SportbasketballNCAA Basketball
Okorie has strong second half, nets 21 points to rally Stanford past Montana State 77-68
In a game that felt more like a heavyweight bout than a non-conference warm-up, the Stanford Cardinal showed they've got the clutch gene, rallying past a gritty Montana State squad 77-68. For a while there, it looked like the script was flipped.The Bobcats, refusing to be just another early-season footnote, came out swinging in the second half with Christian King leading an 18-4 charge that saw them snatch their first lead at 52-48. The energy in the building shifted; this wasn't the walk-in-the-park some might have expected.But just when the pressure was at its peak, Ebuka Okorie decided it was his time. Man, what a second-half performance.He dropped 15 of his game-high 21 points after the break, looking like a player who had simply had enough. His sequence to reclaim the lead was pure, unadulterated swagger: a cold-blooded three-pointer to put Stanford up 63-61, followed immediately by a tough and-one play to stretch it to 66-63.That's the kind of momentum-swinging, soul-crushing combo you see from NBA stars in the playoffs, not just in November. It was the catalyst for a decisive 14-2 run that ultimately broke the Bobcats' spirit.Of course, it wasn't a one-man show. Benny Gealer was a steady hand all night, finishing with 16 points, while Chisom Okpara added 15.But the real dagger came from AJ Rohosy in the final two minutes. With the lead a precarious four points, he slipped free for a layup, and after a defensive stop, he did it again, effectively putting the game on ice.It’s those kinds of winning plays—the ones that don't always make the top-10 highlight reels but are absolutely essential for a team with March aspirations—that will have Coach Haase sleeping a little easier. For Montana State, it’s another tough lesson in closing out games.They got balanced scoring with King (14), Patrick McMahon (12), Chris Hodges (11), and Jed Miller (10) all in double figures, but they just couldn't contain Okorie when it mattered most. This Stanford team, now 3-0 with all wins against the Big Sky, is building an identity.They faced real adversity, saw their opponent's best punch, and instead of folding, they responded with a knockout run of their own. It’s the kind of character-building win that coaches love early in the season, proving they can win pretty and win ugly.The Cardinal now look ahead to Louisiana-Lafayette, while the Bobcats have to regroup quickly for a trip to Boise State. In the grand scheme of things, it's just one game in a long season, but the way Stanford closed this one out sends a message to the rest of the Pac-12: they know how to finish.
#college basketball
#Stanford Cardinal
#Montana State Bobcats
#Ebuka Okorie
#AP Top 25
#game recap
#lead focus news
