Big Sky Conference Notebook
Player of the Week: Alex Bausley, Sacramento State
Eastern Washington Eagles (6-10 overall, 1-2 conference)
Jan. 14: Eastern Washington 89, Portland State 70
The Eagles snapped a five-game losing streak with its victory over the Vikings. Freshman Rodney Stuckey scored 31 points. Stuckey is making a very strong case to be the conference’s Newcomer of the Year as he has led the team in scoring in 13 consecutive games.
Up next: The Eagles host Idaho State on Thursday and Weber State on Saturday to open the home portion of the conference schedule.
Idaho State Bengals (7-8, 0-4)
Jan. 12: Sacramento State 107, Idaho State 106
Jan. 14: Northern Arizona 85, Idaho State 81
Slim Millien scored 31 points and had nine rebounds in a nail-bitter against Sacramento State. Millien also had eight dunks in a game where sx ISU players reached double figures.
The Bengals lost their sixth game in a row following their loss to the Lumberjacks. Akbar Abdul-Ahad scored 15 points to lead the Bengals, who have won only one game Dec. 10 against UC-Davis, a span of eight games.
Up next: The Bengals hit the road to Eastern Washington to take on the Eagles Thursday and then head to Portland State on Saturday.
Montana Grizzlies (13-2, 3-0)
Jan. 14: Montana 80, Montana State 64
The Grizzlies captured their first victory in Bozeman since 2000 after their 16-point victory over the rival Bobcats. Montana outscored Montana State 50-30 in the second half. Matt Dlouhy led Montana with a collegiate-high 19 points. Andrew Strait added 16 points and five rebounds.
Up next: Montana heads to Flagstaff to take on Northern Arizona Thursday and to Sacramento State on Saturday.
Montana State Bobcats (9-8, 2-1)
Jan. 14: Montana 80, Montana State 64
The Bobcats had their four-game win streak halted as they lost to in-state rival Montana. The loss also ended an eight-game home stand.
With 12 games remaining on their schedule, the Bobcats will play only four games at home. Against Montana, Casey Durham scored 17 points and Marvin Moss added 14 points.
Up next: The Bobcats will hit to the road at Sacramento State on Thursday and Northern Arizona on Saturday. MSU has not won a game on this trip since the 2001-02 season.
Northern Arizona Lumberjacks (12-6, 4-0)
Jan. 12: Northern Arizona 88, Weber State 82
Jan. 14: Northern Arizona 85, Idaho State 81
The Lumberjacks kept pace at the top of the conference standings by knocking off Weber State and Idaho State. NAU has now won six games in a row. Against the Wildcats, Tyrone Bazy scored 23 points. Ruben Boykin, Jr. scored 15 points and had 12 rebounds.
The Lumberjacks also shot 60 percent from the field and hit 24-of-29 free throws. Against the Bengals, Bazy scored 17 points, hitting 11-of-11 free throws. For the game, NAU hit 23-of-24 free throws.
Up next: The Lumberjacks host Montana on Thursday and then Montana State on Saturday.
Portland State Vikings (7-9, 0-3)
Jan. 14: Eastern Washington 89, Portland State 70
The struggles continued for the Vikings as they dropped their fourth game in a row. With the loss, the Vikings were denied the chance for a 10th straight conference home victory. It was the first home conference loss since dropping an 80-71 decision on Jan. 31, 2004 to Idaho State. Josh Neely scored a collegiate-high 15 points against the Eagles. The Vikings were just 1-of-11 from 3-point range.
Up next: The Vikings host Weber State on Thursday and then Idaho State on Saturday. Weber State beat PSU in the Big Sky Conference semifinals last season at Portland’s Memorial Coliseum.
Sacramento State Hornets (13-5, 4-0)
Jan. 12: Sacramento State 107, Idaho State 106
Jan. 14: Sacramento State 73, Weber State 66
The Hornets have now won five in a row after knocking off Idaho State and Weber State. It is the third longest win streak of the season in the conference. Against the Bengals, Alex Bausley hit a 10-foot jumper at the buzzer to beat ISU. DaShawn Freeman scored 27 points and had 12 assists. Bausley and Clark Woods each scored 22 points. The Hornets shot 56 percent from the field for the game and hit 14 3-pointers.
It was the Hornets’ second straight victory in Pocatello by way of a buzzer-beater. Against the Wildcats, freshman Loren Leath scored a game-high 22 points, while Bausley added 11 and Justin Williams scored 10 points off the bench. The Hornets are 4-0 in conference play for the first time since joining the Big Sky Conference prior to the 1996-97 season.
Up next: The two Montana teams visit Sacramento State this week. First it is Montana State on Thursday, then Montana on Saturday.
Weber State Wildcats (6-11, 0-4)
Jan. 12: Northern Arizona, 88, Weber State 82
Jan. 14: Sacramento State 73, Weber State 66
Nick Covington scored a collegiate-high 28 points in a losing effort to the Lumberjacks. Covington hit six 3-pointers and handed out seven assists. Weber State shot 54 percent from the field, marking it the first time this season that they lost a game when shooting better than 45 percent from the floor. Against the Hornets, the Wildcats fell to 0-4 in conference play for the first time in school history. Coric Riggs scored 12 points, all of which came in the second half, and had 11 rebounds.
Up next: The Wildcats travel to Portland State on Thursday and then Eastern Washington on Saturday.
