Montana escapes with 67-65 thriller over Texas Arlington

Guard Anthony Johnson scored 16 points and forward Jordan Hasquet added 13 to lead the Montana Grizzlies to a 67-65 win over the Texas Arlington Mustangs in the final game of the Karl Tyler Chevrolet Grizzly Basketball Classic in UM’s Dahlberg Arena in front of 2597 fans Saturday.

Johnson was named tourney MVP while Hasquet joined him on the all tourney team.

PHOTOS: Montana guard Anthony Johnson scoops up the ball at midcourt after forward Jack McGillis (right) knocked it loose. Johnson scored on a breakaway layup on the play. (Bottom photo) Jordan Hasquet looks for a cutter in the key. Hasquet led the Montana with six assists.

Forward Anthony Vereen shot 8-for-15 from the field, including 3-for-3 from three point range, to lead the Mustangs, who fell to 4-3 with the loss. Guards Marquez Haynes and Roge'r Guignard combined for 36 points, mostly from well beyond the three point arc, for the Mustangs.

The three Arlington starters all played 38 minutes for the Mustangs, combining for all two of the Mustangs' tota.

Ten Montana players saw action and eight scored to lead Montana's bench to a 26-0 margin over the Mustangs bench. Montana outrebounded the Mustangs 26-25, while each team had 14 turnovers.

The Grizzlies shot 55 percent from the field, while holding the Mustangs to 42.6 percent, though the Mustangs shot a deadly 10-for-17 from beyond the three point arc compared to Montana's 5-for-15.

Joining Johnson and Hasquet on the all tourney team were Mustangs Vereen and Haynes and Denver University guard Kyle Lewis.

With the win Montana evened its record at 4-4 on the season and gets a week off for final exams before hitting the road on an extended road trip that concludes with its first conference tilt of the season, Dec. 20 at Portland State.

Full story and more photos will be posted later tonight.