KENNEWICK, Wash. (AP) - Harald Frey had 31 points and 10 assists to lead Montana State to a 95-90 win over Washington State on Sunday at the Toyota Center.
The Bobcats (3-6) also got 24 points from Tyler Hall, while Ladan Ricketts added 18 and Devin Kirby had 10.
After Kirby's layup gave Montana State a 72-71 lead with nine minutes left, Frey scored 13 points, had three assists, and grabbed a key offensive rebound in the final minute, allowing the Bobcats to chew up more time.
WSU (5-3) was led by Robert Franks' 25 points, while CJ Elleby added 20. Carter Skaggs came off the bench to add 14 points.
Montana State shot 52 percent from the field, including 16 of 32 from 3-point range, and made 15 of 19 from the free-throw line.
The Bobcats opened a 22-10 lead just eight minutes in but Washington State grinded out key possessions to get back into the game. The Cougars trailed until Skaggs sank a 3-pointer goal with 1:31 left to give WSU a 40-38.
Hall made a runner from near half court at the buzzer to make it 43-all at the break. His 3-pointer midway through the second half broke Larry Chanay's school record of 2,034 career points set from 1956-60. Hall's sixth and final 3 of the game came about five minutes later, giving him 2,038 points and 346 made 3-pointers - breaking the Big Sky Conference's career mark of 345 by Jeremy Senglin of Weber State (2013-17)
Franks scored 18 points in the second half to keep the Cougars in it until Frey went on his run.
BIG PICTURE
Montana State: Sunday's game against the Cougars was the Bobcats' only contest against a Pac-12 opponent this season. . MSU begins Big Sky Conference play on Dec. 29 at Southern Utah. . Keljin Blevins, the team's No. 2 scorer, at 11.5 points per game, is the cousin of Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard. However, Blevins did not play Sunday. . Head coach Brian Fish, in his fifth season leading the Bobcats, was an assistant at Oregon before joining MSU.
Washington State: Montana State is the second consecutive Big Sky Conference team the Cougars have played this season. They beat the University of Idaho 90-70 on Dec. 5 in Pullman. . The Cougars will still have five non-conference games before they open Pac-12 play at Washington on Jan. 5. .. Franks and Elleby once again scored 20 or more points for the Cougs. . Attendance at the Toyota Center was 1,807. Coach Ernie Kent said he would like to bring the team back to the Tri-Cities again.
UP NEXT
Montana State: The Bobcats travel to the University of Denver next on Tuesday, Dec. 18.
Washington State: After finals week, the Cougars next play host to Rider on Monday, Dec. 17.
