Montana State erases first-half deficit to beat Sacramento State

(Editor’s Word: Montana State Press Launch)

Montana State overcame a 17-point first-half deficit behind gritty protection and 62.5% capturing to put up a 61-60 come-from-behind victory over Sacramento State on Saturday afternoon in Worthington Area in entrance of two,148 followers.

Montana State’s (15-7, 8-2) Kola Dangerous Bear transformed a layup with 2 minutes, 37-seconds remaining, which ended MSU’s scoring. Sacramento State’s (15-5, 6-3) Kahlaijah Dean closed the margin to 61-60 with slightly below two minutes left following a one-of-two effort from the road. It could be the Hornets’ final level, as nicely.

Down the stretch, Montana State did not put up a shot turning the ball over twice on offensive foul calls. Sacramento State had 4 alternatives within the last one minute, 16-seconds to take the lead. With 18-seconds left, Dean’s jumper missed the mark, however Solape Amusan corralled the offensive rebound. Following a Hornet timeout with 10.1-seconds left, Dean labored the ball to the proper wing and penetrated however was met by three Bobcat gamers and her off-balanced shot on the buzzer missed the mark and Dangerous Bear pulled down her team-high sixth rebound.

“In that final timeout I advised our youngsters they wanted one cease,” mentioned MSU head coach Tricia Binford. “We would have liked to actually contest the shot and make it as robust as doable. When Dean penetrated our youngsters did an excellent job plugging issues up and we received the cease we wanted.”

The Bobcats had hassle getting any stops within the first half as Sacramento State took an early 19-2 lead following an Amusan three-pointer. The Hornets linked on seven-of-nine from past the arc within the first quarter to take a 25-13 lead heading into the second body. The Bobcats chipped the margin to 31-23 on a three-point play by Darian White. The Hornets completed out the interval with 5 unanswered factors to take a 36-23 lead into intermission.

“Sacramento State did a fantastic job capitalizing on our errors within the first half,” Binford mentioned. “At halftime, we talked about slicing executed on our errors and controlling the controllables. We modified up our protection within the second half and centered on chipping away on the lead and growing our ball stress.

“The group did a fantastic job giving us the power we wanted down the stretch,” Binford added. “I hope they noticed the toughness this workforce possesses. I’m pleased with our second half effort.”

Montana State opened the second half on 10-0 run to drag inside 36-33 following a Taylor Janssen triple. The Hornets held a three-point benefit heading into the ultimate quarter.

After trailing for 34 minutes, 28 seconds, MSU took its first lead on a pair of Leia Beattie free throws on the 5:32 mark. The lead modified fingers twice with Dangerous Bears’ basket with 2:37 left finally securing the Bobcat win.

Dangerous Bear completed with 17 factors on seven-of-11 from the sector. The Billings Senior product recorded 11 second half factors. Additionally in double-digit was White with 13 factors. She additionally chipped in 5 rebounds, 4 assists and three steals. Beattie got here off the bench to document 9 factors, together with a pair of 3-pointers.

For the sport, MSU shot 42.3% from the sector, whereas holding Sacramento State to 31.6%. The Bobcats shut the door on the Hornets within the last body limiting Sac State to three-of-20 from the ground. MSU outscored the Hornets 30-8 within the paint. Sacramento State held a 36-34 edge in rebounding.

Dean paced the Hornets with a game-high 28 factors, whereas Amusan added 18 factors, all coming from three-point distance.

The 17-point deficit was the most important margin a Binford coached workforce has ever come again from in her 18-years on the Bobcat sideline. MSU sits alone atop of the Large Sky standings, 1 ½ video games forward of Sacramento State.

MSU performs at Northern Arizona subsequent Thursday evening.