Bobcats control the court during Brawl of the Wild basketball

MSU basketball triumphed over the University of Montana (UM) Grizzlies during Saturday night’s Brawl of the Wild games.

The double header took place on Jan. 17 in the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse. Both men’s and women’s basketball took the court, with the men’s team winning 76-67 and the women’s team 82-44.

The men’s team is now 10-8 overall and 4-1 in the Big Sky Conference (BSC), leaving them ranked second just behind Portland State.

During the men’s game, the Grizzlies took off in the first half with an 8-0 run to take a 12-4 lead. MSU clawed back at UM, ending the half on a 9-2 run.

Point guard Seth Amunrud hit a buzzer beater to secure the Bobcats’ first lead since the beginning of the half, bringing the score to 32-31.

MSU shot 41.7 percent overall and 45 percent on three-pointers. The Griz shot better in the first half but couldn't keep their momentum in the second. The Bobcats won the rebounding battle 36-30, secured 15 turnovers and grabbed 10 steals from UM.

In the second half, MSU came out strong with a 15-2 lead at the beginning of the third quarter. The ‘Cats stretched their lead at the end of the third to 38-31. They maintained steady momentum throughout the half, extending their lead to 13 points (49-36).

With three minutes left in the half, point guard Jeremiah Davis scored five straight points to maintain MSU’s lead. The ‘Cats secured the half, making 10 out of 11 free throws and taking the win against the Grizzlies.

“These games come down to performances," said UM Head Coach Travis DeCuire. "You can't beat a team when you turn the ball over 15 times. We gave them way too many offensive opportunities. We were playing well enough early in the first half to build a really good lead, we just gave the ball away too many times."

“I thought our guys really stepped up to the challenge of what this game means to everybody involved, so really proud of our effort," said MSU Head Coach Matt Logie.

MSU finished the game with several season highlights. Point guard Davian Brown led the ‘Cats with 24 points and Davis followed in second with 13.

“What a day to be a Bobcat,” Logie said. “The environment today was just off the charts. The energy that our fans brought to this building today and that they have all year when we've had the privilege of playing at home really carried us today.”

The women’s team had a dominant night, forcing 32 turnovers from the Griz and out-rebounding them 37-31.

The first quarter featured a striking lead for the Bobcats, ending in a 21-7 score. The ‘Cats outscored the Griz in all four quarters. MSU held a 34 shooting percentage over UM overall and 25 percent at the three-point range.

“We couldn't have asked for a better start," said MSU Head Coach Tricia Binford. "We set the tone with our defense."

Bobcat guard Jamison Philip led the scoreboard with a career-high 21 points. Guard Taylee Chirrick scored 19 and guard Isobel Bunyan 11. None of the Griz players scored points within the double digits.

"At halftime, it was just Coach Bin saying, 'Hey, we've got to step it up,'" Chirrick said. "The result was a 17-2 run to open the third quarter and a lead that doubled from 15 points at the period's onset to 30 at its close.”

The women’s team is now 12-4 overall and 5-0 in the BSC.

The men’s and women’s team return to the court on Jan. 29 against Portland State at the Viking Arena. To learn more, visit https://msubobcats.com/sports/mens-basketball or https://msubobcats.com/sports/womens-basketball.