Jan. 8, 2005
Final Stats
Pocatello, ID -- Idaho State University, with a chance to win in regulation, couldn't get a ball to the rim as Al Beye blocked a Nate Rede shot, and then the Bobcats were perfect in overtime as the Montana State Bobcats held off Idaho State in overtime 74-66.
Montana State led by 11, 51-40 with 8:57 to go when ISU furiously rallied. Jeff Gardner hit a three-pointer, ending ISU's 1-for-17 skid to that point in the game from the arc. Doug D'Amore and Kyle Stevens hit baskets around a pair of Nate Rede free throws to make it 51-49. Marvin Moss, who scored 23 for Montana State, made it 58-53 with 3:37 left before ISU responded. Slim Millien hit a layup, and then D'Amore tied it with a three with 2:43 left.
The Bengals took their only lead with 2:13 left when Millien hit a short jumper in the lane, but Ja'Ron Jefferson answered with 1:56 left. The teams traded two turnovers each, and ISU went to Rede down low with seconds left, but his shot was stuffed by the 7-foot Al Beye. Branden Miller nearly won it at the end of regulation as his desperation heave hit the rim from midcourt.
In the overtime it was all Montana State, as Moss opened with a layup, and then he hit a free throw. He missed the second, but Beye skied over everyone for the rebound, and kicked it out to Casey Durham for a back-breaking three-pointer. D'Amore answered with a three of his own, but Montana State didn't miss from the field in overtime, going 3-for-3, and was 7-for-10 from the line in overtime.
Idaho State trailed by as much as 10 in the first half before going inside and cutting it to five at the break, all from the free throw line to make it 31-26 at the break. The Bengals shot .320 in the first half, their first half above 30% since the Great Falls game on December 31.
"We were in a ballgame, we competed, and had a chance to win," said Doug Oliver. "Towards to end of the ballgame we were exposed by Moss, and that was the deciding factor."
Notes: The Bengals dropped to 0-2 in the Big Sky for the first time since the 1999-2000 season ... Slim Millien had four blocks for the second straight game ... Nate Rede made his first career start as Doug Oliver started all his seniors ... ISU had a season-best 14 offensive rebounds ...Idaho State shot just .167 from the three-point line, but finished the game 3-for-7 ... Montana State has won two straight in Reed Gym, as ISU has been swept by the Montana schools for the second straight year.
