MISSOULA, Mont. -- Montana shot 11-of-21 (.524) from the three-point line, and used a 20-2 run midway through the first half to help catapult the Grizzlies to victory over Sacramento State, 80-63, in a Big Sky Conference men’s basketball game Saturday evening at Dahlberg Arena.
Both teams played even the first eight minutes of the contest as a jumper from the Hornets’ Loren Leath tied the game (15-15) with 12:12 remaining in the first half. However, from that point on, it was all Montana as a bucket from Anthony Johnson marked the first points of a 20-2 Grizzly run that spanned 5:10 of the first half. By the time a three-pointer from Michael Taylor went down to conclude the run, Montana was leading, 35-17 with 6:39 left in the first half.
Sacramento State never got anything closer than within 13 points of Montana’s lead the rest of the game. The Hornets’ last lead of the game came at 7-5 early in the contest after Justin Eller knocked down a couple free throws. During the 20-2 run, Montana went 6-of-6 from the field, 4-of-4 from the free throw line, and four of those field goals were three-pointers, including three from Taylor. Conversely, Sacramento State went 1-for-8 from the field with a turnover during Montana’s spurt.
With the victory, the Griz improved to 9-7 overall (including 8-1 on their home floor) and 3-1 in the Big Sky. The Grizzlies are now 25-5 all-time against the Hornets and have won four consecutive meetings in the series between the two teams.
Sacramento State dropped to 1-16 overall and 0-4 in the conference. The Hornets’ losing streak has now reached 11 games which is the 1998-99 season. The Hornets also fell to 0-10 on the road.
Montana finished the game shooting 48.3 percent (28-58) from the field, 52.4 percent (11-21) from the three-point line and 92.9 percent (13-14) from the foul stripe. In addition, the Grizzlies scored 22 points off 13 Hornet turnovers, and held a 31-24 rebounding advantage. Montana, which led by as many as 25 points early in the second half, was efficient all night from the outside as only 18 of the team’s 80 points came inside the paint.
After a rough first half that saw the Hornets shoot just 29.6 percent (8-27) from the field, Sacramento State rebounded in the second half by putting together its best shooting performance in a half this season. The team knocked down 13 of its 19 opportunities (.684) from the floor, and were outscored, 39-38 in the second stanza. Montana went into halftime with a 41-25 advantage.
Johnson led the Grizzlies with 18 points (8-of-14 shooting), while Jack McGillis (13) and Jordan Hasquet (11) also finished in double figures. Brian Qvale added eight points and a game-high 10 rebounds (including five on the offensive glass). All five Montana starters finished with at least eight points, and four of the five knocked down at least one three-pointer. Hasquet (3), Taylor (3), McGillis (2) and Ryan Staudacher (2) each buried at least two shots from long range.
Sacramento State was paced by Leath’s 18 points as the fourth-year senior led the Hornets in scoring for the ninth time this season. He finished 5-of-11 from the field, 2-of-5 from three-point land, and 6-of-6 from the free throw line. In his last seven games, Leath is shooting 91.4 percent (32-35) from the free throw line.
The only other Sacramento State player in double figures was junior Justin Eller as he finished with 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds. Eller has now scored at least 10 points in a career-high six straight games. Juniors Mike Edwards and Antonio Flaggs each had eight points, and senior Randy Adams tallied six. For the second straight game, and third time this year, Sacramento State recorded just three assists. Besides Eller, no other Hornet had more than three rebounds.
Sacramento State finished the game shooting 45.7 percent (21-46) from the field, 36.4 percent (4-11) from the three-point line and 85.0 percent (17-20) from the charity stripe.
Tonight’s game marked the second of a three-game road trip that will see the Hornets remain on the road for eight consecutive days. Sacramento State concludes the trip with a game at Northern Colorado on Tuesday, Jan. 13, at 6:05 p.m. PST. After that game, the Hornets embark on a season-high four-game homestand that will see the team take on Big Sky foes Northern Arizona (Jan. 18), Weber State (Jan. 22), Idaho State (Jan. 24) and Northern Colorado (Jan. 29).
MISSOULA, Mont. -- Montana shot 11-of-21 (.524) from the three-point line, and used a 20-2 run midway through the first half to help catapult the Grizzlies to victory over Sacramento State, 80-63, in a Big Sky Conference men’s basketball game Saturday evening at Dahlberg Arena.
