PSU

[grizgirl]

You play them tonight. You know that, right?

[Weltercat]

Home game, gotta win most all of them.

[grizgirl]

Home game, gotta win most all of them.

Just surprised to come hear and not see anyone talking about it. Would be a huge win for you. Good luck with that.

[wbtfg]

PSU has looked tough in the first two conference games.

A sweep this weekend would be awesome!

[TomCat88]

It would really be a good win for MSU tonight. PSU is very good. NCU beat Weber last night 84-75 in Greeley.

[Weltercat]

PSU has a win over Portland this year and they were top 25 at the time. I suspect they will be very tough to beat even at home.

[BelgradeBobcat]

An importand weekend. PSU is very good again. I think a home sweep would go a long ways towards getting folks excited about basketball again...it's been too long.

[Gus]

They also lost to the Huskies 111 to 55...

[TomCat88]

Here are a few stats to ponder:

Scoring margin:
PSU -1.6
MSU +2.9
PSU is first in scoring offense, last in scoring defense; MSU is third in both.

FT %
PSU 75.5
MSU 68.4
PSU is first, MSU second to last.

Reb. margin:
PSU -3.2
MSU -5.5
PSU is seventh, MSU is ninth.

TO margin:
PSU -1.21
MSU +1.5

PSU is No. 1 in 3-pt%; MSU is No. 1 in 3-pt% allowed.

Those are the ones that jumped out at me. Looks like we can hang with these guys on the glass. The big job will be keeping their shooters under wraps. They league the league in scoring and they can shoot threes and make their FTs. MSU's defense at the guard positions is pretty solid, so that could be the big key.

[wbtfg]

Cats up by 9 at half! 43-34, i think.

[CelticCat]

I really like the way BJ is playing this year. He is taking it to the hole when he needs to, but he is shooting with confidence, and is rebounding surprisingly well. His defense is also pretty solid. He is playing very well right now, playing up to his potential that I thought he could after his freshman campaign.

[MSU01]

Cats win 77-71. Led by between 6 and 12 for much of the game, but a cold spell in the second half allowed PSU to tie it up a couple of times down the stretch. Much like against ISU, the Cats made the plays at the end to win it. Nice balanced scoring performance, I think Howard led the team with 18 and several others were in double figures.

[Weltercat]

Another very nice conference win, I think the cats are in first place.

[coachouert]

CATS WIN! CATS WIN! CATS WIN! CATS WIN! 77-71, sitting 4-1 in conference.

[BelgradeBobcat]

Great win Cats!

When Bobby Howard's first shot is a three and he hits it, and then he makes his first freethrow it looks like it's going to be a big night. Howard kept it up all 1st half-but he did cool off in the 2nd. However, Eric Rush became clutch down the stretch with a big three-and an awsome dunk-along with some crucial free throws.

Navarre and Bynum were their usual pesky selves on defense-both guys are having terrific senior seasons. Johnson got in foul trouble-but played well for the most part-though his outside shot left him in the second half.

PSU could be really good. Their point guard Waters is an amazing shooter. Fortunately, tonight they had a lot of turnovers.

We missed some layups, or couldn't get the layup to go when we were fouled-or else it could have gotten out of hand before halftime.

Nice sized crowd tonght-easily the biggest of the season so far.

[TomCat88]

PSU shot well from 3-land (11-23), but MSU forced 20 TOs. MSU made its FTs and PSU didn't do so well on the line 12-20. PSU by five in rebounds. So it isn't like PSU didn't show up. They did what they do for the most part, but MSU still wins. In 'grind-it-out' fashion.

MSU is, at the moment, in first place at 4-1. 1/2 game ahead of Weber and NCU.

It'll be interesting to see how PSU plays in Msla tomorrow night. Weber is at NAU and NCU is at ISU tomorrow as well. EWU will be hungry for a win in Bozeman on Sunday.

Women lost to PSU 69-62 after leading by 20 in the first half.

[TomCat88]

From MSU:

QUICK NOTES: Will Bynum recorded at least six steals for the third time in his career… PSU was 7-for-11 from three-point range in the first half, while the Bobcats were 6-for-8… PSU finished 11-for-23, MSU 9-for-20… Portland State’s 20 turnovers are the most forced by the Bobcats against a Division I opponent this season... Dominic Waters’ 24 points is the second-highest total scored against the bobcats this season (Luke Babbit of Nevada scored 26).

[GOKATS]

Great win for the Cats!!! Some of the best team play I've seen in a long time, these guys have a lot of potential. 4-1 and leading the BSC, need a sweep Sunday afternoon. Go Cats!!!!

[TomCat88]

Navarre and Bynum were their usual pesky selves on defense-both guys are having terrific senior seasons.

It seems like that is one of the biggest strengths of this team. Two guys out top that are top caliber defenders is a rare commodity (as long as they stay out of foul trouble). Teams are going to start sending their guards to the basket to see if they can draw fouls on those two before long. A +11 in turnovers makes up for a -5 in rebounds. Not too many coaches that won't take that any night.

[BelgradeBobcat]

Navarre and Bynum were their usual pesky selves on defense-both guys are having terrific senior seasons.

It seems like that is one of the biggest strengths of this team. Two guys out top that are top caliber defenders is a rare commodity (as long as they stay out of foul trouble). Teams are going to start sending their guards to the basket to see if they can draw fouls on those two before long. A +11 in turnovers makes up for a -5 in rebounds. Not too many coaches that won't take that any night.

Yep-they have to be careful. Bynum didn't pickup his first foul until very late in the game, but Navarre finished the game with 4. Navarre picked up a couple of fouls trying to get a sneaky steal as they inbounded-sometimes he does get it.

Bynum is fun to watch as he moves off the ball on defense. He's really crafty anticipating where the ball is going-and he's quick enough to get there. Loved his first half dunk-one of the best dunking guards we've ever had in my opinion.