“Next Challenge Awaits: Men’s Basketball Faces Off Against Idaho State and Weber State!”

BOZEMAN, Mont. — The Montana State men’s basketball team aims to leverage the momentum from an exhilarating comeback victory at home against Northern Arizona last weekend into more victories on their upcoming road trip, traveling to challenge Idaho State on Thursday and Weber State on Saturday.

Tip-off on Thursday against Idaho State (6-8, 1-2) at Reed Gym in Pocatello, Idaho, is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Saturday’s matchup with Weber State (7-10, 1-2) in Ogden, Utah, will commence at 7 p.m. from Dee Events Center.

Both games will be available for streaming on ESPN+, along with live radio play-by-play coverage from the Voice of the Bobcats Keaton Gillogly on the Bobcat Sports Network.

Montana State will be aiming for their 12th consecutive victory over Idaho State in the series prior to clashing with Weber State in a rivalry that has developed recently with several notable Big Sky Tournament encounters in Boise.

Montana State (6-11, 1-3) ended a six-game losing streak with a 58-53 victory against the Lumberjacks this past Saturday, managing to do so after trailing 16-0 to start the contest.

Brandon Walker tallied 15 of his 17 points in the second half, while inspired contributions from the Bobcat bench, including Bryce Zephir, Sam Lecholat, and Chika Nduka, assisted the ‘Cats in securing their first Big Sky victory of the season.

After their journey through Idaho and Utah, the ‘Cats will have a rapid turnaround, hosting Eastern Washington on Monday night to conclude a stretch of three games in five days.

LAST TIME OUT

Montana State concluded a six-game losing streak with a 58-53 victory over Northern Arizona last Saturday. Less than 48 hours after conceding a 20-point advantage late in the second half in a disappointing loss to league-leading Northern Colorado, the Bobcats overcame a 16-point first-half deficit to defeat Northern Arizona and secure their first Big Sky victory. Brandon Walker contributed 15 points in the second half, finishing with 17 overall, to guide the Cats. Bryce Zephir, returning after missing three games due to injury, scored nine in the second half along with four rebounds, underscoring a robust bench effort.

SERIES HISTORY (IDAHO STATE)

Thursday marks the 211th encounter between the Bobcats and the Bengals. This rivalry ranks as the 63rd most-contested series in all of Division I college basketball, with Idaho State being MSU’s second-most frequent opponent historically after the University of Montana (308 encounters). Montana State leads the series against Idaho State, 123-87, and has secured 11 victories in a row over the Bengals, winning 13 of the past 14 since 2016. The last time the Bengals triumphed over the Bobcats was on March 1, 2018, which is 2,147 days from this Thursday. Montana State has achieved five consecutive victories over Idaho State in Pocatello, with their most recent defeat occurring on February 27, 2016.

SERIES HISTORY (WEBER STATE)

Saturday represents the 134th meeting between the Bobcats and the Wildcats, dating back to 1964. Weber State holds the lead in the series against Montana State, 89-44. Montana State has claimed 3 of the last 4 victories and 6 of the last 8 since 2022. In Ogden, Weber State has prevailed in four of the last five encounters, with the lone Bobcat victory in that span occurring on February 2, 2022. Overall, the Wildcats have triumphed in 56 of the 66 contests held in Ogden. The Bobcats and Wildcats have faced each other in the Big Sky Tournament in each of the past three seasons, with Montana State coming out victorious in each encounter, paving their way to three consecutive Big Sky championships and three straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament. In the 2022 semifinals, MSU prevailed, 69-66, later narrowly escaping in the 2023 semifinals, 60-58 in double overtime. Last year in Boise, the Bobcats scored 66 points in the second half, coming back from a 13-point deficit to defeat Dillon Jones and the Wildcats, 91-80, in the quarterfinals of the Big Sky Tournament.

SAME STARTERS

Montana State has maintained the same starting lineup of Jabe Mullins, Tyler Patterson, Patrick McMahon, Max Agbonkpolo, and Brandon Walker across all 17 games this season. This 17-game consistency in the starting lineup ties for the highest in NCAA Division I this season, with only Drexel and UC San Diego also fielding the same starters in 17 games to begin the year.

CHASING 300

Head coach Matt Logie heads into the weekend in pursuit of his 300th career win, having recently achieved victory No. 299 against Northern Arizona on Saturday. Logie (299-87) has led his teams to the NCAA Tournament in 12 out of his 13 seasons as a head coach and is regarded as only the second men’s coach in history to guide teams to the Big Dance at the Division I, II, and III levels (Tobin Anderson). Logie is ranked 15th in NCAA men’s basketball history for career winning percentage (.776) and is 9th among active head coaches. Prior to his tenure at Montana State, Logie spent four seasons at Point Loma (Division II), where he amassed an 82-23 record with three conference titles, and eight years at Whitworth (Division III), where his teams recorded a notable 194-35 record. In the 2023-24 season, Logie was recognized as a finalist for the Joe B. Hall National Coach of the Year, awarded annually to the premier rookie, first-year head coach in Division I college basketball.

basketball, following the guidance of the Bobcats’ consecutive Big Sky championship victories and their third successive appearance in the NCAA Tournament. 

BRYCE IS DEVELOPING

Montana State received significant contributions from their bench in last Saturday’s triumph, particularly from backup guard Bryce Zephir. Zephir, a junior college transfer from Salt Lake CC, had been sidelined for the previous three matches before reemerging and contributing nine points along with four rebounds in the second half as the Cats crafted their resurgence. 

BIG TIME BRANDON 

Brandon Walker has emerged as the most influential player in the Big Sky Conference this season, as determined by KenPom’s player ranking methodology. The junior is averaging 14.7 points per contest (8th in the Big Sky) over 20.2 minutes of play, while also recording a career-high 4.9 rebounds per game. The Oak Cliff, Texas native has scored in double-digits during 14 of his 17 appearances this year, including a career-best 31-point explosion against UC Riverside on December 18. Walker stands third nationally for fouls drawn per 40 minutes (8.3) and ranks first in the country for the percentage of possessions utilized while he is on the court (38.4%). 

NOSTALGIC MOMENTS FOR BRIAN

On Thursday in Pocatello, senior forward Brian Goracke will return to Reed Gym, where he previously achieved 29 points on 11-of-15 shooting while grabbing eight rebounds in a 74-66 victory over Idaho State last year. The Monroe, Oregon native contributed ten of the Bobcats’ first 14 points and reached 12 points in just eight minutes into the match, aiding MSU in establishing a lead that they never surrendered. Goracke, recognized as a Preseason All-Big Sky choice, has accepted a bench role this season and currently ranks third on the team in scoring (7.9 ppg) and second in three-point shooting percentage (40.6%). 

A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE

Montana State ranks among the most seasoned teams nationally for 2024-25, featuring five players in their lineup who have each competed in at least 118 matches (Jabe Mullins, Tyler Patterson, Brian Goracke, Max Agbonkpolo, Sam Lecholat), alongside nine players boasting a minimum of four years in collegiate basketball. Tyler Patterson has made 133 starts wearing a Montana State jersey leading up to Thursday, which is the highest for any active player at a single institution in the nation and the most in Montana State history. 

GLORIOUS ERA OF BOBCAT BASKETBALL

Montana State has reached four consecutive Big Sky Tournament championship matches, holds a record of 49-16 against Big Sky rivals over the previous three seasons, and has achieved three successive entries into the NCAA Tournament for the first time in the school’s past. The Bobcats are the first three-time champion in the Big Sky Conference since Idaho from 1981-83. In the 2021-22 season, Montana State posted a 27-8 record, which included an impressive 13-1 mark at home and a program-high 16 wins in league play. In the 2022-2023 season, Montana State boasted a 25-10 record, secured a 12-1 home record at Worthington Arena, and finished with a 15-3 conference record. 

THE MATT LOGIE PROFILE

In his second year as head coach at MSU, Matt Logie has led his squads to the NCAA Tournament in 12 of his 13 seasons in a head coaching capacity and is regarded as only the second men’s coach in history to guide teams to the Big Dance at the Division I, II, and III levels (Tobin Anderson). Logie holds the 15th position in NCAA men’s basketball history for overall winning percentage (.776) and is placed ninth among currently active head coaches. He joined Montana State after spending four seasons at Point Loma (Division II), where his teams compiled an 82-23 record with three conference titles, and eight seasons at Whitworth (Division III), where his teams amassed a record of 194-35. 

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