BOZEMAN, Mont. — A possible game-winning shot in the important thing from Brian Goracke rolled off the rim on the buzzer and Montana State got here up simply brief in time beyond regulation to Green Bay on Monday night time, 54-53, at Worthington Arena.
Montana State (2-2) erased a seven-point deficit with 39 seconds remaining in regulation to pressure time beyond regulation, then created an opportunity to win within the ultimate moments as a giant defensive cease and steal from Robert Ford III gave the Bobcats the ball with 6.0 seconds left trailing by one.
Ford introduced the ball down the courtroom and handed forward to Goracke, who drove from the left wing and shot as time expired, however the game-winner would not fall.
The Bobcats managed to stay inside putting distance of Green Bay (2-2) regardless of a chilly taking pictures night time, going 17-for-62 from the ground (27.4%) and 7-for-35 from three (20.0%).
“We did do sufficient defensively to win, to carry a group to 54 you anticipate to win, particularly in time beyond regulation,” head coach Matt Logie stated. “We did not get pictures to go down, and typically that is the best way the ball drops. I do know our guys have put the work in to be good shooters, and we’ll bounce again.”
Ford III delivered a heroic efficiency within the loss, tying his career-high with 26 factors and including 13 rebounds and a career-high seven steals whereas enjoying all 45 minutes.
The redshirt senior was all over the place, inflicting havoc on protection together with his seven steals and hitting large shot after large shot in crunch time. After recording 15 factors and 6 rebounds within the opening half, the guard stored his foot on the fuel and stored power up regardless of by no means popping out of the sport. Of his 13 rebounds, 4 got here on the offensive finish.
“He’s been demonstrating that from day one simply together with his ardour, the depth that he competes with, the urgency that he performs with,” Logie stated of Ford. “He principally single-handedly willed us again into a possibility to win tonight. We want just a few extra guys to comply with that lead. We did not have sufficient guys play properly tonight to should win that recreation, and nonetheless if you take a look at it, we’re two layups away from being 4-0 with eight scholarship guys. We’re attempting to determine issues out on the fly proper now, and I used to be actually happy with the best way Rob responded to the circumstances we have been in at present and giving us an opportunity to win.”
Montana State led by one at halftime, 24-23, with each groups struggling to place the ball within the hoop.
The Bobcats could not fairly discover their taking pictures stroke out of the locker room, beginning the second half 0-for-8 from the ground and 0-for-6 from three. MSU acquired their first factors of the second half on a Sam Lecholat layup with 13:06 left to go, ending an almost seven-minute drought.
Green Bay used that drought to stretch their result in 14 factors with a 44-30 benefit with 8:20 remaining, however a pair of giant triples from Goracke pushed momentum again to the Cat bench, slicing it to an eight-point recreation with 6:55 to go.
A signature Ford second got here with 5:17 left within the half and the Cats wavering—after Jed Miller missed a 3 from the wing, the guard soared in between three Phoenix gamers and grabbed the offensive board, retreating to the nook and pulling down a giant three to get the gang on their ft, slicing the deficit to 5 factors at 46-41.
Green Bay led, 49-42 with below 40 seconds left, earlier than Ford created one other steal and coasted the opposite means for a layup. The subsequent possesssion, Lecholat compelled one other steal and Ford hit a high-arcing three on the opposite finish to make it 49-47 with 25 seconds to go.
Ford picked the pocket of yet one more Green Bay participant with twelve seconds left and drew a foul with 8.6 ticks on the clock, then calmly sank each free throws to tie the sport and ship issues to time beyond regulation.
Ford’s 26 factors matched the career-high 26 he scored final season in opposition to SAGU American Indian College, and his 5 threes have been greater than double his earlier excessive as a Bobcat (two). His seven steals are tied for the third-most in Division I in a recreation this season.
Montana State compelled 20 Green Bay turnovers whereas turning it over simply eight occasions themselves, serving to chip away on the second-half Phoenix lead with deflections and steals that led to additional possessions.
Playing with out each Patrick McMahon and Eddie Turner III, the Bobcat depth was examined as the sport reached the time beyond regulation interval.
Goracke ended his night time with 14 factors and 4 rebounds, with 12 of these factors coming within the second half and time beyond regulation. Lecholat chipped in six factors and 4 rebounds.
UP NEXT
Montana State may have a brief turnaround, internet hosting UC Riverside on Wednesday night time at 7 p.m. The recreation might be streamed on ESPN+, with dwell radio play-by-play airing on the Bobcat Sports Radio Network. Tickets are available by visiting msubobcats.com/tickets.
The Highlanders will tackle Green Bay on Tuesday night in a neutral-site recreation at Worthington Arena at 7 p.m. Admission to that contest is free to the general public.
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