SPORTS

Bobcats end 13-game losing streak to Grizzlies

Tribune Staff

BOZEMAN - Sensational sophomore guard Tyler Hall scored 37 points as the Montana State men’s basketball team ended a 13-game losing streak to the rival Montana Grizzlies with a 78-69 triumph here Saturday night in a Big Sky Conference game.

Hall broke the Bobcat single-season scoring record with his performance. He was 11-for-13 from the field, including six for eight from 3-point range, and shot 9-for-11 from the foul line.

Zach Green added 12 points for Montana State, which improved to 10-6 in Big Sky play and 15-14 overall.

The Bobcats prevailed before a crowd of 6,772, the largest gathering at Brick Breeden Fieldhouse in years.

Montana fell to 9-7 and 14-15. The Grizzlies, who defeated the Bobcats earlier this month in Missoula, had swept the Cats for six years in a row.

Hall was clearly the difference.

“They were shots,” MSU’s record-setting sophomore said, “but my teammates put me in that position. I just knocked down some shots, but it was our defense, really. We can talk about points or whatever, but our defense in the second half allowed us to extend the lead.”

The Cats held Montana to 41.8 percent shooting on the night, and 37 percent after halftime. Perhaps more significantly, MSU finished 24-for-35 from the line while Montana was 18-for-26, and MSU our-rebounded the Grizzlies 38-to-30.

“They’re a tough, hard-nosed, physical, well-coached team,” said Bobcat coach Brian Fish. “I thought we played tough tonight, and that’s an area we’ve made major improvement in. We know we had to be tough on the boards and guard them without fouling.”

Ahmad Rorie led the Grizzlies of coach Travis DeCuire with 19 points.

The Griz led much of the first half and took a 32-31 advantage to intermission. But Montana State’s Hall proved too formidable to stop down the stretch. The Illinois native had six rebounds for the Bobcats, who out-boarded the Grizzlies 38-30.

Sam Neumann scored seven points for the Bobcats of coach Brian Fish. Freshman point guard Harald Frey contributed six points.

For the Grizzlies, Fabijan Krslovic had 12 points and six rebounds. Michael Oguine and Bobby Moorehead each had eight points.

MSU (14-14, 9-6 Big Sky)

Michael Oguine 3-6 2-5 8, Ahmaad Rorie 7-18 4-4 19, Fabijan Krslovic 2-3 8-9 12, Bobby Moorehead 3-6 0-0 8, Jack Lopez 1-4 1-2 3, Sayeed Pridgett 3-5 0-0 6, Walter Wright 1-7 2-4 4, Jared Samuelson 1-4 1-2 3, Brandon Gfeller 2-2 0-0 6. Totals 23-55 18-26 69.

MONTANA STATE (14-14, 9-6 BIG SKY)

Zach Green 4-7 4-5 12, Tyler Hall 11-13 9-11 37, Sam Neumann 1-2 5-5 7, Harald Frey 2-6 1-3 6, Devonte Klines 1-7 3-6 5, Joe Mvuezolo, Jr. 2-5 0-0 5, Benson Osayande 0-1 0-0 0, Quinton Everett 2-8 2-5 6. Totals 23-49 24-35 78.

Halftime: Montana 32-31. 3-pt FG: Montana 5-20 (Rorie 1-7, Moorehead 2-5, Lopez 0-3, Wright 0-3, Gfeller 2-2), MSU 8-22 (Hall 6-8, Neumann 0-1, Frey 1-4, Klines 0-1, Mvuezolo, Jr. 1-4, Everett 0-4). Rebounds: Montana 30 (Krslovic 6), MSU 38 (Green 10). Fouls: Montana 28, MSU 23. Fouled out: Moorehead, Lopez (Montana). Technical: none. Assists: Montana 9 (Oguine 3, Wright 3), MSU 10 (Green 2, Frey 2, Klines 2). Steals: Montana 3 (Oguine 2), MSU 5 (Klines 2). Blocked Shots: Montana 1 (Samuelson), MSU 2 (Green, Neumann). Turnovers: Montana 8, MSU 12. A: 6,772