MBB Recap - Feb. 2

2/3/2012 2:00:42 AM

Weber State's Damian Lillard, the nation's leading scorer, scored 40 points Thursday night to highlight Big Sky Conference men's basketball action.

Lillard hit 13-of-18 shots from the floor, and was 6-of-8 from 3-point range as Weber State moved to 9-1 in conference with a 92-79 home win over Portland State.

Lillard's 40 points was just one shy of his career-high 41 set earlier this season in an overtime win over San Jose State. Lillard moved into 12th place on the Big Sky's all-time scoring list with 1,677 points. Lillard made his first six 3-pointers Thursday night. WSU made 15-of-28 3-pointers in the game. Junior guard Scott Bamforth scored 16 points with eight rebounds and seven assists as the Wildcats moved to 12-0 at home.

Senior guard Charles Odum led Portland State with 26 points. The Vikings dropped to 4-6 in conference.

Idaho State, the league's hottest team, earned its fourth straight win, upsetting third-place Montana State 87-86 in overtime in Bozeman. Kenny McGowen, who hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to beat Weber State last Saturday, hit the game-winning layup with 10 seconds to play. McGowen finished with a career-high 30 points, drilling seven 3-pointers. The Bengals, under interim coach Deane Martin, are now tied for third in the conference with Montana State at 6-4.

Montana State trailed 51-40 at the half, but fought all the way back. After McGowen gave ISU a 77-75 lead with 16 seconds left in regulation, Tre Johnson tied the game on a dunk with four seconds to play. Xavier Blount scored 24 points with eight rebounds, and Christian Moon hit six 3-pointers and scored 22 in the loss.

In Greeley, Colo., freshman Dylan Garrity scored 18 points with nine assists as Sacramento State won its second straight game, beating Northern Colorado 73-62. Joe Eberhard added 14 points in the win. Freshman Tevan Svihovec led the Bears with 19 points. Northern Colorado missed 17 free throws.

In Flagstaff, Ariz., freshman Parker Kelly scored all 11 of his points in the second half as Eastern Washington rallied for a 74-68 win over Northern Arizona. EWU improved to 5-5 in conference. NAU lost its 10th straight. NAU led by as many as nine in the second half. EWU senior forward Cliff Ederaine had another big night, scoring 11 points with 13 rebounds, six assists, four steals and two blocks. Ephraim Ekanem led NAU with 15 points.

Eight Sky teams return to action on Saturday. Weber State plays host to Northern Colorado at 5 p.m. in the Altitude Sports & Entertainment Game of the Week. Rivals Montana and Montana State square off in Bozeman at 7 p.m. Mountain. Northern Arizona plays host to Portland State at 6:35 p.m. Mountain. Sacramento State is at Eastern Washington at 6 p.m. Pacific.

For more on Thursday's games, click on the links below:

Idaho State 87, Montana State 86, OT | Stats

Weber State 92, Portland State 79 | Stats

Eastern Washington 74, Northern Arizona 68 | Stats

Sacramento State 73, Northern Colorado 62 | Stats