Bengals Host Montana State Thursday in Big Sky Home Opener

Notes | Audio | Video | Stats | Tickets

POCATELLO, Idaho- Idaho State returns home to ICCU Court in Holt Arena for the 2015 Big Sky Conference  home opener. The Bengals host Montana State on Thursdsay, January 8 and Montana State on Saturday, January 10.  Both games begin at 7 p.m. at ICCU Court in Holt Arena. Fans can listen to the game live on 930 AM or 102.5 FM with Jerry Miller and Brad Bugger calling the action.  To follow the game on line, log onto isubengals.com.

Idaho State vs. Montana State
Montana State leads the series 105-83. ISU has won three of the last four meetings in Pocatello. Last year the Bengals beat the Bobcats 69-64 in Reed Gym.

Scouting the Bobcats
Montana State enters Thursday's game with a 3-11 record and an 0-2 mark in Big Sky Conference play. Montana State is scoring 61.2 points a game and giving up 70.6. Michael Dison leads MSU in scoring at 12.6 points a game and Marcus Colbert is averaging 11.7 points a game The Bobcats are shooting .383 percent from the field and averaging 33.6 rebounds a game.

Idaho State vs. Montana
Montana leads the series 97-46. Montana has won the last nine meetings, with ISU's last win being a 67-65 victory on December 31, 2009.  

Scouting the Griz
Montana is 5-7 and 2-0 in Big Sky play. Martin Breunig leads UM in scoring at 17.4 points a game and 6.4 rebounds, while Jordan Gregory is averaging 17.3 points. The  Griz are scoring 69.6 points a game and shooting .444 percent from the field. Montana averages 31.3 rebounds and is shooting .676 percent from the free throw line.

Hansen Plays Well Against the Bobcats
Chris Hansen has played four games against Montana State since coming to Pocatello. In those four meetings he is averaging 20.5 points a game, 24-40 from the field, 19-31 from the 3-point line while shooting 15-21 from the foul line. He is also averaging 5.75 rebounds a game. In the two home games against MSU, Hansen is averaging 27.5 points (15-22 from the field) while making 13 3-pointers on 19 attempts and shooting 12-for-16 from the free throw line. His only game where he did not score in double figures against MSU was a seven point outting in Bozeman last year.

Hansen Putting up the Points
Chris Hansen became the 20th Bengal in ISU men's basketball history to reach the 1,000 point mark. He scored nine points vs. Bakersfield and he now has 1,050 points in his career. Here is where he ranks on the all-time scoring list.

1. Les Roh        1952-56    1964
2. Steve Hayes        1973-77    1933
3. Donn Holston        1982-87    1819
4. Jim Potter        1991-95    1810
5. Arthur Crump        1961-64    1557
6. Willie Humes        1969-71    1510
7. Lloyd Harris        1955-58    1489
8. Lawrence Butler        1977-79    1420
9. Frank Swopes        1959-62    1304
10. David Schroeder    2002-03, 2004-07    1265
11. Amorrow Morgan    2006-10    1221
12. Ron Boone        1965-68    1221
13. Jim Rodgers        1956-59    1186
14. Dave Wagnon        1964-66    1183
15. Nate Green        1993-97    1141
16. Matt Stucki        2005-09    1079
17. Chris Hansen        2011-13    1050

Cleaning the Glass
Jeffrey Solarin proved to be one the best rebounders in the Big Sky Conference last year as he averaged 8.5 rebounds a game. In the first 14 games of the 2014-15 season he is averaging 9.1 boards a game. He had a season-high 14 rebounds at Denver and vs. Northwest Nazarene.  Solarin has eight rebounds or more in 23 of the 42 games he has appeared in as a Bengal.

Long Range
Chris Hansen has moved to No. 2 in the ISU career record books for 3-pointers made and attempted.
Career 3-pointers Made
1- David Schroeder 211
2- Chris Hansen 186
3- Austin Kilpatrick 183

Career 3-pointers Attempted
1- Austin Kilpatrick 510
2- Chris Hansen 494

Playing it Close
Since the start of the 2013-14 season, 22 of Idaho State's 29 losses have been by nine points or loss. In 2013-14, 16 of ISU's 18 losses were by eight points or less and this year ISU has lost six games by nine points or less.
Losses by 9 points: vs. Bakersfield
Losses by 8 points: at Utah, at Eastern Washington (13-14); at Eastern Washington (2014-15)
Losses by 7 points: at Northern Colorado
Losses by 6 points: at Weber State, at Sacramento State, at Montana State, vs. Pacific
Losses by 5 points: vs. North Dakota, vs. Montana
Losses by 4 points: at North Dakota, at Idaho, vs. Bakersfield, at Portland State; at UVU
Losses by 3 points: vs. UVU, vs. South Dakota State
Losses by 2 points: at Bakersfield, at NAU
Losses by 1 point: at Montana, vs. NAU

Here is a look where the Bengals rank in the conference stats for all- games played.
- Scoring 12th, 59.9
- Scoring Defense, 1st, 65.1
- Free throw percentage, 12th, 63.0
- Field goal percentage, 11th, 40.2
- Field goal percentage defense, 1st, 41.0
- 3-point field goal percentage, 12th, 28.6
- 3-point field goal percentage defense, 3rd, 32.9
- Rebounding, 3rd, 34.4
- Blocks, 8th, 2.7
- Assists, 11th, 10.2
- Steals, 4th, 7.0
- Offensive Rebounds, 2nd, 11.4
- Defensive Rebounds, 5th, 23.0
- 3-pointers made per game, 12th, 4.7

Here is where the Bengals rank in the individual conference stats for all-games played.
- Chris Hansen, 6th, scoring 16.2 points.
- Jeffrey Solarin, 2nd, rebounding, 9.1
- Jeffrey Solarin, 5th, field goal percenrage 57.1
- Ben Wilson, 8th, assists, 3.4
- Nnamdi Ezenwa, 5th, steals, 1.5
- Chris Hansen, 9th, steals, 1.4
- Chris Hansen 3-pointers made per game, 6th, 2.6
- Jeffrey Solarin, 1st, offensive rebounds, 3.9
- Jeffrey Solarin, 4th, defensive rebounds, 5.3
- Ben Wilson, 5th, Minutes Played, 33.6

Team Conference Stats Only
- Scoring, 11th, 55.5
- Scoring defense, 9th, 71
- Free Throw Percentage, 7th, .714
- Field Goal Percentage, 12th, .358
- Field Goal Percentage defense, 6th, .445
- 3-point field goal percentage, 11th , .323
- 3-point field goal percentage defense, 9th, .440
- Rebounding, 4th, 35.0
- Blocks, 5th, 3.0
- Assists, 11th, 9.0
- Steals, 2nd, 5.5
- Offensive rebounds, 1st, 13.5
- 3-pointers made per game, 11th, 5.0

Conference Only Individual Stats
- Chris Hansen, 8th, Scoring, 18.5 points
- Jeffrey Solarin, 1st, rebounding, 10.5 rebounds
- Ben Wilson, 8th, assists, 4.0
- Chris Hansen, 1st, free throws, 1.000Tweet #GoISU
- Chris Hansen, 3-point FG made, 5th, 4.0
- Jeffrey Solarin, 7th, blocks, 1.0