Griz release challenging 2008-09 schedule
8/1/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
The 2008-09 University of Montana men's basketball schedule features many difficult challenges for the Grizzlies, and two of the most notable match-ups are road games at national power Duke and the talented University of Washington Huskies.
"We are very excited about this year's schedule," said third-year Griz head coach Wayne Tinkle. "Scheduling has become one of the hardest parts of the job here, especially trying to get home games. We feel good about the quality of the teams we are bringing to Missoula, as well as the challenge of our road schedule.
"We obviously have a couple of marquee name opponents in Duke and the University of Washington," Tinkle continued. "We felt like playing Duke would be a great experience for all of us. It is one of the best programs in the country and Coach K is one of the greatest college basketball coaches ever. It will be a big challenge for us, but we feel with the toughness of the players we have on our team that we can handle such a challenge early in the season.
"Washington presents a great opportunity for us as well," Tinkle said. "We have a lot of alums in the Seattle area and a lot of our players are from the state of Washington. The Huskies will be a greatly improved team and present another great challenge, and that game should give us an idea of where we are as a team, and we begin our Big Sky schedule then following week, hosting Montana State in our league opener January 3rd."
The Grizzlies' home slate features nine home games, including the inaugural Karl Tyler Chevrolet Grizzly Basketball Classic, a three-team, round-robin affair, and two early-season exhibition contests. Two formidable November home opponents are Mississippi Valley State and Santa Clara. UM's tournament foes are Denver and Texas-Arlington, while other home games are versus North Dakota and Utah Valley.
"We've got some quality teams coming into Missoula, beginning with Mississippi Valley State, which was in the NCAA Tournament last year," Tinkle said. "Santa Clara is always one of the top teams in the WCC, and Denver and Texas-Arlington are two good opponents for the round-robin tournament that we are hosting. Other highlights are road games at much-improved Colorado State, Fresno State, and Riverside, as well as a home-and-home series with Utah Valley.
"As far as conference goes, we were thrown a curve ball, as we have to open our Big Sky schedule on December 20th at Portland State," Tinkle said. "That means we have to play four games in nine days, and the first three of those games are on the road, including the one at PSU."
After two preseason home exhibition games, Montana opens its 2008-09 regular season at Colorado State Nov. 14th.
The Grizzlies currently have four televised games scheduled for this season. Both contests with intrastate rival Montana State (Jan. 3 and Feb. 7) will be aired on KPAX-TV of Missoula and its MTN affiliates in Montana. Montana will also be featured twice by Altitude Sports and Entertainment's Big Sky Conference Sunday Game of the Week: Jan. 25th at home against Northern Colorado and Feb. 22nd against Idaho State, also in Missoula.
"We are very excited about this year's schedule," said third-year Griz head coach Wayne Tinkle. "Scheduling has become one of the hardest parts of the job here, especially trying to get home games. We feel good about the quality of the teams we are bringing to Missoula, as well as the challenge of our road schedule.
"We obviously have a couple of marquee name opponents in Duke and the University of Washington," Tinkle continued. "We felt like playing Duke would be a great experience for all of us. It is one of the best programs in the country and Coach K is one of the greatest college basketball coaches ever. It will be a big challenge for us, but we feel with the toughness of the players we have on our team that we can handle such a challenge early in the season.
"Washington presents a great opportunity for us as well," Tinkle said. "We have a lot of alums in the Seattle area and a lot of our players are from the state of Washington. The Huskies will be a greatly improved team and present another great challenge, and that game should give us an idea of where we are as a team, and we begin our Big Sky schedule then following week, hosting Montana State in our league opener January 3rd."
The Grizzlies' home slate features nine home games, including the inaugural Karl Tyler Chevrolet Grizzly Basketball Classic, a three-team, round-robin affair, and two early-season exhibition contests. Two formidable November home opponents are Mississippi Valley State and Santa Clara. UM's tournament foes are Denver and Texas-Arlington, while other home games are versus North Dakota and Utah Valley.
"We've got some quality teams coming into Missoula, beginning with Mississippi Valley State, which was in the NCAA Tournament last year," Tinkle said. "Santa Clara is always one of the top teams in the WCC, and Denver and Texas-Arlington are two good opponents for the round-robin tournament that we are hosting. Other highlights are road games at much-improved Colorado State, Fresno State, and Riverside, as well as a home-and-home series with Utah Valley.
"As far as conference goes, we were thrown a curve ball, as we have to open our Big Sky schedule on December 20th at Portland State," Tinkle said. "That means we have to play four games in nine days, and the first three of those games are on the road, including the one at PSU."
After two preseason home exhibition games, Montana opens its 2008-09 regular season at Colorado State Nov. 14th.
The Grizzlies currently have four televised games scheduled for this season. Both contests with intrastate rival Montana State (Jan. 3 and Feb. 7) will be aired on KPAX-TV of Missoula and its MTN affiliates in Montana. Montana will also be featured twice by Altitude Sports and Entertainment's Big Sky Conference Sunday Game of the Week: Jan. 25th at home against Northern Colorado and Feb. 22nd against Idaho State, also in Missoula.
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