Griz hit road for 2-game series at Sacramento State

MONTANA AT SACRAMENTO STATE
Thursday / 6 p.m. (MT) / Sacramento, California
Saturday / 12 p.m. (MT) / Sacramento, California

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Live Stats (Thursday) | Live Stats (Saturday)

Montana looks to get back on track this week, traveling to Sacramento State for a pair of road games against the Hornets. The Grizzlies have had plenty of recent success against Sacramento State, including some memorable games inside The Nest. Tip is scheduled for 6 p.m. (MT) on Thursday and noon (MT) on Saturday.

SCOUTING SACRAMENTO STATE

Sacramento State enters the week with a 5-2 mark overall, including a 3-1 record in Big Sky play. The Hornets split a pair of games last week at Idaho State, losing the first in overtime, 57-56, before beating the Bengals 70-65 on Monday. The games were pushed back to Sunday/Monday due to an inconclusive COVID-19 test. Additionally, Sac State has had five other games canceled due to COVID-19.
Sacramento State is a perfect 4-0 on its home court in 2020-21. The Hornets' last home loss came Feb. 29, 2020, against Montana.
Sacramento State ranks fifth nationally for scoring defense, allowing just 58.3 points per game. Just two opponents have surpassed 58 points against the Hornets.
Additionally, the Hornets rank high nationally for turnover margin (+4.6, 16th), scoring margin (+14.1, 28th), rebounding margin (+6.3, 48th) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.4, 34th).
While the Hornets rank fifth nationally for scoring defense, opponents are shooting .426 against them overall, which ranks in the middle of the pack nationally. Despite this, the Hornets have been able to limit points due to its 3-point defense (22nd nationally at .281) and by preventing shot attempts (35th nationally with 8.4 steals per game.
Additionally, the Hornets are giving the ball up just 10.4 times per game (16th in NCAA), and have yet to turn the ball over more than 11 times in a contest.
The Hornets have had a different player lead them for scoring in each of their past three games.
Senior forward Ethan Esposito has started all seven games for the Hornets. The Italian is averaging a team-high 16.9 points per game on .512 shooting, in addition to a team-best 7.6 rebounds per game.
The Hornets have four players averaging double figures for scoring, accounting for nearly 77 percent of their point production. Senior guard Christian Terrell is averaging 14.8 points per game while shooting .533 from 3-point range and adding 5.2 rebounds per game and a team-best 12 steals. Senior guard Bryce Fowler is averaging 11.6 points per game, in addition to a team-high 28 assists.
Brian Katz is in his 13th season leading the Hornets, who went 16-14 a season ago. He is the winningest coach in school history (Division-I era), and in 2015 was named the Big Sky Coach of the Year.

SERIES VS. THE HORNETS
Montana is 45-9 all-time vs. Sacramento State, winning seven in a row in the series. The Nest has been a challenging place for the Grizzlies to play, with Travis DeCuire owning a 3-3 record inside the facility. However, Montana has won back-to-back games in Sacramento, including in 2019, a victory that clinched Montana's regular-season title, and in 2020, which ended up being the team's final road game of the season due to COVID-19.

DeCuire is 9-4 vs. Sacramento State, winning seven in a row after beginning his career with a 2-4 mark. Montana's three assistant coaches all grew up within 100 miles of Sacramento, including Jay Flores, who is a Sacramento native, playing his prep ball for Jesuit High School just five miles east of Sacramento State's campus. Additionally, Robby Beasley III (San Ramon) and Michael Steadman (Union City) are from the nearby Bay Area.

In last year's meetings vs. the Hornets, Montana came out victorious both times. In Sacramento, Montana scored 79 points against the nation's fourth-best defense, a season high by a Sacramento State opponent, and shot .580 from the floor. The Grizzlies never trailed over the final 30 minutes, but the Hornets did briefly tie the game at 59-59 with 5:31 to play. Kyle Owens was clutch down the stretch, though, scoring eight of his 11 points in a period of 2:20 to push the lead back in Montana's favor. In Missoula, with the game tied at 50-50 with under 5 seconds to play, Kendal Manuel was fouled and made both free throws to win the game. The Grizzlies won despite never leading by more than two points, and scoring just 52 points, the lowest point total in a win since January 1998.

CALIFORNIA PIPELINE
As the Griz travel to California this week, it will feel like home for many players. Montana has eight California natives on its roster. The Grizzlies join UCLA (13 from California), North Florida (nine, Florida), Manhattan (nine, New York), UCF (nine, Florida) and Norfolk State (nine, Virginia) and Louisiana Tech (eight, Texas) as the NCAA's only schools with eight or more players from the same state.

Even more impressive, Montana is tied with Louisiana Tech (eight from Texas) as the only two schools to have eight or more players from one state, outside of the university's state. Middle Tennessee (seven from Georgia), Oklahoma State (seven from Texas) and Wisconsin (seven from Minnesota) round out the top five.

We created, filled and officially launched the Diversity Appreciation Library today on campus.

Our hope is that through it, we can all learn, grow and celebrate diversity together!

📰 https://t.co/1iqRZb6vaN pic.twitter.com/i65sDVkGRR
— Montana Griz BB (@MontanaGrizBB) January 18, 2021

GRIZ BITS

Montana ranks in the top 100 nationally for both field-goal offense (.462, 92nd) and field-goal defense (.407, 77th). The Grizzlies are also in the top 100 for 3-point field-goal offense (.356, 98th) and 3-point field-goal defense (.298, 54th).
Montana ranks 12th nationally for free-throw percentage, connecting at a .786 clip.
Montana's four Big Sky losses have come by eight combined points. The Grizzlies have led at the 5-minute mark of each game, before losing down the stretch.
Montana has connected on eight made 3-pointers in each of the past two games, and 22 triples over the past three contests. In comparison, prior to the current three-game stretch, it took the Grizzlies seven games to reach that number.
- Montana moved up 80 spots in the national rankings last week for 3-point field-goal percentage.
- After doing so just twice in the first 10 games of the season, Montana has made more 3-pointers than its opponent in each of the past three contests.
- Montana has shot .400 or better from 3-point range in all three of those contests, and five times this season.
Montana has out-shot its opponents in three consecutive games, averaging a .511 clip during that period.
Montana has made more free throws than its opponent in each of the past 10 contests. On the season, the Grizzlies rank 12th nationally with a .786 free-throw percentage.
Montana has out-rebounded a Division-I opponent just once this season (34 to 30 vs. Northern Arizona on Jan. 14). In the past five games that Montana has been out-rebounded, it has been by an average of 1.4 rebounds per game, and never more than two.
- The Grizzlies are 4-0 when out-rebounding their opponent, winning three non-Division-I games and the first game of the Northern Arizona series.
- Despite struggling on the glass, Montana has three players ranked in the top 16 in the Big Sky for rebounding.
Montana has turned the ball over more times than its opponent eight times this season, including each of the past three games. In comparison, the Grizzlies only turned the ball over more times than their opponent six times in 31 games a season ago.
- Montana has had at least 10 turnovers in every game this season. Last year, the Grizzlies had 10 games with a single-digit turnover number.
Montana has held a halftime lead in nine of 13 contests, but is just 5-4 in those situations.
The Grizzlies have had five games decided by four points or fewer, losing four of them.
Seven of Montana's 10 Division-I games have been decided by single digits, including the five of the past six. Earlier this month vs. Northern Colorado, the two teams went more than 61 consecutive minutes, across parts of two games, without either team leading by more than two possessions.
Montana is a perfect 5-0 when holding opponents to 61 points or fewer.
Six different Grizzlies have led Montana for scoring in a game, with none doing so more than three times.
Sophomore Kyle Owens leads Montana for both scoring (11.4) and rebounding (6.6). He has been in double figures for scoring in 12 of 13 contests.
- Owens ranks eighth in Big Sky play for rebounding, and on the season has at least four boards in every game.
- On the season, his 2.6 offensive rebounds per game rank in the top 100 nationally.
Senior Michael Steadman is averaging 11.0 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. Over the last four games alone, Steadman is averaging 12.3 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, with two double-doubles. He has made at least half of his shots in all four of those games.
- Steadman has led Montana in rebounding each of the past four contests, after doing so just twice through the first nine games. He has at least eight rebounds in each of those contests. In Big Sky play, the senior ranks 12th for rebounding.
Sophomore Josh Vazquez led Montana for scoring and minutes played in back-to-back games vs. Whitworth and Northern Arizona. He made three 3-pointers in both of those games.
- On the season, he is averaging 8.3 points per game, while shooting .478 from 3-point range, making at least one triple in 10 of 13 games.
- Over the past seven games, Vazquez has 18 assists compared to just three turnovers (6:1 ratio).
- In last week's win over Northern Arizona, in addition to 15 points, he tied a career high with six rebounds and two blocked shots.
Freshman Robby Beasley III is a perfect 23-of-23 from the free-throw line. Overall, he is averaging 8.7 points per game through seven collegiate contests.
Junior Cameron Parker leads Montana with 51 assists, and has led the Grizzlies for assists in eight of 13 games this season. During Big Sky play, he ranks third with nearly four rebounds per game, and his 1.76 assist-to-turnover ratio leads the Big Sky.
- Over the past nine games, Parker is shooting .583 (21-of-36), making at least half of his shots in seven of those games.
Freshman Brandon Whitney is coming off of a 22-point performance vs. Northern Arizona, making 8-of-11 shot attempts, including 4-of-5 from deep.
- The freshman has been in double figures seven times this season, averaging 9.9 on the season.
- Whitney has four or more assists in three of the past four games, and has led the Grizzlies for assists in back-to-back contests.
- During Big Sky play, Whitney ranks in the top 15 for both steals and assists.
Freshman Josh Bannan is averaging 8.4 points per game, reaching double figures six times, including two double-doubles.
- Despite struggling from the floor recently, he had two blocked shots and three assists in last week's win over Northern Arizona.
Sophomore Derrick Carter-Hollinger leads the Griz with eight blocked shots, with all eight coming during a four-game stretch from Dec. 8-Jan. 4.

DOWN TO THE WIRE
Five of Montana's six Big Sky Conference games have been decided by four points or fewer, with the winning basket coming in the closing seconds. The Grizzlies were on the losing end of four of the five tight games:

Dec. 3 at Southern Utah – Montana led for 31:35, by as many as eight points. The Grizzlies tied the game with a 3-pointer with 31 seconds to play, before losing at the free-throw line with 2.6 seconds remaining.
Dec. 5 at Southern Utah – Montana led for 20:37, by as many as 13 points. The Grizzlies tied the game with a 3-pointer with 9.7 seconds to play, before losing at the free-throw line with 1.3 seconds remaining.
Jan. 2 vs. Northern Colorado – Montana led for 7:47, by as many as five points. The Grizzlies tied the game with three free throws with 15.4 seconds to play, before losing on a layup with 1.0 seconds remaining.
Jan. 4 vs. Northern Colorado – Northern Colorado used an 8-0 run to take a 54-53 lead, but over the final 7 seconds, Montana forced two turnovers and scored four points to earn the win. Down one and needing to foul, the Grizzlies got the ball back when UNC was whistled for an in-bound violation on the pass. On Montana's in-bound pass, Josh Bannan connected on an elbow jumper to give the Grizzlies the lead with 4.9 seconds to play. Freshman Brandon Whitney then forced a steal at midcourt and made both free throws to ice the game.
Jan. 16 vs. Northern Arizona – Montana led for more than 33 minutes and by eight, 58-50, with 5:32 to play, but the Grizzlies couldn't score again. Northern Arizona closed the game on a 12-0 run, holding the Griz to 0-of-5 shooting and two turnovers.

Montana lost its first three Big Sky Conference games for the second time in 50 years and first time since 1997. Now at 2-4, the Grizzlies' four losses have come by a combined eight points.

TROUBLE DOWN THE STRETCH
Montana has led at the 5-minute mark of all six of its Big Sky Conference games, but enters this week just 2-4 on the season, because of the inability to close late in games.

In the first half of Big Sky games, Montana is out-scoring its opponents 201 to 158 (+7.2 margin). Montana is out-shooting its opponents .487 to .374, holds a +1.3 rebounding margin and a positive turnover margin.
Montana has led at halftime in four of its six Big Sky games, but is just 2-4 in league play. The Grizzlies have lost three of the four games in which they held a halftime lead.
In the second half, the Grizzlies are being out-scored 217 to 179 (-6.3 margin). Montana is shooting .417 compared to .443 for its opponents, and has a -3.0 rebounding margin and -1.3 turnover margin.
The numbers are even more magnified in the final 5 minutes of contests, where the Grizzlies are being out-scored 73 to 42 (-5.2 margin) and are shooting .350 compared to .455 for opponents. Montana has also gotten to the free-throw line 20 fewer times (16 to 36), has a -3.0 rebounding margin and a -0.7 turnover margin.

GROWING UP FAST
Montana's freshman class set a school record with 40 combined starts in 2019-20, and this year's trio is looking to eclipse that mark, already making a combined 23 starts. Montana's freshmen and sophomores account for the majority of the team's production this season, totaling more than 70 percent of the Grizzlies' minutes played and points.

STARTING THEM YOUNG
True freshmen Josh Bannan (13) and Brandon Whitney (12) have combined to accumulate 23 total starts already this season, which ranks fifth in the country. Only Kentucky, Kansas State, North Carolina and Washington State have more combined starts from true freshmen.

A season ago, Montana's trio of true freshmen (Derrick Carter-Hollinger, Kyle Owens and Josh Vazquez) started a combined 40 games – a school record.

MORE ON THE FRESHMEN
Montana's three true freshmen have combined to play 33 total games, with a freshman scoring in double figures 16 times (seven times by Brandon Whitney, six times by Josh Bannan and three times in seven games for Robby Beasley III). A Grizzly has scored 16 or more points in a game 11 times this season, with the three true freshmen accounting for six of those occasions, with each player doing so at least once.

In total, the trio is accounting for more than 30 percent of the team's scoring, even with Beasley III missing the season's first six games. All three are averaging at least 8.0 points per game. In Montana's two-point loss to Northern Colorado (Jan. 2), the trio of freshmen were clutch down the stretch, scoring 19 consecutive Griz points over the game's final 12 minutes.

MONEY FROM THE LINE
Montana owns the nation's 12th-best free-throw shooting percentage, connecting on 78.6 percent of its attempts from the charity stripe. That number is even more impressive considering the Grizzlies shot .581 during their first two games (both losses). Since then, Montana is shooting at a clip better than 80 percent.

Not only is Montana making its shots, though, it is also getting to the line at a greater frequency. The Grizzlies have made more free throws than their opponents in eight consecutive games, and on the season rank 64th nationally for total free throws made; a season ago, they ranked 313th.

DEFENSIVE DOMINATION
Montana ranks high national for a variety of defensive categories:

Scoring defense: 61.7 (23rd)
3-point field-goal defense .298 (54th)
Field-goal defense: .407 (77th)

During Montana's three-game winning streak (Dec. 12-18), opponents averaged just 50.3 points per game on .351 shooting, with the Grizzlies out-rebounding their opponents 129 to 68.

KEEP IT ROLLING
The COVID-19 pandemic has wiped out games on a daily basis throughout the country, and nearly no team has been immune. Except for Montana (knocks on wood). Entering the week, Montana has been able to play all of its scheduled games (and even added three competitions).

Toledo (14), Indiana (13), Purdue (13), Louisiana Tech (13), South Alabama (13), Auburn (12), Mississippi State (12) and Oklahoma State (eight) are believed to be the only others schools who have also been able to play their respective seasons, so far, without interruption.

STARTING SOUTHPAWS
Not only does Montana have three left-handed players on its roster, but all three are contributing factors. Freshman Josh Bannan has started every game for the Grizzlies, while sophomore Kyle Owens has started all but the first two and is the team-leader for points and rebounds. Junior southpaw Cameron Parker is generally the first player off the bench, averaging more than 24 minutes per game and leading the team in assists.

The Grizzlies are one of five teams nationally to have had at least three different lefties start in a game this season. Ironically, last week's opponent, Northern Arizona, is one of the others.

LOOKING AHEAD
The Grizzlies are in the middle of a stretch that includes five of six games on the road. After returning from Sacramento, Montana will host Montana State (Thursday, Jan. 28), before playing two nights later in Bozeman (Saturday, Jan. 30), and then traveling to Portland State the following week (Feb. 4 and 6).

Complete Game Notes in PDF format, including additional notes, stats, charts and player pages

Gallery: (1-16-2021) MBB: vs. Northern Arizona (01.16.21)

Griz hit road for 2-game series at Sacramento State

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Players Mentioned

Josh Bannan

Robby Beasley III

Derrick Carter-Hollinger

Kendal Manuel

Kyle Owens

Cameron Parker

Michael Steadman

Josh Vazquez

Brandon Whitney

University of Montana Athletics

Griz hit road for 2-game series at Sacramento State

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Josh Bannan

Robby Beasley III

Derrick Carter-Hollinger

Kendal Manuel

Kyle Owens

Cameron Parker

Michael Steadman

Josh Vazquez

Brandon Whitney

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