Feline Comeback: Cats Rally from 16 Down to Secure 58-53 Victory Against Northern Arizona

BOZEMAN, Mont. — A tumultuous weekend culminated in relief for the Montana State men’s basketball squad on Saturday night, as the Bobcats ended a six-game losing streak with a 58-53 victory over Northern Arizona at Worthington Arena. 

Less than 48 hours after allowing a 20-point advantage to slip away in a disappointing defeat against league-leading Northern Colorado, Montana State (6-11, 1-3) orchestrated their own comeback, overcoming a 16-point deficit to outlast Northern Arizona (10-7, 1-3) in front of an energetic crowd. 

“There’s a lot of satisfaction right now,” head coach Matt Logie remarked. “We’ve been through quite the ordeal. At times we’ve lost because we’ve been a bit timid, at others because we haven’t shared the ball enough, and sometimes due to a bit of misfortune or a hot opponent. There are countless ways to lose, but you must discover avenues to win, and our players dug deep tonight. To start 16-0 without any offensive momentum but still not let that impact your defense shows the hallmark of a seasoned, quality team. I’m incredibly proud of these guys. They’ve remained steadfast during the struggles. Now they understand what victory feels like again—it’s been a while since we’ve tasted success.” 

The Bobcats failed to make their first 13 attempts from the field to commence the game, which allowed the Lumberjacks to assume a significant 16-0 lead within eight minutes. 

As it became the pattern of Saturday night, the Montana State bench motivated the home team back into contention. 

Chika Nduka broke the scoring drought with a layup, and Montana State gradually closed the gap, trailing 25-17 at the halftime break. 

MSU concluded the first half with a poor shooting percentage of 7 of 32 (21.9%) and 2 of 13 from three-point range. 

Nonetheless, the Bobcats’ intensity on defense kept them in the contest. A focus on containing the nation’s second-leading scorer, Trenton McLaughlin, limited the sharpshooter to merely five points in the initial half. 

In the second half, Montana State began to discover their offensive rhythm and drew energy from an enthusiastic crowd of 2,772. 

After managing only two points in the first half, Brandon Walker erupted for 15 in the second half, hitting six of his eight shot attempts in the final twenty minutes. 

A crucial moment occurred with 45 seconds remaining in the game when Walker drove toward the basket and missed a layup but battled against two Lumberjacks for the offensive rebound, subsequently scoring and putting MSU ahead 56-53. 

That play encapsulated the essence of the night. On a six-game losing streak, trailing by 16 at home, the Cats showed resilience and determination. 

Returning from injury after missing the last three games, junior guard Bryce Zephir made a significant impact in the second half on Saturday, contributing nine of his 10 points shooting perfectly from the field with four rebounds. 

“Bryce can be a pivotal factor for us because he excels as a perimeter defender,” Logie noted. “He moves well and possesses the strength to maintain his ground on drives, an area where we’ve struggled at times. He’s a very capable passer and finds his way into the paint, which helps us create opportunities for others. What he did exceptionally tonight was when he entered the paint and the defense had to spread out, he was able to execute balanced finishes.” 

Montana State’s bench contributed 20 points and gathered 14 rebounds, with senior forward Sam Lecholat adding both energy and a strong defensive presence in the paint and on the boards. 

“Sam provided us with invaluable defensive minutes at the 4-spot,” Logie expressed. “[NAU is] clearly a larger team, but with a minute remaining, he effectively stood up Carson Towt on the roll and forced amiss. Those are significant moments.” 

Having suffered defeats in their previous seven matchups determined by five points or less, Saturday night it was the Bobcats’ opportunity to finish a nail-biter. 

Although behind for 37 minutes, MSU restricted NAU from making a field goal for the last 4:11, as the Lumberjacks failed to secure another basket after McLaughlin’s jumper that placed them ahead 52-48. 

Walker topped the ‘Cats with 17 points and seven rebounds. Zephir contributed ten points and four rebounds, while Tyler Patterson added eight points and Max Agbonkpolo supplemented six. 

Lecholat recorded three points, five rebounds, and three assists. 

UP NEXT 

Next week, Montana State will embark on a journey, competing against Idaho State in Pocatello on Thursday evening at 6 p.m. and Weber State in Ogden on Saturday evening at 7 p.m. 

Both matches will be broadcasted on ESPN+, with live commentary being aired on the Bobcat Sports Network. 

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