grizzlyjournal

Montana regroups; holds on for 81-66 win over NCU

On their way to an 81-66 win over the Northern Colorado Bears, the Montana Grizzlies may most remember a five-minute span where panic reigned and an otherwise easy win teetered in the balance of a sudden momentum shift.

The Grizzlies – leading by a comfortable 26-point margin at 73-47 with 6:36 remaining – staggered under the sudden shock of 17-straight points from frenetic Bears’ pressure, before a breakaway layup by guard Cameron Rundles with 1:38 remaining broke both the Griz scoreless stretch and the Bears’ attack in the 16-point Big Sky Conference win before 4003 happy but subdued fans Thursday.

PHOTO: Cameron Rundles' breakaway layup from a three-quarter court inbounds pass by Jordan Hasquet with 1:38 remaining, broke a Montana scoring drought and ensured the otherwise efficient Montana win.

The win moved Montana’s conference mark to 8-7 (14-14) and assured the Griz a first-round playoff game with a chance to host still in play. The Bears dropped to 5-10 (12-16) and eighth  place in conference play.

“This was a huge game for us,” said Montana post Andrew Strait. “Northern Colorado has struggled but they’ve won some games recently. Despite that we knew the importance of this game and the coach really stressed that we had to jump out on them early with a lot of energy and I think we did a good job doing that.”

SCOUTING REPORT: Northern Colorado at Montana, Feb. 28

Montana sophomore reserve guard Cameron Rundles says the Montana Grizzlies still have a lot to prove – to themselves more than to anyone else. But there’d be nothing better,  says Rundles, than to prove it in front of Montana’s home-court fans, which Rundles says are far and away the best in the Big Sky Conference.

Tipoff for Montana’s final homestand, and perhaps its final two home games of the year, is Thursday at 7 p.m. against the 8th place Northern Colorado Bears. On Saturday the Grizzlies host a team at the other end of the conference standings: the first-place Portland State Vikings.

“I really want to win these next two games because I think we’ve got the best crowd in the Big Sky,” says Rundles.

“I love playing with this crowd. Because, now that I’m a little more confident (read the Grizzly Journal interview with Rundles below) I’m going to be with this crowd, because they really are our sixth man and I want them to raise the roof.”

A win against the Bears assures Montana of a first-round playoff game. A sweep gives Montana an outside chance at hosting a third straight home court game with a first-round playoff game.

Montana players, says Rundles, know the challenge in front of them.

“No excuses,” says Rundles. “We’ve got to take care of things first against Northern Colorado.”

But Rundles knows that two wins would provide a big boost for the Grizzlies going into postseason play.

“We know that Portland State is the best team in the league, hands down,” says Rundles. “Their record shows it. They’ve proved it. And they’re going to host (the Big Sky tourney).”

“I really want to win these next two games because I think we’ve got the best crowd in the Big Sky,” says Rundles.

The final weekend of Big Sky Conference play tips off Thursday at 7 p.m. in Dahlberg arena. Read the entire Grizzly Journal SCOUTING REPORT here.

Grizzly Journal Q&A: An interview with Griz Cameron Rundles

Cameron Rundles will be honest. He’ll tell you Montana’s Feb. 24 72-63 OT win at Idaho State was his best game since Nov. 9, when the Grizzlies beat Colorado State on opening day of the 2007-08 season.

But Rundles’ season has been – until Sunday – on a steady downward arc. After being tabbed as the Big Sky Conference Freshman of the Year for his play in 2007-08, many – including Rundles himself – were expecting big things.

After a stellar debut against the Rams, Rundles’ fortunes on the basketball court have been up and down at best... mostly down. Montana coach Wayne Tinkle finally replaced Rundles at starting point guard, and he has since played mostly as a reserve, sometimes playing fewer than 10 minutes a contest.

The normally cheery player hit a low against Sacramento State, drawing a technical and finally getting benched. But Sunday, Rundles finally got a start... in overtime against the Bengals.

And he made the best of his five minutes, scoring five points, dishing out a critical assist to Ryan Staudacher, and controlling the tempo of the game at point guard.

That all came after Rundles had dished a timely assist to Montana post Andrew Strait and, moments later, nailed a pull-up jumper in the final minutes of regulation.

Rundles doesn’t like the word slump, much less ‘sophomore slump.’ But he admits his play has been below his own high expectations. He agreed to a  question and answer interview with Grizzly Journal.   

Did Montana escape from Pocatello with an illegal OT win?

NOTE: My apologies for Monday's technical difficulties. I had to deal with the sudden shut-down of a hosting service. I think I got all my files transferred, but for those readers who bookmark Grizzly Journal, you might have to re-establish the link. My thanks to those readers who alerted me to the problem. If you notice any other problems, I appreciate you letting me know. – GJ

There’s controversy erupting out of Potacello after Montana’s 72-63 OT win over the Idaho State Bengals Sunday, all of which is still on tape via the Altitude Sports Television coverage of the event.

The question is not whether Jordan Hasquet signaled for an illegal timeout (Montana had no timeouts remaining) with 1.2 seconds remaining on the clock: he did. It also looked to me like Hasquet took an extra step.

Instead, the question is whether any time remained when official Eric Curry acknowledged Hasquet’s request with a whistle and a raised arm.

Apparently so. The Big Sky Conference web site just posted a story announcing the suspension of game officials Curry, Bob Scofield and Scott Harris for “misapplication of rules,” with regard to that last-second call.

Big Sky Conference Assistant Commissioner Jon Kasper (Media Relations) was in attendance at Sunday’s game and participated in a halftime interview on Altitude. He was most likely close to the controversy.

Missoulian Sports Editor Bob Meseroll touches briefly on the incident in his Monday morning story (no link available).

Comments by the Altitude Sports play-by-play and color crew are instructive in retrospect as well.

But the best post-game discussion of the event comes from Idaho State Journal sportswriter Kellis Robinett on his blog account, entitled: The Hasquet Pardon: Montana 72, Idaho State 63.

Montana Comes Up Big in OT for 72-63 Win over ISU

The Montana Grizzlies finally played tough in the clutch, riding the momentum of Andrew Strait's last-second offensive rebound and kick-out to Jordan Hasquet for his own last-second clutch three that sent the game into OT in a 72-63 win over Idaho State.

That set the stage for overtime where Montana, sparked by the stellar play of Cameron Rundles during the extra period, pulled away for the nine-point win.

During the final minutes of regulation, several Grizzly players made critical stops on defense and in late-minute rebounds.

But perhaps the best thing to see in this tough road win was the re-emergence of Rundles, who scored five points in overtime and controlled the pace of the overtime to secure Montana's win.

"I can't even tell you..." said Montana Coach Wayne Tinkle, responding to Mick Holien's post-gme question about how good it feels to finally get a clutch win.

Strait and Hasquet were the critical factors in a second half that saw Montana gain the overall rebounding lead in a game where they had earlier trailed by seven boards. The two Montana big men were particularly effective on grabbing offensive boards... Hasquet a grab of a Missed Strait free throw and Strait the board that helped set up Hasquet for his game-tying trey.

Strait scored 22 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. Hasquet scored 13 and pulled down 12 boards. Ryan Staudacher also sank a critical trey on well-executed inside-outside action to spring the Griz in overtime. Montana shot an improved 15-of-19 from the free throw line.

Montana's man-on defense came up big down the stretch, often forcing the Bengals into poor shot selection, including Matt Stucki's rushed, off-balance shot at the end of regulation.

After allowing the Bengals to shoot 50 percent from the field during the first half, Montana clamped down, holding ISU to 41.7 % from the field during the second half. The Grizzlies outrebounded the Bengals 31-30, grabbed five steals, forced nine Bengals turnovers and had four blocked shots.

PHOTOS: Andrew Strait (top, against NAU) scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, including a clutch offensive board and dish to Jordan Hasquet with 16 seconds remaining in regulation. Hasquet's shot tied the game and sent it into overtime. Cameron Rundles (bottom, against NAU) came up clutch in overtime with five points, including a critical trey and 2-for-2 shooting from the free throw line.

The win dramatically improves Montana's post-season playoff chances, moving them to 7-7 in conference play. Montana can increase its seeding considerably by finishing out the season with wins at home against Northern Colorado and Portland State. With two Montana wins and the right combination of losses by Montana State and/or Idaho State, the Grizzlies still have a shot at hosting a first-round game.

SCOUTING REPORT: Montana at Idaho State, Feb. 24

My scouting report preview will be brief, not because I don't have anything to write. But, simply put, the Montana Grizzlies face "must-win" games from here out because of a strangely perplexing bugaboo: shooting percentages.

So the scouting report could read: if the Montana Grizzlies shoot their season average from the field and three-point range and the Grizzlies can beat the Idaho State Bengals in Pocatello.

That appears to be a growing challenge for Montana players.

First it was the mysterious disappearance of any form of consistency from the free throw line. Most recently, in a home-court loss to Northern Arizona last week,  the Grizzlies gave-away a game they played well enough to win, but lost because they simply missed open three-point shots against the Lumberjacks.

Montana's recent loss at Weber State is even harder for me to comprehend (though I did not see any video or game-cast). Any college team that shoots 32.8% from the field and a staggering 16.7% from three-point range is usually a cellar-dweller. Montana's season-long and conference statistics INDICATE they should be at the top of the Big Sky.

But the Grizzlies have not been able to win a single crucial close game, much less a "must-win" game.

Every time I watch this team play and practice, I see a group capable of playing at the highest levels of Big Sky Conference competition. So, I'm puzzled by the inconsistencies.

No matter. Montana players certainly realize they need a minimum of two wins to secure a spot in post-season play. Idaho State plays exactly the kind of defensive game that has given the Grizzlies fits  so far in conference play. But this is a game the Grizzlies can win. I still believe they match up well against the Bengals. We'll soon find out.

You can read my detailed SCOUTING REPORT here.

Cote leads Montana to 76-54 Win Over Idaho State

Laura Cote celebrated her last regular season home-game in grand fashion Saturday.

The Montana senior guard scored 10 points over a 2-minute, first-half span and sparked the Montana Lady Griz from a 4-point, 22-18 deficit to a lead they would not relinquish in an eventual 76-54 runaway over the Idaho State Bengals before a packed house at Dahlberg Arena Saturday.

The delighted partisan throng of 5544 celebrated in raucous glee as Cote – normally the first player off the bench (she started along with senior teammates Johanna Closson and Dana Conway), lit the fuse on the firecracker Montana rally with back-to-back treys in the span of 19 seconds, a driving jumper in the paint, and two free throws.

"Cote was awesome," said Montana Coach Robin Selvig. "In the first half she was huge. She’s just playing great basketball now at both ends of the floor. She banged two threes in the first half and I think that’s what got us going."

Cote would score only five more points from there, but those first 10 were enough to send the Bengals reeling in a tense battle for first place between Big Sky Conference leaders. Montana now holds a two-game lead over ISU, with three road games remaining in conference play.

Two Idaho State seniors also had banner nights. Guard Andrea Lightfoot, who  scored 26 and Natalie Doma, who became the leading rebounder in conference history during the game and scored 12, paced the Bengals. But no other Bengal scored more than three. In fact, beyond the combined 38 points from Lightfoot and Doma, all the rest of the Bengal team could muster was 16 of the team’s final 54 points.

Conway scored five points –  including a long trey during the final seconds of first-half play –  and Closson scored 10 points and had five assists.

PHOTOS: Top, Laura Cote drives past guard Jenna Brown. Middle, Mandy Morales is fouled by Bengal defender Andrea Videbeck. Botttom, Montana forward Sarah Ena drives for the first two of her six second-half points.

Gritty Montana point guard Mandy Morales – who continues to battle foot and lower leg problems – shrugged off leg cramps to lead the Lady Griz with 18 points, two assists and 2 steals in 24  minutes of play.

But it was Lady Griz second-half defense and rebounding – recognizable trademarks of Selvig’s best teams – that served as the catalyst for the 22-point victory.

"I just thought we did a great job on the defensive end tonight, and we kept at it," said Selvig.

"Doma’s a great player," Seivig added. "She didn’t have a big night. And I thought we did a good job on her and she didn’t make as many shots as she might."

The Bengals left the court at halftime down only five, at 35-30, having out-rebounded the Lady Griz 18-16 while keeping pace in scoring with a 40-percent average compared to Montana’s 42.4 percent.

Everything went downhill from there for the Bengals. Montana’s pugnacious man-on defense held ISU to a miserly 33.3 percent second-half shooting average, and outrebounded the visitors from Pocatello by eight, 36-28. The Lady Griz defenders also snared six steals, notched three blocked shots,  and forced 13 Bengal turnovers.

The sheer dominance of Montana’s defensive floor play was enough to trigger two second-half runs, the first of which put the game on ice early.

Sparked this time by six points on nifty drives into the paint by Closson, the Lady Griz five-point halftime margin bulged quickly to 16, at 51-35 over the first five minutes of second-half play.

Minutes later – after a brief scoring standoff – Montana reserve forward Sarah Ena subbed-in and promptly scored six points in 24 seconds, which was punctuated neatly by Cote’s third trey and – when the clamor subsided – Montana held a commanding 22-point, 63-41 lead with just over nine minutes remaining in a game that was effectively in the bag.

Montana’s dominant second-half play was capped by an efficient passing game on offense. The Lady Griz notched 17 assists against only eight turnovers.

Montana shot 58.6 percent from the field in the second half, upping its game total to an even 50 percent, matching the 50 percent (8-for-16) from three-point range.

Montana bench players accounted for 22 points (compared to ISU’s six), and the Lady Griz scored 11 points off of fast breaks.

Besides Montana’s seniors and Morales, six other Lady Griz players scored. Sonya Rogers scored 8, Britney Lohman and Ena scored six, Conway scored five while Tamara Guardipee and Lauren Beck scored four.

Montana’s battle for the conference crown won’t be easy. The Lady Griz face a tough Northern Colorado  squad Thursday. Then, after a visit to Eastern Washington, visit Portland State, now in second-place at 9-4, in a game that may well determine the site of post-season play.

"We haven’t got anything yet," said Selvig. "This is a championship type atmosphere. It’s a huge game at this point in the schedule. But we’ve got three road games left against tough teams with a two game lead."

The Bengals return home for three straight, hosting Sacramento State, Northern Arizona and Weber State.

Masterful Again: Montana rides 19-point surge past Weber State

In a game of wild momentum swings, the Montana Lady Griz made the most of their final surge, rallied from a six-point, 56-50 deficit with 7:10 remaining, and rode the wave to a resounding 74-61 victory over the Weber State Wildcats before 3676 fans at Dahlberg Arena Thursday.

Montana’s win sets the stage for a Saturday confrontation for first place with the Idaho State Bengals, which whipped the Montana State Bobcats 85-71 in Bozeman.

Montana’s final rally erupted in whipsaw fashion on a sudden recoil after a blistering Weber State run had just erased a 46-37 Montana lead. Wildcat guards Caitlin Anderson and Ali Thorderson had just teamed for five Wildcat treys (5-of-6) in a three-minute span midway through the second half, and had reversed the lead Montana had claimed a mere minute into the second half.

No single Lady Griz player keyed the 19-point Montana rebound. But Montana Coach Robin Selvig said the rally came about after a change of offensive strategy that featured Lady Griz point guard Mandy Morales penetrating on dribble-enter drives and posting-up low, where she drew a crowd.

PHOTO: Mandy Morales (#3) delivers an assist past Weber State defender Tonya Schnibbe (24).

"Mandy, we finally got her involved in the offense down under the basket where she had size on them and she got to the line," said Selvig. " When we were getting the ball to her under the basket there, she’s a load to handle. We didn’t really do that in the first half."

The change in offensive flow collapsed the Wildcat defense and opened up the perimeter. Up stepped Montana sharpshooters Laura Cote, Sonja Rogers and Britney Lohman, who knocked-down treys in rapid succession while Morales scored four points of her own.

Suddenly the 6-point deficit became a 68-59 lead with 1:02 remaining and the Lady Griz coasted on eight free throws and two Lohman blocks to the final margin.

PHOTOS: Johanna Closson (middle) puts up a shot over two Wildcat defenders in second-half action. Closson scored six points and grabbed seven rebounds. Laura Cote (bottom photo) drives for two past Wildcat defender Caitlin Anderson. Cote scored 11 points, had two assists and one steal that she converted on a breakaway layup in the final seconds of the first half.

Although the Wildcats were paced by the heady play and 21 points of all-conference senior Sarah Tuomi, her effectiveness was dulled by a poor 8-for-25 shooting night. Instead, it was the outside shooting of Thorderson (14 points) and Anderson (9 points), and the 10 assists from sophomore point guard Tonya Schnibbe that kept the Wildcats within striking distance.

Schnibbe led the Wildcats to an efficient first half that featured a  seven-point 28-21 WSU lead with barely over a minute remaining in first-half action.

Lohman almost single-handedly erased that lead with two steals, a jumper and four free throws before Cote stole a pass, scored on a breakaway and drew the Lady Griz within 31-27 at halftime.

The Lady Griz started second-half play with the same intensity, took the lead one-minute into the half, and looked as if they would steadily pull away after Morales’ mid-paint jumper gave Montana a nine-point 46-37 lead with 12:44 remaining.

That’s when the Wildcats caught fire and reversed the flow, setting the stage for the game’s final see-saw action.

Selvig credited Montana’s second-half resurgence to dominant rebounding and an in-your-face Lady Griz man-on defense. Montana finished with a resounding 46-28 rebounding margin by out-boarding the Wildcats by 19 in second-half action.

"We were tied in rebounding at half and we came out and outrebounded them by 18 in the second half, so that was probably the telling stat," said Selvig.

"You’ve just got to be relentless." said Selvig. "But I really think that's what the ladies showed... the little things that make a difference. We outrebounded them badly. Not just the ones that come to you. We went and got tough boards."

After the Wildcats shot 41 percent from the field and the three-point line in first-half action, Montana’s defense held the Wildcats to 35.4% from the field and 33.3% from three-point range in second-half play.

Meanwhile, Montana shot 48.1% from the field in the second half, as four Lady Griz – behind Lohman’s 18, (11-for-13 from the free throw line)– scored in double figures. Morales made 15 (9-for-10 from the free throw line), Cote scored 11 on several mid-paint drives, and Tamara Guardipee scored 12, most coming in the first half where she dominated the key.

Saturday's game may well determine which team has the inside track to host the post-season tourney. A Montana victory solidifies a hold on first place. An ISU win would give the Bengals a sweep of the Lady Griz and a tie-breaker in the standings.

SCOUTING REPORT: Montana at Weber State, Feb. 21

In numerous preseason college basketball polls, the Weber State Wildcats were picked to battle the Montana Grizzlies for the Big Sky Conference title. Thursday’s game between the two under-achieving teams will decide, at best, which team has the inside track to host a first-round playoff game.

At 12-12 and 12-13 respectively, the Wildcats and Grizzlies each still have a chance to resurrect mediocre seasons. Two Wildcat wins in Ogden this week will secure a solid third-place finish for the WSU. The Griz, tied for 6th place in the Big Sky with Idaho State, are fighting just to qualify for tourney play.

PHOTO: Montana guard Ceylon Elgin-Taylor drives against NAU forward Nick Larson. With 82 assists against 44 turnovers for the year, Elgin-Taylor now leads the Big Sky as the top player in the assists-to-turnovers category with a ratio of 1.86.

The stakes are certainly higher for the Grizzlies, who have played well on the road and erratically before their home-town fans.

The Wildcats won the first meeting between the two teams, 68-67 on Jan. 20 in Missoula. Read the complete SCOUTING REPORT here. 

Filzen, Landry Lead Northern Arizona Past Montana, 80-76

Northern Arizona reserve guards Zach Filsen and Jermaine Bishop directed a surge over the final eight minutes of play that the Lumberjacks parlayed into an 80-76 victory over the Montana Grizzlies in Big Sky Conference play before 4569 fans at Dahlberg Arena Saturday.

The win moved NAU to 16-10 and 8-5 in conference play, good for sole possession of second place behind league-leader Portland State, a 76-73  victor over Weber State. Montana slipped to 12-13 and 6-6 and dropped into a fifth-place tie with Idaho State, which lost 63-53 to Eastern Washington.

Filzen converted two free throws that broke a 60-60 deadlock, and then minutes later hit back-to-back jumpers off of drives into the key that secured a final Lumberjack lead in a game that saw 11 ties and 14 lead-changes.

During that same span, Bishop stole the ball – which he converted into an early-offense assist – made two of three free throws, dished a second critical assist, and then played efficient guard-deny defense over the final two minutes to secure the Lumberjacks’ win.

“It seemed like Filzen got in there three or four times and he was able to finish or draw a foul,” said Montana center Andrew Strait.

“You know, they’re a shooting team and we were playing them as shooters and crawling up into them. And... they did a job of getting by us. We’ve got to do a better job of keeping them out of the paint,” said Strait.

The NAU win halted two streaks – Montana’s three-game surge that had put them into position to challenge for second place –  and a Lumberjack swoon of four losses over five games.

PHOTOS: Top – Jordan Hasquet (#2, top) battles NAU's Kyle Landry for a rebound. The Jacks out-rebounded the Griz 35-24. Middle, Ceylon Elgin-Taylor is fouled by NAU guard Josh Wilson as he drives to the bucket. Wilson was whistled for a flagrant foul. (Bottom) Matt Martin scores past NAU guard Zach Filsen on a breakaway in first half action.

The Jacks did it by shooting a sizzling 70.6% of their second-half field goals, finishing the game with a 60.5% average.

Montana, which had shot over 50% in its three wins, made only 37.5% of its second-half shots. Perhaps the most telling shooting stat, however, was that the Montana made only 7-of-24 three-point shots (29.2%) on mostly open looks.

The game featured several dramatic swings in momentum for both teams... and some absolute interruptions of momentum as well, as game officials whistled the teams evenly for a numbing 51 fouls, including two flagrant fouls.

It was Montana’s inability to take advantage at the free throw line that kept the Lumberjacks in the game early. The Grizzlies converted only 3-of-11 first-half free throw attempts, finishing the first half with a slim 39-36 lead off of  Strait’s steal and open-court dunk.

Strait (6-points) and Jordan Hasquet (a long-range trey) then led Montana to an early 48-41 second-half lead, only to see the Lumberjacks tie it at 48-all on three quick buckets within a 70-second span.

The Grizzlies responded by quickly building the lead back to six, at 60-54, before the Jacks made another six-point run to tie the game at 60. That’s when Filzen and Bishop took over.

To Montana Coach Wayne Tinkle, that was a critical juncture of the game.

“I had a gut feeling we should have gone zone when we got up by six because of who they had in the game and who they had on the bench,” said Tinkle.

“But we didn’t, and then they just kind of took us off the dribble and scored some points and went on a little bit of a run.”

That was also the point when the Lumberjacks got tough, physically contesting every Grizzly field goal attempt. Only seven of Montana’s final 20 points were from field goals. And, though the Grizzlies improved at the free throw line – upping their conversion rate to a modest 19-for-30 at 63.3% – game play was frequently halted for trips to the line.

“There wasn’t much flow to the game there, was there?” said Tinkle. It seemed like any way we got momentum going, somehow it was taken away from us. I’ll say it like that.”

Strait agreed. “It was a really physical game. A lot of fouls called,"  said the Montana post. “It was tough to, you know, get some momentum going. It seemed like every time up and down the court there was a whistle blown.”

Said Tinkle: “I think they were more physical than us. Our guys were cutting and running our stuff and they always had somebody hanging on to them and I think that caused us some frustration and we settled for mediocre instead of being tougher mentally and finding a way to get through it.”

Until that point, the game featured a standoff between two of the league’s top post players. Strait was nearly unstoppable, converting 7-of-10 field goals and 9-of-14 free throws for 23 points. Lumberjacks' senior post, Kyle Landry was unstoppable. He shot a perfect 6-of-6 from the field and made 6-of-11 free throws to finish with 18.

Landry and Filzen were the only Lumberjacks to reach double figures, while Montana got double-digit scoring from Strait, Kyle Sharp (13), Jordan Hasquet (12), and Matt Martin (10).

NAU outrebounded the Grizzlies 35-24, but Montana reversed the flow of the game frequently with eight steals and six fast-break points.

The Grizzlies are now faced with a dilemma similar to their first homestand in early January. Any hopes of hosting a first-round playoff game rest on Montana’s need to gain at least a split over next week’s road matches at Weber State and Idaho State.

The Lumberjacks, meanwhile, are positioned well for a second-place first-round bye.

SCOUTING REPORT: Northern Arizona at Montana Feb. 16

With a win against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks Saturday, Montana can move into third place in Big Sky Conference standings.

But Montana Coach Wayne Tinkle said the team’s recent objectives have narrowed to a one-game focus.

“We want to improve our position in the standings, but still take games one step at a time.” said Tinkle.

The formula is simple, said Tinkle. “We have to bring the same energy and focus that we have in (each) of our recent victories."

Montana guard Ryan Staudacher expects the game to be a battle.

“That’s going to be a great game,” said Staudacher. “Last game we played with them for the first half and then just kind of had a second-half let-down.”

PHOTO: Andrew Strait scored 21 points and cleared 10 rebounds in Montana's 90-57 win over Sacramento State Thursday.

Tinkle expessed disappointment at the low student turnout for Montana’s victory over Sacramento State.

“What’s disappointing is how hard our guys have fought and battled back, and we really earned their support and to not have them here is a little bit disappointing.

“But there’s nothing we can do about it,” said Tinkle. “We’ve just got to continue to play good, tough, hard-nosed basketball and hope that they come around.”

Read the game SCOUTING REPORT  here.
 

Montana dismantles Sacramento State, 90-57

In a display of machine-like precision humming from 27 assists, the Montana Grizzlies methodically dismantled the over-matched Sacramento State Hornets 90-57 in Big Sky Conference action before 3354 spectators Thursday in Dahlberg Arena.

Behind deadly accurate perimeter shooting of Montana guard combo Ryan Staudacher (5-for-7 treys, for 19 points) and Matt Martin (4-for-8 treys for 14 points), the Grizzlies stretched the Hornets’ defense like putty.

That set the stage for post Andrew Strait, who commandeered the paint, pounding a game-high 21 points on a combined 70% ratio from the field (7-for-10) and the free throw line (7-for-10), while ripping-down 10 rebounds.

“Our game plan was to take care of the ball, turn it from side to side and look to attack from inside out,” said Montana Coach Wayne Tinkle.

“Once we did that, we scored some easy buckets inside, then we hit some threes. We kind of had our pick there for awhile and made some plays off of the dribble.”

Strait credited Montana’s inside-outside passing game.

“When we get inside and start getting buckets, everybody collapses and then the guys on the outside are just playing “pig” out there knocking those shots down,” said Strait.

“We joked with Ryan,” said Tinkle. “We said, ‘You know we’re going to be upset with you if you shoot under 50 percent.’”

“But, really, you expect (Staudacher) to make em. You know, when he’s aggressive and has his feet under him and his teammates look for him... you know that means the defense has to pick their poison,” said Tinkle.

Staudacher attributed the shooting success to the 27 assists.

“That’s the big thing,” said Staudacher. “There’s a lot of unselfish guys on this team and we all enjoy playing the game with each other. We don’t really care who’s knocking the shots down. We’ll pass up a good shot to get a great one.”

PHOTOS: Kyle Sharp converts an offensive rebound to points in first-half action. Below, Matt Martin goes for the hoop on early offense.

What Strait didn’t get down low, Kyle Sharp and reserve post Dave Vanderjagt did. Sharp converted three offensive rebounds into buckets, scored 13 points, and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds while dishing out four assists on the night. Vanderjagt gave the team a big boost from the bench. The lanky 7'-0" sophomore post scored 8 points on 4-for-5 shooting, grabbed seven rebounds and had two assists and two blocked shots in 17 minutes of action.

Junior Greg Spurgetis returned to action after breaking his hand during the first week of conference play. The smooth-shooting wing scored five points (2-for-2) in six minutes of play.

Sac State freshman point guard Vinnie McGhee scored 18 points on 6-for-13 shooting from the field. Reserve wing Jason Davis scored 13.

Four Montana players scored in double figures, triggered by 10 assists on steadily efficient floor play by Griz point guard Ceylon Elgin-Taylor. Montana converted buckets on what was speculated to be a possible school record 27 assists on a 27-to-8 assist-to-turnover ratio, a statistical category where Montana already clearly leads  the conference.

Tinkle credited Montana’s efficient play to point guard Ceylon Elgin-Taylor’s court presence.

“His leadership has been awesome,” said Tinkle. “He’s really stepped to the forefront and we need him to continue that” said Tinkle.

“ He’s earned (his teammates’) respect. His leadership is warranted because of the effort that he’s put in.”

On paper and on the court, the Montana game spelled dominance. Montana shot 56% from three-point range in the first half and finished with a 55.9% mark from the field on the game while limiting the Hornets to 35.9% shooting on the night. Montana dominated the boards, 42-32, blocked 10 Hornet shots, and had three steals.

The win pushed Montana’s record to .500 (12-12) and 6-5 in conference and – with losses by Northern Arizona, Idaho State and Weber State – boosted the Griz into a three-way tie for fourth place with MSU and ISU, one-half game behind NAU and one game behind second-place WSU.

RECORD OF NOTE: Strait’s first bucket boosted him into fifth place on the Montana career scoring ladder, past his coach, Wayne Tinkle.

“I couldn’t be more proud of him being the guy to pass me just because of everything we’ve been through together as coach and player,” said Tinkle. “It’s exciting for him.”

Reader comments are open and welcome.

SCOUTING REPORT: Sacramento State at Montana, Feb. 14

Montana point guard Ceylon Elgin-Taylor provided Grizzly Journal with a scouting report on this week's opponents.

Ceylon Elgin-Taylor: "We’ve been practicing hard to just take this weekend one game at a time and to take the teams one team at a time. 

"We’re facing two totally different teams. Thursday night we’re going to come in here against Sacramento State. They’re an up & down team at the bottom of the league, but they’re capable of beating anybody at any given night. We’re going to have to contain their two excellent guards. They like to push it with (Loren) Leath and (Vinnie) McGhee, who like to get inside and create havoc. We’ve got to contain them. If we can contain those two guards, I think we’ll be ok.

"NAU has another two great players in (Kyle) Landry and (Josh) Wilson. We’re going to have to contain Wilson on the break. He’s a terrific passer you know. We just can’t let him get into the hole because he can make things happen by passing or scoring. He’s looking to score more this year. But he’s just a great passer with great floor vision.

"Landry’s one of the best big men in the conference, so we’re going to have to try to contain him inside.

If we do those two things. If we can contain the two top players on each of those two teams I think we’ll come out with a victory."

Read the complete Grizzly Journal SCOUTING REPORT on Sacramento State here:

Taking Control: Elgin-Taylor Instrumental in Montana Turnaround

The first clear sign that University of Montana point guard Ceylon Elgin-Taylor was starting to take command in his role as Griz floor general was Jan. 12, when the Griz edged Sacramento State 76-69 in Sacramento.

Since then Elgin-Taylor has played a critical role in Montana’s steadily improved play. He has averaged 3.9 assists per game while committing an average of only 2.2 turnovers per contest.

In three Montana wins, Elgin-Taylor was the man opponents sent to the line and he responded for the Griz, converting 24-of-28 freethrows during the final minutes of the combined wins, an average of 85% from the line.

Grizzly Journal chatted with Elgin-Taylor this week about Montana’s improved play, team camaraderie, and "Junior’s" steady and capable floor leadership.

10 Questions with Ceylon Elgin-Taylor: February 13, 2008.

GJ: I noticed a stat in Montana’s 88-77 win over the Bobcats that I hadn’t seen all year for the Grizzlies: nine steals.
ET: Well, we stress defense first. When we get some steals we’ve found it easier to get out on the break. If we can get out and run, like we did against the Cats, we get an easy bucket and it suddenly takes a lot of pressure off of everyone. That was important against the Cats. The last time we played them we let Carlos Taylor score 35 points. So our first focus was to shut people down first and then take it at them.

GJ: The Griz early offense seems to really be coming around the past couple of games. Is that something you’ve been working on specifically?
ET: Yeah, we have been working hard in practice on early offense, just trying to get easy buckets. I think before when we were losing those games, we worked too hard to get the buckets. We worked way too hard to get buckets. We kept holding the ball  too long on offense. But now we’re starting to get the ball outlet early, starting to push the ball up the court and starting to get early easy buckets. Make it easy on ourselves.

PHOTO: Ceylon Elgin-Taylor drives against MSU guard Carlos Taylor in Montana's 11-point win.

GJ: You personally got seven assists against the Bobcats. That’s a pretty good number, and you’ve been doing this on a consistent basis over the past several games. Is this a sign of you feeling more comfortable with the point guard position at Montana?
ET: Well, my teammates are knocking down those shots. We ran some good plays and were on fire. I’m starting to feel more comfortable in the offense, seeing where the gaps are, when I can drive, when I can’t drive, where the open shots are, where the open shots for my teammates are... and then just recognizing who’s hot. I’m just growing into the offense and starting to feel more comfortable.

GJ: It looks like you’re seeing the whole floor a lot better than you were earlier in the year.
ET: Yeah. It’s important to feel comfortable out there. I finally realized that it took me a little while to realize where the open shots are for myself and just for everyone else. I like to be able to put myself in the best situation possible to get the ball to my teammates for them to get easy shots.

GJ: You seem a lot more comfortable driving your opponent to the bucket. Was that something you didn’t want to do earlier?
ET: Early in the year here (at Montana) it was a totally new offense from what I was used to, so I didn’t really know when to pick the drive. I always kind of hesitated, sometimes I would drive at the wrong time. But now I’m more comfortable. I know the offense like the back of my hand now and so I’m more comfortable with it. So now I know when to drive, I know where guys are when I do drive, so I just work to get easy buckets for everybody. Of course, when I drive, it takes pressure off of the offense because it makes the other team’s defense collapse and that’s when I can kick it out.

GJ: You had one assist that really broke things open against the Bobcats early in the first half when Andrew Strait got a rebound and got the outlet pass to you and all of a sudden you whipped a pass all the way down to Ryan Staudacher.
ET: I like getting the ball to Ryan. He practices those shots after practice every day where he runs down from half court to the sideline to just outside the 3-point line. So I’ve come to realize where he is on the floor. Before, I’d just kick it up and he’d have to take a couple of dribbles. But now I’m waiting a little bit and then I kick it up and let him get his feet set before I kick it. Now, I’m starting to notice how he shoots the ball... it’s a one, two, pull-up on the transition and he knocks it down.

GJ: Are the 18 assists a sign that Montana’s offense is starting to look like...
ET: Yeah. That, and there’s just so many guys on this team that are just playing so unselfish right now and I think that’s the main reason we’re winning now. Nobody’s worried about scoring themselves. Everybody’s just looking for that next extra pass, you know, to set their teammates up.

GJ: So, you’re saying that the team’s starting to feel good about the team...
ET: Yeah. Right now everyone’s just clicking. You can feel it in the locker room and in the atmosphere and now we’re having fun. You know, it’s never fun when you lose, but it’s all about having fun right now.

GJ: Matt Martin told Grizzly Journal last week he thought the Griz were ready to get on a roll. One day later you (the Griz) had one of the best games of the year against the Bobcats.
ET: Well, we’ve got to get wins these next two games. But, yeah, I think we’re almost ready. Especially if we get two wins this weekend, then we might start to turn a lot of heads in league and I don’t think anyone will want to play us. I think we’re getting hot at just the right time.

PROFILE: Tyler Hurley Rooted in Montana Tradition

Like many Montana athletes who've played for the Montana Grizzlies, Tyler Hurley is firmly rooted in tradition.

Hurley's father, Scott Hurley, went to Montana State before transferring to Wayne State in Nebraska. And Tyler's uncle, Rob Hurley, was a heralded small forward for the Montana Grizzlies between 1980-84.

Hurley’s prep coach, Allen Green, played football for Montana in the mid-1970s.

It was no surprise then – that after a successful Montana-prep career as an all-state forward at Anaconda, H. S. – Hurley chose the Grizzlies. He's currently in the thick of daily practice action in a developing role as a walk-on combo wing-guard and, he says, challenged by the experience.

"Montana is where I've wanted to play," said Hurley. "Of course, my uncle Rob played here. It's close to home. There's a great tradition here. And I've known Wayne (Montana Coach Wayne Tinkle) since I've been really young, so obviously that played a big part."

If Hurley succeeds with his transition to college ball and is invited back to the team next fall, yet another first in Montana sports traditions may be established: Tyler and his younger sister, Ali Hurley, may have a chance to become the first sister-brother athletes to play for the Montana Grizzlies and the Montana Lady Griz.

Read the complete Tyler Hurley Profile HERE: Or, click on TYLER HURLEY PROFILE, in the upper left column.

Martin, Sharp Lead Second-Half Montana Charge Past MSU, 88-76

Senior guard Matt Martin and junior forward Kyle Sharp sparked an early second-half charge as the Montana Grizzlies broke from a 35-all deadlock and surged to an 88-76 Big Sky Conference victory over the Montana State Bobcats before 6226 partisan fans at Dahlberg Arena Saturday.

Sharp, getting his first start of the season in place of injured center Brian Qvale, snared eight rebounds,  shot a perfect 7-for-7 from the field – including 3-or-3 from three point range – and scored 18 points for the Grizzlies, who evened their conference record at 5-5, tied with the Bobcats in fifth place.

“He certainly responded for us,” said Montana Coach Wayne Tinkle of Sharp. “He was calm, cool and collected and when that first three went down, I knew he was going to have a big night, because sometimes when he hits shots and makes threes, he plays with a little more energy.”

Sharp snared a high rebound off of a missed Montana shot in early second-half action and – in one continuous motion – completed a resounding dunk that sent an electric charge through the Montana crowd. The bucket gave the Griz a 42-35 lead, one which the Griz were able to stretch and then maintain to the final buzzer.

PHOTO: Matt Martin drives to the bucket over Bobcat defender Casey Durham in first-half action. Martin was fouled, but missed both free throws.

Martin made 4-of-5 shots from three-point range – including three straight during Montana’s critical second-half surge – and finished with 16 points.

But it was the senior guard’s heady floor play that triggered an emotional Montana squad to two 10-point leads midway through the second half. Martin snared two steals and dished out three critical assists – two to senior post Andrew Strait – against only two turnovers on the night.

Martin’s second assist to Strait came as the shot clock was running down and Montana nursing a 5-point lead.

“I came off of a screen and was about ready to pull up,” said Martin. “I saw an opening and I saw Andrew out of the corner of my eye ... and I just dropped it down to him and he was able to finish it.”

Strait’s bucket off of Martin’s feed gave Montana a six-point, 47-41 lead, which the Grizzlies quickly pushed to a 57-47 lead on fast-paced action that featured two more buckets by Strait, inerspersed by treys from Martin and guard Ryan Staudacher.

Still, the Cats hung tough. And Montana would not shake loose until less than two minutes remained in the game.

PHOTOS: Ceylon Elgin-Taylor drives past Durham. ET dished out seven assists, had only two turnovers, and made 8-for-8 free throws in the game's final minutes. Below: Andrew Strait scores on pivot-post around Adrian Zamora. Strait scored 20 points and became one of the top-10 rebounders in Montana basketball history with seven rebounds.

Though Montana took an early first-half lead, stretched it to seven points twice during first-half play, and then extended the lead to as many as 10 points twice in the second half, the Bobcats seemed always within striking distance.

“I didn’t think we had it in the bank until Ceylon (Elgin-Taylor) was dribbling the clock out out,” said Tinkle.

MSU senior guards Mecklen Davis, Carlos Taylor and Casey Durham led the Bobcats in scoring with 19, 17 and 14 points each. But the Bobcats were shut-out of the paint by a switching combination of Montana zone and man defenses, which held the Bobcat big men to a combined total of 16 points in the paint.

For Tinkle, whose team has lost several close games – including home court losses to Idaho State and Weber State – the win was especially rewarding.

“We’re not doing anything different, I’m telling you, than we were six weeks ago,” said Tinkle. “But our players are now making the plays.

“Because of the circumstances. The fact that we struggled early on, here in league especially here at home, we really kind of validated the fact that we’ve hung together. By no means are we going to rest on this,” said Tinkle.

PHOTO: Montana Coach Wayne Tinkle congratulates forward Kyle Sharp after his 18-point, 8-rebound performance.

Montana got balanced double-figures scoring from six players. Strait scored 20 and moved within one point of his coach, who is still just-barely in fifth place on Montana’s career-scoring list.

“Six guys in double figures,” said Tinkle. “I don’t know the last time a Grizzly team’s done that. But I’m awfully proud of the way our guys responded tonight.“

Junior forward Jordan Hasquet scored 12 points, which boosts him to a career-scoring mark of 1007 points, and places him in the elite company of 22 other Grizzly players who are members of the Montana career 1000-point fraternity.

Sophomore shooting guard Staudacher made 4-of-6 shots from the field, made 3-of-5 three-pointers, scored 12 points, and clamped a defensive collar on Bobcat leading scorer, Taylor, until late in the game.

Elgin-Taylor made only 1-of-6 shots, but was a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line in the late stages of the game as the Bobcats fouled in an attempt to get back into  the game. Elgin-Taylor had a team-high seven of the 18 Montana assists on the night.

“What a great game from Ceylon,” said Tinkle. “The seven assists to two turnovers is just huge... and then how about the free throws down the stretch?”

Though not reflected in the score, the stats-line hinted at Montana dominance. The Grizzlies shot 58.2 percent from the field and made 88.9 percent of their second-half treys, good for a 72-percent average on 12-of-20 shooting from long range. Led by Elgin-Taylor's efficient floor play, Montana notched 18 assists compared to only 12 turnovers and snared a season-high nine steals. And finally – after shooting a shaky first-half 45 percent from the free throw line – Montana finished the game with 12-for-17 conversions, most of them on the perfect 8-for-8 daggers Elgin-Taylor made to seal the game late.

For Tinkle, the resurgent Montana play came at the perfect time.

“We knew there was going to be a good crowd, so we said let’s give them a reason to go nuts. That’s to play with energy and to make the plays for each other. That’s the only two things we told the guys right before they came out,” said Tinkle.

“This is the most momentum that we’ve had all year,” said Martin. “We’ve got some home games here. Hopefully this win can get us going a little bit and carry over for us.”

Both Montana schools return to  conference action Feb. 14 with home-court contests Thursday and Saturday. The teams will alternate opponents Sacramento State and Northern Arizona.

SCOUTING REPORT: Martin Hopes Griz Can 'Get On a Roll'

It's a perfect time, says Montana senior guard Matt Martin, for the Montana Grizzlies to "Get On A Roll."

Prior to Montana State’s 74-58 win over the Griz in the first league contest of the year, the Bobcats were riding the wave of an impressive pre-season – led by senior Carlos Taylor and anchored by senior Casey Durham’s solid floor leadership and surprising depth at several positions.

Martin said this week that the Bobcats’ game still starts with Taylor.

“We pretty much shut down everybody else the last time we played, but we didn’t stop Carlos Taylor getting to the hoop,” said Martin. “We’ve got to do that.”

The Bobcats weren’t able to take advantage of that first win and, after a couple of setbacks, have pared-down playing time for several bench players. Over the past several games, Durham and Taylor, who’s turned into a legit Big Sky MVP-candidate, have consistently logged a minimum of 32 minutes per contest, with a rotating core of seven players who’ve contributed.

Center Divalado Mbgunga continues as the second-leading Cat scorer (12.0 ppg). No other player averages close to Durham’s third-ranked 9.1 ppg. average, even though fowrard Branden Johnson has played well of late. Super frosh Bobby Howard has seen fewer minutes lately, as has Mecklin Davis.

Martin stressed that his team must succeed in a couple of critical areas.

“I think that outside shooting is something this team needs to do,” said Martin. “A lot of teams are focused on our plays. But guys like myself, Cam Rundles, Ryan Staudacher, Jordan Hasquet and now Ceylon Elgin-Taylor can step outside the arc and spread it out a little bit. If we do, it  will open things up a little bit.”

Even more important, said Martin, is how the Griz play the first few minutes of the game.

“We need to come out with a lot of energy,” said Martin. “We need to keep on attacking. Lately, we’ve been doing that. We’ve been attacking early, putting the pressure on the other team, and it has worked for us.”

PHOTOS:Andrew Strait (top) and Jordan Hasquet (middle) find tough going in the paint. Ceylon Elgin-Taylor (bottom) penetrates into the key for a bucket. Photos from Montana's early-season home-court losses to Weber State and Idaho State.

A home win against the Bobcats Saturday could be an important catalyst for the Grizzlies, said Martin.

“Obviously, if we get a win against Montana State, it could put us on a roll. I think this team’s capable of winning the next five at home and split on the road and so we can definitely get six wins out of the next seven games.

“If you can get a couple of wins at home, you can get onto a roll,” said Martin.

You can read the complete updated Grizzly Journal scouting report here:

Four Montana Football Recruits are Ranked in Scout.com Hot 100

Four University of Montana football recruits have been included in the final 2008 Scout.com –- SuperPrep.com NORTHWEST HOT 100 football rankings, a listing of Northwest region player and university recruiting strength, which was released Feb. 8.

The Hot 100 includes the players by position, current school (prep or juco), ranked skill and school they’ve committed to attend in September of 2008. The Hot 100 includes players from British Colombia, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and Montana.

The top-listed University of Montana Hot 100 recruit is 48th-ranked Alex Shaw, a 6-1, 205 lb. WLB from Spokane’s Lewis and Clark H. S.   

Three other Montana recruits included in the Hot 100 are: 81st-ranked Matt Lipski, a 6-8, 315 lb. OT from Ashland, Oregon High School; Caleb McSurdy, a 6-2, 230-lb. MLB from Borah H. S. of Boise, Idaho, ranked 87th, and; Jon Opperud, a 6-7,  280-lb. OT from Milwaukie, Oregon H. S., ranked 100th.

Two additional Hot 100 recruits made commitments to Montana schools. They are: Montana State University recruit, 62nd-ranked Matt Bernard, a 6-3, 292-lb. OG from Gig Harbor H. S. in Gig Harbor, Washington, and Carroll College recruit Dane Broadhead, a 6-2, 210-lb. QB from Minico, H. S. in Minico, Idaho.

No Montana prep player from the class of 2008 was included in the Hot 100.

Other Big Sky schools with recruits ranked in the Hot 100 are:

To Eastern Washington:  Evan Cook, a 6-3,  265-lb. DT from Todd Beamer H. S. in Federal Way, Washington, ranked 61st, and Koreye Dixon, a 5-9, 160-lb. WR from Lakes H. S. in Lakewood, Washington, ranked 78th.

To Portland State: Zach Todd, a 5-11, 180-lb. RB from Sheldon H. S. in Eugene, Oregon, ranked 90th, and Cory McCaffrey, a 5-11, 175-lb. RB from Sisters H. S. in Sisters, Oregon, ranked 98th.

To Idaho State: A. J. Storms, a 6-1, 185-lb. S from Meridian H.S. in Meridian, Idaho, ranked 75th.

To Weber State: Demetri Enesi, a 6-2, 265-lb. DE from Westview H. S. in Westview, Oregon, ranked 97th.

The University of Washington landed 14 Hot 100 recruits and Washington State University signed eight.

Forget the Rankings; Grizzlies are Poised to Peak

A prediction: the Montana Grizzlies will be in the thick of the Big Sky battle to punch a ticket to the big dance.

Forget pre- and mid- season rankings. The dominoes are stacked. The tip-off is Saturday against the Montana State Bobcats. Wishful thinking? Nope.

College Basketball power polls – unlike college football rankings – are faulty predictors of true end-of-season power. If the Big Sky Conference ever conducted a two-game playoff to determine the league’s FCS pigskin playoff candidate – an impossibility, I know – then comparisons could be made. But that’s not really the point, which is this: the measure of the Big Sky’s best hoops team is usually made during the final four-or-less weeks of the  season.

Which is – as it turns out this year once again – as unpredictable as it ever has been, as a casual look at conference history will illustrate. The Big Sky candidate for the NCAA Playoffs has

PHOTO: Ryan Staudacher and Brian Qvale congratulate Andrew Strait on his 20-point performance against Eastern Washington in a win earlier this season.

often not won the regular season title and, in several instances, finished as low as fourth during regular season play. Larry Krystkowiak’s (and/or Kevin Criswell’s) Montana Grizzly squads of 2005-06, struggled early but finished dominantly... with a couple of big breaks thrown-in to add spice to the gumbo.

Who can argue? The best Montana teams were those which peaked during the crucial final weeks of the season.

Montana hoops records show that – since the Big Sky established a post-season tourney to determine the NCAA qualifier – the Grizzlies have appeared in 11 championship tilts and have won six. Those championship teams – coached by four different men (Stew Morrill – 91, Blaine Taylor – 92 & 97, Don Holst – 02, and Krystkowiak – 05 & 06) were all great squads. But four of those champs peaked late. Very late.

That’s revealed by the when and where: Only three of those championships were played in Missoula, where the Grizzlies’ record is 2-1 (with back-to-back titles in 1991 and 1992). That means that four of Montana’s Big Sky titles were won on the court of the regular-season titlist: 1997 in Flagstaff, 2002 in Bozeman, 2005 in Portland and 2006 in Flagstaff.

The most brutal proof of comparative “team strength” took place in 1978 when Montana – led by Michael Ray Richardson – collapsed at mid-court of Dahlberg Arena in the final minutes and lost in overtime against a very young Weber State Wildcat team. To that point, the Griz had been the class of the Big Sky. With the win, the Wildcats took the first step toward a minimum three-year run as the Big Sky’s elite team. History shows in type-on-paper that the best team was the one that went to the dance.

Of course, many Montana fans hope (or demand) that the Grizzlies become a Big Sky powerhouse in the mold of the Montana Grizzly football team. Or – as short-term coach Pat Kennedy predicted – in the mold of perennial Mid-Major powerhouse and Montana-neighbor, Gonzaga U. It’s nice to hope. But don’t let it stop you from watching the Montana Grizzlies this year.

So, forget this week’s standings.

Staying at nome and not watching a young program in the hands of a young coach is equal to admitting defeat before the tipoff.

The Montana Grizzlies of 2007-08 are a fine young team that improves game by game. The losses, though traumatic (for players and coaches especially) have still been a blast to watch. That’s because the Grizzlies had a chance to win every one. The last thing the Griz need right now is a bunch of mopey, fair-weather “would-be, could-be” fans.

PHOTO: Montana Coach Wayne Tinkle instructs his team in the final minutes of a two-point victory over Air Force.

That is what I admire about the 4000+ fans who call themselves Lady Griz Freaks. There they are, game after game, cheering, shouting, booing and gasping, in one synchronous breath, at every made or missed play. And – though the Lady Griz have often faltered toward the end of the year – those Lady Griz fans faithfully show up, in mass assemblage, at the very next game. They wouldn’t miss it in a heartbeat.

Now, both you and I would like to see the Montana Grizzlies host one or many Big Sky post-season tournaments. But by staying away until they do, you are depriving yourself of a great way to ward off winter’s chill.

So, you would-be Montana Grizzly hoops fans... stay home & mope. Call for a new coach if you like. But I’m going to be there early for every game.

That’s because I’m betting that this year’s Montana Grizzly squad will peak – once again – at the perfect time. And furthermore, it is, I believe, a team on the cusp of Big Sky dominance.

I wouldn’t miss it in a heartbeat.

Morales, Martin are Grizzly Journal MVPs for Feb. 5

Lady Griz guard Mandy Morales and Grizzly guard Matt Martin have been named Grizzly Journal MVPs for games played from Jan. 26 through Feb. 3.

MANDY MORALES –  Morales was instrumental in leading the Lady Griz to three home-court victories over Northern Colorado (73-69), Portland State  (77-73 OT), and Eastern Washington (77-59),

The junior point guard scored 47 points in the three wins. But it was Morales’ play over the final minutes of Montana’s tense wins over the Bears and the Vikings that spelled victory for the Lady Griz.

Morales scored five of Montana’s final eight points during the last 57 seconds of play to boost the Lady Griz to a 4-point win over the Bears. Against the Vikings, Morales missed the potential game-winning shot as time expired in regulation – with the score tied at 65 – but responded by scoring seven of Montana’s 12 points in overtime to pace the Lady Griz. Morales scored 17 points and had three assists in the win.

She also dished out four assists against the Bears and seven assists in Montana’s 77-59 win over Eastern Washington.

Montana holds firm grip on first place with a 7-1 record at the halfway mark in Big Sky Conference play, but now plays six of its remaining eight conference games on the road.

MATT MARTIN – Martin played a key role in Montana’s three-game, two-win road swing to Northern Colorado, Portland State and Eastern Washington. The Grizzlies beat the Bears 71-60, dropped a last-second 70-68 decision to the Vikings, and edged the Eagles by two, 59-57.

In Montana’s 11-point win over the Bears, Martin dished out four assists and scored nine points in a game where point guard Ceylon Elgin-Taylor scored eight of Montana’s 11 points in the final minute of play.

Against the Vikings, Martin single-handedly keyed a Grizzly rally from a 17-3 deficit with 15 first-half points on 3-of-4 treys and 4-for-4 shooting from the free throw line. Martin’s play was critical in a run where Grizzlies took a 3-point, 37-34 lead at halftime.

But it was Martin’s second-half point-guard moxie against Eastern Washington that ensured Montana’s second win of the road swing in the two-point verdict over the Eagles. Martin dished out five assists with darting dribble-enter penetration drives into the high paint that resulted in point-blank scores by Montana post players Brian Qvale, Andrew Strait and Kyle Sharp.

“I haven’t done that for a long time just because these last two years I haven’t played point guard very much,” said Martin. “So, it was kind of nice to get back into the old groove a bit and dish a little ball.”

By driving into the key, Martin was able to take advantage of the over-aggressive, deny-the-post Eastern defense.

“My guy was just staring right at the numbers on my jersey the whole game,” said Martin. “Definitely it was a chance to drive by him and dish it and that’s what I was able to do.”

Martin’s final assist to Strait for a layup-and-one/3-point play, gave Montana a 55-51 lead with 2:32 remaining, which turned out to be enough of a spread for the Grizzlies to hold off the Eagles for a two-point win.

“It was one of those games where I wasn’t hitting my shots and so I figured I had to do something to make an impact on the game,” said Martin. “So I started  making the plays for my teammates.”

The two-win road swing boosted Montana’s record to 10-12, 4-5 in conference. But five of Montana’s remaining seven games will be played at Montana’s Dahlberg Arena, and a perfect home-court record, starting with a crucial contest Saturday, would catapult the Griz back into the conference pennant race.

The first game will be a crucial home-court stand Saturday, Feb. 9 against the Montana State Bobcats, which are 5-3 in conference and 1.5 games ahead of Montana in conference standings.

SCOUTING REPORT: Montana at Eastern Washington, Feb. 3

The Big Sky Conference schedule has featured several back-to-back contests between Big Sky teams. Montana State and Eastern Washington just completed one such series, where the Eagles lost by five Jan. 26 in Bozeman and promptly dropped another 5-point decision to the Bobcats Jan. 31 in Cheney.

The road to Cheney wasn’t quite as easy for the Montana Grizzlies, who had to make a swing through Greeley, Colorado and Portland prior to a return match with the Eagles.

PHOTO: Ceylon Elgin-Taylor drives against EWU Eagle Marcus Hinton in the Grizzlies' 80-61 Jan. 26 win.

The signs of steady Montana improvement are clear: an 11-point win at Northern Colorado and a  2-point loss at Portland State in yet another game the Grizzlies could have won.

Perhaps the toughest task for the Griz right now is to keep chins high and continue to attack their Big Sky foes. I see no dominant team in the conference this year and -- with  Montana’s continued steady play -- the Griz can certainly be in the thick of things by season’s end. And, they're good enough to win it all.

Since we’re now into the second half of the season, I’ll be simply revising the scouting report I wrote for the first game in the series. Scores and stats will be updated but, -- unless I notice something major about an opponent that bears analysis, or if my first look contained errors or holes -- most of the content will be similar to my initial report.

You can read my updated scouting report on Montana at Eastern Washington here.

Lady Griz Pull Away from Eastern Washington, 77-59

Montana Lady Griz point guard Mandy Morales single-handedly wrested control of a sluggish game with seven assists and masterful floor play, and led the Lady Griz to a 77-59 win over the Eastern Washington Eagles at Dahlberg Arena Saturday.

The win, -- in combo with Montana State’s 84-75 victory over Portland State -- solidified Montana’s first-place standing at the halfway point in conference play with a 7-1 record. Idaho State is second at 6-2, while MSU, PSU and Northern Colorado stand two games back with 5-3 records. The Eagles dropped to 3-18 overall and 0-8 in conference play.

For the second-straight game, Montana benefitted from balanced scoring. Joining Morales in double figures were Johanna Closson, with a team-high 16, Sonya Rogers and Laura Cote with 13 apiece, and Britney Lohman with 10.

PHOTO: Mandy Morales drives against Nicole Scott and an unidentified Eagle defender. Morales scored 11 points and had seven assists in Montana's 77-59 win.

The Eagles surprised a flat Lady Griz squad early and jumped to a 16-8 lead on the strength of several offensive rebounds and put-back shots, and two treys from center Nicole Scott, who led the Eagles in scoring with 16 and made  4-of-5 treys.

It took Montana most of the first half to generate some energy. But the tempo reversed after Montana Coach Robin Selvig switched from zone to man-to-man defense. The Lady Griz gradually took control of the flow of the game from there until Closson -- aided by an assist from Morales -- hit back-to-back jumpers for a 26-23 Lady Griz lead that Montana would never relinquish.

The Lady Griz manufactured a three-point, 30-27 lead by halftime and then gradually built second-half leads of 5-points, and then 10, before breaking the game open with about five minutes remaining.

PHOTO: Freshman reserve forward Sarah Ena drives to the bucket against the Eagles' Nicole Scott. Ena had two points.

The Eagles, which suit up only eight players, kept within striking distance behind timely scoring from power forward Sydney Benson (16 pts.), who also pulled-down a game high 10 rebounds. Two free throws by Benson pulled the Eagles to within eight points at 55-47.

That’s when Morales took control.

Over the next three minutes of play, Morales distributed three assists, which led to a Montana run of eight-straight points. A minute later she hit a trey off of a sagging Eagle defense, and the Lady Griz lead had quickly expanded to a 16-point, 63-47 margin with 4:41 remaining. It was essentially a wrap for the Lady Griz from there. With two minutes remaining, Selvig cleared his bench and let reserves expand the lead to the final 18-point margin.

Though Eastern Washington out-rebounded the Lady Griz 40-35, Montana forced 14 Eagle turnovers, had seven blocked shots, and stole the ball four times. A positive 18-assist to 9-turnover ratio sprung the Lady Griz to a solid 51.9 percent field goal ratio. Montana also made 15-of-16 free throws, an 81-percent average.

Montana hits the road to play the improved Bobcats next Friday, Feb. 8, then continues its road swing the following week with games at Sacramento State and Northern Arizona. The next Montana home game is Feb. 27 against Weber State.

Eastern Washington returns home for a Feb. 7 match against Sacramento State.

Lady Griz Edge Portland State 77-73 in Overtime

The Montana Lady Griz struggled through one of their worst shooting nights of the season, but but made enough of a difference in several other areas to hold off the Portland State Vikings, 77-73 in overtime Thursday.

The Lady Griz shot 32.8 percent from the field, and 25 percent from three point range, but made 77.8 percent from the free throw line, converting 28-of-36 from the stripe, many in the first half when Montana surged to a 16-point, 38-22 lead at halftime.

Montana Guard Mandy Morales missed the potential game-winning shot as time expired in regulation, with the score tied at 65, but responded by scoring seven of Montana’s 12 points in overtime to pace the Lady Griz. Morales scored 17 points and had three assists for Montana.

Guard Claire Faucher scored 19 points to lead the Vikings. But Montana held the PSU’s other two leading scorers -- Kelsey Kahle and Delaney Conway -- to 13 points between them and forced 19 Vikings' turnovers in the win. The Portland State trio are ranked among the top 11 scorers in the Big Sky so far on the season.

Besides Morales’ 17 points, Montana got balanced scoring from four starters, 15 apiece from forwards Johanna Closson and Britney Lohman and 14 from shooting guard Sonja Rogers, who made 3-of-9 long-range treys.

Montana post Tamara Guardipee appeared to be battling a virus and scored only three points, but pulled down eight rebounds for the Lady Griz, who out-boarded the Vikings 49-44.

Though the statistics don’t show it, backup point guard Laura Cote played an inspired game. Cote scored only four points on 4-for-4 shooting from the free throw line, blocked two shots, had one steal, dished out one assist, and grabbed four rebounds -- including a crucial board late in overtime, which finally sealed Montana's win.

The victory puts Montana into sole possession of first place with a 6-1 conference record. Though the Lady Griz are by no means in the drivers' seat, a win Saturday against the visiting Eastern Washington Eagles means Montana will have finished the first half of conference play alone at the top of the Big Sky standings. The Vikings dropped to 5-2 and into a second place tie with Idaho State. Northern Colorado and Montana State are tied for fourth with 4-3 records.

Montana hosts Eastern Washington Saturday at 7:05 p.m., while the Vikings travel to Montana State for a match against Montana State.

PHOTOS: Dvera Tolbert (#31 top) is guarded by Coutney Cremer  and Claire Faucher. Tolbert missed both free throw shots. Middle, Laura Cote drives against Vikings center Erin Yankus. Cote made both free throws. Bottom, Johanna Closson battles Kelsey Kahle for a loose ball in first half action.

NOTE: Vikings center Erin Yankus is the daughter of Charlie Yankus, the former Montana center who played for the Grizzlies from 1975-80.