Senior guard Xavier Bishop scored 20 points to lead Montana State University to a 72-65 win over the Tommies men’s basketball team Saturday at Schoenecker Arena.
The Bobcats (7-4) are the first DI competition the Tommies (4-6) have faced at home. The loss snapped a 12-game home win streak for the Tommies.
The Tommies sprung out to an 18-point lead against the Bobcats early in the game. However, a defensive adjustment and 8 unanswered points helped the Bobcats storm back to a 39-36 lead going into halftime.
“They went to a zone (defense) and it worked,” coach Tauer said. “They’re really well-coached and they’re tough-minded and diligent about what they do.”
The Tommies struggled from three-point range, shooting just 7-of-32 on the night. While the Tommies had fewer turnovers and more offensive rebounds than the Bobcats, they were rarely able to capitalize on the opportunities.
“You know we’re a shooting team and obviously we struggled from three tonight,” senior guard Anders Nelson said. “We had a lot of good looks, unfortunate not to see them go down.”
Despite the struggles at the end of the first half, the Tommies played tough to keep with the Bobcats. The second half was a tight matchup, both teams going nearly shot-for-shot through the majority of it.
“I thought our guys bounced back,” Tauer said. “(Montana) made a few more plays, but I thought our guys showed a lot of resolve in the second half.”
The Bobcats kept pushing until the end of the game, closing out with a 7-point lead. Nelson said the Bobcats were a glimpse of what is to come in the Summit League this season.
“They had some big stuff going, and that’s what the rest of the Summit League looks like,” Nelson said. “We’re definitely looking forward to competing against those guys.”
The Tommies take on Northland College at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Schoenecker Arena.
Derek Badger can be reached at badg7629@stthomas.edu.