Saturday, January 14
BOZEMAN
4 p.m.
Montana State University
vs
Weber State
Darius Brown II
Photo by: Thomas Anderson
Bobcats Host Weber State in Big Sky Semifinal Rematch
1/13/2023 3:01:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The Montana State men’s basketball team puts its three-game win streak on the line against double-double machine Dillon Jones and the Weber State Wildcats.
BOZEMAN, Mont. – The Montana State men's basketball team puts its three-game win streak on the line as it hosts Weber State on Saturday, Jan. 14 at 4 p.m. in Worthington Arena.
The matchup, which will be livestreamed on ESPN+ and SWX Sports, is also MSU's Youth in Sports game. Attendance for children wearing youth sports jerseys will get in for $5. All live stream, live stats and ticketing links can be found on the Montana State men's basketball team's schedule page on msubobcats.com.
Saturday afternoon will be a rematch of last year's Big Sky Conference semifinals, in which Montana State (11-7, 4-1 Big Sky) edged out Weber State (8-9, 3-1 Big Sky) after the Wildcats led for nearly the entire game. RaeQuan Battle led the way for MSU in the 69-66 win with 17 points — 13 of which came on free-throws.
Weber State is one of three Big Sky teams Montana State does not have the edge over in the all-time series. Yet for the first time in 16 years, the two teams will square off without longtime Weber State head coach Randy Rahe on the sidelines. Rahe's assistant Eric Duft took over for the former longest-tenured Big Sky coach, who retired last spring.
Additionally, the game will reunite Weber State assistant coach Dan Russell with his former fellow Montana State coaches Danny Sprinkle and Chris Haslam. Russell was an assistant coach for three years, including last year's Big Sky Championship-winning team, before taking the job at Weber State this summer.
Montana State is coming off a big 81-68 win over Idaho State on Thursday night, in which the Bobcats handed the Bengals their first loss in league play. Boosted by a bevy of dunks, RaeQuan Battle led all scorers with 19 points, while Darius Brown II added 18 points (on 6-for-10 shooting) and four steals. Jubrile Belo finished with 16 points and a game-high eight rebounds, while also going 8-for-9 from the charity stripe.
For the third-straight game, the Bobcat defense put the clamps on another one of the Big Sky's top scorers. This time the victim was Brock Mackenzie, who came into the game averaging 14.1 points per game, but only managed four points on 2-for-6 shooting. As a team, MSU ranks first in Big Sky play by allowing a mere 61.2 points per game on 39.5% field goal shooting.
However, the Bobcats will have one of their toughest individual tests yet, as the Wildcats boast one of the conference's best players in Dillon Jones. The sophomore forward is averaging 16.3 point and 15.1 per game in conference play, plus he is sixth in the nation with nine double-doubles. He posted his ninth double-double of the year against the Griz with 17 points and a career-high 21 rebounds.
The Wildcats are coming off of a 59-57 win at Montana on Thursday, in which Wildcats won in thrilling fashion on the final possession. Montana's inbounder slipped on the baseline and threw a weak pass, which found its way to Steven Verplancken, who sank a three with one second left. The win was Weber State's closest of the conference season, as the team's previous three games have been determined by nine points or less.
A quick turnaround awaits the Bobcats after Saturday's game, as they travel to Moscow, Idaho for a 7 p.m. MT game against the Idaho Vandals. All Big Sky games are livestreamed on ESPN+.
The matchup, which will be livestreamed on ESPN+ and SWX Sports, is also MSU's Youth in Sports game. Attendance for children wearing youth sports jerseys will get in for $5. All live stream, live stats and ticketing links can be found on the Montana State men's basketball team's schedule page on msubobcats.com.
Saturday afternoon will be a rematch of last year's Big Sky Conference semifinals, in which Montana State (11-7, 4-1 Big Sky) edged out Weber State (8-9, 3-1 Big Sky) after the Wildcats led for nearly the entire game. RaeQuan Battle led the way for MSU in the 69-66 win with 17 points — 13 of which came on free-throws.
Weber State is one of three Big Sky teams Montana State does not have the edge over in the all-time series. Yet for the first time in 16 years, the two teams will square off without longtime Weber State head coach Randy Rahe on the sidelines. Rahe's assistant Eric Duft took over for the former longest-tenured Big Sky coach, who retired last spring.
Additionally, the game will reunite Weber State assistant coach Dan Russell with his former fellow Montana State coaches Danny Sprinkle and Chris Haslam. Russell was an assistant coach for three years, including last year's Big Sky Championship-winning team, before taking the job at Weber State this summer.
Montana State is coming off a big 81-68 win over Idaho State on Thursday night, in which the Bobcats handed the Bengals their first loss in league play. Boosted by a bevy of dunks, RaeQuan Battle led all scorers with 19 points, while Darius Brown II added 18 points (on 6-for-10 shooting) and four steals. Jubrile Belo finished with 16 points and a game-high eight rebounds, while also going 8-for-9 from the charity stripe.
For the third-straight game, the Bobcat defense put the clamps on another one of the Big Sky's top scorers. This time the victim was Brock Mackenzie, who came into the game averaging 14.1 points per game, but only managed four points on 2-for-6 shooting. As a team, MSU ranks first in Big Sky play by allowing a mere 61.2 points per game on 39.5% field goal shooting.
However, the Bobcats will have one of their toughest individual tests yet, as the Wildcats boast one of the conference's best players in Dillon Jones. The sophomore forward is averaging 16.3 point and 15.1 per game in conference play, plus he is sixth in the nation with nine double-doubles. He posted his ninth double-double of the year against the Griz with 17 points and a career-high 21 rebounds.
The Wildcats are coming off of a 59-57 win at Montana on Thursday, in which Wildcats won in thrilling fashion on the final possession. Montana's inbounder slipped on the baseline and threw a weak pass, which found its way to Steven Verplancken, who sank a three with one second left. The win was Weber State's closest of the conference season, as the team's previous three games have been determined by nine points or less.
A quick turnaround awaits the Bobcats after Saturday's game, as they travel to Moscow, Idaho for a 7 p.m. MT game against the Idaho Vandals. All Big Sky games are livestreamed on ESPN+.
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