I found it impossible to select just one, or two, or even three Lady Griz players as MVP choices for their play in the team’s first three home wins of the season. How about naming the starting five?
Over the first weekend of play, three opponents found it impossible to do much against a deep and talented Lady Griz squad, which won the three games by a +22-point average margin.
PHOTO MONTAGE: Clockwise from upper left -- Sonja Rogers agaist MSU, Tamara Guardipee against Sac State, Johanna Closson against MSU, Mandy Morales against Sac State and, (center panel) Britney Lohman against MSU.
The Missoulian's Bill Speltz has an excellent story on Montana's early play.
More importantly, there are statistically telling signs that the Lady Griz -- with floor leader Mandy Morales on the mend from early season foot problems -- is becoming even more multi-dimensional.
There’s convincing proof of Montana’s early league dominance at the Big Sky Conference Statistics page (I wasn't able to make a direct link), where the Lady Griz are top-ranked in eight team cagegories, #2 in four team categories and #three in the remainig team categories. The Lady Griz are ranked no lower than third in any team category.
In some years, with some teams, the names of standout players pop up game after game. It’s easy then for opposing coaches to devise a defensive strategy to stop a single dominant player... or even two players. The first three games saw that strategy employed by coaches, from MSU, NAU and Sac State, with no success.
Take Montana’s 78-65 win over the Montana State Bobcats. MSU coach Tricia Binford said after the game that her objective was to stop Montana’s inside game. The Cats were sort of successful by managing to hold forwards Johanna Closson and Britney Lohman to 12 total points.
In doing so, the collapsing Cats’ defense also left the perimeter open, so guard Sonja Rogers torched the Cats for 32 points on 9-for-14 shooting, 5-for-6 from three point range. Still, Montana post Tamara Guardipee stepped up in mid-key with a double-double, scoring 12 points and pulling down 10 rebounds.
Northern Arizona took the opposite defensive approach and focused on Montana’s guard tandem, reducing their output to a total of 18 points on the night. No problem. Forward Britney Lohman scored 18, Guardipee snared another 13 rebounds, and Closson responded with 13 points in Montana’s 77-55 runaway.
Sacramento State’s strategy failed as well. This time the point guard duo of Morales (23 points) and Laura Cote (12 points) were too much for the Hornets. And though the Hornets held Closson to only two of her patented baseline treys, the agile shooting forward responded by burning Sac State on 6-for-7 shooting with quick drives into the key, where she made several short-range jumpers.
PHOTO: Laura Cote drives against a Bobcat defender.
An overview of the three games reveals an evenly balanced Lady Griz attack capable of producing points all over the floor.
Here are some three-game averages:
Rogers: A high of 32 points, with a total of 46 points over three games.
Morales: A high of 23, with a total of 38 points.
Closson: Ten, 13 and 14 points for 37 total in three games
Lohman: A high of 18 points with 34 total.
Guardipee: An average of 10+ rebounds and 9 points per game.
That translates to four Lady Griz starters averaging at least 11 points per game, with one averaging 10 rebounds per game.
Not bad for a week’s work and a 3-0 jump start in league play.
