Griz have crucial league contest at Sacramento State Saturday
2/10/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 10, 2012
THE GAME: The University of Montana Grizzlies (11-1/18-6) have their final Big Sky Conference road game of the season, playing the Sacramento State Hornets (4-8/9-14) on Saturday, Feb. 11, with tip-off in the Hornets Nest at 8:05 p.m. (Mtn.).
RADIO: UM's flagship station is KGVO Radio (1290 AM). Mick Holien, "The Voice of the Grizzlies," calls the play-by-play for his 19th season in a row. Greg Sundberg provides color commentary for home games.
Live stats & Streaming: www.gogriz.com.
TV: There is no TV scheduled for the Griz-Hornet game.
NEXT WEEK?: The Grizzlies host the Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors (5-4 WAC/13-10) in a ESPN Sears BracketBusters game on Saturday, Feb. 18, with tip-off at 7:05 p.m..
A LOOK AT THE GRIZZLIES' LAST TWO (BIG SKY) GAMES (2-0): Montana 75, at Northern Colorado 68: Junior guard Will Cherry scored a career-high 30 points and 8 steals to lead the Griz. It was UM's seventh win in a row and 13th in their last 14 games. The victory kept the Griz tied for first place with the Weber State Wildcats, who are also 11-1 in the Big Sky. The Wildcats won 67-49 at Northern Arizona on Thursday.
At Montana 76, Idaho State 40: Cherry scored 21 points and Derek Selvig had a solid all-around game (8 assists/6 blocks/5 points), and the defense was stellar. UM held the Bengals to a season-low 40 points and 14-of-57 shooting (24.6%).
GRIZ CLINCH AT LEAST SECOND: With the win the Griz clinched at least a second place finish in the Big Sky. The question now is which team will host the league's postseason tourney -- UM or WSU. The conference's post-season tournament and the semifinal and title games will be on March 6-7, with the regular-season champion hosting.
BEST BIG SKY START EVER?: This is the first time since the 1991-92 season that the Griz have started 11-1 in league play. That season head coach Blaine Taylor's Grizzlies went to 12-1 and finished in 14-2 league play, and that team tied a school record going 27-4 overall. Montana lost 78-68 to Florida State in an NCAA first round game played in Boise, Idaho, that season.
CHERRY NOW 20TH IN CAREER SCORING AT UM: Cherry's 30 points give him 1,065 points for his career, moving him up to 20th all time at Montana, as he passes guard Roger Fasting (21st with 1,047 points, 1988-92), and center Brian Qvale (2008-11) and guard Mike Warhank (1997-00), who are now tied for 22nd with 1,046 career points each.
CHERRY 9TH NATIONALLY IN STEALS: Cherry is ranked ninth in the nation in steals per game, averaging 2.54 a contest. He has 61 steals in 24 games this season.
WILL EIGHTH IN BIG SKY IN CAREER STEALS: Cherry now has 201 in career steals, which moves him up to eighth in Big Sky history. He just passed Nevada's Darryl Owens (1986-89) and Northern Arizona's Nate Payne, who were tied for eighth with 200, and Idaho State's Jim Rhode who was ranked 10th with 196 career steals from 1986-89.
COACH TINKLE FOURTH IN CAREER WINS AT MONTANA: Griz sixth-year coach Wayne Tinkle now has 109 wins, ranking him fourth in school history.
MONTANA GRIZZLIES (11-1/18-6) PPG- RPG- MISC.
F-1-Art Steward, 6-4, 210, Sr., 1V- 9.1- 4.3- 60.7 FG% in league
F-24-Derek Selvig, 7-0, 230, Sr., 3V- 8.4- 6.2-Sky: 8th 43.9 3PT% & Rebs.
F-40-Mathias Ward, 6-7, 236, Jr., 2V- 10.0- 4.0- 4th in Sky: 54.9 FG%
G-5-Will Cherry, 6-1, 177, Jr., 2V- 15.8- 4.1- 4th in Sky in ppg
G-32-Kareem Jamar, 6-5, 210, So., 1V- 13.4- 5.2-Sky:8th in ppg/14th rebs.
6-22-Shawn Stockton, G, 6-0, 203, Sr., 3V- 3.8- 1.3- 92 career games
Head Coach: Wayne Tinkle: 109-70, 6th season at Montana.
SAC STATE HORNETS (4-8/9-14) PPG- RPG- MISC.
F-3-Joe Eberhard, 6-6, 210, Jr., JC- 11.1- 6.2- 23/8 in win over MSU
C-44-Josh McCarver, 6-9, 240, Sr., 1V- 5.5- 4.0- 59.8 FG%
G-1-Jackson Carbajal, 6-3, 185, So., 1V- 8.8- 2.7-14 pts. in MSU victory
G-2-Jordan Estrada, 6-1, 190, Jr., JC- 3.4- 1.1- Has 5 starts
G-5-Dylan Garrity, 6-2, 175, Fr., HS- 7.9- 2.6- 16 assists vs. MSU
6-22-Heath Hoffman, G, 6-3, 200, Sr., 1V- 6.9- 2.3- Has 14 starts
6-32-John Dickson, F, 6-8, 195, Jr., 2V- 12.5- 4.0- Sac's leading scorer
6-Konner Veteto, C, 6-8, 265, Jr., TR- 9.8- 4.7- 15 pts. in MSU win
Head Coach: Brian Katz: 27-83, 4th year at Sac.
SERIES: Montana leads 31-5. Earlier this year: At Montana 85, Sac State 56.
OF NOTE: Sac has won four games in a row and has had 17 different starting line-ups.
