Montana State of NCAA Division I Rolls Past Bearcats

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

BOZEMAN, MONT. -- Montana State University held a 14-point lead over Willamette University at halftime, 46-32, before the Bobcats pulled way for a 109-64 win over the Bearcats on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at Worthington Arena. Montana State, from NCAA Division I, improved to 5-3 on the season. Willamette, which competes in NCAA Division III, fell to 1-7.

Taylor Mounts (Sr., Wing/Post, Kailua, HI/Iolani School) tied for Willamette's scoring lead with 11 points and topped all players with 10 rebounds. Joseph Jackson (Fr., G, Hillsboro, OR/Hillsboro HS) also scored 11 points for WU.

Mounts increased his career scoring to 1,011 points. He has achieved 448 career rebounds.

Also reaching double digits for the Bearcats were Sean Dart (Jr., Post, Bend, OR/Mountain View HS/MSU-Billings) and Trevor Bos (So., G, Lakewood, CA/St. John Bosco HS), each with 10 points. Dart was 5 for 5 from the field. Bos contributed six rebounds and two assists.

Terrell Malley (Jr., G, Portland, OR/Roosevelt HS) of WU, who suffered a leg injury at Saint Martin's University on Tuesday, attempted to play against MSU, but had to leave the game after six minutes.

Xavier Blount scored 19 points to lead Montana State. Jamie Stewart added 15 points, while Mohammed Fall provided 13 points. The Bobcats placed a total of seven players in double figures.

Shawn Reid, who scored 12 points, topped the Bobcats on the glass with nine rebounds. Michael Dison, who also scored 12 points, earned five assists to tie Blount for the team lead.

Willamette trailed 18-7 with 15:40 left in the first half, but the Bearcats cut the lead to two points with a 9-0 run. Mounts opened the run with a 3-pointer. Bos tacked on a layup and a 3-point basket, before Jackson completed the run by hitting one of two free throws with 12:48 on the clock.

The Bearcats stayed close to the Bobcats over the next eight minutes, trailing by no more than eight points. After Jackson put in a jump shot with 5:41 left in the half, WU trailed 33-27.

Montana State surged out to its halftime lead by scoring six unanswered points to begin an 11-2 run. The Bobcats led by 15 points, 44-29, at the 2:26 mark.

Jackson scored the first basket of the second half for Willamette, as the Bearcats pulled within 46-34. MSU responded with 11 straight points to take a 57-34 advantage. The Bobcats continued to extend their lead throughout the second half.

Willamette held a slight shooting advantage in the first half at 42.9% (12 of 28) compared to 42.1% (16 of 38) by Montana State, although the Bobcats had more second chances with 14 offensive rebounds during the stanza.

In the second half, Willamette dropped off to 25.0% on field goals (9 of 36), wile MSU shot out to 66.7% (22 of 33), including 5 of 9 on 3-pointers. The Bobcats hit 23 of 34 free throws.

For the game, Montana State shot 53.5% (38 of 71) from the field and made 10 of 21 three-pointers (47.6%). Willamette finished at 32.8% shooting (21 of 64), while converting 7 of 24 three-pointers (29.2%).

The Bobcats owned a 53-34 rebounding margin and forced Willamette into 19 turnovers. MSU lost the ball 13 times, but achieved 14 steals.

Willamette's next action will be at Northwest Christian University in Eugene, Ore., on Saturday, Dec. 10. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. (PST).