Cat-Griz week!!

[mslacatfan]

Well, in other news... it’s cat-griz week!

The men’s team is 6-0 in conference play, and off to the best start in as long as I can remember. Great team this year, and really fun to watch!

The Lady Cats and griz are both 4-2 in conference play, big games! Cats have a super young, but talented team, and are as competitive as ever.

Let’s get some wins, and forget about all this football crap for a couple days! Go Cats!

[BobcatDel]

I agree. Go Cats!

Since returning to the state after my 40 year hiatus, I don’t remember the men’s team being on top of the conference and ranked higher than the Griz. Been awhile.

Lots of intrigue on the women’s side. Both teams at 4-2 in conference and ranked 3rd. I’ll give Petrino a lot of credit at UM with the coaching change and the loss of players following last season. I didn’t expect them to be this competitive....but he surely has pulled them together and has them playing well. Good job! And the Lady Cats after losing 5 seniors on one of perhaps the best Cat WBB team ever and returning this year with only 1 senior. Full of youth, growing stronger every weekend and playing competitive against conference opponents. The Lady Cats have Beattie and Deden....both of their mom’s were Griz stars...so who is mom going to root for....must be torn??!

A sweep by either team sets them up to be in a strong position to vie for a 3rd place finish or maybe 2nd if Idaho (6-2 in conference) stumbles in conference play. They control their destiny. Both Montana and Montana State have to go through Idaho State (10-0) and Idaho late in the season....Montana State gets 3 of the 4 games at home while Montana gets 2 of them at home. But don’t discount Eastern Washington yet who are setting at 4-4 and both teams have them on the schedule.

Love to see Lady Cats setting at 6-2 after this weekend. Great matchup.

[rivercat]

In regards to the Lady Cats, if SUU hadn't cancelled on both the Lady Cats and lady griz, there's a good chance both teams are tied with Idaho at 6-2. I think Idaho State is definitely the top team right now but none of these 4 have played each other yet. A Cat/griz sweep would be a great springboard into the second half of the season. Having watched both teams, if Lady Cats play like they did against NAU, they most likely will sweep um.

[BelgradeBobcat]

The best women's team we've ever had still had to pull a rabbit out the hat to beat the LG in overtime in Missoula last year. We never play well up there...but there are no fans. The atmosphere is very different. I think we have a shot. I don't think they have anyone who can handle Darian White, but they are pretty strong inside. And the game in Bozeman...will probably go better for the Bobcats. A sweep is possible for either team. The split is most likely with each team winning on their home floor.

As for the men. If Jubrile Belo has two fouls before the first TV timeout-just change the channel-it ain't getting any better. I don't know much about their team, but some kid off the bench will hit everything he throws up. I just don't ever expect good things to happen against them.

[Griz__00]

Alright, well the “troll” has come to a bit of a realization about this years team. It’s a simple one. Experience in college basketball is an absolute must.
The difference between us and you guys this year is you are lead by savvy vets, while we are lead by a bunch of freshman getting their first taste of ball. This shows directly in how we play. Almost every single game, we jump out to a big lead, look like we are about to blow them out of the gym, and then choke. From what I’ve seen, when the Cats get a lead, they play like you’d expect from a well coached veteran team.
I’d guess this series ends in a split, but would not be shocked in the slightest if you guys sweep us for the first time in quite a while.

As far as individual play goes, Brandon Whitney is easily our best player as a freshman, and is averaging 21 PPG over his last 3 games. He’s also a very good defender. Him and Bishop should be a good matchup.

[grizzh8r]

Alright, well the “troll” has come to a bit of a realization about this years team. It’s a simple one. Experience in college basketball is an absolute must.
The difference between us and you guys this year is you are lead by savvy vets, while we are lead by a bunch of freshman getting their first taste of ball. This shows directly in how we play. Almost every single game, we jump out to a big lead, look like we are about to blow them out of the gym, and then choke. From what I’ve seen, when the Cats get a lead, they play like you’d expect from a well coached veteran team.
I’d guess this series ends in a split, but would not be shocked in the slightest if you guys sweep us for the first time in quite a while.

As far as individual play goes, Brandon Whitney is easily our best player as a freshman, and is averaging 21 PPG over his last 3 games. He’s also a very good defender. Him and Bishop should be a good matchup.

This is why I'm already looking forward to NEXT year's MBB season. The 2022 NCAA Tournament has a chance to be one of the most competitive and exciting in recent memory, with basically every low and mid-major team returning all players from this season, if they so choose. I'd imagine it will be less "Chalk" than ever before.

[Catfanatic84]

Looking forward to this weekend...been awhile since the MBB was this competitive to the Griz. Lady Cats are growing and improving by the day...I'm thinking all 4 games are coin flips....should be fun!

[BobcatDel]

WBB Griz up 10-9. Not sure we can shoot any worse.

But strong D.

[BobcatDel]

Mocchi having another good 1st half.

[BobcatDel]

Cats up 30-20 at half

Solid solid solid D.

[BobcatDel]

4 treys in a row by Martell!!!!

[BobcatDel]

Cats up 49-28 at Q3!

[BobcatDel]

Holding UM to 9 points per Q. Wow.

[BobcatDel]

UM has a strong inside game with GFeller and Andersen but the Cats are really staying with them....holding our own on the boards.

[BobcatDel]

Griz have averaged over 71 ppg and are 4th in conference. Cats holding them 25 points under season average!

Is this a freshman team??!!!

[BobcatDel]

Nice that parents were able to attend!!

[BobcatDel]

Youthful teams nearly always get better as the season progresses.
And this team is showing that every week.

[bpcats20]

Looking at the beginning of a dominant program I think...

[Bobcat4Ever]

Griz have averaged over 71 ppg and are 4th in conference. Cats holding them 25 points under season average!

Is this a freshman team??!!!

I looked at the NCAA team age stats and, while we are tied with three others to one decimal place, we are listed as 1. Montana State which means we are truly the nation’s youngest. Just wait until they get a little seasoning. For the last minute when Trish cleared the bench we had a sophomore and a redshirt freshman and a freshman who could probably walk on at a majority of Big Sky teams. The depth is amazing and that’s what will win games. As they get more seasoning, this should be fun to watch.

[BobcatDel]

Mocchi...nearly a double double

12pts / 9 rebounds. / 3 steals / 2 blocks

+19 when she was on the court!!!!

Tori smokes with 18 and had a couple good drives to go with 4 treys