by SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Behind a career-high 32 points from RaeQuan Battle and clutch free-throw shooting, the Montana State men’s basketball team handed Sacramento State its first home loss of the season in a 72-65 game on Saturday.
The Bobcats (15-8, 8-2 Big Sky Conference) led by as many as 17 points and withstood a late run by the Hornets (12-10, 5-4 Big Sky), yet Battle scored 10 of his points in the final four minutes while Montana State finished 9-for-10 from the charity stripe in that span. Sacramento State went into Saturday’s game with a perfect 8-0 record at home — the third time in program history the Hornets have won their first eight home games.
“We made tremendous plays at the end of the game,” Montana State Head Coach Danny Sprinkle told Bobcat Sports Radio Network. “RaeQuan was awesome offensively, Sam Lecholat played some huge minutes for us and I thought Jubrile Belo and Great Osobor were tremendous playing against [Sacramento State center] Callum McRae.”
“Sacramento State is so well-coached and so tough,” Sprinkle added. “David Patrick has done a tremendous job. They play very similarly to us — a lot of things they ran and the way they play reminded me a lot of our team.”
Montana State’s defense forced 15 turnovers — 10 of which came in the first half — and made 85.7% of its free throws compared to Sacramento State’s 81.3%. In a game that featured mostly interior scoring, MSU went 4-for-8 from three and overcame the Hornets winning the battle of the boards by a 29-25 margin. Individually, Battle went 12-for-12 from the free throw line, breaking the single-game program records for most free throw attempts without a miss. Great Osobor was the only other Bobcat in double-figures with 13 points, while Darius Brown II added six points, seven rebounds and two assists.
Although Sacramento State took an early 6-0 lead, MSU got a lift from midrange jumpers courtesy of Brown II and Battle. Then Jubrile Belo jumped a passing lane and threw down a dunk for his first points of the night. The Bobcats took their first lead of the night with Great Osobor’s layup at the 13:34 mark.
In what would be a common theme for the Bobcats, Montana State’s defense helped spark a 13-0 run that was sparked by forcing six turnovers in a six-minute span. Leading 21-11, the Hornets finally got on the board with a layup from Zach Chappell, but Belo erased Chappell’s shot on the next possession, which led to Robert Ford III stepping into a three on the other end.
MSU’s lead ballooned to 15 when Osobor found Nick Gazelas in the corner for a three, then Battle’s tough layup past seven-footer Callum McRae gave the Bobcats a 31-14 lead — their largest of the night.
Save for a pair of Belo free throws, Montana State’s offense stalled and SSU went on a 7-0 run. Brown II drove to the basket, got fouled and made both free throws to snap the scoring drought. The lid seemed to come off the basket in the final three minutes, as both teams piled up points in the paint, yet the Bobcats took a 37-27 lead at halftime.
The second half got off to a frenetic start in the first two minutes, but both teams failed to score until Battle’s free throws at the 18:44 mark gave the Bobcats a 12-point lead. Sacramento State whittled the Bobcats’ lead to six when Callum McRae’s hook shot beat the shot clock, however, MSU’s defense generated turnovers and kept the Hornets at bay.
Yet the hosts got their chance to flip the script. A would-be transition opportunity for the Bobcats was erased by a technical foul. SSU pulled within five, Battle answered with a high-rising three on the left wing, then missed MSU free throws and four-straight points for the Hornets made it a 48-44 game with 11:50 to play. Sacramento State pulled within three points, yet Osobor got the best of McRae on back-to-back possessions to put MSU’s lead back to five.
Both teams struggled to score for the next few minutes. Montana State went on a 6-0 run on strictly free throws to make it a 59-52 game, but a three-point play from McRae snapped SSU’s scoring drought.
Montana State would have to withstand one more Sacramento State surge. Zach Chappell’s layup pulled SSU within two with 2:39 to play, then his three made it a 64-63 game with 1:55 to play. Battle drew a blocking foul on Quadry Adams on the next possession and sank both free throws, which sparked a
Battle drove at McRae and made a right-handed layup, then Belo sent Chappell’s first shot attempt into the stands on the next possession. Seconds later, Chappell was undercut on a three-point attempt, but made only two of the ensuing three free throws. Needing to foul to stay in the game, the Hornets sent Battle to the free-throw line, where he made both attempts for his second 30-point game of the season. He would sink two more in the final two seconds to achieve his career high.
Zach Chappell led the Hornets with 19 points and Callum McRae added 15 points and nine rebounds. Cameron Wilbon rounded out Sacramento State’s double-figure scorers with 10 points.
Saturday night wrapped up the longest road swing for the Bobcats, who only have three more road games remaining in conference play.
