Tinkle continues to reach milestones at his alma mater
1/11/2013 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 11, 2013
The University of Montana's head men's basketball coach, Wayne Tinkle, continues to reach milestones during his outstanding tenure at his alma mater.
Montana's 77-62 Big Sky Conference victory at North Dakota on Thursday (Jan. 10) not only kept the Grizzlies unbeaten (5-0) in league play (9-4 overall), but it was also Tinkle's 71st conference win - the second most by any coach in school history.
With that recent road victory at UND, Tinkle passed former Griz head coach Blaine Taylor, who went 70-34 in Big Sky games during his tenure from 1991-98. The all-time leader in league wins at Montana is held by Mike Montgomery, who sported a 73-39 ledger from 1979-86.
Taylor, of course has been the head man at Old Dominion the past 11-plus years, while Montgomery is now in his fifth season as the mentor at Cal, and also had stints with the Golden State Warriors and at Stanford (where he coached 18 seasons) after he left Montana.
"I am not sure how to comment on that," said Tinkle via a text message, as he, his players and his coaches make the long trek from Grand Forks, N.D., to Denver, Colo. and then on to Greeley for a game against the Northern Colorado Bears at 4:35 p.m. on Altitude TV this Saturday (Jan. 12).
"It's a tribute to our guys and the staff's commitment to bringing in high-character, talented kids," said Tinkle whose 125 overall wins are the fourth most in school history. "Their discipline off the court and in the classroom carries over to what they do on the court! I couldn't ask for better young men to work with."
Those 71 conference wins aren't the only things listed on Tinkle's impressive resume.
Under Tinkle's tutelage Montana teams have racked up three consecutive 20-win seasons, going 25-7 last year, 21-11 in 2010-11, and 22-10 in 2009-10. The 2010 and 2012 team advanced to the NCAA Tournament, while the 2011 squad participated in the Zebra Pen CBI post-season tournament.
That recent run by the Grizzlies is the first time in school history that Montana has advanced to post-season play three straight seasons. (Montana narrowly missed an NCAA berth in 2011, losing 65-60 in the Big Sky title game to the Bears in Greeley).
Tinkle's team's have taken two trips to the NCAA tournament (the Griz have advanced to the NCAAs nine times) and that ties him with Taylor and Larry Krystkowiak for the most appearances in school history.
