It’s 2:30am, I’m hopped up on Coca-Cola, and the second CMU men’s basketball game of the season is about to tip-off. From Hawaii, it’s the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic. The play-by-play and my musings from the game after the jump.
2:36am – The CMU radio feed is playing an interview with Coach Zeigler, but the feed is sound is so grainy I can barely understand a word of it.
2:40am – CMU starts G Rashid, G Zeigler, F Weary, F Thomas, and F McClure. Montana State starts Singleton, Howard, Rush, Piepoli, Anderson.
2:42am – Chippewas control the opening tip.
2:43am – Zeigler misses the first shot of the game, MSU gets the rebound. And they score on their next possession to make it 2-0. But Zeigler answers with a basket to make it 2-2.
2:44am – Jalin Thomas continues his hot start, and buries a 3. 5-2 Chippewas.
2:47am – The Bobcats come out shooting the 3 well, and stretch their early lead to 10-5. Jalin Thomas grabs an offensive rebound, puts it back in, and gets the foul. 10-7 MSU, media timeout, free throw to follow. Quick pace to this game early on.
2:49am – Thomas hits the free throw. Thomas has 6 points, CMU trails 10-8, and switches to a full court press.
2:50am – McClure gets the basket and the foul to tie it 10-10. Misses the foul shot, game still tied.
2:52am – Weary is called for charging. Sounds like the Chippewas are really driving the lane hard. Zeigler comes out.
2:53am – McClure picks up his 2nd block of the game.
2:54am – McClure comes out for Coimbra.
2:55am – This CMU announcer is awful. Keeps mispronouncing words, and is now having a coughing attack on the air. This must be the only guy who traveled with the team who wasn’t a coach or player.
2:57am – Craddock drives the lane, gets the basket and the foul. Chippewas doing a good job of getting to the basket early in this game. 12-12 at a media timeout.
2:59am – Craddock connects on the foul shot to take the lead for the first time, 13-12. Full court pressure off the foul shot forces the Bobcats to take a timeout.
3:01am – Just over 11 minutes to play in the 1st half, CMU still leads 13-12.
3:03am – Zeigler checks back in for CMU.
3:05am – Less than 10 to play, CMU trails 14-13. Lots of turnovers for CMU, VanArendonk has back to back ones, and will take a seat.
3:06am – Craddock again gets to the basket, puts it in and draws the foul. Misses the foul shot. 15-14 CMU leads.
3:07am – Another coughing attack for the announcer. This is getting embarassing. Zeigler with a steal.
3:09am – Just over 7 to play in the first half, CMU leads 17-16. Timeout off a foul.
3:11am – The announcer is rattling off stats from scrimmages and exhibitions. In other news, I once hit .745 in gym softball.
3:12am – Rashid draws a foul and will get three free throws. Hits the first, the second rattles out, and the third bounces out. 18-16 CMU.
3:16am – McClure having a strong defensive night, pulls down his 5th rebound already, to go with 2 blocks. Howard scores again for the Bobcats, he has 11. Montana State leads 20-18, Big Z calls timeout.
3:18am – Chippewas struggle from the foul line again, just 3/7.
3:19am – Just over 3 minutes to go in the half. 22-18 Bobcats. CMU has gone away from driving the basket, but they can’t seem to hit a jump shot. Sounds like an ugly game thus far for both teams. Both teams shooting 36% from the floor.
3:21am – Zeigler hits a short jumper off the drive, and gets fouled. Hits the foul shot, and it’s 22-21 Bobcats, Zeigler with 5 thus far.
3:26am – Getting harder and harder to keep my eyes open. This game isn’t helping matters any. Voss to the line for 2 shots. Connects on the first, and hits the second. 24-23 Montana State leads.
3:29am – This announcer has the most long winded versions of the play there is. By the time he finishes the ball is on the other end of the floor.
3:30am – Zeigler hits a 3 right before the buzzer, to give CMU at 26-24 lead, Zeigler with 8. And the announcer has another coughing attack.
3:31am – HALF-TIME! CMU leads 26-24. Zeigler leads with 8 points, Thomas has 6, Craddock with 5, McClure, Voss and Jackson with 2 each, and Rashid with 1; Howard has 11 for Montana State. CMU shooting 39% from the floor, 54% from the foul line. Holding the Bobcats to 34% shooting. Trailing in rebounds 31-17. 8 first half turnovers for CMU. Both teams sound like they are exhausted from playing last night in the intense heat. McClure has been strong on D with 5 rebounds and 2 blocks. Paramore, Weary, and Thomas each with 2 fouls.
3:39am – The announcer steps away from the mic for the remainder of half-time, and leaves us with some soothing Hawaiian music. I can almost feel the heat from the beach. Wait, that’s just my laptop resting on my thighs.
3:45am – The music finally ends. Just as it was getting good.
3:46am – 2nd half gets underway, and CMU has the same starting lineup that began the game. Bobcats hit a 3 to start.
3:47am – Jalin Thomas gets the basket, and the foul. Connects on the free-throw, Thomas with 9 points. 29-27 CMU leads.
3:49am – 3 point play for the Bobcats, and they take the lead 30-29.
3:51am – Zeigler hits a jumper, 10 points for him, 31-30 Chippewas.
3:52am – “Nice little stutter step, stop and go move” Um, what? I believe that would be traveling if that actually happened.
3:52am – Derek Jackson knocks down a 3 on an assist from Zeigler, 34-32.
3:53am – 15:55 to play, McClure picks up his 3rd, still 34-32, Chips on top.
3:56am – Zeigler starting to heat up, knocks down another jumper, 5/8 from the floor, he has 12. 36-33 CMU.
3:57am – My feed cuts out. I refresh and am unaware of what I might have missed during that minute. Still 36-33. Whew.
4:00am – CMU can’t get it inbounded and take a timeout. I would love about an 8 hour one at this point. 36-35 Central. 14:32 left.
4:02am – Zeigler misses, gets his own rebound, and puts it in. 14 for him. 38-35. Montana State hits a 3 on the other end to tie it 38-38. But then Voss connects from 12′, 40-38 CMU. Another 3 for the Bobcats it’s 41-40 MSU. I CAN’T KEEP UP WITH THIS ACTION!
4:05am – Media timeout, Bobcats lead 43-40, and will go to the line after the break.
4:06am – AND WE’RE BACK! Coughing attack brings us back to the action. Montana State hits 1/2 foul shots, a quick little 6-0 run makes it 44-40 Bobcats.
4:08am – 2 more free throws stretch the run to 8, 46-40 MSU.
4:11am – Big Z gets a tech, incensed over a non-call on a drive by Jalin Thomas. The announcer confirms what we knew all along: There are about 100 people at the game. 48-40 Montana State. 9:40 to play.
4:13am – Thomas drives and scores, gets to 11 points. Stops an 11-0 run in the process. 49-42 MSU.
4:14am – Antonio Weary gets 1/2 at the line, his first point. 49-43 Bobcats.
4:16am – Craddock gets a fast break basket. He he has 7. 49-45 Montana State. Media Timeout, about 7 minutes to play.
4:18am – Another coughing attack. This guy must smoke at every commercial.
4:20am – MSU center hits a 3, and the lead is 7, 53-45. Zeigler going to the line for 2. Hits them both, 16 points, 53-47 Central trails.
4:23am – Rashid to the line, gets both, and has 3 points. CMU trails by 4, 53-49.
4:25am – Jalin Thomas drives, and scores from Coimbra, 13 for Thomas, back within 2, 53-51. Just under 5 to play.
4:27am – Timeout Bobcats. Time to go let the dog out so he can piss. What a pain in the ass.
4:29am – It occurs to me that CMU has 2 commercials for this broadcast. One for getting a CMU license plate. And another for joining some Alumni association. You can also hear the buzzers after the timeouts during the commercials. Real first class broadcast we have this morning.
4:31am – 1/2 free throws for MSU, it’s 54-51 Bobcats. Zeigler answers with a turn around jumper to get CMU within 1, 54-53. He has 18.
4:32am – 1:40 to play, exciting finish in store here.
4:33am – Zeigler to the basket, no call as we roll down to 1 minute left. Still 54-53. Zeigler called for a foul. Bobcats will go to the line for 2. In the double bonus.
4:34am – The first is good. And so is the second. 56-53 Bobcats with a minute left.
4:34am – TREY ZEIGLER FOR 3! He ties it up at 56-56. 48 seconds left in this one! Zeigler is up to 21 on the night. You can see why this guy was so highly sought after. He has been the go to guy for CMU the last 5 minutes of this one, and he has answered the call.
4:36am – CMU gets a stop, but a loose ball goes out of bounds…and CMU gets the ball with 15 seconds left in the game! 56-56. CMU has not had a lead since 40-38 early in the 2nd half.
4:38am – Look for the ball to run through Zeigler here.
4:39am – Zeigler FIRES from three…Off the rim and we have overtime. Fuck me. I want to go to bed. What a game though. 56-56, Zeigler with 21 points in regulation.
4:40am – CMU controls the tip to start OT.
4:42am – Bobcats draw first blood in OT, 59-56. 8th three pointer of the night for them.
4:43am – CMU relying too much on Zeigler here, and a shot clock violation results. 3 minutes left.
4:44am – Oh and here comes the non-stop subbing. This game is going to take forever.
4:45am – Jalin Thomas drives, scores, pulls the Chips within 1. 59-58.
4:46am – Easy basket for MSU, 61-58. Rashid drives, and his pass goes out of bounds. 61-58 Bobcats. CMU steals it back. One minute left.
4:47am – CMU turns it back over, and CMU is forced to foul with around 30 seconds left.
4:48am – First free throw is good, and so is the 2nd. 63-58. Singleton has 20 for Montana State. 31 seconds left.
4:51am – CMU misses a 3 from the corner, MSU rebounds, and the clock ticks down to 11 seconds left. First shot is good, and so is the second.
4:52am – 65-58 The Chippewas fall to Montana State, dropping their record to 1-1.
Trey Zeigler was everything as advertised, scoring 21 points in the losing effot. Jalin Thomas had another solid game, chipping in 15 points, and 6 rebounds. No other Chippewas were in double figures. CMU shot 38% from the floor. They had the rebounding edge 35-33. 13 Turnovers for CMU. CMU only scored 2 points in the overtime period.
Recap/Observations
The Chippewas sounded like they were absolutely gassed after playing a late, close game the previous night, and then having to go to OT this morning. And as the game wore on, they seemed to rely more and more on Zeigler to make things happen for them. Which is fine considering the talent he has, but you have to remember, he is a freshman, and very untested at this level. If CMU is going to be successful this season, they need to find more scoring than just Zeigler and Thomas. Once again, the Chippewas struggled from the foul line, one of the problems that plagued them last season. CMU has tomorrow off, before taking on host Hawaii on Tuesday morning at 4am. The game will be televised on ESPN.
The Flying C 