Montana St defeats E Washington 64-68

Montana St Edges E Washington in Thrilling Conference Showdown

The Big Sky Conference took center stage on Friday night as visiting Montana St edged host E Washington 68-64 in a hard-fought conference matchup at Reese Court.

Trailing by four points at halftime, the Bobcats staged an impressive comeback to secure their fifth straight road victory. Montana St's 19-of-49 shooting effort from the field was a stark contrast to E Washington's 22-of-61 clip, but it was the Bobcats' ability to capitalize on turnovers and paint opportunities that ultimately proved decisive.

In a game where neither team could find its rhythm early, E Washington's 2-pointers dominated the first half. The Eagles took an 11-point lead into halftime, with Montana St struggling from beyond the arc (1-of-10). However, the Bobcats adjusted their strategy and found more success from mid-range.

Montana St's sophomore guard, Tyler Leon, led the charge in the second half, scoring 14 of his game-high 24 points during this period. The senior center, Aaron Cook, also played a crucial role, with 10 points and 7 rebounds in the comeback effort.

"I thought our guys showed a lot of heart," Montana St head coach Brad Davis said after the game. "We made some adjustments at halftime and were able to take advantage of their mistakes."

E Washington's largest lead came early in the second half, but Montana St responded with a 9-0 run to retake the lead. The Eagles fought back, but a crucial 3-point miss by senior guard, Donovan Rodriguez, sealed the win for the Bobcats.

In the end, it was Montana St's ability to limit E Washington's paint opportunities and capitalize on turnovers that made all the difference. The Bobcats held the Eagles to just 32 points in the paint, compared to their own 26.

"Defense is where we found our success tonight," Davis said. "We knew it would be a battle, but I'm proud of our guys for finding ways to win."

For E Washington, the loss stings, especially after leading by seven at halftime. "We just couldn't sustain it in the second half," Eagles head coach Chris Thile said. "We made some tough shots early and didn't capitalize on our chances down the stretch."

The win gives Montana St a much-needed boost heading into conference play, while E Washington's loss drops them to 5-12 overall.

GAME LEADERS

* Tyler Leon (MST) - 24 points, 6 rebounds

* Aaron Cook (MST) - 15 points, 7 rebounds

* Donovan Rodriguez (EWU) - 16 points

CONFERENCE STATISTICS

* Field Goals: E Washington (22/61), Montana St (19/49)

* Rebounds: E Washington (30), Montana St (36)

* Assists: E Washington (14), Montana St (11)

This thrilling conference matchup was a testament to the Big Sky Conference's competitiveness and the strength of both teams.