CEDAR CITY, Utah-Saturday afternoon, Southern Utah men’s basketball (8-5, 1-1 in Big Sky Conference play) hosts Montana State (8-6, 2-1 in Big Sky play) as the Thunderbirds seek to remain in the upper echelon of the conference standings.
Todd Simon’s (44-68, .393 in his fourth season at SUU; 53-76, .411 as a collegiate head coach) squad is coming off of a 60-58 loss to Montana Thursday which keeps the Grizzlies atop the Big Sky standings at 3-0.
SUU currently averages 76 points per game which ranks them 95th nationally in scoring offense.
Redshirt senior guard-forward Cameron Oluyitan is tied for the team lead in scoring with junior guard John Knight III with each averaging 13.2 points per game presently.
Oluyitan also posts 5.2 rebounds per game and leads the squad in both assists (31) and steals (20).
Redshirt senior forward Dwayne Morgan averages 11.3 points per game to also average double figures on the season for the Thunderbirds.
Sophomore guard Harrison Butler leads the squad in rebounding (7.8 per game) and Senegalese national, redshirt senior center Daouda (David) N’Diaye has a team-best 15 blocked shots.
The Thunderbirds also remain among the national leaders in rebounding margin per game (+9.2, 14th nationally) as they out-rebound opponents 40.4-31.2 on average.
SUU surrenders 64.7 points per game which ranks the Thunderbirds 87th nationally in scoring defense.
The Bobcats are excelling under first-year head-coach Danny Sprinkle (8-6, .571) who has Montana State in the thick of the Big Sky race.
Montana State scores 68.3 points per game, tying the Bobcats for 260th nationally in scoring offense with Little Rock.
Norwegian national, senior guard Harald Frey (16.6 points, 5.1 rebounds per game) leads the Bobcats in scoring as well as in assists (70) and steals (21).
Frey is joined for the team rebounding lead by British national Jubrile Belo who averages 12.2 points per game and has a team-best 11 blocked shots.
Fellow British national, Amin Adamu also scores in double-figures on-average for the Bobcats with 11.1 points per game.
Montana State ranks 105th nationally in scoring defense, surrendering 65.6 points per game.
The Bobcats have dominated the Thunderbirds traditionally, leading the series 9-2, including a 5-0 mark at Cedar City all-time.
