Bears Ready To Run -- Again -- With The Bobcats

GAME DAY NOTES: at Texas State

DETAILS
Date: Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009
Tip: 6 p.m. (MT)
Location: San Marcos, Texas
   Venue: Strahan Coliseum
   Capacity: 12,000
Promotions: none
Television: none
Radio: 1310 KFKA (Greeley)
   Play-by-play: Troy Coverdale
   Web stream: 1310KFKA.com
Live stats: none
Series: NC, 2-1
   Last: NC, 105-93 (11-29-2008)

SOME STORY LINES

• After falling short in back-to-back overtime conference road losses, maybe it will be good for Northern Colorado to step out of Big Sky play for a game against Texas State on Tuesday night, Jan. 6, in San Marcos, Texas.

• That said, tonight’s game will resemble a conference game, considering the teams already played this year in Greeley. The Bears won that game 105-93 -- which still ranks as the most points scored by a BSC team this season.
  

• Three-pointers figure to be in high supply tonight, as both teams are ranked in the top 10 in the NCAA in three-point field-goal percentage. The Bobcats come in at No. 5 (42 percent), while the Bears are No. 8 (40.9 percent).

• Northern Colorado has played an in-season home-and-home series in each of coach Tad Boyle’s first two years at the helm -- and the Bears have split those series (both against Denver) each time. That trend can be halted tonight.

SERIES HISTORY
08-09: NC, 105-93 (H)
04-05: NC, 86-62 (2OT) (H)
03-04: TSU, 76-70 (A)

ABOUT THE BOBCATS

• Simply stated, Texas State tries to outscore its opponents. The Bobcats entered this week No. 3 in the nation in scoring offense (91.1 ppg), but No. 321, out of 330 ranked teams, in scoring defense (80.3.)

• Four players average double-figure scoring for Texas State, and eight players average five or more points per game.

• Senior Brent Benson is at the front of the pack for the Bobcats, averaging 19.3 points per game after scoring in double figures in all games but one this season. Benson also leads TSU in FGAs, FGMs, 3-pt FGAs and 3-pt FGMs.

• Benson (19 points) and senior Brandon Bush (15) led the Bobcats in scoring when these teams’ previously met in Greeley.