Selvig announces 2006-07 Lady Griz schedule
5/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
University of Montana women's basketball coach Robin Selvig released his team's 2006-07 schedule Thursday morning. Highlights include a trip to Columbus, Ohio, over Thanksgiving weekend to participate in Ohio State's tournament, the 27th Lady Griz Holiday Classic and a 16-game Big Sky Conference schedule that results from the addition of Northern Colorado to the league.
The season opens with Sunday home games against MSU-Billings (18-9 in 2005-06) and Gonzaga (16-14) on Nov. 12 and Nov. 19 before Montana travels to Ohio State's tournament. The Lady Griz will face Davidson (17-12) in one opening-round game, while the host Buckeyes (29-3) will take on Cornell (8-19).
Ohio State, which is ranked No. 11 in the nation in one very early 2006-07 ESPN.com poll, earned a No. 1 seed in the Albuquerque Regional at the 2006 NCAA tournament but was upset by Boston College in the tournament's second round. The Buckeyes return 6-5 center and senior-to-be Jessica Davenport, a two-time Big 10 Player of the Year and two-time Kodak All-American.
"Ohio State was a No. 1 seed in last year's NCAA tournament and it's a place that draws people (OSU was 19th in the nation in attendance in 2005-06 at 5,261 fans per game), so it should be an exciting tournament for us to play in," Selvig said. "Davidson, who we open with, had a very good year last year.
"That tournament is the highlight of our road schedule."
The Lady Griz follow the OSU tournament with home games against Wyoming (21-9 and WNIT participant), Portland (4-24) and Utah State (3-24) before road games at Washington State (8-20), Idaho (10-19), Cal State Northridge (10-20) and Santa Clara (19-12 and WNIT participant) close out the pre-Christmas schedule.
The 27th Lady Griz Holiday Classic takes place Dec. 28-29. Idaho and Wyoming will square off in one game on opening night, while Montana will host Canisius (18-11) in the other.
"Wyoming had a great year last year, and we have the potential of playing them twice," Selvig said of his non-conference schedule. "We have a Pac-10 team on the road, and even our one non-Division I opponent (MSU-Billings) had a great year. They are all quality teams. It's a good, solid schedule."
With the addition of Northern Colorado to the conference and therefore a nine-team league, the Big Sky Conference schedule will have a different look in 2006-07, including two occasions when the Lady Griz will face the same opponent in back-to-back games.
"It's a strange set-up, but any time you go to nine teams that's what you're going to be dealing with," Selvig said. "I'm sure every team is going to feel like there are some tough things they have to deal with."
Northern Colorado went 13-15 in 2005-06, including wins over Illinois and Marquette. The Bears defeated Weber State, 65-51, in their only game last season against a Big Sky Conference opponent.
UNC ended its season with an 89-53 loss at Maryland, the team that went on to win the 2006 national championship.
"They had a very good team last year," Selvig said about UNC. "They had some real quality wins, so they appear to be a team that will be able to step right in and compete in this league."
Montana went 21-7 last year, the team's 24th 20-win season in the last 26 years. The Lady Griz finished 10-4 in Big Sky play to finish a game behind regular-season champion Idaho State. UM lost to Northern Arizona, the league's tournament champion, 73-66 in a Big Sky tournament semifinal game.
The season opens with Sunday home games against MSU-Billings (18-9 in 2005-06) and Gonzaga (16-14) on Nov. 12 and Nov. 19 before Montana travels to Ohio State's tournament. The Lady Griz will face Davidson (17-12) in one opening-round game, while the host Buckeyes (29-3) will take on Cornell (8-19).
Ohio State, which is ranked No. 11 in the nation in one very early 2006-07 ESPN.com poll, earned a No. 1 seed in the Albuquerque Regional at the 2006 NCAA tournament but was upset by Boston College in the tournament's second round. The Buckeyes return 6-5 center and senior-to-be Jessica Davenport, a two-time Big 10 Player of the Year and two-time Kodak All-American.
"Ohio State was a No. 1 seed in last year's NCAA tournament and it's a place that draws people (OSU was 19th in the nation in attendance in 2005-06 at 5,261 fans per game), so it should be an exciting tournament for us to play in," Selvig said. "Davidson, who we open with, had a very good year last year.
"That tournament is the highlight of our road schedule."
The Lady Griz follow the OSU tournament with home games against Wyoming (21-9 and WNIT participant), Portland (4-24) and Utah State (3-24) before road games at Washington State (8-20), Idaho (10-19), Cal State Northridge (10-20) and Santa Clara (19-12 and WNIT participant) close out the pre-Christmas schedule.
The 27th Lady Griz Holiday Classic takes place Dec. 28-29. Idaho and Wyoming will square off in one game on opening night, while Montana will host Canisius (18-11) in the other.
"Wyoming had a great year last year, and we have the potential of playing them twice," Selvig said of his non-conference schedule. "We have a Pac-10 team on the road, and even our one non-Division I opponent (MSU-Billings) had a great year. They are all quality teams. It's a good, solid schedule."
With the addition of Northern Colorado to the conference and therefore a nine-team league, the Big Sky Conference schedule will have a different look in 2006-07, including two occasions when the Lady Griz will face the same opponent in back-to-back games.
"It's a strange set-up, but any time you go to nine teams that's what you're going to be dealing with," Selvig said. "I'm sure every team is going to feel like there are some tough things they have to deal with."
Northern Colorado went 13-15 in 2005-06, including wins over Illinois and Marquette. The Bears defeated Weber State, 65-51, in their only game last season against a Big Sky Conference opponent.
UNC ended its season with an 89-53 loss at Maryland, the team that went on to win the 2006 national championship.
"They had a very good team last year," Selvig said about UNC. "They had some real quality wins, so they appear to be a team that will be able to step right in and compete in this league."
Montana went 21-7 last year, the team's 24th 20-win season in the last 26 years. The Lady Griz finished 10-4 in Big Sky play to finish a game behind regular-season champion Idaho State. UM lost to Northern Arizona, the league's tournament champion, 73-66 in a Big Sky tournament semifinal game.
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