WBB Brawl on Saturday

[84CatGrad]

Let's pack the Brick at 2 PM on Saturday. 'Cats are rolling having won five straight and are 4-0 in the Big Sky. Frizzz are on an opposite tack, losers of 4 straight, 0-4 in conference and 3-12 overall. Frizzzz are getting outscored 73-63 and outrebounded 44-32. Let's deliver a shellacking.

[MSU01]

Let's pack the Brick at 2 PM on Saturday. 'Cats are rolling having won five straight and are 4-0 in the Big Sky. Frizzz are on an opposite tack, losers of 4 straight, 0-4 in conference and 3-12 overall. Frizzzz are getting outscored 73-63 and outrebounded 44-32. Let's deliver a shellacking.

This one should be ugly on paper but MSU can sometimes be rather inconsistent with how it plays...case in point, needing a comeback to beat EWU in overtime this past Thursday but then destroying a better Idaho team by 33 on Saturday. Hopefully it will be a big crowd and everyone who goes to the football celebration at Bobcat Stadium will make their way over to the Brick for the basketball game!

[TheJoeGoldstone]

I'll be there and can't wait for another segment of an ongoing State Title. The Cats defense, like against EWU, will suffocate the gris even if the offense is off. In another thread, I quoted the gris points off the bench compared to ours and with this year's surprising gris team, I think our improved 2nd string would have better than a 50-50 shot of beating their starters.

[84CatGrad]

Let's pack the Brick at 2 PM on Saturday. 'Cats are rolling having won five straight and are 4-0 in the Big Sky. Frizzz are on an opposite tack, losers of 4 straight, 0-4 in conference and 3-12 overall. Frizzzz are getting outscored 73-63 and outrebounded 44-32. Let's deliver a shellacking.

This one should be ugly on paper but MSU can sometimes be rather inconsistent with how it plays...case in point, needing a comeback to beat EWU in overtime this past Thursday but then destroying a better Idaho team by 33 on Saturday. Hopefully it will be a big crowd and everyone who goes to the football celebration at Bobcat Stadium will make their way over to the Brick for the basketball game!

No more appropriate example of this than last year's games. We eke out a 67-66 win in Missoula, annihilate them 98-66 at home, then need Dykstra's miracle shot to win 58-57 in the Big Sky 'ship.

[lutecat]

The griz are with out their best player who's in a boot. Mack Konig. So it's going to be even worse for them. Look for Coach Bin to be playing alot of 2nd stringers early.

I will be there. Have my ticket to both games.

[CatRowdy]

The griz are with out their best player who's in a boot. Mack Konig. So it's going to be even worse for them. Look for Coach Bin to be playing alot of 2nd stringers early.

I will be there. Have my ticket to both games.

I don't know that I would count Konig out for Cat/griz. Whatever put her in a boot could have healed by then. Either way, I still see the Cats prevailing on Saturday. A solid week of prep and rest ought to make our girls feel better and bring their best game.

[AFCAT]

I’ll be there for the parade, stadium celebration, and the ladies game. Have to eat dinner after and drive home, so I’ll miss the men’s game.

[Bobcat4Ever]

I think our second string could beat them, if we could figure out who the second string is. Except for a few players falling behind due to injuries, Coach Bin is very near to position-less basketball and person-less basketball. Put any five on the court and get out of the way. It’s a very powerful concept because it can overcome a lot of obstacles — injuries, illness, an off night — just unplug one and put another in.

[rfischer94]

Colter said that Konig would be out "for the foreseeable future" on his show (I think Friday). He also mentioned that they very much love and die at the 3 point line. They don't have a post presence, so we just have to run them off the arc.

[BobcatDel]

Three games in six days coming up…including gris then Northern Colorado and Idaho State who are tied for second in conference play.

I’m just hoping we can get a substantial lead on gris and play reduced minutes across the roster so we can keep legs somewhat fresh through this span of games.

[aucat]

Well, talk about a tale of two games. The first half of the EWU game was literally about the worst half of basketball I have ever seen an MSU team play. They couldn't throw it in the ocean. Then they come out and play well enough to pull the game out. Two days later they played like an NCAA tournament team. It was one of the best games I have ever seen an MSU team play. If they play anywhere CLOSE to the game they played against Idaho yes, they will blow the gris out of the stadium. However, if they play like they did in the first half against EWU (scored 20 points in the first half,) then UM could win. I certainly don't expect that. I think the 40 minutes of fast paced play and relentless defense and pressing will make it very difficult for the gris.

[MSU01]

Well, talk about a tale of two games. The first half of the EWU game was literally about the worst half of basketball I have ever seen an MSU team play. They couldn't throw it in the ocean. Then they come out and play well enough to pull the game out. Two days later they played like an NCAA tournament team. It was one of the best games I have ever seen an MSU team play. If they play anywhere CLOSE to the game they played against Idaho yes, they will blow the gris out of the stadium. However, if they play like they did in the first half against EWU (scored 20 points in the first half,) then UM could win. I certainly don't expect that. I think the 40 minutes of fast paced play and relentless defense and pressing will make it very difficult for the gris.

If MSU goes cold again and the Griz shoot the lights out from deep then it could definitely be a close game. But in recent years the Cats have had no trouble at all playing the Griz in Bozeman so intend to expect that trend to continue. The team will come to play and that defense never slumps.

[lutecat]

The griz are with out their best player who's in a boot. Mack Konig. So it's going to be even worse for them. Look for Coach Bin to be playing alot of 2nd stringers early.

I will be there. Have my ticket to both games.

I don't know that I would count Konig out for Cat/griz. Whatever put her in a boot could have healed by then. Either way, I still see the Cats prevailing on Saturday. A solid week of prep and rest ought to make our girls feel better and bring their best game.

Its a tendon i heard.

For her sake hopefully not the Achilles.

[SACCAT]

Well, talk about a tale of two games. The first half of the EWU game was literally about the worst half of basketball I have ever seen an MSU team play. They couldn't throw it in the ocean. Then they come out and play well enough to pull the game out. Two days later they played like an NCAA tournament team. It was one of the best games I have ever seen an MSU team play. If they play anywhere CLOSE to the game they played against Idaho yes, they will blow the gris out of the stadium. However, if they play like they did in the first half against EWU (scored 20 points in the first half,) then UM could win. I certainly don't expect that. I think the 40 minutes of fast paced play and relentless defense and pressing will make it very difficult for the gris.

If MSU goes cold again and the Griz shoot the lights out from deep then it could definitely be a close game. But in recent years the Cats have had no trouble at all playing the Griz in Bozeman so intend to expect that trend to continue. The team will come to play and that defense never slumps.

It will be interesting to see what ref crew this game gets. There were a total of 45 fouls called in the Women's game VS Idaho (MSU had 21 called on them), and Vandals head coach wanted way more. Cats are VERY physical with their press coverage and Defense when opponents are bringing the ball up the floor. If the refs let them play, advantage MSU. If they call them early, and Cats have to pull back a little, advantage UM. Idaho had at least 20 possessions where they barely got it past 1/2 court in time.

Keys to the Cats full court press:
1) They force the guards to the middle of the court, and then "give them" the pass to the sides. When the ball is passes there, they do an amazing job of trapping the second that player get's the ball. They use the Sideline as a 3rd defender, and get the player to panic. They then use the top defender not covering the ball as a "Safety" reading the eyes.
2) The full court press is normally only one on one (not always), but the pressure is relentless, and is all game. this is where the depth of the team comes in. Every player that will suit up for MSU is relentless, and can press. There is no let-up, and most teams (not all) can't handle that for an entire game, and get frustrated.
3) They feed off that frustration, and once they see it, they attack that player even more (case in point, Gardner with Idaho).

The only real weakness in the Defense, is the backside double, down low, and that opens up the corner 3's. Teams can get open looks from there (look at EWU) but they have to hit them to keep it close.

- Cats are averaging 15 more shots a game than their opponents.
- Cats are 5th in Big Sky in 3 Point Defense (Stats also show UM has played 8 Big Sky games, so take it with grains of salt)

[MSU01]

Well, talk about a tale of two games. The first half of the EWU game was literally about the worst half of basketball I have ever seen an MSU team play. They couldn't throw it in the ocean. Then they come out and play well enough to pull the game out. Two days later they played like an NCAA tournament team. It was one of the best games I have ever seen an MSU team play. If they play anywhere CLOSE to the game they played against Idaho yes, they will blow the gris out of the stadium. However, if they play like they did in the first half against EWU (scored 20 points in the first half,) then UM could win. I certainly don't expect that. I think the 40 minutes of fast paced play and relentless defense and pressing will make it very difficult for the gris.

If MSU goes cold again and the Griz shoot the lights out from deep then it could definitely be a close game. But in recent years the Cats have had no trouble at all playing the Griz in Bozeman so intend to expect that trend to continue. The team will come to play and that defense never slumps.

It will be interesting to see what ref crew this game gets. There were a total of 45 fouls called in the Women's game VS Idaho (MSU had 21 called on them), and Vandals head coach wanted way more. Cats are VERY physical with their press coverage and Defense when opponents are bringing the ball up the floor. If the refs let them play, advantage MSU. If they call them early, and Cats have to pull back a little, advantage UM. Idaho had at least 20 possessions where they barely got it past 1/2 court in time.

Keys to the Cats full court press:
1) They force the guards to the middle of the court, and then "give them" the pass to the sides. When the ball is passes there, they do an amazing job of trapping the second that player get's the ball. They use the Sideline as a 3rd defender, and get the player to panic. They then use the top defender not covering the ball as a "Safety" reading the eyes.
2) The full court press is normally only one on one (not always), but the pressure is relentless, and is all game. this is where the depth of the team comes in. Every player that will suit up for MSU is relentless, and can press. There is no let-up, and most teams (not all) can't handle that for an entire game, and get frustrated.
3) They feed off that frustration, and once they see it, they attack that player even more (case in point, Gardner with Idaho).

The only real weakness in the Defense, is the backside double, down low, and that opens up the corner 3's. Teams can get open looks from there (look at EWU) but they have to hit them to keep it close.

- Cats are averaging 15 more shots a game than their opponents.
- Cats are 5th in Big Sky in 3 Point Defense (Stats also show UM has played 8 Big Sky games, so take it with grains of salt)

Great stuff here! Another thing I've noticed with MSU and refs/fouls is that the team appears to be really good at adjusting their play to how the game is being called or to specific game situations. Sometimes they'll have 4 fouls with 6 or 7 minutes left to go in a quarter and I worry that they're going to give up a bunch of free throws, but they generally are good at backing off just enough at that point to stay mostly foul free for the rest of the quarter. And if they get to the last couple minutes of a quarter and still have fouls to give, they sometimes get noticeably more aggressive on defense to go for steals realizing that picking up a foul or two won't hurt them. Always very fun and very impressive to watch, hopefully they get a really big crowd on Saturday after the football celebration and can put on a show for the newer fans who haven't really followed WBB before!

[Colter_Nuanez]