Griz, Fighting Hawks to battle for final time as Big Sky foes

Thursday, March 8

Reno, Nev.

1PM (MT)

Montana

North Dakota

Photo by: Todd Goodrich

Griz, Fighting Hawks to battle for final time as Big Sky foes

3/6/2018 7:05:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Game Notes (PDF)Championship Central Schedule Roster

By: Montana Sports Information

MONTANA VS. NORTH DAKOTA - QUARTERFINALS
Thursday, March 8 / 1 p.m. MT / Reno, Nev.
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Montana has known that it will play as the No. 1 seed since last week, and now, following North Dakota's come-from-behind win over Montana State on Tuesday afternoon, the Grizzlies know they will match up against the Fighting Hawks during Thursday's quarterfinal round of the Big Sky Championship.

Montana has played every Big Sky Conference team – past and present – at least once in the conference tournament, except for North Dakota. That will change on Thursday, which if Montana can win, will be North Dakota's final game as a member of the conference; the Fighting Hawks are joining the Summit League in 2018-19.

RENO! The No. 1 seed has arrived! pic.twitter.com/LjfJbKE46S
— Montana Griz BB (@MontanaGrizBB) March 7, 2018

The Grizzlies won both meetings with the Fighting Hawks this season, however, the two were contrasting games.

In early January in Missoula, the Grizzlies scored 109 points in a 30-point victory. In the win, junior Jamar Akoh posted a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Three other Grizzlies scored at least 16 points, including Ahmaad Rorie (22) and freshman Karl Nicholas (career-high 17). Both Timmy Falls and Sayeed Pridgett dished out four assists, as Montana shot 61.5 percent from the floor – the highest by a Big Sky team this season.

The two teams met a month later in Grand Forks, N.D., and while Montana came away with the road win, Round 2 was much closer. Both teams shot better than 45 percent and Montana had to overcome a second-half deficit.

The Grizzlies were once again led by Akoh, who totaled 23 points and 11 rebounds. He scored seven consecutive Montana points to turn a 49-45 deficit into a 52-50 lead with under 10 minutes to play. Fabijan Krslovic (12) and Michael Oguine (12) were in double figures, as well, while Rorie had nine points and a season-high seven assists.

In first-round action on Tuesday, North Dakota trailed Montana State by 19 points, but closed the game on a 31-10 run to earn the win and advance to the quarterfinals. Marlon Stewart scored a career-high 29 points, while Geno Crandall contributed 18.

As the regular-season champion and No. 1 seed in the tournament, the Grizzlies have their sights set on winning the conference tournament and earning a bid to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2013. In order to do so, the Grizzlies will have to win three games in three days, but the approach will stay the same as it has been all season – never get too high or too low, and to take one game at a time.

Business trip. ?? pic.twitter.com/AimJbnQcfC
— Montana Griz BB (@MontanaGrizBB) March 6, 2018

SERIES VS. THE FIGHTING HAWKS
Montana and North Dakota will meet for the 23rd time on Thursday, and for the final time as Big Sky Conference foes. The Fighting Hawks will join the Summit League following this season. Montana holds a 17-5 record over North Dakota, winning seven in a row in the series – all under head coach Travis DeCuire (7-0).

The two teams first met in 1929-30, and then again twice in the 1940s and in four consecutive seasons in the 1960s. They wouldn't play again until 2008-09 and 2009-10 – both Griz wins in Missoula – and have played at least once each of the past seven seasons since North Dakota joined the Big Sky Conference. Montana has won 10 of the past 11 contests overall, and 17 of 20.

In two games this season vs. the Fighting Hawks, Jamar Akoh has a pair of double-doubles, totaling 45 points and 22 rebounds. Senior Fabijan Krslovic has played in all seven games during Montana's win streak over North Dakota, averaging 8.1 points and 4.4 boards per contest, including a double-double as a junior (16 points, 10 rebounds). Michael Oguine has scored in double figures in four of five career games vs. North Dakota, posting 11 rebounds in the other. Ahmaad Rorie has two 20-point performances in three games vs. the Fighting Hawks.

SCOUTING NORTH DAKOTA

North Dakota enters Thursday's quarterfinals matchup with a record of 12-19. The Fighting Hawks are the No. 8 seed in the tournament.
UND is 3-0 in neutral-site contests this season, including a win Tuesday over Montana State. The Fighting Hawks trailed by 19 points with just over 11 minutes to play before closing on a 31-10 run. Marlon Stewart scored a career-high 29 points, while Geno Crandall contributed 18.
UND had an eight-game losing streak in December-January, but has alternated wins and losses each game since Feb. 17.
Geno Crandall was named to the All-Big Sky second team this week. The junior averaged 16.2 points per Big Sky game (10th) while leading the league for steals (1.8) and ranking eighth for assists (3.4). Crandall shoots better than .500 from the floor, including .417 from three-point range (eighth).
In addition to Crandall, Dale Jones (12.3 points per game; 20th in Big Sky), Conner Avants (11.5; 24th) and Cortez Seales (10.3; 30th) averaged double-figures scoring during league play.
Avants (6.2 per game; 13th) and Jones (6.1; 15th) are among the league's top rebounders. Avants also shoots .572 from the floor (eighth).
In two matchups vs. Montana this season, UND had six different players score in double figures (three in January and a different three in February).
UND averages 7.1 steals per game (third in Big Sky, 21st in NCAA).
UND ranks in the bottom third in the Big Sky for scoring and scoring defense, and last for field-goal defense (.495).
The Fighting Hawks rank last in the Big Sky for rebounding (30.0 per game) and rebounding margin (-5.7).
Brian Jones is in his 12th season in Grand Forks, leading the Fighting Hawks to the 2017 Big Sky Conference regular-season and tournament titles.

TOURNEY TIDBITS

Montana has advanced to the Big Sky Championship 39 times in the past 41 seasons, tied with Weber State for the most appearances during that span (1978-present).
Montana is 37-29 all-time in the tournament, the second-most wins of any Big Sky team.
The Grizzlies have won the Championship nine times (second-most) and have advanced to the finals on 18 occasions (tied for first).
Since Montana's first tournament title in 1991, Montana is 9-4 in the championship game. No team has won more titles during that span.
Montana has won six consecutive semifinals games, dating back to 2010.
Montana is 4-4 all-time in the tournament in Reno.

GRIZ BITS

Montana won its 11th regular-season championship last week, including the second in four seasons under head coach Travis DeCuire.
Montana's 23 victories are tied for the sixth-most in school history, and the most since 2012-13.
The Grizzlies are led by a trio of all-conference performers – Ahmaad Rorie (first team), Michael Oguine (defensive player of the year/second team) and Jamar Akoh (third team). Montana is the only Big Sky team to have three players rank in the top 15 for scoring.
Montana is ranked No. 14 in this week's College Insider Mid-Major Top 25.
The Grizzlies won their first 13 conference games. The winning streak was one game shy of tying a school record.
Montana set a school record with seven consecutive true road wins (Dec. 28-Feb. 3).
Montana finished its home slate undefeated (14-0). It marked the first time in 26 seasons, and the fifth time ever, that the Grizzlies have posted a perfect home record.
Earlier this season, both Michael Oguine (32nd member) and Ahmaad Rorie (33rd) joined Montana's 1,000-point scoring club.
The Grizzlies are one of two NCAA Division I basketball teams to use the same starting lineup every game this season.
Montana's defense is forcing nearly 16 turnovers per game, a figure with ranks 16th nationally.
Fourth-year head coach Travis DeCuire is the fastest coach in Big Sky history to win 50 conference wins (55-17). He has led Montana to three 20-plus-win seasons.
Montana posted its first winning non-conference record since 2011-12, including a win at Pitt – its first over a Power-5 program since 2010 and first over an ACC team since 1966.
The Grizzlies, who were coming off of a 16-16 season, were picked to finish third in the preseason coaches' poll.