By Danny Waldo
Looking like a team with the ability to earn their first league crown since the 2002-03 season, the Montana State Lady Bobcats welcome a struggling University of Montana to Brick Breeden Fieldhouse for the first round of the annual Brawl of the Wild on Saturday, January 30th. Montana State enters the contest having suffered their first conference loss of the season, on the road, at Eastern Washington back on January 21st. However, MSU bounced back nicely, earning a hard fought 62-59 defensive battle over Idaho to salvage a split. Montana State turned to its defense to get back into the win column versus the Idaho Vandals after giving up 81 points to the Eagles two nights prior, and it was a plan that was well executed. The Bobcats held Idaho to just 35% shooting for the game, including an icy 33% in the second half. The ‘Cats gave up just nine points in the decisive third quarter that saw Montana State turn a 36-32 halftime deficit into a 48-45 advantage heading into the final quarter, an advantage they were able to maintain over the final ten minutes to pick up the important road victory. But while MSU enters the Brawl of the Wild with the decided advantage in the league standings at 7-1, the 4-4 Grizzlies are not a team to be taken lightly.
UM pushed league-leading Eastern Washington to the brink before falling on a last-second buzzer beater, the same team that hammered MSU 81-69, and coach Robin Selvig always has his squad prepared for the state’s biggest women’s basketball game. Montana State ended their regular season last year with a 65-57 victory over the Grizzlies in front of the home crowd, and they would like nothing better than to pick up where they left off a season ago. Montana State is led offensively by Jasmine Hommes and Peyton Ferris who average 15.3 ppg and 13.9 ppg respectfully, while Montana counters with Kayleigh Valley and McCalle Feller who average 20.1 ppg and 17.7 ppg. MSU enters the contest averaging 73.7 points per game, while giving up just 60.7. For the Grizzlies, UM comes in scoring 68 points per game, while allowing opponents to score 62.4. Both teams are strong defensively meaning it could be a low-scoring affair. Tip-off for the women is at 2:00 p.m. at The Brick. For tickets or more information, log on to www.msubobcats.com. •
