Bobcat Women Close Out Home Season With Idaho and Eastern Washington

Thursday, February 15

BOZEMAN

7 p.m.

Montana State University

Idaho

Tickets

Senior Delany Junkermier

Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson

Bobcat Women Close Out Home Season With Idaho and Eastern Washington

2/14/2018 1:02:00 PM | Women's Basketball

The Montana State women’s basketball team will conclude its 2017-18 home slate when it hosts Idaho and Eastern Washington this week in Worthington Arena. The Bobcats will face Idaho on Thursday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. and will close out the weekend with Eastern Washington, Saturday, Feb. 17 at 2 p.m. Saturday will be Senior Day for Hannah Caudill, Delany Junkermier and Rebekah Hatchard.

By: Tom Schulz

MSU WBB NOTES l IDAHO WBB NOTES l LIVE VIDEO l LIVE STATS

IDAHO (13-10, 9-3) at MONTANA STATE (13-11, 7-6)
      Date: Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018
      Tipoff: 7:05 p.m. (MST)
      Site:   Worthington Arena (6,775) * Bozeman, MT
      Radio: My 103.5 FM; Play-by-Play with Jason Alvine
      Live Video: Pluto TV (ch. 238) or WatchBigSky.com
      Live Stats: bobcatstats.com
      Live Audio: msubobcats.com/watch
      Promo: Singles Awareness Day

NEXT UP: The Montana State women's basketball team will conclude its 2017-18 home slate when it hosts Idaho and Eastern Washington this week in Worthington Arena. The Bobcats will face Idaho on Thursday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. and will close out the weekend with Eastern Washington, Saturday, Feb. 17 at 2 p.m. Saturday will be Senior Day for Hannah Caudill, Delany Junkermier and Rebekah Hatchard.

ON A SERIES NOTE: The Bobcats will be facing Idaho for the first time this season. MSU holds a 35-14 advantage over the Vandals dating back to March 1, 1975. The Cats have won eight straight from Idaho, including a sweep of the Vandals last season. UI's last win (62-61) in the series came in Moscow on Dec. 14, 2001. Montana State holds a slim 43-42 lead in its all-time series vs. Eastern Washington.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME: The Cats saw the nation's second longest home court win streak snapped against Portland State on Jan. 11. The loss broke MSU's 31-game home streak, which was second to national power UConn (75). Before the loss to the Vikings, Montana State's last defeat in Worthington Arena was a 62-49 decision to San Diego on Nov. 24, 2015. MSU has won 34 of its last 36 games in the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse. On another note, the Cats are averaging 2,487 fans per game, which ranks 53rd in the nation and second in the Big Sky Conference.

THE NITTY GRITTY: According to the Feb. 11, 2018 NCAA Nitty-Gritty rankings the Bobcats are currently ranked #232 in the country. The highest Big Sky Conference listing belongs to Northern Colorado at #31. The Bears are followed by #139 Portland State, #143 Idaho State, #148 Weber State, #149 Idaho, #169 North Dakota, and #180 Eastern Washington. Ranked behind Montana State is #240 Montana, #268 Sacramento State, #318 Northern Arizona and #324 Southern Utah. The Bobcats finished the 2016-17 season ranked #59 - its highest finish ever.

A HELPING HAND: Senior Hannah Caudill set the all-time mark for career assists when she dished out eight in MSU's win over North Dakota on Feb. 1. The Spokane, Wash., product now has 464 career assists, which surpassed the old mark of 443 set by Vicki Heebner-Carle from 1980-84.

DISHING THE ROCK: Senior Hannah Caudill's set the all-time Montana State assists record at the 6:10 mark of the opening quarter against North Dakota on Feb. 1 when she found Blaire Braxton on the right block. Caudill finished the game with eight assists. She now has 464 career assists. In addition, Caudill is second all-time in three-point field-goals made with 217 triples (only the second Bobcat to go over 200 makes) and is first all-time in career three-point field-goal percentage hitting at a 39 percent clip. Her current +1.6 assist-turnover ratio is fourth in the Big Sky Conference. Caudill matched a career-high 24 points at North Dakota on Jan.6, connecting on nine-of-19 from the field, including four 3-pointers. The product of Spokane, Wash., has connected on season-high six 3-pointers against both Long Beach State and Southern Utah. Caudill was named to the Oregon State/Maui Jim Classic All-Tournament team after averaging 11 points and two assists per game. Caudill guided MSU to a win over Wyoming on Nov. 29 with a 19-point effort, which included a four-of-five showing from beyond the arc. Caudill posted a season-best nine assists at Southern Utah on Jan. 27. She is currently first in the Big Sky averaging 5.8 assists per game and her 2.5 three-point makes per contest are sixth best in the league. On Thursday, she registered 20 points, which included a four-of-eight effort from beyond the arc at Sacramento State. Last Saturday, she was held to just three points at Portland State. For the game, she connected on one-of-seven from the field. Caudill ended the contest with five assists and two rebounds.

JUNK MAIL: Delany Junkermier recorded a career-high 23 points in Montana State's win over Sacramento State on Jan. 13. Against the Hornets, she shot seven-of-12 from the field, including a five-of-six effort from beyond the arc. In her last her 12 games, she has posted 20 or more points on three occasions and has been in double-figure scoring on 12 occasions this season. Junkermier is averaging 15.2 points per game, while shooting 47.8 percent from the field and has connected on 32 3-pointers in Big Sky Conference games. The Mead High graduate is currently second in the Big Sky in 3-point field-goal percentage (.471), fourth in three-point field goal makes per game (2.7), 12th in field-goal percentage (.478) and 13th in scoring (15.2). Junkermier moved into sixth on MSU's all-time top 10 3-point makes list on Thursday night. She currently has 138 career three-pointers. On Thursday, Junkermier tallied 14 points, two rebounds, and two assist in 36 minutes of action at Sacramento State. Last Saturday, at Portland State, she registered 11 points and nine rebounds. In addition, she dished out three assists and had one steal.

MAD ABOUT YOU: Madeline Smith is making an impact in her second season with the Bobcats. The product of Snohomish, Washington is averaging 11.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 51.8 percent from the field, connecting on 115-222 attempts. Against Omaha on Nov. 17, Smith recorded her first-ever double-double with 18 points to go along with 14 rebounds. Smith pulled down a career-high 19 rebounds against Providence on Nov. 15, which was just two shy of the Bobcat school-record of 21 set by Cass Bauer in 1994. On Nov. 25, Smith registered a career-high 23 points in MSU's win over MSU Billings. For the game, she connected on 11-16 from the field and went one-of-one at the line. Smith is third in the Big Sky in rebounds per game, while her 51.8 percent field-goal percentage is fourth best. Her 8.3 rebounds per game is the 20th highest total by a sophomore at the NCAA Division I level so far this season. On Thursday night against Sacramento State she had 12 points and five rebounds and followed that with a 10 points - six rebound performance at Portland State. On the weekend, Smith averaged 11 points and 5.5 rebounds, while shooting 55.5 percent from the field. She also totaled three assists.

HOLY MOLY, OLI: Oliana Squires has started all 24 games and is averaging 10 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. The Colorado Springs, Colo., product posted a career-high 21 points in Montana State's win over Northern Arizona on Jan. 25. For the game, she connected on eight-of-14 from the field, including a five-of-eight effort from long distance. Squires is currently second on the squad with 48 triples. On. Jan 27 at Southern Utah, Squires saw her streak of 11 consecutive double-figure scoring games snapped as the T-Birds held her to seven points. Squires posted seven points and four boards at Sacramento State and added just two points and three rebounds in MSU's loss at Portland State on Saturday.

HATCHET JOB: Senior Rebekah Hatchard has started the last 13 games for the Bobcats and has averaged 10.8 points and 3.9 rebounds per game over that span. Hatchard recorded a career-high 18 points against North Dakota on Feb. 1, connecting on seven-of-10 from the field and three-of-six from long distance. She is currently shooting 41.3 percent from beyond the arc, connecting on 16-46, which ranks sixth in the Big Sky Conference. In addition, the native of Adelaide, Australia is fourth in the Big Sky in field-goal percentage hitting at a 53.1 percent clip, converting 52-of-98 from the floor.

SECRET BRAXTON FAMILY RECIPE: Blaire Braxton is currently second on the squad averaging 5.1 boards per contest. Last season as a true-freshman, Braxton started all 32 games and averaged 6.8 rebounds per game. The Highlands Ranch, Colo., product has recorded two games with 10 rebounds or more this season. Last winter, Braxton registered four double-digit rebounding games, including a career-high 14 boards at Sacramento State. Last weekend, Braxton tallied two points and four rebounds at Sacramento State and Portland State. Braxton swatted a career-high five blocks against Wyoming on Nov. 29 and she recorded a career-high five assists in MSU's win over Long Beach State. Her current 1.29 blocks per game is tenth in the Big Sky and ranks 154th overall. Braxton's brother Zach is currently in his third season at Big Sky rival Weber State and is the reigning Big Sky Conference Player of the Week. The elder Braxton is also a force under the boards, averaging 7.8 rebounds per game.

THROWING SHAIDE: Sophomore Madisyn Shaide is averaging 2.6 minutes per game. The Missoula Big Sky grad has played in 14 games this season. Shaide logged 12 minutes at Northern Arizona on Jan. 25 and notched three points and two rebounds.

FAB FROSH: All five of Montana State's freshmen have made an impact this season. Leading the contingent is 6-2 forward Laura Pranger. The product of Centennial, Colo., received her first collegiate start against Northern Arizona on Dec. 30 and notched a career-best 12 points connecting on five-of-six from the field and two-of-two from three-point range. For the season, Pranger is shooting 44.9 percent from the field and is pulling down 3.2 rebounds per contest. She is currently third on the team with 20 blocked shots. Last weekend, Pranger averaged 7.5 points and 2.5 rebounds, while shooting 75 percent from the field. Guards Tori Martell and Ashley Van Sickle have combined for 40 three-pointers and are averaging a combined 6.0 points per game. Van Sickle recorded eight points in MSU's loss to Northern Colorado Feb.3, while Martell her best offensive performance of the season with a career-high 12 points at Portland State, all coming from beyond the 3-point line. Coral Gillette and Janie McRae have played in 12 and 11 games, respectively.

BOZEMAN DOWNTOWN ASSOC.: MSU is shooting 35.9 percent from beyond the arc and averaging 9.8 makes per game, which is eighth in the nation. Against Southern Utah on Dec. 28, MSU set a school-record with 18 three-pointers, including nine triples in the opening quarter. As a team, MSU has recorded at least one three-pointer in the last 157 consecutive games. The last time the Bobcats were held without a trey was Jan. 24, 2013 (0-9) at Weber State. Last season, MSU's 245 3-pointers were a school-record. The Cats have currently made 234 three-pointers this winter.

STINGY D: The Bobcat defense evolved into one of the best units in the Big Sky last winter leading the league in four statistical categories. This season has been no different. The Cats are currently tops in the league and 20th in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage defense (27.5). MSU in second in the Big Sky and 115th in the country in FG% defense (39.0) and third in scoring defense (63.2). So far this season, the Bobcats have held five teams to 50 points or less - Providence (31), Northern Arizona (39), Wyoming (46), MSU Billings (47) and Sacramento State (50).

THAT'S OFFENSIVE: The Bobcats are eighth in the nation in 3-pointers with 234 makes and 3-pointers per game at 9.8. In addition, MSU leads the Big Sky with 376 assists and its 15.7 assists per game ranks 60th in the nation.