Thursday, February 8
Sacramento, CA
8 p.m.
Montana State University
at
Sacramento State
Sophomore Oliana Squires
Photo by: Andrew Pedersen
Cats Play Five of Seven on the Road
2/7/2018 3:37:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Montana State women’s basketball team will play five of its last seven games on the road beginning with Sacramento State, Thursday, Feb. 8 at 8 p.m. (MST).
MSU WBB NOTES l SAC WBB NOTES l LIVE VIDEO l LIVE STATS
MONTANA STATE (13-9, 7-4) at SACRAMENTO STATE (3-18, 1-9)
Date: Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018
Tipoff: 8:05 p.m. (MST)
Site: The Nest (1,012) * Sacramento, CA
Radio: My 103.5 FM; Play-by-Play with Jason Alvine
Live Video: Pluto TV (ch. 233) or WatchBigSky.com
Live Stats: hornetsports.com
Live Audio: msubobcats.com/watch
Live TV: None
MONTANA STATE (13-9, 7-4) at PORTLAND STATE (11-10, 5-5)
Date: Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018
Tipoff: 2:05 p.m. (MST)
Site: Lewis & Clark College (2,300) * Portland, OR
Radio: My 103.5 FM; Play-by-Play with Jason Alvine
Live Video: Pluto TV (ch. 232) or WatchBigSky.com
Live Stats: goviks.com
Live Audio: msubobcats.com/watch
Live TV: None
NEXT UP: The Montana State women's basketball team will play five of its last seven games on the road beginning with Sacramento State, Thursday, Feb. 8 at 8 p.m. (MST). MSU concludes the weekend at Portland State on Saturday at 2 p.m. (MST) at Lewis & Clark College, while PSU's new facility - Viking Pavilion - is built.
ON A SERIES NOTE: The Cats are 32-11 all-time against Sacramento State and have won the last five meetings. MSU holds a 36-23 lead all-time vs. Portland State.
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 (72). 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 51st in the nation and second in the Big Sky Conference.
THE NITTY GRITTY: According to the Feb. 5, 2018 NCAA Nitty-Gritty rankings the Bobcats are currently ranked #222 in the country. The highest Big Sky Conference listing belongs to Northern Colorado at #32, followed by #140 Weber State, #155 Portland State, #158 North Dakota, #162 Idaho, #171 Idaho State and #195 Eastern Washington. Ranked behind Montana State is #226 Montana, #285 Sacramento State, #302 Southern Utah and #324 Northern Arizona. The Bobcats finished the 2016-17 season ranked #59 - its highest finish ever.
RECORD-SETTING NIGHT: It only took three-minutes and 50-seconds for Hannah Caudill to find Blaire Braxton on the right block. Braxton gathered the ball and kissed it off the glass to give Caudill her 444th career assist and the all-time Montana State record as the Bobcats knocked off North Dakota 72-56 on Feb. 1. Caudill finished the game with eight assists to break Vicki Heebner Carle's mark of 443. Caudill has 455 career assists. Caudill is now 14th on the all-time Big Sky list. Last weekend, she passed her current head coach Tricia (Bader) Binford, who tallied 448 assists at Boise State from 1991-96.
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 455 career assists. In addition, Caudill is second all-time in three-point field-goals made with 212 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 39.1 percent clip. Her current +2.5 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 6.1 assists per game and her 2.5 three-point makes per contest are sixth best in the league. Caudill is shooting 41.3 percent from long distance, which is third in the Big Sky. On Thursday, she posted 10 points and eight assists in MSU's win against North Dakota. On Saturday, she dished out five assists and added seven points and three rebounds as the bobcats dropped a 78-63 decision to Northern Colorado.
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 seven games, she has posted 20 or more points on three occasions and has been in double-figure scoring in eight of the last ten games. Over that span, Junkermier is averaging 15.7 points per game, while shooting 50.9 percent from the field and connecting on 29 3-pointers. The Mead High graduate is currently first in the Big Sky in 3-point field-goal percentage (.537), fourth in three-point field goal makes per game (2.9), seventh in field-goal percentage (.509) and ninth in scoring (15.7). Junkermier moved into sixth on MSU's all-time top 10 3-point makes list on Thursday night. She currently has 135 career three-pointers. On Thursday, Junkermier tallied 10 points, six rebounds, two steals and assist in 33 minutes of action against North Dakota. She followed that effort with 18 points and six rebounds against Northern Colorado. Against the Bears, Junkermier connected on six-of-nine from the field, including a pair of three-pointers.
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 8.6 rebounds per game, while shooting 51.5 percent from the field, connecting on 105-204 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 51.5 percent field-goal percentage is also third best. Her 8.6 rebounds per game is the 15th highest total by a sophomore at the NCAA Division I level so far this season. On Thursday night against North Dakota, she posted 11 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Smith notched 10 points and three rebounds in MSU's loss to Northern Colorado on Saturday afternoon.
HOLY MOLY, OLI: Oliana Squires has started all 22 games and is averaging 10.5 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 46 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 is 13th in the Big Sky shooting 38.3 percent from beyond the arc and her 2.1 3-point field-goals per game is 11th best in the league. Last weekend, she averaged 8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
HATCHET JOB: Senior Rebekah Hatchard has started the last 11 games for the Bobcats and has averaged 10.7 points and 4.2 rebounds per game over that span. Hatchard recorded a career-high 18 points against North Dakota last Thursday night, connecting on seven-of-10 from the field and three-of-six from long distance. She is currently shooting 43.2 percent from beyond the arc, connecting on 16-37, which ranks second in the Big Sky Conference. In addition, the native of Adelaide, Australia is second in the Big Sky in field-goal percentage hitting at a 55.6 percent clip, converting 45-of-81 from the floor.
SECRET BRAXTON FAMILY RECIPE: Blaire Braxton is currently second on the squad averaging 5.4 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. On Saturday afternoon, Braxton scored six points and hauled down five rebounds against Northern Colorado. 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 1.36 blocks per game is sixth in the Big Sky and ranks 136th overall. Braxton's brother Zach is currently in his third season at Big Sky rival Weber State. The elder Braxton is also a force under the boards, averaging 7.6 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 41.4 percent from the field and is pulling down 3.3 rebounds per contest. She is currently third on the team with 20 blocked shots. Guards Tori Martell and Ashley Van Sickle have combined for 36 three-pointers and are averaging a combined 6.1 points per game. Van Sickle recorded eight points in MSU's loss to Northern Colorado last Saturday, while Martell her best offensive performance of the past three week at Northern Arizona on Jan. 25 with 7 points. Coral Gillette and Janie McRae have played in 12 and 11 games, respectively.
BOZEMAN DOWNTOWN ASSOC.: MSU is shooting 36.3 percent from beyond the arc and averaging 9.7 makes per game, which is 11th 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 155 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 214 three-pointers this winter.
STINGY D: The Bobcat defense evolved into one of the best units in the Big Sky Conference last winter leading the league in four statistical categories. This season has been no different. The Cats are currently tops in the league and 11th in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage defense (26.4). MSU in second in the Big Sky and 86th in the country in field-goal percentage defense (38.2) and third in scoring defense (62.1). 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 Cats are first in the Big Sky and 39th in the nation shooting 36.3 percent from beyond the arc. They are also first in the conference and 84th overall in assists with 344 dimes.
MONTANA STATE (13-9, 7-4) at SACRAMENTO STATE (3-18, 1-9)
Date: Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018
Tipoff: 8:05 p.m. (MST)
Site: The Nest (1,012) * Sacramento, CA
Radio: My 103.5 FM; Play-by-Play with Jason Alvine
Live Video: Pluto TV (ch. 233) or WatchBigSky.com
Live Stats: hornetsports.com
Live Audio: msubobcats.com/watch
Live TV: None
MONTANA STATE (13-9, 7-4) at PORTLAND STATE (11-10, 5-5)
Date: Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018
Tipoff: 2:05 p.m. (MST)
Site: Lewis & Clark College (2,300) * Portland, OR
Radio: My 103.5 FM; Play-by-Play with Jason Alvine
Live Video: Pluto TV (ch. 232) or WatchBigSky.com
Live Stats: goviks.com
Live Audio: msubobcats.com/watch
Live TV: None
NEXT UP: The Montana State women's basketball team will play five of its last seven games on the road beginning with Sacramento State, Thursday, Feb. 8 at 8 p.m. (MST). MSU concludes the weekend at Portland State on Saturday at 2 p.m. (MST) at Lewis & Clark College, while PSU's new facility - Viking Pavilion - is built.
ON A SERIES NOTE: The Cats are 32-11 all-time against Sacramento State and have won the last five meetings. MSU holds a 36-23 lead all-time vs. Portland State.
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 (72). 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 51st in the nation and second in the Big Sky Conference.
THE NITTY GRITTY: According to the Feb. 5, 2018 NCAA Nitty-Gritty rankings the Bobcats are currently ranked #222 in the country. The highest Big Sky Conference listing belongs to Northern Colorado at #32, followed by #140 Weber State, #155 Portland State, #158 North Dakota, #162 Idaho, #171 Idaho State and #195 Eastern Washington. Ranked behind Montana State is #226 Montana, #285 Sacramento State, #302 Southern Utah and #324 Northern Arizona. The Bobcats finished the 2016-17 season ranked #59 - its highest finish ever.
RECORD-SETTING NIGHT: It only took three-minutes and 50-seconds for Hannah Caudill to find Blaire Braxton on the right block. Braxton gathered the ball and kissed it off the glass to give Caudill her 444th career assist and the all-time Montana State record as the Bobcats knocked off North Dakota 72-56 on Feb. 1. Caudill finished the game with eight assists to break Vicki Heebner Carle's mark of 443. Caudill has 455 career assists. Caudill is now 14th on the all-time Big Sky list. Last weekend, she passed her current head coach Tricia (Bader) Binford, who tallied 448 assists at Boise State from 1991-96.
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 455 career assists. In addition, Caudill is second all-time in three-point field-goals made with 212 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 39.1 percent clip. Her current +2.5 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 6.1 assists per game and her 2.5 three-point makes per contest are sixth best in the league. Caudill is shooting 41.3 percent from long distance, which is third in the Big Sky. On Thursday, she posted 10 points and eight assists in MSU's win against North Dakota. On Saturday, she dished out five assists and added seven points and three rebounds as the bobcats dropped a 78-63 decision to Northern Colorado.
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 seven games, she has posted 20 or more points on three occasions and has been in double-figure scoring in eight of the last ten games. Over that span, Junkermier is averaging 15.7 points per game, while shooting 50.9 percent from the field and connecting on 29 3-pointers. The Mead High graduate is currently first in the Big Sky in 3-point field-goal percentage (.537), fourth in three-point field goal makes per game (2.9), seventh in field-goal percentage (.509) and ninth in scoring (15.7). Junkermier moved into sixth on MSU's all-time top 10 3-point makes list on Thursday night. She currently has 135 career three-pointers. On Thursday, Junkermier tallied 10 points, six rebounds, two steals and assist in 33 minutes of action against North Dakota. She followed that effort with 18 points and six rebounds against Northern Colorado. Against the Bears, Junkermier connected on six-of-nine from the field, including a pair of three-pointers.
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 8.6 rebounds per game, while shooting 51.5 percent from the field, connecting on 105-204 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 51.5 percent field-goal percentage is also third best. Her 8.6 rebounds per game is the 15th highest total by a sophomore at the NCAA Division I level so far this season. On Thursday night against North Dakota, she posted 11 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Smith notched 10 points and three rebounds in MSU's loss to Northern Colorado on Saturday afternoon.
HOLY MOLY, OLI: Oliana Squires has started all 22 games and is averaging 10.5 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 46 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 is 13th in the Big Sky shooting 38.3 percent from beyond the arc and her 2.1 3-point field-goals per game is 11th best in the league. Last weekend, she averaged 8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
HATCHET JOB: Senior Rebekah Hatchard has started the last 11 games for the Bobcats and has averaged 10.7 points and 4.2 rebounds per game over that span. Hatchard recorded a career-high 18 points against North Dakota last Thursday night, connecting on seven-of-10 from the field and three-of-six from long distance. She is currently shooting 43.2 percent from beyond the arc, connecting on 16-37, which ranks second in the Big Sky Conference. In addition, the native of Adelaide, Australia is second in the Big Sky in field-goal percentage hitting at a 55.6 percent clip, converting 45-of-81 from the floor.
SECRET BRAXTON FAMILY RECIPE: Blaire Braxton is currently second on the squad averaging 5.4 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. On Saturday afternoon, Braxton scored six points and hauled down five rebounds against Northern Colorado. 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 1.36 blocks per game is sixth in the Big Sky and ranks 136th overall. Braxton's brother Zach is currently in his third season at Big Sky rival Weber State. The elder Braxton is also a force under the boards, averaging 7.6 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 41.4 percent from the field and is pulling down 3.3 rebounds per contest. She is currently third on the team with 20 blocked shots. Guards Tori Martell and Ashley Van Sickle have combined for 36 three-pointers and are averaging a combined 6.1 points per game. Van Sickle recorded eight points in MSU's loss to Northern Colorado last Saturday, while Martell her best offensive performance of the past three week at Northern Arizona on Jan. 25 with 7 points. Coral Gillette and Janie McRae have played in 12 and 11 games, respectively.
BOZEMAN DOWNTOWN ASSOC.: MSU is shooting 36.3 percent from beyond the arc and averaging 9.7 makes per game, which is 11th 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 155 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 214 three-pointers this winter.
STINGY D: The Bobcat defense evolved into one of the best units in the Big Sky Conference last winter leading the league in four statistical categories. This season has been no different. The Cats are currently tops in the league and 11th in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage defense (26.4). MSU in second in the Big Sky and 86th in the country in field-goal percentage defense (38.2) and third in scoring defense (62.1). 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 Cats are first in the Big Sky and 39th in the nation shooting 36.3 percent from beyond the arc. They are also first in the conference and 84th overall in assists with 344 dimes.
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