, and shoots just 12-of-32 against the Bears in his career
ON THE OFFENSE...
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MSU's 9.1 treys per game leads the Big Sky and is 15th in Division I
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Seniors Bobby Howard and Erik Rush combined to score 472 of the team's 1,072 points (44%)
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Erik Rush has either scored or assisted on 34% of MSU's field goals
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Of MSU's 1,072 points, 38% (411) have been scored on three-point shots
ON THE DEFENSE...
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The Bobcats force 14.9 turnovers per game since the beginning of December
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The Bobcats' nine steals Thursday matched MSU's single-game high against Division I competition
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MSU opponents have shot over 50% in only six halves this season, but the team's last two opponents combined to shoot 52.4% January 8, 2011