BOZEMAN – The Montana State women’s basketball team took off running in Big Sky Conference play, but the Bobcats have since simmered down.
The Cats started conference 2-0 but lost their last two games to Northern Colorado and North Dakota. A glaring stat jumps out on paper: In its losses MSU was out-rebounded 87-58.
“I think that was the main issue for both games, especially against UNC — they’re not known as being a really good rebounding team,” said senior guard Hannah Caudill. “Technically speaking, we just weren’t finding bodies. I think a lot of us, including myself, just watched as the ball went up and people just went right around us and got a lot of (offensive) boards.”
Now the Cats are .500 in conference play but come back home to Brick Breeden Fieldhouse, where they have won 31 consecutive games. The team’s mindset of “Chop wood, carry water” hasn’t wavered.
“You can’t get caught up in the number, you can’t get caught up in being ahead or behind,” said head coach Tricia Binford. “It’s a matter of getting better every day and just focusing on the details of what it takes to be solid. For us, that’s getting back to our basic habits of who we are with our defensive philosophy, being sharp, being clean and earning that for 40 minutes.”
MSU tips off against Portland State at 7 p.m. Thursday at Brick Breeden Fieldhouse before hosting Sacramento State on Saturday.
