Griz host WSU Wildcats for BSC crown tonight
3/7/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 7, 2012
THE GAME: The 14th-ranked (Mid-Major Top 25) and top-seeded University of Montana Grizzlies (24-6) play the 15th-ranked (Mid-Major Top 25) and second seed Weber State Wildcats (24-5) in the championship game of the Big Sky Conference Tournament Wednesday, March 7, with tip-off in UM's Dahlberg Arena scheduled for 7:05 p.m. on ESPN2HD.
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, while Greg Sundberg provides color commentary. It is also on Dial Global/Westwood One (Ted Robinson and Steve Lappas). SiriusXM channel 91.
TV: The Griz-Wildcat championship game will be aired on ESPN2HD, with Roxy Bernstein calling the play-by-play and Miles Simon serving as color commentator.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME NOTE: This is the first time in league history two teams with 24 wins have played for the title. The Griz are playing in the tourney championship game a record third time in a row. The winner earnes the Big Sky's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.
GRIZ IN CHIPPER: Montana is 7-7 in tourney title games. UM and WSU have met five times in the title game, and WSU leads 3-2, and the two Griz wins were by a total of 3 points.
The scores:
1977-78: Weber St. 62, at Montana 55 (OT)
1979-80: at Weber State 50, Montana 42
1980-81: at Idaho 70, Montana 64
1983-84: Nevada 71, Montana 69 (in Ogden, Utah)
1985-86: Montana St. 82, Montana 77 (in Reno)
1990-91: at Montana 76, Idaho 68
1991-92: at Montana 73, Nevada
1994-95: at Weber St. 84, Montana 62
1996-97: Montana 82, Cal Northridge 79 (in Flagstaff)
2001-02: Montana 70, E. Washington 66 (in Bozeman)
2004-05: Montana 63, Weber St. 61 (in Portland)
2005-06: Montana 73, at Northern Arizona 60
2009-10: Montana 66, at Weber State 65
2010-11: at Northern Colorado 65, Montana 60
TOURNEY VETS: This is Montana's 11th straight trip to the league tourney -- the longest active streak in the Big Sky. The Griz have been in 33 (of 37) BSC tournaments. The Grizzlies are 30-25 in the tournament.
A LOOK AT THE GRIZZLIES' LAST GAME (1-0): At Montana 74, Eastern Washington 66: The Griz overcame a double-digit first half deficit, and had four starters score in double figures in a Big Sky semifinal game. Junior forward Mathias Ward scored a team-high 19 points, while sophomore G-F Kareem Jamar had 18 , junior guard Will Cherry added 16, and senior forward Derek Selvig chipped in 12. Jamar also grabbed 13 rebounds to record his fourth double-double of the season.
ON A RUN: Montana's 15-1 league mark broke the school record for the best start ever in league. The 1974-75 team went 13-1 en route to the league title. Just four Griz teams have won 24 or more games at UM. Montana's current 13-game winning streak ties a school record. The last time Montana won 13 games in a row was in the 1993-94 season. UM's winning streak ties for the second longest active streak in the nation Kentucky (22), Savannah State (13), and Belmont (13).
CHERRY ALL-TIME LEADER/RANKED IN STEALS: Cherry's 218 career steals are the most ever at Montana and the fifth most in league history. He is ranked sixth in the nation in steals per game (2.58 pg). He has 78 steals in 30 games so far this season.
TOURNEY RECORD: His three steals in the EWU win gives him 17 in Big Sky Tournament play, which is a record.
COACH TINKLE IN SELECT COMPANY: Sixth-year Griz head coach Wayne Tinkle is one of just three coaches in school history to win 20 or more games in three straight seasons.
MONTANA GRIZZLIES (24-6)- PPG- RPG- MISC.
F-1-Art Steward, 6-4, 210, Sr., 1V- 9.2- 4.6- Shot 60.9 FG% in league
F-24-Derek Selvig, 7-0, 230, Sr., 3V- 8.9- 6.0- Sky: 9th 43.2 3PT% 7th rpg
F-40-Mathias Ward, 6-7, 236, Jr., 2V- 10.7- 3.9- 5th in Sky: 53.9 FG%
G-5-Will Cherry, 6-1, 177, Jr., 2V- 16.1- 3.9- Sky: 4th ppg/1st 2.6 stl pg
G-32-Kareem Jamar, 6-5, 210, So., 1V- 13.5- 5.8- Sky: 9th in ppg/11th in rpg
6-22-Shawn Stockton, G, 6-0, 203, Sr., 3V-3.7- 1.3- 98 career games
Head Coach: Wayne Tinkle: 115-70, 6th season at Montana.
WSU WILDCATS (24-5)- PPG- RPG- MISC.
F-3-Kyle Bullinger, 6-6, 215, Sr., 3V- 6.1- 4.9- Tied for team lead in reb pg
F-30-Darin Mahoney, 6-8, 225, Sr.- 4.1- 6.3- 7th in Sky rebs. pg
C-44-Kyle Tresnak, 6-10, 255, So.- 10.1- 4.0- 54.6 FG%
G-1-Damian Lillard, 6-3, 195, Jr., 2V- 24.4- 4.9- 2nd in nation in ppg
G-4-Scott Bamforth, 6-2, 190, Jr.- 14.8- 3.7- 73x183 (39.9%) 3PTers
Head Coach: Randy Rahe: 119-66, 6th year at WSU.
SERIES: WSU leads 64-49.
This season:At Weber State 80, Montana 64 and at Montana 66, Weber State 51.
NOTE: The Griz-Wildcat rivalry is Weber State's oldest.
