What to expect from Bobcat Hoops

As the first freezes of winter begin to take hold of campus and the football season enters its closing chapters, a new form of anticipation has begun to take hold of Montana State sports fans: Basketball is coming.

The MSU Men’s Basketball team had a very strong showing in the 2021-22 season, winning the Big Sky Conference and earning a spot in the NCAA D1 championship tournament.

Despite the season ending in the first round of the “big dance” with a 35-point rout at the hands of Texas Tech, who made it as far as the Sweet 16, it was still a wildly successful year for the Cats.

They secured the Conference Championship with a 87-66 win over Northern Colorado, which represented the team’s first such conference tournament win since 1996. This was also their third championship in school history since the inception of the Big Sky Tournament in 1976.

The Cats were also third in average attendance per game, coming in behind Weber State and U of M, respectively.

Heading into the new season, the Bobcats are heavy favorites to once again sit on the Big Sky throne. A pair of contests against ranked opponents Oregon and Arizona stand out as must-watch games on the schedule. These games will serve as good indicators for how the Cats can perform on the national level. While a final four appearance may not be in the cards this season, it’s not completely outlandish to picture the Cats winning a tournament match-up or two in the coming months.

The Cats are led by senior Jubrile Belo, the reigning Conference MVP and 2022 defensive player of the year. The forward from London, England, led the team with 1.3 blocks per game, while also being second on the squad in PPG (14.0), and rebounds per game (5.9). Belo is undoubtedly looking to have back-to-back MVP caliber seasons, and all signs point toward his being able to do so.

Despite the loss of regular starters Amin Adamu, Xavier Bishop, and Abdul Mohamed, the team does not appear to be any weaker than last year. One player to watch for is Sophomore forward Great Osobor. Osobor appeared in all 35 games during his freshman year in 2021-22 and had flashes of brilliance in a limited role coming off the bench. In this season’s opening loss to Grand Canyon, Osobor led the team’s scoring with 11 points while playing only 16 minutes. Look for Osobor to break out in a big way as the season ramps up.

Bobcat fans shouldn’t be dissuaded by the dropped season opener. GCU is a strong opponent, and the team is only getting started. The prospect of the coming season is an exciting one, and it should prove to be a landmark test for the current era of Bobcat basketball.

Exponent Prediction: The Cats continue to make strides forward and firmly establish themselves as the team to beat in the Big Sky Conference. They repeat as champions in the conference, and break through to the second round of the big dance. Overall Regular Season Record: 27-7.

The 2021-22 Women’s Basketball season ended last March with a 78-37 loss in the first round of the NCAA tournament. They were quickly defeated by Stanford, a team currently ranked number two in the country according to an AP poll. The disheartening loss led many to question what might’ve happened if fate would have matched the Cats up against a weaker team, if chance would have permitted them to keep their seat at the table a little while longer. Well, the time for wondering what could have been is over. A new season of hoops is upon us, and it’s time again for the team to focus forward.

The Cats have a slate of 31 regular season games ahead of them, a schedule that features a variety of intriguing matchups. South Dakota State and LSU are both currently ranked, and will face off against the Cats before the new year. Coming much sooner, however, is the Cats’ contest against a BYU team trying to find a foothold with which to climb into top 25 consideration.

The Cats had some struggles last year outside of the Big Sky conference, especially against tougher opponents. They suffered 22 and 29 point losses against BYU and South Dakota State, respectively. They were able to keep their heads above water by posting an 8-7 out of conference record.

Improving on this record in the upcoming season is a key stepping stone to potentially securing a higher seed by the time March Madness rolls around, should the Cats secure another berth. On the national level, facing a weaker team out of the gate would be huge for the team..

As far as the in-conference campaign goes, the Cats are looking to defend their Big Sky title. Last year, Idaho State took home the regular season honors, but MSU prevailed in the Big Sky tournament with a big win over Northern Arizona. While repeating isn’t a guarantee, MSU’s chances look decent. Especially when star point guard Darian White is taken into consideration.

The senior from Boise is certain to be a big factor in the team’s success. The First-Team All Big Sky Conference honoree was the team’s leader in scoring, assists, and steals. Despite her smaller frame, she was also able to pull in the second most-rebounds for the Cats, with 4.9 per game. White was a huge difference maker on both sides of the court, carrying the offense with her elite scoring ability and simultaneously leading the Big Sky in steals.

Interestingly enough, the MSU backcourt looks to be even scarier to its opponents, thanks to the addition of University of Washington transfer Grace Beasley. In the season’s opening contest, Beasley went 7-9 from the field, going for a team high 17 points.

Depending on how the team combines the talents of both White and Beasy, MSU may create an offensive powerhouse.

This season for the Cats looks like the kind of year you point to down the road as a turning point. Which way the chips fall remains to be seen, but in terms of the program’s overall momentum, the next six months could be huge.

Exponent Prediction: The Bobcat ship remains steady. No huge steps are taken, but the groundwork for future progress is firmly laid. The Cats will claim another Big Sky title, but fall in the first round of the tournament. Overall Regular Season Record: 21-13.