(Editor’s note: Montana State University press release)
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana – Indiana senior Juwan Morgan led all players with 14 points and the Hoosiers limited Montana State to 25% shooting as IU beat the Bobcats 80-35 in Bloomington, Indiana, on Friday.
Indiana never trailed in the contest. The Hoosiers shot 52.6 percent from the floor, but the story of the game was Indiana’s defense. Montana State’s 25.5% shooting game was the program’s lowest since shooting 25.5% at Utah Valley to open the 2006-07 season. MSU shot 14-for-55 from the floor, 3-for-26 (11.5%) from three-point range, and 4-for-10 from the free throw line.
Bobcat coach Brian Fish saw positives in his team’s performance. “Our effort was very good tonight,” the Indiana native said. “We competed on the boards, the shot didn’t fall and that’s going to happen at times. Credit Indiana for their defense, the length bothered us at times, but I think the effort was there. We didn’t shoot it well tonight, but that will come.”
Indiana out-rebounded the Bobcats 40-to-35, led by Morgan’s 11 boards. “Morgan was really good when they broke it open,” Fish said. “I thought when the game was teetering there early on he really established an inside presence.” The Hoosiers out-scored MSU in the paint 48-18.
Senior forward Keljin Blevins led the Bobcats with 13 points, and grabbed six rebounds. Sophomore Devin Kirby snagged seven boards. Tyler Hall scored seven points, Ladan Ricketts six. Fish was pleased with his team’s ability to move the ball on Friday. “There were a lot of situations where we got good ball movement, made the extra pass, got the right player the ball, and the shot just didn’t go down. We knew it was a tall task, playing Indiana at their place, but there are a lot of positives. We’ll use this to get better and get back at it on Sunday night.”
The loss, Montana State’s largest margin of defeat since an 86-28 loss at Kentucky in 2014-15, drops the Cats to 0-2 on the season. Indiana is now 2-0. The Bobcats host Presentation college on Sunday night at 7 pm.
