“You plug one hole, then there's another one or two that come up,” the Portland State first-year coach said.
Containing the Lady Griz offense was Murrell's main focus Friday afternoon in preparing for her team's home finale Saturday at 3 p.m. (MST) at the Stott Center. That was until the coach received word from the Big Sky Conference she is suspended for Saturday's game for comments made about the officiating after a 74-70 home loss to Montana State.
“The conference reminds all coaches of these rules prior to the start of their respective seasons,” Big Sky Commissioner Doug Fullerton said in a press release. “They are also aware that a violation of this rule results in an automatic one-game suspension.”
How the suspension affects the Vikings remains to be seen. But considering Murrell has led Portland State to its first 20-win season at the NCAA Division I level (20-8), it's a distraction her team doesn't need with the conference champs in town.
“Montana has a lot of weapons,” said Murrell, who could not be reached for a comment after her suspension was announced. “The first time we played them, we gave them way too many offensive boards.
“Then we'd usually foul them on the putback, so they end up scoring and our defender gets a foul. We get three wrongs out of one play.”
Montana (13-2 conference, 23-5 overall) held a whopping 28-9 edge in points from the foul line in a 77-73 overtime win over Portland State (10-5 conference) on Jan. 31. But that game was in Missoula, and Saturday's setting favors the Vikings, who had a string of 15 straight home wins prior to Thursday.
“After (Thursday's) game, I told our players, ‘We don't need to question how or why we lost that game, but how are we going to respond?' Murrell said. “Is it going to be something that puts us into a positive or negative mode heading into the (Big Sky) tournament?”
Montana is riding high after beating Eastern Washington on Thursday to clinch the league title and secure the right to host the Big Sky tourney a second straight year. Like Portland State, the Lady Griz will be playing for pride and momentum heading into the postseason Saturday.
“This game is important for a lot of reasons, including potential seeding things down the road,” Montana coach Robin Selvig said. “Portland State has had a great year and they look like a team to beat going into the conference tournament. Plus we're going in there and it's the last home game for their seniors, so they will be ready.”
Murrell's point about Montana's multiple threats is supported by the fact eight Lady Griz players average four points per game or better. Mandy Morales, Sonya Rogers and Johanna Closson are scoring in double figures, and Britney Lohman is at 9 points per game.
But Montana did not look like an offensive juggernaut Thursday, hitting just 38.6 percent of its shots from the floor (17-for-44).
“We didn't play well offensively, so hopefully we can shoot with confidence at Portland State,” Selvig said. “Transition defense is also going to be important for us. They can really get out and go on you, so we need to slow them down.”
Portland State was in position to ruin Montana's perfect home record on Jan. 31 after jumping to a lead in overtime. The Lady Griz felt fortunate to come away with a win, and Morales expects another fight to the finish Saturday.
“It's going to be a tough game,” she said. “Of course they'll want to come out and beat us because we're conference champs. We're going to have to play tough defense and get on the boards and hopefully our shots go down.
“We were real excited to win the conference (Thursday), and we need to get pumped up again.”
The game will feature two of the best points guards in the conference in Morales and Claire Faucher. Morales leads the Lady Griz with 354 points and 109 assists despite missing six games with foot problems. Faucher leads the country in assists with 247, and she's scored more points than Morales (359).
“It's just been an amazing season for her,” Murrell said of Faucher, a 5-foot-9 sophomore from Yakima, Wash. “A lot of the success we've had, she's been the catalyst for it.”
Notes: Portland State will be coached Saturday by nine-year assistant Lisa Fisher, who worked for five years under Murrell while she was at Washington State ... Montana has won its last nine meetings with Portland State. The Vikings' last win over the Lady Griz came in 2003 ... Portland State will be the No. 4 seed for the Big Sky tourney unless Eastern Washington upsets Montana State Saturday and the Vikings beat Montana ... Montana and Portland State are two of the highest scoring teams in the nation. PSU ranks 14th at 75.2 points per game and Montana 22nd at 74.5.
Sports writer Bill Speltz can be reached at 523-5255 or bill.speltz@lee.net.
Montana Lady Griz at Portland State
Saturday, 3 p.m. (MST), Stott Center (1,500)
Radio: KMPT 930 AM. TV: None.
Records: Montana is 13-2 in the Big Sky Conference, 23-5 overall. Portland State is 10-5, 20-8.
Last outing: Montana won at Eastern Washington on Thursday, 62-48. Montana State defeated Portland State in Portland on Thursday, 74-70.
Series: Montana leads, 34-8.
Last meeting: Montana won, 77-73, in overtime in Missoula on Jan. 31, 2008.
Up next: Montana plays in the semifinal round of the Big Sky tourney on Friday in Missoula against an opponent to be determined; Portland State plays in the quarterfinal round of the Big Sky tourney in Missoula Thursday against an opponent to be determined.
Probable starters
Montana
3-Mandy Morales, 5-9, jr. 16.1 ppg
5-Johanna Closson, 6-0, sr. 10.4 ppg
10-Sonya Rogers, 5-7, jr. 12.3 ppg
22-Britney Lohman, 6-1, jr. 9.0 ppg
51-Tamara Guardipee, 6-2, jr. 5.9 ppg
Portland State
10-Claire Faucher, 5-9, so. 12.8 ppg
11-Kelsey Kahle, 5-10, jr. 15.5 ppg
13-Delaney Conway, 6-0, sr. 12.0 ppg
22-Kelli Valentine, 5-11, fr. 9.8 ppg
33-Lexi Bishop, 5-8, fr. 5.3 ppg
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