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Saturday, December 18, 1999
Arrow wants Isles to be less charitable against Bobcats
Sending Montana State to free-throw line costly in loss last week
By Mark Zuckerman
Caller-Times
So, you think free throws don't count for anything?
Try telling that to Montana State.
The Bobcats, who come to Memorial Coliseum tonight to face Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, are the best free-throw shooting team in the country, having made 156 of 188 from the line this year for an 83 percent average.
Last Saturday against Wyoming, they set a team record by going 25 for 25 in a 92-86 loss.
And less than two weeks ago in Bozeman, Mont., they knocked off A&M-Corpus Christi by making 30 free throws to the Islanders' 12.
Needless to say, A&M-Corpus Christi head coach Ronnie Arrow's game plan tonight calls for doing anything and everything to ensure Montana State (4-4) stays off the free-throw line.
"He doesn't want us to put them in the same position they were in last time," Islanders shooting guard Lee Denmon said. "That's like spotting them 20 points."
The 99-88 loss in Bozeman December 6 was not without controversy. After watching the Bobcats attempt 39 free throws on 30 A&M-Corpus Christi personal fouls, Arrow blasted the game officials for whistling what he thought were ticky-tack fouls.
Still, the Islanders (3-4) realize officiating wasn't the only reason for the disparity in fouls.
"The refs weren't the best, but also we put ourselves in those positions for them to call the fouls," point guard Jonathan Cook said. "Now, we don't want to give them that chance."
Arrow isn't trying to hype the revenge factor, but that doesn't mean he wants his players to forget about the last time they played Montana State.
"I hope that they remember the game there," Arrow said. "I hope they remember that we had an opportunity to win the game there."
A&M-Corpus Christi will try to force the Bobcats to make their shots from the field, a daunting task in itself. Montana State is second in the nation in 3-point shooting at 46.1 percent.
"They've got probably the best-shooting, smartest team that we've played all year," Arrow said.
Not that they needed any added motivation, but following tonight's game, the Islanders will embark on what might be the toughest part of their inaugural season schedule.
A&M-Corpus Christi's next six games, and 10 of the next 11 games, will be on the road (including next week's Tribune Holiday Classic at Iowa State). The Islanders' only home date between now and February is a January 11 tilt with Division III team Texas-Dallas.
Hence the importance of tonight's game at the coliseum.
"We want to establish a home presence," Arrow said. "When people come in here, we want to start a tradition. And the only way to do that is to win your home games."
Staff writer Mark Zuckerman can be reached at 886-3747 or by e-mail at zuckermanm@caller.com
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