. . . Blevins poked the ball away from Kendal Manuel, and Russell Daniels charged ahead in the open court. Montana State had just scored eight straight points, and two more appeared to be on the way.
Daniels’ transition layup would have brought the Bobcats within four. But Montana’s Bobby Moorehead sprinted in and swatted the ball away. Five seconds later, on the other end of the court, Ahmaad Rorie slammed an uncontested dunk. The Grizzlies led by eight and squashed MSU’s late surge. In a game the Bobcats trailed for all but 15 seconds, they didn’t have much margin for error.
. . . “That was two pretty good titans there clashing and competing,” Fish said. “I think it was a very good basketball game. It’s just I didn’t get our team to the finish line, and that’s my fault because my guys gave 120 percent, that’s for sure.” MSU hasn’t won in Missoula since Feb. 27, 2010. That was 3,283 days since Saturday’s defeat, and the Bobcats may not get another shot until next season.
. . . “They set a tone there the first 10 minutes,” Fish said. MSU stuck to a zone defense and rotated too slowly early on. When Fish made substitutions, new players weren’t in sync with teammates already in the game. The Bobcats lacked a complete understanding of the scouting report, Fish said. Each time a Grizzlies 3 fell through the net, cheerleaders chucked giveaways into the stands. As Dorsey has gained more playing time due to an injury to center Jamar Akoh, UM has spaced the floor and stretched opponents. “They were getting in the lane,” senior guard Tyler Hall said, “and when you can’t keep a team out of the lane, it’s hard to guard.”
