kang@journalnet.com

In the pleasing images that take shape in Jeni Guertin's mind when she daydreams about returning to play Montana State in her hometown of Bozeman, Mont., she's often standing up for the introduction of the starting lineups.

Guertin is wearing Idaho State's orange and black. But the announcer's voice blares over Worthington Arena's loudspeakers that she's Bozeman's own Jeni Guertin, and the crowd erupts in cheers.

"That," Guertin said, "would be cool."

The scene likely won't materialize when the Bengals face the Bobcats at 7:05 p.m. today, seeing as Guertin has logged just 18 minutes all season and continues to lie below three other Bengals posts on their depth chart.

But Guertin nonetheless bubbles with excitement about once again getting to play in the city where she starred as a high schooler. And fresh off a 10-minute showing at Montana on Thursday, Guertin may even get a few extra trips up and down the court to show the Bobcats what they missed out on when they failed to sign her.

"Jeni's pretty emotional about it," said Jim Guertin, her father. "Jeni's been really amped up about this since she left for Idaho State."

Montana State certainly coveted Jeni Guertin's signature as much, if not more, than Idaho State. Guertin made her varsity debut as a freshman at Bozeman High, and by the following year, Bobcats coach Tricia Binford had seen enough to offer her a full ride to Montana State.

Guertin's stock kept rising after that when she helped lead Bozeman to Class AA (Montana's highest classification) state titles her sophomore and juniors years.

She had some help, to say the least. Five other players Guertin graduated with in 2007 now play collegiate basketball.

But her strength and repertoire of low-post moves made her a prominent target, and when she developed an outside touch her senior year, it became a no-brainer for Bozeman coach Brooke Svendsen to designate Guertin as one of their primary scoring options.

"She's obviously a very talented girl," said Svendsen, who has since moved to Colorado. "She developed the ability to shoot the outside shot, and that opened up a number of different opportunities for us to work around her."

Guertin had long dreamed of taking those moves to Montana State, the venue of her childhood basketball dreams. But unwilling to sign away her collegiate career without first exploring all her options, Guertin resisted Montana State's overtures and decided to make a campus visit to Idaho State.

That fall weekend of 2007, the Bengals made up Guertin's mind for her when they welcomed Guertin with a warmth that she hadn't experienced anywhere else. She instantly decided to commit to former coach Jon Newlee's program, which made for a few uncomfortable moments for Guertin the rest of the year.

"I'd see (Montana State's players) around town, and it was really awkward because they totally knew I was going here," Guertin said. "I would just be like, hey, and then walk away."

There's no telling how Guertin's career would have evolved at Montana State. But she has no regrets about her decision, even with the nondescript numbers she's accumulated: Eighteen total minutes, four points, four rebounds, a block and a steal.

Guertin knows what Idaho State coach Seton Sobolewski still hopes to see from her: better speed, improved conditioning and a more nuanced understanding of how to play post defense.

But Sobolewski also has made no secrets about his appreciation for her shooting touch, which surpasses that of every other Bengals post except perhaps Oana Iacovita, he said.

"There's a lot of positives about her," Sobolewski said. "As soon as she adjusts to the Division I level, she's going to be a good player.

"It's up to her, how hard she works right now and how hard she works this summer for next year. It's all up to her."

For now, Guertin will have to be content with spot duty. But Sobolewski has hinted at an increased role for her after recent practices, and he backed that suggestion by playing her for 10 minutes against Montana on Thursday.

Guertin's former Bozeman High schoolmates and teachers would like nothing more than to see more of that. She expects about 50 friends and family members in the stands today.

"She was a popular kid, really engaging personality and well-liked," said Brad Rustan, current Bozeman coach and its JV coach last season. "It would be great if fans in Bozeman get the chance to see her play. If it doesn't happen this year, it could sometime down the road."

Jim Guertin didn't lobby Sobolewski for more playing time for Jeni when the Guertins hosted a catered team lunch Friday. But then again, surely nobody needs to guess how big of a deal this game is to them.

Jeni sent text messages to her dad every stop of the way during the Bengals' bus ride from Missoula to Bozeman on Thursday.

Jim Guertin said Jeni stepping on the court today will probably represent the proudest he's felt of her since she won two national taekwondo titles during her grade-school years.

That Worthington Arena moment has formed many a fantasy for her over the years, but when it does happen, even the affable freshman might have to pinch herself to make sure it's finally arrived.

"I'm really excited," she said. "It's going to be weird, me sitting in the stands all those years, and now I'll be out there actually playing."

Idaho State (5-12, 2-2 Big Sky) at Montana State (7-9, 1-3)

When: 7:05 tonight

Where: Worthington Arena, Bozeman, Mont.

Watch: www.bigskytv.org

Listen: 91.1 FM (KISU)

What's at stake:

Montana State and Idaho State belong to a cluster of teams that should be racing neck-and-neck for Big Sky tournament spots come March. A win in Bozeman would help the Bengals' cause tremendously.

Key matchup:

Montana State post Nubia Garcia vs. Oana Iacovita. The Bengals have struggled to contain opposing posts this season, and they face another top-notch forward in Garcia, who is averaging 12.7 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.

Three things about Montana State:

n Montana State upset Idaho State 83-72 in the semifinals of last season's Big Sky tournament.

n The Bobcats were the next-to-last team to pick up a Big Sky win. Montana State edged fellow winless team Weber State 65-62 at home Thursday to improve to 1-3.

n Montana State is, statistically speaking, the worst defensive team in the Big Sky. In conference play, the Bobcats have allowed a league-high 80.2 points per game and are allowing opponents to shoot a staggering 56.4 percent from 3-point range.

Happy ending if…

The Bengals do a better job containing drives into the paint than they did during their Big Sky tournament showdown against the Bobcats last season.

Sad ending if…

The Bengals shoot as poorly as they did against Montana on Thursday (16.7 percent from 3-point range).

Bottom line:

Idaho State needs to capitalize on the fact that Montana State hasn't yet hit midseason form.