RaeQuan Battle’s career night helps Montana State avoid deja vu loss

Some coaches may’ve used that ladies’s comeback as motivation, a reminder that no lead is secure. MSU head males’s coach Danny Sprinkle just isn’t a type of coaches.

“We don’t discuss that,” Sprinkle instructed 406mtsports.com over the telephone after Saturday’s sport. “We attempt to hold it optimistic.”

Sac State almost destroyed these optimistic vibes, however MSU (15-8, 8-2) held off the Hornets (12-10, 5-4) for a 72-65 win Saturday evening in Sacramento, California. A profession evening from RaeQuan Battle and a gutsy efficiency from Jubrile Belo helped the Bobcats grow to be the primary staff to win at Sac State’s “Nest” health club in 11 tries, relationship again to final February.

“This can be a exhausting place to play,” Sprinkle mentioned. “Coach (David) Patrick does an unbelievable job. They’re disciplined. They’re powerful. So it is a heck of a win.”

After falling behind 9-4, MSU outscored Sac State 27-5 over the subsequent 9 minutes. “Lively palms” contributed closely to that run, Sprinkle mentioned.

“Throughout that span, we did an incredible job of getting stops and changing on the opposite finish,” Sprinkle added.

Just like the MSU ladies, the Hornets whittled away on the deficit and entered halftime down 37-27.

Sac State’s comeback was extra of a snowstorm than an avalanche. The Hornets minimize the margin to single digits lower than two minutes into the second half, however they trailed by 11 factors a pair minutes later. They pulled inside 5 factors on the 13-minute, 41-second mark, then watched Battle drain a extremely contested 3-pointer to place the Cats up eight.

Across the 10-minute mark, Sac State minimize the deficit to 51-48 — the primary one-possession margin since 14-11. MSU responded with an 8-2 run, however the Hornets answered with a 13-5 run. That made it 64-63 MSU with 1:58 left.

“Sac State’s actually good. They’re bodily. They play like us. They’ve bought nice put up guys. They’re athletic. Their guards are sturdy. They drive the ball downhill,” Sprinkle mentioned, including, “They do an incredible job making you make photographs.”

Battle served as a snowblower the primary 38 minutes. The 6-foot-5 junior grew to become a snow plow within the final two, scoring the ultimate 10 of MSU’s factors. None have been larger than the pair he poured in on an acrobatic scoop layup with 42 seconds left to place the Cats up 68-63.

Battle’s closing 4 factors fittingly got here on free throws. The Washington switch drilled all 12 of his foul photographs. He additionally shot 9 of 18 from the sphere and a couple of of three from 3-point vary for a complete of 32 factors, a brand new profession excessive (his earlier excessive was 30 at North Dakota on Nov. 20).

“RaeQuan was great,” Sprinkle mentioned, including, “When he will get going, he can elevate over anyone, and it’s actually exhausting to protect him.”

Sprinkle didn’t know till a number of hours earlier than Saturday’s sport if Belo would be capable to play. Within the first half of Thursday’s sport at Portland State, Belo tore the webbing between two of his fingers, inflicting him to overlook the remainder of the sport. He began Saturday’s sport however wanted heavy bandaging on his left hand.

Belo appeared comparatively regular at Sac State, however he was restricted to 18 minutes as a result of foul bother. He completed with six factors, three rebounds and three turnovers.

His plus-minus, nevertheless, was plus-15. Solely backup level guard Robert Ford III (+17) completed higher in that class, and Darius Brown II (+1) was the one starter to finish up within the optimistic (Battle was minus-2).

Plus-minus will be deceptive in single-game samples, however Belo’s influence was simple. The reigning Large Sky MVP and defensive participant of the 12 months completed with two blocks and three steals.

“His toughness was great,” Sprinkle mentioned, including, “He’s a warrior.”

Belo’s backup Nice Osobor was +9 with 13 factors (5 of 10 from the sphere) and 4 rebounds. Brown scored six factors on eight photographs however grabbed a team-high seven boards.

Benefits in turnovers (15 by Sac State, 9 by MSU), factors off turnovers (17-9 in MSU’s favor) and quick break factors (7-0 MSU) proved essential. So did the free throw disparity: 24 of 28 for MSU, 13 of 16 for Sac State.

The Cats will host Northern Arizona (6-16, 2-7) on Thursday. They beat the Lumberjacks 69-54 on Jan. 7 in Flagstaff, Arizona.