Saturday, December 12
Missoula, Mont.
2 PM
Montana
vs
Yellowstone Christian College
Montana adds home game vs. Yellowstone Christian College
12/10/2020 12:07:00 PM | Men's Basketball
MONTANA VS. YELLOWSTONE CHRISTIAN
Saturday / 2 p.m. (MT) / Missoula, Mont.
Pluto TV is America's leading free OTT service. Fans anywhere in the world can access Pluto TV online or by downloading the Pluto TV app for mobile and tablet devices. The Pluto TV app is also available on any connected living room device such as Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, PlayStation or Xbox, as well as most smart TVs, including those from Samsung, Vizio, Sony and Hisense.
In addition to streaming, every Montana game this season can be heard over the airwaves on the Grizzly Sports Network. In Missoula, Montana fans can hear Riley Corcoran's calls on KGVO (98.3 FM/1290 AM). Those who are not in the Missoula or Montana footprint can still listen to the radio broadcast wherever they are in the world through TuneIn.
At this time, per guidance from the Missoula City-County Health Department, Montana home games will not be open to the general public.
Previously, Montana's first home game was scheduled for Jan. 2, against Northern Colorado. The Grizzlies opened the season Nov. 28 at USC, before playing Southern Utah twice and Georgia on Tuesday. Montana is also set to face Washington (Dec. 16) and Arizona (Dec. 22).
SCOUTING YELLOWSTONE CHRISTIAN
LATE HOME OPENER
Montana thrives on its home court, winning at a higher rate than most programs throughout the country. In fact, over the past three seasons, Montana owns the 21st-best home winning percentage in the entire nation (38-5, .884), and dating back over the past decade, the Grizzlies rank 29th (126-24, .840).
But the Grizzlies have yet to play on their home court this season, a combination of scheduling difficulties, testing protocols and more. Montana will make its long-awaited home opener on Saturday, which will be the latest home opener since the Grizzlies hosted UC Santa Barbara on Dec. 22, 1971. That came on the Grizzlies' sixth game of the season, which is also the last time Montana played four or more consecutive games away from Missoula to open a season.
STILL SEARCHING FOR A WIN
For just the third time in the past 50 seasons, Montana is winless through four games.
Two of the Grizzlies' losses have come to Power 5 teams – USC of the Pac-12 and Georgia of the SEC – and two more – both at Southern Utah – came by a combined two points, marking the first time in 37 years that the Grizzlies lost back-to-back one-point games. The Grizzlies have yet to play a home game, or against a non-Division-I program.
The good news for Montana? During that 50-year span, both times that Montana has started a season 0-4, the Grizzlies have finished .500 or better both times (1971-72 and 2016-17). The last time a Montana team began a season 0-5 was in 1958-59.
NOTABLES FROM GEORGIA GAMEGallery: (12-8-2020) MBB: at Georgia (12.08.20)
Saturday / 2 p.m. (MT) / Missoula, Mont.
- Stream: Pluto TV (ch. 1055)
- Listen: KGVO (1290 AM, 98.3 FM) / Worldwide on TuneIn
- Live Stats
Pluto TV is America's leading free OTT service. Fans anywhere in the world can access Pluto TV online or by downloading the Pluto TV app for mobile and tablet devices. The Pluto TV app is also available on any connected living room device such as Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, PlayStation or Xbox, as well as most smart TVs, including those from Samsung, Vizio, Sony and Hisense.
In addition to streaming, every Montana game this season can be heard over the airwaves on the Grizzly Sports Network. In Missoula, Montana fans can hear Riley Corcoran's calls on KGVO (98.3 FM/1290 AM). Those who are not in the Missoula or Montana footprint can still listen to the radio broadcast wherever they are in the world through TuneIn.
At this time, per guidance from the Missoula City-County Health Department, Montana home games will not be open to the general public.
Previously, Montana's first home game was scheduled for Jan. 2, against Northern Colorado. The Grizzlies opened the season Nov. 28 at USC, before playing Southern Utah twice and Georgia on Tuesday. Montana is also set to face Washington (Dec. 16) and Arizona (Dec. 22).
SCOUTING YELLOWSTONE CHRISTIAN
- Yellowstone Christian College is an NCCAA member (National Christian College Athletic Association) located in Billings, Montana.
- After having its first six games of the season wiped out due to COVID-19, YCC has played in five games, all losses (Morningside, Presentation, Montana Western and Lewis-Clark State twice).
- YCC is averaging 57.4 points per game this season, while allowing 79.2 points per contest.
- Sophomore Derrian Reed averaged 22 points per game last season, which ranked seventh in the NCCAA. He averaged four 3-pointers per contest, connecting at a 40 percent rate. Teammate Devin jones, a junior, averaged 17 points per game a season ago, in addition to totaling 105 assists.
- The Centurions are coached by Jamil Sentiel, who is in his second season with the program.
- Last season, YCC earned its first-ever regional appearance, advancing to the final round of the NDAG (Non Dual Affiliate Game) Division I Regional Championship.
- YCC was founded in 1974 and was originally known as Yellowstone Baptist. This marks the sixth season it has hosted a men's basketball team.
- YCC offers men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country and Esports.
LATE HOME OPENER
Montana thrives on its home court, winning at a higher rate than most programs throughout the country. In fact, over the past three seasons, Montana owns the 21st-best home winning percentage in the entire nation (38-5, .884), and dating back over the past decade, the Grizzlies rank 29th (126-24, .840).
But the Grizzlies have yet to play on their home court this season, a combination of scheduling difficulties, testing protocols and more. Montana will make its long-awaited home opener on Saturday, which will be the latest home opener since the Grizzlies hosted UC Santa Barbara on Dec. 22, 1971. That came on the Grizzlies' sixth game of the season, which is also the last time Montana played four or more consecutive games away from Missoula to open a season.
CALLING ALL GRIZ FANS! We have fan cutouts! 🙌
— Montana Grizzlies (@UMGRIZZLIES) December 9, 2020
Order a fan cutout today and be part of the action inside Dahlberg Arena this season. 🏀
Get more info and order now at https://t.co/X1CZgTd0Tr.#GoGriz pic.twitter.com/q2nTZ2HHTz
STILL SEARCHING FOR A WIN
For just the third time in the past 50 seasons, Montana is winless through four games.
Two of the Grizzlies' losses have come to Power 5 teams – USC of the Pac-12 and Georgia of the SEC – and two more – both at Southern Utah – came by a combined two points, marking the first time in 37 years that the Grizzlies lost back-to-back one-point games. The Grizzlies have yet to play a home game, or against a non-Division-I program.
The good news for Montana? During that 50-year span, both times that Montana has started a season 0-4, the Grizzlies have finished .500 or better both times (1971-72 and 2016-17). The last time a Montana team began a season 0-5 was in 1958-59.
NOTABLES FROM GEORGIA GAME
- After allowing Georgia to score on its first four possessions and take leads of 9-0, 13-2 and 21-7, the Grizzlies out-scored the Bulldogs over the game's final 32 minutes.
- After scoring 19 points in the first 5:18, Georgia followed with a stretch of 6 minutes without a basket, and 8 minutes with just two points.
- Montana used a 10-0 run midway through the half to turn a 21-7 deficit to a 21-17 score. The Grizzlies would get within three points on several occasions over the next few minutes, including 25-22 with 4:31 remaining in the first half.
- Montana got within five points on the first play of the second half (32-27), before Georgia pushed its lead back to a game-high 16 points (49-33). From that point forward, the closest the Griz got was nine points.
- Georgia opened the game shooting 10-of-14 from the floor, but closed the half just 5-of-22, and finished the game 27-of-68 (.397).
- In addition to a season-low 63 points, Montana also limited Georgia to .397 shooting and forced the Bulldogs into 18 turnovers.
- Georgia's 63 points were a season low by 21, with the Bulldogs entering the contest averaging 89.0 points per game (29th in NCAA), and no fewer than 84.
- Georgia entered the game ranked 34th nationally for shooting (.508) and 42nd in the NCAA with a +21.7 scoring margin.
- Montana shot 9-of-10 from the free-throw line.
- Sophomore Kyle Owens led all players with 17 points, in addition to six rebounds and one steal in 37 minutes of action.
- Owens has been in double figures in every game this season.
- Sophomore Eddy Egun was a spark off the bench, scoring a career-high 11 points on 3-of-5 shooting. Egun made all three of his 3-point attempts in the first half, with two coming during a Montana run to cut the deficit to a single possession.
- While Michael Steadman was held to four points and just four shot attempts, the senior did record a team-best eight rebounds, in addition to three blocked shots.
- Junior Darius Henderson, who was a midyear transfer a year ago from UMass Lowell, made his Griz debut on Tuesday. He played 3 minutes and recorded one rebound.
- Montana was out-rebounded 49 to 30, surrendering 18 offensive rebounds and 14 second-chance points. The Bulldogs also had 24 fast-break points and 16 points off of Montana's 20 turnovers.
- Montana was once again playing short-handed, without two of its starters from Thursday's contest (Derrick Carter-Hollinger and Cameron Satterwhite) and two freshmen (Robby Beasley III and Hunter Clarke).
- Tuesday was Montana's first-ever meeting against the Bulldogs and the program's second-ever trip to the state of Georgia.
- Montana was playing for the first time this season with the general public allowed into the arena. A total of 1,638 fans were announced inside Stegeman Coliseum, which holds 10,523.
- Montana is 0-10 all-time against SEC competition, including 0-4 in the past six seasons.
Players Mentioned
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