Montana State drops Eastern Washington in regular season finale

(Editor’s Word: Montana State Press Launch.)

CHENEY, Wash. — Clutch offensive rebounds, and large photographs from Darius Brown II helped the Montana State males’s basketball group spoil Japanese Washington’s senior night time by profitable 79-74 throughout the regular-season finale on Monday night time.

In a season marked by important convention wins, the Bobcats (22-9, 15-3 Massive Sky Convention) picked up one more in opposition to the Eagles (22-9, 16-2 Massive Sky Convention). Previous to Monday night time, MSU hadn’t gained at Reese Courtroom since Feb. 24, 2011.

The Bobcats solely trailed for 33 seconds early within the first half earlier than the offense kicked issues into gear and didn’t look again. MSU led by 13 at half, prolonged its result in 17 within the second half and weathered a 17-3 Japanese Washington run in a fast-paced, aggressive recreation between the convention’s prime two groups on an evening the place each groups may have rested with their prime two seeds secured. As an alternative, the groups delivered one of the crucial entertaining video games of convention play.

“That’s not our program and that’s not me,” Montana State head coach Danny Sprinkle informed the Bobcat Sports activities Radio Community. “If there’s a recreation and we’re sporting a Montana State jersey, we’re going to return out and compete for 40 minutes — I don’t care if it’s in a parking zone outdoors, or it’s in [Reese Court].”

Darius Brown II was certainly one of three Bobcats to complete in double-figures with 18 factors on 7-for-9 taking pictures — together with two backbreaking threes to beat the shot clock. He additionally completed with 4 assists, 5 rebounds and a steal. RaeQuan Battle carried the offense early by scoring 12 of his 16 factors within the first half, then Jubrile Belo added 16 factors — most of which got here within the second half to offset EWU’s comeback try. Moments after Brown II’s deep three beat the shot clock, Belo’s offensive rebound and put-back dunk over Casey Jones with 1:12 remaining put MSU up 75-69.

“We had some big-time performs,” Montana State head coach Danny Sprinkle informed Bobcat Sports activities Radio Community. “I assumed Jubrile Belo’s offensive rebound and dunk was large. You’ll be able to’t say sufficient about Darius Brown II — he was hoopin’.”

But the largest play down the stretch was an offensive rebound from Robert Ford III.

As MSU clung to a 75-71 lead with lower than a minute to go, Ford III swooped in to corral a missed Battle jumper, properly bolted previous the three-point line to reset the offense and was fouled with 28 seconds to play. He made each free throws to ice the sport, then was fouled with 12 seconds to play and sank these as nicely. Ford III completed with a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double off the bench with two steals and an help.

“Robert Ford III was the important thing to us profitable the sport,” Sprinkle mentioned. “I keep in mind watching Rob on movie when he was at Idaho State, and he singlehandedly gained the sport at Japanese Washington. I informed him, ‘You’re again in your component now. That is your fitness center tonight.’”

MSU would want every certainly one of Ford III’s factors and rebounds to fend off the Eagles, who got here into Monday’s recreation reeling from their first loss within the calendar yr on Saturday. The Bobcat protection helped preserve the league’s greatest protection in examine by forcing 12 turnovers, profitable the rebounding battle 29-25 and limiting the Eagles to only 19 three-point makes an attempt. EWU shot 51.9% from the sector, however MSU outdid them by connecting on 52.7% of its discipline targets and 87.5% of its free-throw makes an attempt.

Early within the first half, the Bobcat offense went blow-for-blow with the Eagles’ top-ranked unit. Locked in an in depth 8-6 recreation with 15:14 to play, the Bobcats went on a 12-2 run sparked by eight factors from Battle, who would outscore the Eagles as a group with 10 of MSU’s 20 factors because the Bobcats took a 20-8 lead halfway by means of the primary half. That lead ballooned to 16 off threes from Ford III and Brown II that bookended an alley-oop from Brown II to Belo that took the vitality out of the constructing. One other 6-0 run late helped MSU take a 36-21 lead with lower than three minutes to go, then Nick Gazelas’ elbow jumper with 40 seconds left capped off the MSU scoring within the first half.

Main 38-25 after the primary half, the Eagles went to their stars Steele Venters (23 factors) and Angelo Allegri (19 factors), who scored EWU’s first 11 factors of the second half. One other prolonged run from Brown II, Belo and two extra threes from the Bobcat backcourt helped MSU push its result in 17 with 12:56 to play. Though backup heart Dane Erikstrup helped the Eagles chip away on the lead, back-to-back buckets from Gazelas and Nice Osobor put MSU again up 66-51 with 9:55 remaining.

MSU must climate another comeback try from the Eagles. Japanese Washington took benefit of turnovers and empty Bobcat possessions, then caught fireplace from past the arc as they went on a 15-2 run over the following 5 minutes and 21 seconds to make the rating 66-62. Because the Eagle crowd received again into the sport, MSU stopped the run with a pair of Battle free throws, then Belo’s layup off an inbounds play helped make it a two-possession recreation with 3:43 remaining.

“We had been shifting the ball very well for almost all of the sport,” Sprinkle mentioned. “There was a three-minute stretch within the second half the place we had been stagnant, however give the blokes credit score. Japanese Washington is admittedly robust on the rim.”

Japanese Washington would minimize MSU’s result in three, 70-67, with 2:39 to play, however Brown II’s shot-clock-beating three from in entrance of MSU’s bench, then Belo’s second-chance dunk helped put the sport out of attain. Ford III’s offensive rebound and 4 straight free throws sealed the deal on the 79-74 win.

From right here, MSU will journey to Boise, Idaho for the Massive Sky Convention Match, held on the Idaho Central Area beginning Sunday, March 5 at 8 p.m. The two-seed Bobcats will play the winner of the 7-seed Portland State and 8-seed Northern Colorado.

“We’re excited for the Massive Sky match,” Sprinkle mentioned. “We have now to relaxation up, get the blokes off their legs and get some remedy. We’ll be able to rock and roll Sunday at 8.”