Montana set to host Zootown Classic, 1st home tournament in 12 years

The Zootown Classic is a round-robin-style tournament, held over the Thanksgiving holiday, that will feature two games each of the three days (Wednesday-Friday). The Grizzlies will open the week against UC San Diego, a team that just two years ago was a Division-II power, going 30-1 and opening the national tournament as a No. 1 seed before COVID-19 put a halt to the season. On Thanksgiving Day, the Grizzlies will host a UNC Wilmington team that made back-to-back NCAA tournaments in 2016 and 2017 after winning three consecutive Colonial Athletic Association titles. The tournament will conclude with a game against Southern Mississippi of Conference USA. The Golden Eagles made the NCAA tournament in 2012 and back-to-back NIT quarterfinals appearances in 2013 and 2014. They had a 20-win season as recently as 2019.

Two games will be held each day, at 5 p.m. and 7:30, with the Grizzlies tipping in the evening session each night. Tickets must be purchased for each day, but one ticket will gets fans into both contests for that day. Wednesday is Youth Night, with all fans 18 and under getting in for $1.

ZOOTOWN CLASSIC SCHEDULE
UNC Wilmington vs. Southern Miss
Wednesday, Nov. 24 at 5 p.m.

Live Stats: Stat Broadcast

Montana vs. UC San Diego
Wednesday, Nov. 24 at 7:30 p.m.

Watch: ESPN+
Listen: KGVO (1290 AM/98.3 FM) / The Varsity Network
Live Stats: Stat Broadcast
Tickets

UC San Diego vs. Southern Miss
Thursday, Nov. 25 at 5 p.m.

Live Stats: Stat Broadcast

Montana vs. UNC Wilmington
Thursday, Nov. 25 at 7:30 p.m.

Watch: ESPN+
Listen: KGVO (1290 AM/98.3 FM) / The Varsity Network
Live Stats: Stat Broadcast
Tickets

UC San Diego vs. UNC Wilmington
Friday, Nov. 26 at 5 p.m.

Live Stats: Stat Broadcast

Montana vs. Southern Miss
Friday, Nov. 26 at 7:30 p.m.

Watch: ESPN+
Listen: KGVO (1290 AM/98.3 FM) / The Varsity Network
Live Stats: Stat Broadcast
Tickets

TOURNAMENT HISTORY
While Montana has regularly played in multi-team events (MTEs) each year, it is rare for the Grizzlies to play in a standalone tournament in one location. In fact, this is just the third under head coach Travis DeCuire, with the other two coming internationally. Montana went 1-2 at the Paradise Jam tournament in the U.S. Virgin Islands in November 2016, before going 2-1 and playing in the championship game of the Islands of the Bahamas Showcase in Nassau in November 2018.

Even rarer, though, is for Montana to host a tournament. This week's Zootown Classic will mark the first time the Grizzlies have hosted a full, regular-season tournament since 2009-10. That year, Montana opened the season with wins over North Dakota, Boise State and Loyola Marymount to win the Karl Tyler Chevrolet Tournament.

One would have to go back to November 1999 to find the last time the Grizzlies lost a game in a true home tournament, winning seven games in a row since then (2-0 in November 2003; 2-0 in December 2006; 3-0 in November 2009).

SERIES HISTORY
This week will mark Montana's first meeting against all three opponents.

SCOUTING UC SAN DIEGO

UC San Diego comes to Missoula undefeated on the season (4-0), holding double-digit wins over Cal, of the Pac-12, and Big Sky foe Sacramento State.
UCSD has four international players, including senior forward Toni Rocak, who was named the Big West Player of the Week on Nov. 15, after scoring 27 points and pulling down eight rebounds in a win over Cal. On the season, Rocak is averaging 18.0 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.
While giving up just 59.5 points per game, UCSD is averaging 80.8 on offense (+21.3 scoring margin, would rank 37th). The Tritons are shooting .493 from the floor, including .448 from deep, averaging 9.8 made 3-pointers per game. Their 3-point shooting percentage would rank ninth in the NCAA, if they could qualify.
A former Division-II power, UCSD is in its second season transitioning to Division I. The Tritons went 7-11 in 2020-21, but were unable to compete in the conference tournament due to their reclassification status.
Eric Olen is in his ninth season leading UCSD, going 169-66 all-time.

SCOUTING UNC WILMINGTON

UNCW is 3-2 on the season. The Seahawks beat Delaware State on Sunday, before flying to Missoula as part of its nine-day road trip.
UNCW has had seven players earn multiple starts this season, with six of them averaging 6.8 points per game.
Senior guard Jaylen Sims leads the Seahawks with 10.6 points per game, while also ranking first for rebounding (7.0) and minutes played (30.6).
Senior guard Mike Okauru is also averaging 10.6 points per game, while leading UNCW for assists and steals. He earned third-team All-CAA honors in 2021.
As a team, UNCW ranks in the top 100 nationally for offensive rebounding (14.0 per game, 42nd); 3-pointers made (40, 72nd); turnover margin (3.4, 80th); scoring defense (62.2, 84th); and steals (8.6, 84th); Similar to Montana, UNCW averages fewer than 10 turnovers per game (9.8, 18th nationally).
Takayo Siddle is in his second season leading UNCW. From 2015-17, he won five CAA titles (three regular season, two tournament) as an assistant coach at UNCW, before advancing to the NCAA tournament for the third year in a row in 2018, while at NC State.

SCOUTING SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI

Southern Miss enters the week with a 2-2 record on the season, defeating William Carey and Lamar while falling to Louisiana and on the road at TCU.
Junior guard Tae Hardy is the Golden Eagles' undisputed leader, averaging team highs for minutes played (35.3), scoring (21.3) and steals (2.5). He also ranks second on the team for assists (nine) and is shooting .526 from the floor.
Hardy ranks 24th in the NCAA for scoring, while also ranking in the top 50 for minutes played (49th) and steals (45th).
Southern Miss has five players averaging 6.7 points or more, including junior forward Isaih Moore (14.8), who also leads the team for rebounding (7.0) and shooting (.538).
Utilizing COVID-19 waivers, Southern Miss has zero seniors.
Similar to Montana, Southern Miss has struggled with rebounding (-7.0 margin, 325th) and 3-point defense (.380, 306th).
Jay Ladner, a Southern Miss grad who won a 1987 NIT title as a player, is in his third season in Hattiesburg.

HAPPY AT HOME

Both of Montana's wins this season have come inside Dahlberg Arena, while both of its losses have come on the road. Not only is Montana winning at home, but the Grizzlies have been doing so in dominant fashion:
Montana's two home wins have been by an average of 34.0 points, beating Dickinson State by 47 (74-27) and Omaha by 21 (68-47).
In two home games this year, opponents are averaging 37.0 points on .278 shooting against the Grizzlies.
The 27 points allowed vs Dickinson State were the fewest by a Griz defense since 1977, the fewest at home since 1936 and the fewest ever inside Dahlberg Arena. DSU's first eight offensive possessions featured five missed shots and three turnovers, as the Blue Hawks were held scoreless until the game's fifth minute. Nearly 9 minutes into the contest, the Grizzlies led 16-2.
In addition to the low point total, the Grizzlies held DSU to 22.2 percent shooting (12-of-54), including a 1-for-20 mark from beyond the arc.
Similarly, vs. Omaha, Montana jumped out to a 17-3 advantage, forcing the Mavericks into 16 consecutive empty possessions (10 missed shots, six turnovers) over a stretch of 9:20.
Montana has forced 36 turnovers at home, resulting in 46 points off turnovers.
In 80 minutes at home, Montana has trailed for just 1:11 (3-0 vs. Omaha).

Gallery: (11-20-2021) MBB: vs. Omaha (11.20.21)

GRIZ BITS

Through four games, Montana has done a great job at protecting the basketball. In fact, the Grizzlies rank 20th nationally, committing just 10.0 turnovers per game. The Grizzlies also rank 43rd in the NCAA for assist-to-turnover ratio (1.48) and 60th for turnover margin (+4.5).
- Montana hasn't turned the ball over more than 12 times in a game this season, but is 2-0 when turning the ball over fewer than 10 times, compared to 0-2 when giving it up 12 times.
Montana is allowing just 59.8 points per game, a figure that ranks 55th in the entire country. Opponents are shooting just .394 against the Griz (97th).
- Montana has held two opponents below 50 points, after doing so just once all of last year – a season in which Montana ranked 77th nationally (top 25 percent) at just 67.0 points allowed per game.
- Montana is 2-0 this season when holding opponents to 78 or fewer points.
After setting a school record from the charity stripe in 2020-21 (.782, 15th in the NCAA), Montana again is connecting on its free-throw attempts (.779, 39th).
- Montana has shot a better percentage from the free-throw line in all four games this season.
- The Grizzlies are 2-0 when shooting more free throws than their opponents, compared to 0-2 when shooting fewer. A season ago, Montana was 11-2 when going to the line more times than the opposition.
Montana has used the same starting lineup each game this season, featuring three sophomores, a junior transfer who is new to the program this year and a senior forward. Interestingly, three players have come off the bench to average more minutes (all 20 or more) than two of Montana's starters.
Montana has three players averaging double figures for scoring, with the trio accounting for 55.2 percent of the team's points (Josh Bannan, 13.5; Brandon Whitney, 13.5; and Derrick Carter-Hollinger, 10.0).
In order to have success this season, the Grizzlies will have to do a better job crashing the glass. Montana ranks 340th nationally (out of 350 teams) for offensive rebounding (6.25 per game). Additionally, the Grizzlies rank 304th for total rebounds per game (32.5) and 299th for rebounding margin (-4.8).
- Montana has been out-rebounded by all three Division-I opponents, for an average margin of -9.3. The Grizzlies were hurt badly at Mississippi State, when they allowed 47 rebounds (-19).
The Grizzlies will also have to improve their perimeter defense, with teams shooting .390 from distance against the Grizzlies (310th in NCAA). In a win over Dickinson State (Nov. 9), Montana held the Blue Hawks to 1-of-20 shooting from 3-point range. Against Division-I competition, though, opponents are averaging 9.7 made 3's per game on .509 shooting (27-of-57). This comes after the Grizzlies ranked 52nd nationally in 2020-21, holding opponents to 31.2-percent shooting from deep.
Sophomore guard Brandon Whitney is tied for the team lead with 13.5 points per game. He also leads the team for minutes (30.5) and free-throw shooting (.842), and ranks second on the team for assists (10).
- Whitney scored a career-high 30 points at North Dakota (Nov. 15). He scored 14 of Montana's final 16 points, being the only Grizzly to make a field goal over the game's final 11 minutes (Montana's other two points came from the free throw line).
- After playing the 10th-most minutes of any freshman in college basketball in 2020-21, Whitney is expected to reach 1,000 career minutes played on Thursday, just his 34th collegiate game. Entering the week, he has played 941 career minutes, an average of 29.4 per contest (30.5 per game this year, leading the Griz in that category every game this season).
Sophomore forward Josh Bannan leads Montana with 9.0 rebounds per game and is tied for the team lead with 13.5 points per contest.
- Bannan is coming off of his second double-double of the season, scoring a career-high 24 points (10-of-14 shooting) while pulling down 12 rebounds (second-most of his career) in a win over Omaha (Nov. 20).
- In the victory, Bannan recorded his 200th career rebound, averaging 6.3 per game for his career. He will likely score his 300th career point on Wednesday (currently at 296).
- After making two 3-pointers in a game once during his freshman season, he has already done so twice this year, shooting 5-of-12 (.417) from distance.
Junior forward Derrick Carter-Hollinger has been in double figures for scoring in three games this year and is shooting .609 while averaging 21.8 minutes played per game. He is also 4-of-6 from deep, making two triples in each of Montana's road games.
- Carter-Hollinger is doing all of this despite scoring in double figures just once in 2020-21. After battling injuries most of last season, he looks very much like the player who earned Big Sky Freshman of the Year honors in 2019-20.
Junior guard Josh Vazquez averaged 9.0 points per game over Montana's two-game road trip (Nov. 13-15), shooting 4-of-7 from deep while also adding two steals at North Dakota.
- Vazquez ranks second in Montana history for single-season free-throw shooting (.929 in 2020-21) and has missed just seven free throws during his career. He has made 15 in a row dating back to Feb. 27, 2021.
- Vazquez recorded his 400th career point and 100th career assist vs. Omaha (Nov. 20).
Senior guard Cameron Parker has only attempted 11 shots this season, but he's made seven of them, shooting a team-best .636. He also leads the team with 3.8 assists per game, leading the team in that category every game this season.
- Parker recorded his 500th career assist vs. Omaha (Nov. 20). While the majority of them have come during his two-year career at Sacred Heart, for comparison, Travis DeCuire's Montana record for career assists stands at 435.
- Interestingly, Parker has not attempted a 3-pointer this season after leading the team with a .463 3-point shooting percentage in 2020-21 (19 makes). With two more makes, he will hit 50 for his career.
Senior Mack Anderson has six blocked shots through four games, averaging a block for every 9.3 minutes on the floor. He also ranks second on the team for rebounding (4.0 per game) but is shooting just 1-of-6 to start the season.
- Anderson enters the week needing eight rebounds to reach 200 for his career.

LOOKING AHEAD
Following its four-game homestand, Montana will play three consecutive games on the road, traveling to Oregon (preseason No. 12 in the AP top-25 poll) on Monday before dipping into Big Sky Conference action for a weekend, traveling to Sacramento State (Dec. 2) and Northern Colorado (Dec. 4).

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

We'll take that! Whitney caps off a Griz Win with a slam!
💻Watch: https://t.co/pmLdUVuGnO #GrizHoops #GoGriz pic.twitter.com/VFxEdUnNU6
— Montana Griz Basketball (@MontanaGrizBB) November 21, 2021

Montana set to host Zootown Classic, 1st home tournament in 12 years

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Players Mentioned

Mack Anderson

Josh Bannan

Derrick Carter-Hollinger

Cameron Parker

Josh Vazquez

Brandon Whitney

University of Montana Athletics

Montana set to host Zootown Classic, 1st home tournament in 12 years

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Mack Anderson

Josh Bannan

Derrick Carter-Hollinger

Cameron Parker

Josh Vazquez

Brandon Whitney

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