Griz beat Hornets 60-48, push streak to six
2/12/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
University of Montana junior guard Anthony Johnson scored a game-high 24 points to lead the Grizzlies to a 60-48 Big Sky Conference victory over the host Sacramento State Hornets Thursday evening in the Hornets Nest.
The Grizzlies (9-3 Big Sky/15-9 overall) and the Hornets (1-11/2-23) were in a close game in the first half, but UM broke the game open by out-scoring Sac 17-5 in the first 10-plus minutes of the second half, and took a 40-35 lead with 9:12 left to play on a tip-in by senior forward Kyle Sharp. Montana maintained a double-digit advantage through most of the rest of the game, but Sac State made it an eight-point contest (54-46) on a three-point play by senior guard Loren Leath with 1:44 left. However, Johnson made 6-of-6 free throws in the final 1:31 to put the game out of reach. The Hornets jumped to an early 2-0 lead on a jumper by Leath, and had their biggest advantage of five points (18-13) on a lay-up by junior forward Justin Eller with 9:17 left until halftime. The Grizzlies regained the lead at 24-23 with 2:31 left until intermission when Johnson made one of two free throws, and Montana led the rest of the way. Montana led 28-25 at halftime, and is now 12-0 in games this season when leading at the half. Also in double figures for the Grizzlies were Sharp with 14 points and senior forward Jordan Hasquet with 14. Sharp, who is from Hollister, Calif. and was playing in front of a lot of family and friends, made 5-of-9 field goal attempts, was 4-of-4 from the line, added a game-high 10 rebounds, and also tied his career-bests with 3 blocks and 2 steals. Griz starters Jack McGillis and Ryan Staudacher each scored 4 points, but for the first time this season UM???s bench was held scoreless. Leath had 15 points, but made 5-of-15 shots, while Eller added 11 points. Montana held Sac State to 32.7% (17-of-52) field goal tries, 3-of-17 (17.6%) three-point attempts, and 11-of-18 (61.1%) from the line. The Hornets made 6-of-23 field goal shots in the second half, for 26.1%. The Grizzlies made 22-of-47 (46.8%) field goal shots, 2-of-11 (18.2%) treys, and 14-of-16 (87.5%) charity shots. Montana out-rebounded Sac State 37-29, and had 10 more boards (22 to 12) in the final half. Montana will vie for its seventh win in a row this Saturday at Northern Arizona, in a 5:05 p.m. (Mtn.) game that will be televised on FSN Arizona. Sac State hosts Montana State on Saturday. NAU defeated MSU 83-64 Thursday evening. SACRAMENTO STATE (2-23, 1-11) Fouled out--University of Montana-None, Sacramento State-ADAMS, Randy. Rebounds--University of Montana 37 (SHARP, Kyle 10), Sacramento State Assists--University of Montana 9 (JOHNSON, Anthony 4), Sacramento State 10 (STIGALL, Jared 2; MARCIAL, Mike 2; ELLER, Justin 2). Total fouls--University of Montana 15, Sacramento State 17. Technical A-718
UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA (15-9, 9-3)
JOHNSON, Anthony 7-14 10-12 24; SHARP, Kyle 5-9 4-4 14; HASQUET, Jordan 6-11
0-0 14; STAUDACHER, Ryan 2-6 0-0 4; MCGILLIS, Jack 2-3 0-0 4; QVALE, Brian
0-1 0-0 0; STOCKTON, Shawn 0-0 0-0 0; TAYLOR, Michael 0-3 0-0 0; ELGIN-TAYLOR, Ceylon 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-47 14-16 60.
LEATH, Loren 5-15 5-7 15; ELLER, Justin 5-11 1-2 11; SELLING, Michael 3-7
0-0 7; ADAMS, Randy 0-2 4-6 4; FLAGGS, Antonio 1-7 1-2 4; STIGALL, Jared 1-3
0-0 3; WILSON, Aaron 1-2 0-0 2; MARCIAL, Mike 1-2 0-0 2; MALLOY, Jonathan
0-1 0-0 0; THOMAS, Donald 0-2 0-1 0. Totals 17-52 11-18 48.
University of Montana......... 28 32 - 60
Sacramento State............... 25 23 - 48
3-point goals--University of Montana 2-11 (HASQUET, Jordan 2-3; SHARP, Kyle
0-1; STAUDACHER, Ryan 0-3; MCGILLIS, Jack 0-1; TAYLOR, Michael 0-2; JOHNSON,
Anthony 0-1), Sacramento State 3-17 (FLAGGS, Antonio 1-5; STIGALL, Jared
1-3; SELLING, Michael 1-2; THOMAS, Donald 0-1; ELLER, Justin 0-1; LEATH,
Loren 0-5).
29 (ADAMS, Randy 6).
fouls--University of Montana-None, Sacramento State-None.
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