Cats and Griz split series sweeps

With the basketball season nearing its end, the Cats journeyed over the mountain to face the University of Montana in the second Brawl of the Wild double-header. Each team went into the game with high aspirations looking to bump their positioning in the standings with the conference tournament looming. The MSU women’s team defeated the Griz back on Feb. 2 by 22 points. The Griz men were able to sneak by the Cats by only a five-point margin.

Women’s

The women’s team kicked off the double-header at 2 p.m. With standout senior forward Claire Lundberg out with a torn ACL, the Cats were in for a battle. In a game that featured six lead changes and three minutes of tied game, the Bobcats distanced themselves at the free throw line. Junior guard Oliana Squires found her way to the line plenty of times throughout — shooting 11 for 12 from the charity stripe. Squires also led the Cats with 18 points boosting the Cats to a 75-71 win, sealing the sweep and the Brawl of the Wild series victory.

The Cats shot an impressive 90 percent from the free-throw line hitting 19 of 21 attempts. The lights were lit on Montana Hall throughout the weekend to celebrate the victory.

Next up

The Cats travel to Flagstaff, Arizona on Saturday, March 2 for their next game against the University of Northern Arizona. They follow this up with a trip to Cedar City, Utah to face the Southern Utah Thunderbirds. The Cats own a 14-12 overall record with a 9-7 conference record good for fifth in the standings.

Men’s

The men’s team closed out the double header with the tip-off at 7 p.m. The Cats have hovered near the top three of the conference but have been unable to break the threshold. A win against league leading University of Montana had the potential to kickstart the Cats through the rest of the season and Big Sky Conference tournament.

In the end, the Griz pulled off an 89-83 victory over the Cats. Senior guard Tyler Hall led the way for the Cats with 23 points to add to his Big Sky Conference all-time record. Senior forward Keljin Blevins added 20.

Next up

The Cats stay home with games against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks and Southern Utah Thunderbirds on March 2 and 4, respectively. The Cats own a 12-14 overall record  (9-7 in conference) good for fourth in the standings.