Bobcat basketball splits “Brawl of the Wild” homestand with rival Grizzlies

An age-old rivalry was rehashed once again this past Saturday as the MSU women’s and men’s basketball teams took on bitter adversary University of Montana UM at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively.

The first matchup in the newest “Brawl of the Wild” installment went the Bobcats' way, as the women’s team cruised to a decisive 98-66 win that set the program record for consecutive wins in a season with 18. That wasn’t the only record broken Saturday, as attendance for a women’s basketball game was at its highest in 15 years with a total of 4,120 fans coming out to show their support.

The Bobcats were led by senior Esmeralda Morales, who scored 28 points during her first “Brawl of the Wild” home game.

“Very blessed,” Morales said about the environment on Saturday. “I came here because [the Brawl of the Wild] was one of the reasons — the support, the community. I’m so happy that we’re having the season that we’re having and it shows that this community is behind us.”

The ‘Cats led wire-to-wire against the Lady Griz, and the fans’ energy reverberated throughout the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse multiple times throughout the game. None were bigger than the near half-court buzzer beater drained by guard Katelynn Martin that capped a Bobcat scoring barrage just before halftime.

“It was awesome,” Martin said. “Honestly, [it] makes you feel like all the work you put in was worth it, even if it was just a half-court shot or a little bit less than that, and I was really happy.”

It wasn’t just the more experienced players who showed out for MSU. Freshman guard Taylee Chirrick provided consistent production off the bench, ending with 13 points, five rebounds and three steals.

“I think it just kind of stems from when I go on the floor, I want to just do the best I can for my team,” Chirrick said.

The team is hitting its stride at a good time, with just three games remaining before the Big Sky Conference (BSC) Tournament on March 8-12 in Boise, Idaho. 

Saturday was not all perfect for the Bobcats as the Men’s team narrowly lost to the Griz 89-85. A valiant comeback fell just short, hampered by 13-24 free-throw shooting in the second half. 

Similar to the women’s contest, one team led for the entire game. Guard Kai Johnson’s 23 points paced UM — and all five Griz starters scored at least 12 points.

“They’ve been really balanced all year long,” men’s basketball Head Coach Matt Logie said. “I think when you’ve got three perimeter scorers that are capable of going for 15 or 20 points any given night — and Brandon Whitney, who has been in the program for so long and really understands time and game management — that allows them to be really, really efficient offensively.”

Even in the loss, which ended the Bobcats’ bid for a three-game win streak, there were bright spots for the men’s team off the bench. Guards Patrick McMahon and Jabe Mullins scored 22 and 17 points, respectively, with McMahon’s point total leading all Bobcats in Saturday night’s contest.

“I was just trying to play my game and be confident, be aggressive and just get to my spot,” McMahon said. “[I was] just trusting all the work I put in the last two years and just spent on my game.”

Meanwhile, Mullins’ scoring output was notable because he scored just two points against the Griz in Missoula last month. The performance was also Mullins’ fifth straight game scoring 16 or more points.

“I only got a few more games left in my career, so I just want to end on a high note,” Mullins said, describing his play as of late. “I credit Coach [Logie] a lot too, for moving me off the ball — just putting me more into a scorers mentality.” 

The men’s team will need to find answers quickly, as their season also has three games remaining before the BSC tournament.

Although Bobcat fans might not be fully satisfied with the outcome of Saturday’s games, women’s Head Coach Tricia Binford noted that it’s still important to show support for the teams. 

“Just come watch,” she said. “We need you as loud as possible and that den needs to be filled by you.”

To learn more about MSU basketball or find out how you can attend a game, visit its website at https://msubobcats.com/.