Sprinkle, Bobcats Win Title

The last time Montana State won a Big Sky Conference title, Danny Sprinkle was 10 years old.

The freshman guard earned tournament MVP honors Saturday night after scoring a career-high 30 points in leading MSU to an 81-70 victory over Weber State.

Montana State (21-8) earned the league’s automatic berth into the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1987.

Sprinkle hit 11 of 13 from the field, including 7 of 9 3-pointers.

“Right when I let it go I just pretty much knew it was going in,” Sprinkle said. “It was just that kind of night. One of those lucky nights.”

And if Sprinkle wasn’t hitting, Weber State guard Ryan Cuff was. He finished with 26 points, on a 9-of-15 effort.

“Cuff was hitting some tough shots,” Sprinkle said. “If he’s hitting shots on Nico (Harrison), he can pretty much hit shots on anybody.”

Cuff scored Weber State’s first 12 points and gave the Wildcats a 16-14 lead midway through the first half.

Jimmy DeGraffenried hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give WSU a 33-32 halftime edge.

The Wildcats (20-10) pulled out to a 41-37 lead with 16:22 remaining on a dunk by Andy Smith, who had 11 points and eight rebounds.

“Maybe we got too excited because we got a four- or five-point lead,” Smith said. “Our defense and rebounding got us in trouble.”

Sprinkle scored eight of MSU’s 11 points over the next 4 minutes to give the Bobcats a 48-45 lead with 12:11 remaining.

“You don’t expect a freshman to come in there and make the 3s like that,” said Weber State coach Ron Abegglen.

Another 3 by Cuff tied the score at 48-all with 11:43 left, but the Bobcats began pulling away.

Adam Leachman and Mike Elliott scored MSU’s next eight points, putting the Bobcats up 56-50 with 9:13 remaining.

DeGraffenried hit a 3-pointer with 8:52 left and then Quadre Lollis scored nine of his 16 points over the next 4 minutes to give MSU a 68-61 edge with 4:21 left.

“We just got in a better offensive rhythm in the second half,” said MSU coach Mick Durham.

A free throw by Leachman with 3:02 left gave him 10 points and MSU a 74-64 lead.

Montana St. 81, Weber St. 70

Weber State (20-10) - Tebbs 2-6 0-0 4, DeGraffenried 6-12 3-4 17, Smith 5-6 1-2 11, Emery 0-4 2-2 2, Cuff 9-15 5-6 26, Fisher 2-4 0-0 6, Ketcham 0-0 0-0 0, Baskerville 0-1 0-0 0, Hicks 1-6 0-0 2, Nielsen 0-0 0-0 0, McIntyre 1-1 0-0 2, Haws 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-55 11-14 70.

Montana State (21-8) - Harrison 2-7 4-7 8, Leachman 3-7 3-7 10, Lollis 5-6 6-8 16, Hatler 2-8 1-2 7, Sprinkle 11-13 1-2 30, Elliott 2-7 0-0 4, Fay 0-3 0-1 0, Holmstadt 2-5 2-2 6, Henry 0-0 0-0 0, Harry 0-0 0-0 0, Sullivan 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 27-57 17-29 81.

Halftime-Weber St. 33, Montana St. 32. 3-point goals- WSU 7-21 (Cuff 3-8, Fisher 2-4, DeGraffenried 2-4, Baskerville 0-1, Hicks 0-1, Emery 0-1, Tebbs 0-2), MSU 10-25 (Sprinkle 7-9, Hatler 2-7, Leachman 1-2, Harrison 0-1, Sullivan 0-1, Elliott 0-2, Fay 0-3). Fouled out-Leachman. Rebounds-WSU 28 (Smith 8), MSU 40 (Lollis 12). Assists- WSU 9 (Cuff 3), MSU 20 (Hatler 7). Total fouls-WSU 20, MSU 14. A-7,187.

MEMO: Changed from the Idaho edition.