Griz basketball hosts Boise State, Western Kentucky
11/30/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
MISSOULA, Mont. -- The University of Montana men??s basketball team (2-4) returns home for a pair of games with Boise State (2-3) and Western Kentucky (6-1).
The Grizzlies square off against the Broncos Sunday, Dec. 3, at 2 p.m. (MST), while tip-time for the Griz-Hilltoppers matchup is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 6.
Both games will be played at Dahlberg Arena (7,400) in Missoula.
QUOTING COACH WAYNE TINKLE
On Sunday??s game with Boise State...
??A key for us against those guys is to slow them down and make them play a tempo they are not comfortable with.??
On playing at home after five road games...
??For our players, they??re sleeping in their own beds - they??re going to class - they??re doing all of that stuff. (They??re) not having to worry about getting on a bus and going to practice, coming back and going to a meal. So I think that will help our mindset.??
SCOUTING THE BRONCOS
Boise State (2-3) is coming off a 72-68 home win over BYU on Wednesday night. Both of the Broncos wins have come in their only two home games.
BSU is led by three players who average double figures in scoring. Senior Coby Karl (13.6 ppg, 3.8 apg) and juniors Matt Nelson (14.2 ppg, 7.4 rpg) and Reggie Larry (10.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg) pace a Bronco team that scores 68.2 points per game.
Greg Graham is in his fifth season at the helm of BSU men??s basketball. Graham is 68-63 in his time with the Broncos, boasting a career coaching record of 86-68.
Boise State leads the all-time series over the Grizzlies, 29-26. BSU won 90-69 over UM last season at Taco Bell Arena in Boise, Idaho.
SCOUTING THE HILLTOPPERS
Western Kentucky has won its last two games and is 6-1 overall this season. The Hilltoppers?? only loss was a 101-68 defeat to then top-ranked Florida on Nov. 24. WKU, which, opened the season ranked No. 10 in the Mid-Major Top 25 Poll, faces a home game against Eastern Kentucky Saturday before Wednesday??s matchup with UM.
Junior guard Courtney Lee is the Hilltopers?? leading scorer this season, averaging 17.3 points per game while shooting 55.1 percent from the field. Lee also ranks second on the team in rebounding at 4.3 per game. Freshman forward Jeremy Evans leads WKU with 4.9 rebounds per game.
Darrin Horn is in his fourth season as head coach at Western Kentucky. He maintains a career coaching record of 66-31.
The Grizzlies are 0-1 in the all-time series with the Hilltoppers. UM lost, 72-46, in the last meeting on Nov. 27, 2004.
GRIZ PLAY NEXT FIVE GAMES AT HOME
Montana will play its next five games at Dahlberg Arena in Missoula. After contests against Boise State and Western Kentucky, UM returns to action the following week with three games in five days: UC Riverside, South Dakota State and Montana Tech.
Prior to the current home stretch, Montana played five straight games on the road. Immediately following these home games, the Grizzlies will be back on the road for five consecutive road games from Dec. 19-Jan. 4.
CLEANING THE GLASS
The Grizzlies have out-rebounded their opponents, 194-169, in six games this season. UM is averaging 32.3 rebounds per game as a unit, boasting a +4.2 per game rebounding margin over opponents. Montana has out-rebounded its foes, 66-55, on the offensive glass.
PLENTY OF PLAYERS SEEING ACTION
Thirteen different Grizzlies have seen playing time in the team??s first six games. Seven different players have started games and Montana has used four different starting lineups in 2006-07.
FORWARD TRIO LEADS SCORING
Senior Matt Dlouhy, junior Andrew Strait and sophomore Jordan Hasquet have led the Grizzlies early in 2006-07. Dlouhy, from Couer d??Alene, Idaho, is averaging 11.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game this year. Strait, from Yakima, Wash., leads all Grizzlies with a 15.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game average. Hasquet, from Missoula, Mont., is averaging 11.3 points and 6.2 rebounds per game this season.
GRIZZLIES RECORD CAREER-HIGHS
Four Montana players set or tied career-best efforts in a 72-65 win over Minnesota last Sunday. Senior guard Bryan Ellis established career-highs in free throws made (10) and attempted (12), while matching career-bests with 10 assists and four steals. Senior forward Matt Dlouhy grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds in the win. Sophomore forward Jordan Hasquet matched career-highs with 3-pointers made (4) and attempted (6). Freshman guard Cameron Rundles established career-highs for points (10) and 3-pointers made (3) and attempted (3).
MONTANA TOUGH AT HOME
The Grizzlies have won their last nine regular-season home games at Dahlberg Arena in Missoula. Montana??s last home loss was Dec. 30, 2005, a 78-74 defeat at the hands of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. UM is 26-3 in home games over the last three seasons.
UM FINISHES 1-2 AT OLD SPICE CLASSIC
Montana 72, Minnesota 65 (Nov. 26)
Junior forward Andrew Strait scored a game-high 17 points to lift The University of Montana men??s basketball team to a 72-65 victory over Minnesota in the final day of play at the Old Spice Classic in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The win, which snapped a four-game losing streak, improved the Grizzlies to 2-4 on the year. The Golden Gophers dropped to 2-4 overall.
Four Griz players scored in double figures, led by Strait who went 8-of-11 from the field. Sophomore forward Jordan Hasquet scored 11 of his 14 points in the first half, including 4-of-6 on 3-pointers.
Senior guard Bryan Ellis had 10 points, going 10-of-12 from the free throw line, and matched career-highs with 10 assists and four steals. Freshman guard Cameron Rundles added a career-best 10 points going a perfect 3-for-3 on 3-pointers. Senior forward Matt Dlouhy added eight points and a team-high 10 rebounds for the Griz.
Montana shot its best percentage of the tournament, going 21-of-40 for 52.2 percent from the field. The Griz, who had struggled in the previous two games from beyond the 3-point arc, made 10-of-18 attempts to shoot 55.6 percent. UM also made 20-of-30 free throws to shoot 66.7 percent from the charity stripe.
Montana had 18 assists to 20 turnovers in its final game of the tournament. UM had 10 steals to go along with two blocks. The Grizzlies and the Golden Gophers each had 27 rebounds.
Minnesota had 13 assists to go with 19 turnovers. The Golden Gophers had nine steals.
Four players scored in double figures for Minnesota, led by Dan Coleman who had 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field. Jamal Abu-Shamala had 12 points, while Lawrence Westbrook and Lawrence McKenzie had 11 and 10 points respectively.
Minnesota shot 46.2 percent, making 24-of-56 from the field, but just of 5-of-19 on 3-pointers (26.3 percent). The Golden Gophers converted on 12-of-20 free throws for 60.0 percent.
Minnesota had the early advantage, jumping out to its largest lead of the game, 15-8, with 13:07 remaining in the first. Hasquet scored five of Montana??s next eight points to pull the Griz within two points, 20-18 with 9:05 left in the first half. A free throw by Montana junior forward Gus Chase at the 4:52 mark tied the game at 24 apiece. The Grizzlies closed the half on a 11-7 run to take a 35-31 lead into the locker room.
Montana never trailed in the second half, leading by as many as 12 points at the 16:37 mark in the second stanza. Minnesota, which trailed by 11 points with 9:32 remaining in the game, went on a 11-1 run to to make the score 59-58 at the 5:14 mark.
The Grizzlies received two clutch 3-pointers down the stretch from Rundles, a Minneapolis, Minn., native, to hold on to a 72-65 victory.
Virginia Tech 77, Montana 56 (Nov. 24)
The University of Montana men??s basketball team dropped its fourth consecutive contest, a 77-56 defeat at the hands of Virginia Tech in the second round of the Old Spice Classic in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The loss dropped the Grizzlies to 1-4 overall, while the Hokies improved to 3-1.
Sophomore forward Jordan Hasquet finished with 12 points and a team-high 12 rebounds to lead the Grizzlies. Senior swingman Matt Dlouhy also scored 12, and junior guard Matt Martin added 11 points, a team-best four assists and a steal in 13 minutes off the bench for Montana.
UM continued its recent cold shooting in the second-round game against the Hokies, making just 24-of-58 from the field for 41.4 percent. The Griz finished 5-of-19 from behind the 3-point arc (26.3 percent) and 3-of-8 on free throws (37.5 percent).
Montana out-rebounded the Hokies, 35-30, but committed 17 turnovers to 15 assists. Virginia Tech tallied 17 assists to only eight turnovers in the game. VT held a 27-4 scoring advantage off turnovers.
The Hokies shot 55.4 percent from the field, making 31-of-56 field goal attempts. Virginia Tech shot 50 percent on 3-pointers (5-of-10), and made 10-of-16 free throw attempts (62.5 percent).
Hokie guard Zabian Dowdell had game-high 18 points and Coleman Collins added 13 and a team-best six rebounds to lead the way for the victors.
Jamon Gordon scored eight of his 11 points on the night in succession as Virginia Tech built a 10-0 lead to open the game. Montana responded with a 9-2 run to pull within three, but the Grizzlies drew no closer the rest of the way.
Dowdell scored nine consecutive points late in the first half for Virginia Tech, which led 36-24 at the break. Collins netted seven in a row to put the Hokies ahead by 18 early in the second half.
Virginia Tech took its biggest lead at 70-44 on a slam dunk by Gordon with 4:45 remaining.
West Virginia 73, Montana 56 (Nov. 23)
The University of Montana men??s basketball team fell, 73-56, to West Virginia in the first round of the Old Spice Classic at the Milk House in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The loss, which was the UM??s third consecutive, dropped the Grizzlies to 1-3 overall. The Mountaineers improved to 4-0 on the year.
Montana faces Virginia Tech (2-1) in Friday??s second day of competition, with tip-off scheduled for 5:30 p.m. (MST). The Hokies dropped a 71-68 game to Western Michigan Thursday night.
Junior forward Andrew Strait led Montana with a team-high 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field. Strait, who also tallied a team-best eight rebounds, was joined in double figures by sophomore forward Jordan Hasquet and senior forward Matt Dlouhy, who scored 12 and 10 points, respectively.
The Grizzlies missed 14 of their first 15 shots from 3-point range and finished 4-for-18 on the game. UM finished the game making 21-of-45 field goals.
Montana held a slim advantage on the glass, out-rebounding WVU, 29-26. The Mountaineers?? 1-3-1 defense forced Montana in to 18 turnovers, while the Grizzlies managed just 10 assists. WVU, who generated 10 steals in the win, tallied 16 assists to only 10 turnovers in the contest.
The Mountaineers shot 52 percent in the second half, building a 7-point halftime lead into a 25-point advantage. WVU finished the game having made 28-of-56 field goals, 10-of-23 on three-pointers.
Mountaineer guard Frank Young made 8-of-16 shots from the field, including 5-of-10 3-pointers for a game-high 21 points.
SELVIG, QVALE SIGN WITH GRIZZLIES
Derek Selvig of Glendive, Mont., and Brian Qvale of Williston, N.D., have signed National Letters of Intent and will join the Griz program for the 2007-08 season.
Selvig, a 6-10, 205-pound forward, will be a 2007 graduate of Dawson County High School. He was ranked by Rivals.com as a Top 150 overall player, ranking as high as No. 34 at the small forward position. He participated this past summer in the ABCD Camp in New Jersey, an invitational camp for the top prep players in the country.
Selvig averaged 13 points, eight rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals per game while earning first team all-conference accolades in his junior season at Dawson County High. In that season, he shot 70 percent from the free throw line and 40 percent from the field. He is a three-year starter for the Tigers.
Other schools that Selvig considered included Arizona State, Gonzaga, Iowa State, Nevada, Oregon, Texas Tech, Utah State and Wisconsin.
Selvig comes to UM with a long line of Grizzly family lineage. His father and current high school basketball coach, Doug Selvig, was a standout basketball player at Montana from 1981-84. His mother, Anita (Novak) Selvig, played for the Lady Griz from 1981-85.
Selvig??s uncle, Robin Selvig, is a former Griz basketball player (1970-71 to 1973-74), who is entering his 29th year as head coach of the Lady Griz basketball program. His aunt, Sandy (Selvig) Sullivan, also played for the Lady Griz from (1978-81).
Qvale (prounounced: KWALL ?C ee), a 6-11, 235-pound post player, will be a 2007 graduate of Williston High School. He was ranked by Rivals.com as one of the top recruits at the center position.
Qvale has helped lead the Coyotes to three consecutive state tournament appearances, finishing fourth, third and third in his freshman through junior seasons. The past two seasons he earned all-conference and all-state recognition, while also being selected to the conference and state all-tournament teams.
Qvale averaged 13 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks and two steals per game in his junior season. He also shot 56 percent on field goals in that same campaign. As a sophomore Qvale registered 15 points, seven rebounds and three blocks per game. He is a three-year starter for the Coyotes who is expected to surpass the 1,000 point mark in his upcoming senior season.
Qvale, the son of Sanford and Carol Qvale, also considered Boise State, Colorado State, Iowa State, Utah State, Washington State, Wichita State and Wyoming.
GRIZ ONE, TWO IN BSC PRESEASON POLLS
Defending Big Sky Conference Tournament champion Montana was ranked first in the media and second in the coaches?? poll.
Northern Arizona topped the coaches?? poll, receiving four first-place votes and a total of 59 total points. UM was second with four first-place votes and 58 total points.
In the media poll, Montana received nine first-place votes and 233 total points. Northern Arizona received 13 first-place votes and 232 total point.
STRAIT RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY
Junior forward Andrew Strait has been named to CollegeInsider.com??s Mid-Major Preseason All-America squad.The team consists of 25 players and is selected by Division I coaches and NBA scouts. Freshman and junior college transfers are not considered for preseason honors.
The Grizzlies square off against the Broncos Sunday, Dec. 3, at 2 p.m. (MST), while tip-time for the Griz-Hilltoppers matchup is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 6.
Both games will be played at Dahlberg Arena (7,400) in Missoula.
QUOTING COACH WAYNE TINKLE
On Sunday??s game with Boise State...
??A key for us against those guys is to slow them down and make them play a tempo they are not comfortable with.??
On playing at home after five road games...
??For our players, they??re sleeping in their own beds - they??re going to class - they??re doing all of that stuff. (They??re) not having to worry about getting on a bus and going to practice, coming back and going to a meal. So I think that will help our mindset.??
SCOUTING THE BRONCOS
Boise State (2-3) is coming off a 72-68 home win over BYU on Wednesday night. Both of the Broncos wins have come in their only two home games.
BSU is led by three players who average double figures in scoring. Senior Coby Karl (13.6 ppg, 3.8 apg) and juniors Matt Nelson (14.2 ppg, 7.4 rpg) and Reggie Larry (10.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg) pace a Bronco team that scores 68.2 points per game.
Greg Graham is in his fifth season at the helm of BSU men??s basketball. Graham is 68-63 in his time with the Broncos, boasting a career coaching record of 86-68.
Boise State leads the all-time series over the Grizzlies, 29-26. BSU won 90-69 over UM last season at Taco Bell Arena in Boise, Idaho.
SCOUTING THE HILLTOPPERS
Western Kentucky has won its last two games and is 6-1 overall this season. The Hilltoppers?? only loss was a 101-68 defeat to then top-ranked Florida on Nov. 24. WKU, which, opened the season ranked No. 10 in the Mid-Major Top 25 Poll, faces a home game against Eastern Kentucky Saturday before Wednesday??s matchup with UM.
Junior guard Courtney Lee is the Hilltopers?? leading scorer this season, averaging 17.3 points per game while shooting 55.1 percent from the field. Lee also ranks second on the team in rebounding at 4.3 per game. Freshman forward Jeremy Evans leads WKU with 4.9 rebounds per game.
Darrin Horn is in his fourth season as head coach at Western Kentucky. He maintains a career coaching record of 66-31.
The Grizzlies are 0-1 in the all-time series with the Hilltoppers. UM lost, 72-46, in the last meeting on Nov. 27, 2004.
GRIZ PLAY NEXT FIVE GAMES AT HOME
Montana will play its next five games at Dahlberg Arena in Missoula. After contests against Boise State and Western Kentucky, UM returns to action the following week with three games in five days: UC Riverside, South Dakota State and Montana Tech.
Prior to the current home stretch, Montana played five straight games on the road. Immediately following these home games, the Grizzlies will be back on the road for five consecutive road games from Dec. 19-Jan. 4.
CLEANING THE GLASS
The Grizzlies have out-rebounded their opponents, 194-169, in six games this season. UM is averaging 32.3 rebounds per game as a unit, boasting a +4.2 per game rebounding margin over opponents. Montana has out-rebounded its foes, 66-55, on the offensive glass.
PLENTY OF PLAYERS SEEING ACTION
Thirteen different Grizzlies have seen playing time in the team??s first six games. Seven different players have started games and Montana has used four different starting lineups in 2006-07.
FORWARD TRIO LEADS SCORING
Senior Matt Dlouhy, junior Andrew Strait and sophomore Jordan Hasquet have led the Grizzlies early in 2006-07. Dlouhy, from Couer d??Alene, Idaho, is averaging 11.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game this year. Strait, from Yakima, Wash., leads all Grizzlies with a 15.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game average. Hasquet, from Missoula, Mont., is averaging 11.3 points and 6.2 rebounds per game this season.
GRIZZLIES RECORD CAREER-HIGHS
Four Montana players set or tied career-best efforts in a 72-65 win over Minnesota last Sunday. Senior guard Bryan Ellis established career-highs in free throws made (10) and attempted (12), while matching career-bests with 10 assists and four steals. Senior forward Matt Dlouhy grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds in the win. Sophomore forward Jordan Hasquet matched career-highs with 3-pointers made (4) and attempted (6). Freshman guard Cameron Rundles established career-highs for points (10) and 3-pointers made (3) and attempted (3).
MONTANA TOUGH AT HOME
The Grizzlies have won their last nine regular-season home games at Dahlberg Arena in Missoula. Montana??s last home loss was Dec. 30, 2005, a 78-74 defeat at the hands of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. UM is 26-3 in home games over the last three seasons.
UM FINISHES 1-2 AT OLD SPICE CLASSIC
Montana 72, Minnesota 65 (Nov. 26)
Junior forward Andrew Strait scored a game-high 17 points to lift The University of Montana men??s basketball team to a 72-65 victory over Minnesota in the final day of play at the Old Spice Classic in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The win, which snapped a four-game losing streak, improved the Grizzlies to 2-4 on the year. The Golden Gophers dropped to 2-4 overall.
Four Griz players scored in double figures, led by Strait who went 8-of-11 from the field. Sophomore forward Jordan Hasquet scored 11 of his 14 points in the first half, including 4-of-6 on 3-pointers.
Senior guard Bryan Ellis had 10 points, going 10-of-12 from the free throw line, and matched career-highs with 10 assists and four steals. Freshman guard Cameron Rundles added a career-best 10 points going a perfect 3-for-3 on 3-pointers. Senior forward Matt Dlouhy added eight points and a team-high 10 rebounds for the Griz.
Montana shot its best percentage of the tournament, going 21-of-40 for 52.2 percent from the field. The Griz, who had struggled in the previous two games from beyond the 3-point arc, made 10-of-18 attempts to shoot 55.6 percent. UM also made 20-of-30 free throws to shoot 66.7 percent from the charity stripe.
Montana had 18 assists to 20 turnovers in its final game of the tournament. UM had 10 steals to go along with two blocks. The Grizzlies and the Golden Gophers each had 27 rebounds.
Minnesota had 13 assists to go with 19 turnovers. The Golden Gophers had nine steals.
Four players scored in double figures for Minnesota, led by Dan Coleman who had 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field. Jamal Abu-Shamala had 12 points, while Lawrence Westbrook and Lawrence McKenzie had 11 and 10 points respectively.
Minnesota shot 46.2 percent, making 24-of-56 from the field, but just of 5-of-19 on 3-pointers (26.3 percent). The Golden Gophers converted on 12-of-20 free throws for 60.0 percent.
Minnesota had the early advantage, jumping out to its largest lead of the game, 15-8, with 13:07 remaining in the first. Hasquet scored five of Montana??s next eight points to pull the Griz within two points, 20-18 with 9:05 left in the first half. A free throw by Montana junior forward Gus Chase at the 4:52 mark tied the game at 24 apiece. The Grizzlies closed the half on a 11-7 run to take a 35-31 lead into the locker room.
Montana never trailed in the second half, leading by as many as 12 points at the 16:37 mark in the second stanza. Minnesota, which trailed by 11 points with 9:32 remaining in the game, went on a 11-1 run to to make the score 59-58 at the 5:14 mark.
The Grizzlies received two clutch 3-pointers down the stretch from Rundles, a Minneapolis, Minn., native, to hold on to a 72-65 victory.
Virginia Tech 77, Montana 56 (Nov. 24)
The University of Montana men??s basketball team dropped its fourth consecutive contest, a 77-56 defeat at the hands of Virginia Tech in the second round of the Old Spice Classic in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The loss dropped the Grizzlies to 1-4 overall, while the Hokies improved to 3-1.
Sophomore forward Jordan Hasquet finished with 12 points and a team-high 12 rebounds to lead the Grizzlies. Senior swingman Matt Dlouhy also scored 12, and junior guard Matt Martin added 11 points, a team-best four assists and a steal in 13 minutes off the bench for Montana.
UM continued its recent cold shooting in the second-round game against the Hokies, making just 24-of-58 from the field for 41.4 percent. The Griz finished 5-of-19 from behind the 3-point arc (26.3 percent) and 3-of-8 on free throws (37.5 percent).
Montana out-rebounded the Hokies, 35-30, but committed 17 turnovers to 15 assists. Virginia Tech tallied 17 assists to only eight turnovers in the game. VT held a 27-4 scoring advantage off turnovers.
The Hokies shot 55.4 percent from the field, making 31-of-56 field goal attempts. Virginia Tech shot 50 percent on 3-pointers (5-of-10), and made 10-of-16 free throw attempts (62.5 percent).
Hokie guard Zabian Dowdell had game-high 18 points and Coleman Collins added 13 and a team-best six rebounds to lead the way for the victors.
Jamon Gordon scored eight of his 11 points on the night in succession as Virginia Tech built a 10-0 lead to open the game. Montana responded with a 9-2 run to pull within three, but the Grizzlies drew no closer the rest of the way.
Dowdell scored nine consecutive points late in the first half for Virginia Tech, which led 36-24 at the break. Collins netted seven in a row to put the Hokies ahead by 18 early in the second half.
Virginia Tech took its biggest lead at 70-44 on a slam dunk by Gordon with 4:45 remaining.
West Virginia 73, Montana 56 (Nov. 23)
The University of Montana men??s basketball team fell, 73-56, to West Virginia in the first round of the Old Spice Classic at the Milk House in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The loss, which was the UM??s third consecutive, dropped the Grizzlies to 1-3 overall. The Mountaineers improved to 4-0 on the year.
Montana faces Virginia Tech (2-1) in Friday??s second day of competition, with tip-off scheduled for 5:30 p.m. (MST). The Hokies dropped a 71-68 game to Western Michigan Thursday night.
Junior forward Andrew Strait led Montana with a team-high 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field. Strait, who also tallied a team-best eight rebounds, was joined in double figures by sophomore forward Jordan Hasquet and senior forward Matt Dlouhy, who scored 12 and 10 points, respectively.
The Grizzlies missed 14 of their first 15 shots from 3-point range and finished 4-for-18 on the game. UM finished the game making 21-of-45 field goals.
Montana held a slim advantage on the glass, out-rebounding WVU, 29-26. The Mountaineers?? 1-3-1 defense forced Montana in to 18 turnovers, while the Grizzlies managed just 10 assists. WVU, who generated 10 steals in the win, tallied 16 assists to only 10 turnovers in the contest.
The Mountaineers shot 52 percent in the second half, building a 7-point halftime lead into a 25-point advantage. WVU finished the game having made 28-of-56 field goals, 10-of-23 on three-pointers.
Mountaineer guard Frank Young made 8-of-16 shots from the field, including 5-of-10 3-pointers for a game-high 21 points.
SELVIG, QVALE SIGN WITH GRIZZLIES
Derek Selvig of Glendive, Mont., and Brian Qvale of Williston, N.D., have signed National Letters of Intent and will join the Griz program for the 2007-08 season.
Selvig, a 6-10, 205-pound forward, will be a 2007 graduate of Dawson County High School. He was ranked by Rivals.com as a Top 150 overall player, ranking as high as No. 34 at the small forward position. He participated this past summer in the ABCD Camp in New Jersey, an invitational camp for the top prep players in the country.
Selvig averaged 13 points, eight rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals per game while earning first team all-conference accolades in his junior season at Dawson County High. In that season, he shot 70 percent from the free throw line and 40 percent from the field. He is a three-year starter for the Tigers.
Other schools that Selvig considered included Arizona State, Gonzaga, Iowa State, Nevada, Oregon, Texas Tech, Utah State and Wisconsin.
Selvig comes to UM with a long line of Grizzly family lineage. His father and current high school basketball coach, Doug Selvig, was a standout basketball player at Montana from 1981-84. His mother, Anita (Novak) Selvig, played for the Lady Griz from 1981-85.
Selvig??s uncle, Robin Selvig, is a former Griz basketball player (1970-71 to 1973-74), who is entering his 29th year as head coach of the Lady Griz basketball program. His aunt, Sandy (Selvig) Sullivan, also played for the Lady Griz from (1978-81).
Qvale (prounounced: KWALL ?C ee), a 6-11, 235-pound post player, will be a 2007 graduate of Williston High School. He was ranked by Rivals.com as one of the top recruits at the center position.
Qvale has helped lead the Coyotes to three consecutive state tournament appearances, finishing fourth, third and third in his freshman through junior seasons. The past two seasons he earned all-conference and all-state recognition, while also being selected to the conference and state all-tournament teams.
Qvale averaged 13 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks and two steals per game in his junior season. He also shot 56 percent on field goals in that same campaign. As a sophomore Qvale registered 15 points, seven rebounds and three blocks per game. He is a three-year starter for the Coyotes who is expected to surpass the 1,000 point mark in his upcoming senior season.
Qvale, the son of Sanford and Carol Qvale, also considered Boise State, Colorado State, Iowa State, Utah State, Washington State, Wichita State and Wyoming.
GRIZ ONE, TWO IN BSC PRESEASON POLLS
Defending Big Sky Conference Tournament champion Montana was ranked first in the media and second in the coaches?? poll.
Northern Arizona topped the coaches?? poll, receiving four first-place votes and a total of 59 total points. UM was second with four first-place votes and 58 total points.
In the media poll, Montana received nine first-place votes and 233 total points. Northern Arizona received 13 first-place votes and 232 total point.
STRAIT RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY
Junior forward Andrew Strait has been named to CollegeInsider.com??s Mid-Major Preseason All-America squad.The team consists of 25 players and is selected by Division I coaches and NBA scouts. Freshman and junior college transfers are not considered for preseason honors.
Monday, March 30
Monday, March 30
Monday, March 30
Monday, March 30
