Battle of the Bears: No. 1 Montana vs. No. 2 Northern Colorado, Monday night in Dahlberg

Monday, February 25

Missoula, Mont.

7:00 PM

Montana

Northern Colorado

Tickets

Photo by: Todd Goodrich

Battle of the Bears: No. 1 Montana vs. No. 2 Northern Colorado, Monday night in Dahlberg

2/24/2019 6:11:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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By: Montana Sports Information

Montana vs. Northern Colorado / Monday / 7 p.m. / Missoula, Mont.

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The last time Montana and Northern Colorado met up on the hardwood, the Grizzlies were looking for a win in the worst of ways. Montana was coming off of back-to-back losses, and although early, was in fourth place in the conference standings. The Bears were unbeaten and looking down on everyone else.

Following Montana's loss to Eastern Washington on Jan. 10, the team boarded a charter plane and took a redeye flight to Greeley. The next day, prior to practice, Travis DeCuire met with his team's upperclassmen and had a meeting.

The message was simple: His players needed to trust him and he needed to trust his players.

The next afternoon, Montana put on a clinic.

The Grizzlies shot .565 from the floor, making more than half of their three-point attempts. They held Northern Colorado nearly 18 points below its season average, forcing nine steals and blocking four shot attempts. They were plus-10 on the glass and led by as many as 30 points.

Over the final 13:28 of the game, the lead never dipped below 20 points.

"Even though it was a quick turnaround, our guys were very focused. As a staff, it was probably our best preparation of the season," DeCuire said afterward.

The victory snapped Montana's two-game skid, but more important, it was the beginning of something very special – something still standing today. It was the first of what is now 10 consecutive wins for Montana, as the Grizzlies now sit alone in first place.

Northern Colorado has remained dominant. Backed by Jordan Davis, the league's top scorer, the Bears have won seven of their past 10 games since falling to Montana and are in second place in the Big Sky standings.

Which brings us to Monday's huge tilt. A win for the Grizzlies would put them on the cusp of cutting down nets for the second consecutive season. A win would give Montana a three-game lead in the conference standings with four games to play, plus the tiebreaker.

A loss, though, and Northern Colorado would be just a single game back.

"I told the team that tonight (Montana State) was the biggest game of the season, and now that it's in the past, Northern Colorado is our biggest game of the year," DeCuire said. "It's a big game, but we have to stay even-keeled and can't get too emotional. We have to prepare for it the way we've been preparing for every game."

During Montana's 10-game winning streak, the Grizzlies have done it in a variety of ways. They've held six of their opponents below 70 points. They're shooting better than 50 percent overall and have a plus-13 scoring margin. They're plus-6 on the glass, out-rebounding opponents nine times, and plus-2.5 for turnover margin.

And they're doing it while not at full strength, missing big man Jamar Akoh for more than four games and Michael Oguine for one.

In Akoh's absence, several players have stepped up, most notably Sayeed Pridgett, who has earned back-to-back Big Sky Conference Player of the Week awards. Over the past five games, Pridgett has led Montana in scoring all five times, averaging 22.2 points per game on .706 shooting. Off the bench, Kendal Manuel is 11-of-13 (.846) from three-point range over his past two games, averaging 18.3 points, while Donaven Dorsey is averaging 16.3 points over his past three home games. Then, of course, there's Ahmaad Rorie and Oguine, two all-conference players who rank in the top seven in school history for career points scored.

Tipoff for Monday is slated for 7 p.m. Following Monday, the Grizzlies will play two more home games before closing the regular season on the road – Saturday vs. Southern Utah (Senior Night) and Monday, March 4 vs. Northern Arizona.

SCOUTING NORTHERN COLORADO

UNC is 17-9 overall, including 11-4 in Big Sky play (second in standings behind UM). The Bears have won seven of their past 10 games.
UNC is 6-2 on the road during Big Sky play, most-recently losing in overtime to Eastern Washington. UNC has not played since Feb. 16.
The Bears (66.5) and Grizzlies (70.3) have the top two scoring defenses in the Big Sky.
UNC ranks in the top 100 nationally for scoring offense (68th), scoring margin (59th), three-pointers per game (26th), three-point percentage (70th), rebounding margin (90th), field-goal percentage (80th) and fewest turnovers (63rd).
Jordan Davis ranks ninth nationally with 23.5 points per game. He also ranks in the top 30 for free throws made (19th), minutes per game (23rd) and free throws attempted (30th).
Davis ranks in the top 12 of the Big Sky for scoring, assists, field-goal percentage, free-throw percentage and steals.
While Davis leads the Big Sky for scoring, Bodie Hume is the only other Bear to average double figures during league play (10.7). Hume ranks fifth for blocked shots (1.2 per game) and 11th for three-pointers (2.0 per game).
Kai Edwards (5.5) and Jonah Radebaugh (5.5) both rank in the top 15 for rebounding.
UNC went 26-12 a year ago, becoming the first team in Big Sky history to win a postseason tournament (College Insider Tournament).
Jeff Linder is in his third season in Greeley.

SERIES VS. THE BEARS
Montana owns a 24-8 record against Northern Colorado, not including a 1976-77 victory that was vacated. The Grizzlies have won 13 of the last 16 and are 8-1 under Travis DeCuire.

Over the past four games vs. the Bears, Montana has averaged 89.2 points. Ahmaad Rorie has scored in double figures in all five games he has played against UNC, while Michael Oguine has done it in six of seven, with the exception coming last February in Greeley, when he was limited to 21 minutes due to a knee injury. Last month in Greeley, Sayeed Pridgett scored 26 points on 10-of-11 shooting, including the Grizzlies' first 12 points. In the win, Montana led by as many as 30 and held the Bears nearly 18 points below their season average.

A LOOK AT THE STANDINGS
With five games remaining in the regular season, Montana is in a good spot, having won 10 consecutive games. The Grizzlies are alone in first place, two full games ahead of second-place Northern Colorado and 3.5 games up on Weber State. Montana could clinch the No. 1 seed and regular-season title with wins in its next two games.

JUST KEEP WINNING
Montana has won 10 consecutive games dating back to a victory over Northern Colorado on Jan. 12. It marks the 11th time in school history Montana has won at least 10 consecutive games and just the second time the Grizzlies have done it in back-to-back seasons (UM won 13 straight in 2017-18).

20 ONCE AGAIN
Saturday's rivalry win over Montana State gave the Grizzlies their 20th of the season, an impressive accomplishment that has become the norm in Missoula.

Montana, though, has done it consistently of late, doing so for the fourth time in the past five seasons, something that has been accomplished just five other times in the history of Griz basketball.

Montana is a program full of rich history, but the current group is part of an historic stretch. Montana – particularly seniors Bobby Moorehead and Michael Oguine who have been on roster the whole time – has won 83 games over the past four seasons and is on pace for one of the best four-year stretches in school history.

Michael Oguine is proud of where he comes from.

He is proud of his story.

He is proud to be a Montana Grizzly!#WeAreMontana pic.twitter.com/7uyPToc4y5
— Montana Griz BB (@MontanaGrizBB) February 23, 2019

HITTING FROM DEEP
Montana made a season-high 15 three-pointers vs. Montana State (one shy of tying a school record), and impressively did so on 50.0 percent shooting.

Montana has made at least eight three-pointers in 16 of 25 games this season, including 10 or more in four of the past five. The Grizzlies reached eight treys just four times in all of 2017-18.

On the season, Montana is shooting .382 from beyond the arc (28th out of 351 Division-I teams) and is averaging 8.4 makes per game (107th). A year ago, the Grizzlies shot .339 (236th) and made just 5.5 per game (331st). A big difference is Oregon State transfer Kendal Manuel, who over his past two games is 11-of-13 from deep (.846). During Big Sky play, Manuel ranks second in the conference for three-point shooting percentage (.475) and first for free-throw percentage (.909).

PLAYING FROM IN FRONT
When Kendal Manuel hit a three-pointer early in Montana's Jan. 19 win at Idaho, he tied the score at 10-10. Little would he know that it started a stretch of more than 116 minutes – nearly three entire games – in which the Grizzlies never trailed. Montana played from in front for the final 35 minutes vs. the Vandals and never trailed in wins over Idaho State and Weber State.

During Montana's 10-game winning streak, the Griz have trailed for just 29 minutes, 2 seconds (approximately 7.3 percent of game action). Montana never trailed against Montana State on Saturday.

ADJUSTING WITHOUT AKOH
Montana played its fourth consecutive game without all-conference forward Jamar Akoh on Saturday, and despite his presence, the Grizzlies improved to 4-0 since his knee injury.

Over the past four games, the Grizzlies are averaging 81.8 points per game on .515 shooting, and are opening up the floor, averaging 10.0 made three pointers per game – and doing so on .455 shooting. Four players are averaging double figures scoring over the past four games, with Sayeed Pridgett (22.5 points per game) and Kendal Manuel (15.3) stepping up.

With less size, Montana is still crashing the glass (+6.5 rebounding margin), with Pridgett averaging 9.0 rebounds per game, Bobby Moorehead averaging 7.3 and Michael Oguine contributing 5.8. And while Montana is shooting more from deep, the Grizzlies are still scoring 41.0 percent of their points inside the paint (the number was 45.0 in the four full games prior to Akoh's injury).

ON TOP OF THE LEAGUE
At 13-2, Montana sits on top of the Big Sky standings, and it's easy to see why. Of the 21 statistical categories, Montana ranks in the top two of 15 of them. The Grizzlies lead the league for scoring margin, field-goal percentage, three-point percentage, rebounding offense, rebounding defense, rebounding margin and defensive rebounding percentage.

Well that was fun! Let's do it again Monday night!

The Griz are taking on Northern Colorado in a huge Big Sky Conference match-up this Monday at 7 PM in Dahlberg Arena. Get your tickets now!#GoGriz #MontanaTough pic.twitter.com/PUzSnVilOO
— Montana Grizzlies (@UMGRIZZLIES) February 24, 2019

GRIZ TRACKS

Montana has won a season-best 10 consecutive games. During the streak, the Grizzlies have trailed for less than 29 total minutes (7.3 percent of game action), and never by double figures.
Montana has reached 20 wins in a season for the fourth time in the past five seasons (sixth time in school history).
Montana has won 25 of its past 26 home games dating back to February 2017.
Montana is guaranteed to finish the season at least .500 for the 11th consecutive season.
Montana is shooting .492 on the season (10th in NCAA, 1st in Big Sky), and has made at least half of its shots 14 times.
Conversely, Montana has held opponents under .400 shooting nine times (9-0).
Montana has made at least eight three-pointers 16 times this season. The Grizzlies hit that number just four times in 2017-18.
Overall, Montana is shooting .382 from deep (1st in Big Sky/28th in the NCAA).
Montana made 50.0 percent of its three-point attempts vs. Montana State, knocking down a season-high 15.
The Grizzlies tallied a season-high-tying 23 assists vs. Montana State, with 15 of them coming from Ahmaad Rorie (8) and Bobby Moorehead (7).
Montana is the only Big Sky team to have four players rank in the top 25 for scoring. Five different Grizzlies have scored at least 20 points in a game this season.
Montana has out-rebounded its opponent in 15 of its past 16 games. During Big Sky play, the Grizzlies lead the Big Sky for rebounding offense (36.4), rebounding defense (30.6) and rebounding margin (+5.9). Through 10 games, they ranked last with 30.6 rebounds per game and a -2.5 margin.
Montana is one of 19 teams nationally to rank in the top 120 for both scoring offense and scoring defense.
Montana has held opponents under their season scoring average in 21 of 26 games this season.
Montana forced eight turnovers at Idaho State, snapping a streak of 75 consecutive games with at least nine turnovers.
Twelve of Montana's 20 wins have come by double digits, including six by at least 20 points.
Montana is 14-0 on the year when scoring at least 80 points.
Montana is 19-1 on the season when shooting a better percentage than its opponent.
Ahmaad Rorie and Michael Oguine both joined the 1,500-point scoring club earlier this month, two of nine players in Griz history to reach the career milestone. Rorie was the fastest to do so in school history.
Sayeed Pridgett has led UM in scoring in five consecutive games. Over that stretch, the junior is averaging 22.2 points per game on .706 shooting.
Pridgett ranks in the top 15 of Big Sky play for scoring, rebounding, assists and field-goal percentage.
Over his past two games, Kendal Manuel is 11-of-13 (.846) from deep. Over his past three games, he is averaging 18.3 points per game.
Manuel ranks second in Big Sky play for three-point shooting percentage (.475) and first for free-throw shooting (.909).
Ahmaad Rorie leads the league with a 3.0 assist-to-turnover ratio, including eight assists and one turnover vs. Montana State. Rorie also ranks in the top 10 for scoring, assists and three-pointers made.
Over his past three home games, Donaven Dorsey is averaging 16.3 points per game. With a veteran group, four starters have played in 100 or more career games.
Montana has won five consecutive true road games, tied for the 12th-longest active road winning streak.
Montana's 7-4 non-conference record was its best since 2010-11, and came against the nation's 43rd-toughest schedule. More impressive, the Grizzlies had their full roster available just twice, most notably being without all-conference forward Jamar Akoh for seven games.
Montana's 4-0 start was its best since 1995-96.
Seven players have made their collegiate or Grizzly debuts.
Montana's win over Eastern Washington on Feb. 9 was the 100th career win for Travis DeCuire. In four-plus seasons, he is 103-55, becoming the third-fastest Griz coach to reach that milestone.
All-conference forward Jamar Akoh has missed the past four games with a knee injury, and 11 games overall.