Thursday, March 11
Boise, Idaho
8 PM
Montana
15-12, 7-9BSC
80
vs
75
Weber State [Quarterfinals]
17-6, 12-3BSC
1
2
F
Montana
34
46
80
Weber State
34
41
75
Photo by: Brooks Nuanez/Skyline Sports
Griz upset Weber State, advance to semifinals
3/12/2021 12:52:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BOISE, Idaho – In a big-time matchup Montana put together a big-time performance, beating Weber State, 80-75, in a the Big Sky Championship quarterfinals on Thursday night. Montana will now face No. 2 seed Eastern Washington Friday night at 8 p.m. in the semifinals.
Thursday marked the eighth time that Montana and Weber State – the league's top-two teams for wins, championships and NCAA tournament appearances – have met in the conference tournament. Similar to recent memory, Montana continued its success over the Wildcats, winning for the seventh time in those eight games.
From the opening tip, things looked different for a young Montana squad that has struggled to find its championship form this season. On Thursday, however, the Grizzlies were loud and energetic from the start, playing with pace and jumping out to an early lead.
It took Montana just 12 seconds to score the game's first basket, while on defense, the Grizzlies kept the Wildcats off the board for three straight possessions.
Freshman Robby Beasley III, who led all players with 23 points, scored eight of Montana's first 13. Then it was junior Mack Anderson's turn, with the forward scoring four of Montana's next five baskets and reaching double figures midway through the first half.
Anderson, who prior to Wednesday was the only Grizzly to play in a Big Sky tournament game, scored 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting. Just as big, though, was his defense, securing seven rebounds – six in the first half – and blocking three shots, including one in the closing seconds as Weber State attempted a game-tying 3-pointer.
At one point, the Grizzlies made six of seven shot attempts while holding Weber State without a made basket for nearly 6 minutes. Montana led by as many as 16 points, including by 15 following a Brandon Whitney layup with 3 minutes, 42 seconds to play (69-54). But after Weber State missed six consecutive shots during a 6-minute stretch with zero made field goals, the Wildcats caught fire.
Weber State scored 13 points in a 81-seconds span to cut the score to 73-67 with 2:08 to play and got to within four with 1:15 on the clock. After missing back-to-back 3-pointers – but getting offensive rebounds both times – Seikou Sisoho Jawara buried a triple to cut the score to 76-75 with 17 seconds left.
Sisoho Jawara's game-tying 3-point attempt was blocked by Anderson. Montana's Josh Vazquez then converted a pair of free throws to ice the game and complete the victory.
Gallery: (3-11-2021) MBB: vs. Weber State - Big Sky Quarterfinals (03.11.21)
Montana shot .654 in the second half and .615 for the game, while holding Weber State to a .431 clip (.375 in the second half). The two teams were even on the glass (28 to 28) and Montana recorded six blocks.
Fifteen of Beasley's 23 points came in the second half, when he shot 5-of-7. He was one of four Grizzlies in double figures for scoring, as well as Anderson, Josh Bannan (10) and Parker (10). Bannan tied for the team lead with seven rebounds, while Parker dished out five assists. Sophomore Eddy Egun also had a strong night defensively, including two blocked shots and a steal.
(DeCuire on the upset win)
"It never feels any better unless it's on Saturday. The thing is that these guys stuck together. That's what programs do, that's what winning teams do. These guys have figured out what it feels like to be in it for one another."
(DeCuire on his team's defense)
"Defense wins. That's really been the challenge for this group. We have been defending well for long stretches throughout the year, and statistically we're a good defensive team, but we've had stretches in the second half where lackluster effort, loss of concentration, and not being detail oriented has cost us some games. That's what youth is; we're just an inexperienced group.
Tonight was the first time I felt that, through adversity, we continued to focus on the details. To be able to hold that team to 37 percent in the second half is amazing effort defensively."
(Anderson on getting the upset win)
"It's a great feeling to win here, especially since we didn't get to play here last year. Every one of these is even more special."
(Beasley on the messages at halftime, after a strong first half)
"We just kept the pedal to the metal, kept the energy up. We had a lot more energy than them, especially on the defensive end. We came out second half really poised, and we just took it to them."
(DeCuire on near-annual matchups with Weber State in the tournament)
"We have very similar systems and sometimes, our strengths are our weaknesses and our weaknesses are our strengths. You become very familiar with one another. We are both part of the same coaching tree, and I have a lot of respect for what Randy (Rahe) has done. There's a reason he's the all-time winningest coach in the Big Sky. "
(DeCuire on gaining momentum)
"We have a very slow starting program. We have a team that has peaked in March every year. Usually late February, we kind of go for it, and this year in February, we weren't in position to go for it. It was a continued growth for this conference tournament. We are just now figuring out what we are capable of, and it just happens to be late in the year. But at the end of the day, it's about our culture of sticking together, and right now, that's the guys who are performing for us."
Montana has now won eight consecutive Big Sky tournament games and will now turn its attention to an Eastern Washington team that swept the Grizzlies in a home-and-home series last month. Montana, though, has beaten Eastern Washington in the past two Big Sky tournament championship games. Additionally, the Grizzlies have won eight consecutive semifinal games dating back to 2010.
Thursday marked the eighth time that Montana and Weber State – the league's top-two teams for wins, championships and NCAA tournament appearances – have met in the conference tournament. Similar to recent memory, Montana continued its success over the Wildcats, winning for the seventh time in those eight games.
From the opening tip, things looked different for a young Montana squad that has struggled to find its championship form this season. On Thursday, however, the Grizzlies were loud and energetic from the start, playing with pace and jumping out to an early lead.
It took Montana just 12 seconds to score the game's first basket, while on defense, the Grizzlies kept the Wildcats off the board for three straight possessions.
Freshman Robby Beasley III, who led all players with 23 points, scored eight of Montana's first 13. Then it was junior Mack Anderson's turn, with the forward scoring four of Montana's next five baskets and reaching double figures midway through the first half.
Anderson, who prior to Wednesday was the only Grizzly to play in a Big Sky tournament game, scored 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting. Just as big, though, was his defense, securing seven rebounds – six in the first half – and blocking three shots, including one in the closing seconds as Weber State attempted a game-tying 3-pointer.
In a back-and-forth first half that saw seven tie scores and seven lead changes, the two teams entered the locker room tied at 34-34, both making at least half of their shot attempts. Montana scored on its first possession of the second half to take a 36-34 lead and never trailed from that point forward, despite some late-game theatrics.ANDERSON SLAMS IT DOWN!#GrizHoops #GoGriz #BigSkyMBB pic.twitter.com/tLjKRokQf8
— Montana Griz BB (@MontanaGrizBB) March 12, 2021
At one point, the Grizzlies made six of seven shot attempts while holding Weber State without a made basket for nearly 6 minutes. Montana led by as many as 16 points, including by 15 following a Brandon Whitney layup with 3 minutes, 42 seconds to play (69-54). But after Weber State missed six consecutive shots during a 6-minute stretch with zero made field goals, the Wildcats caught fire.
Weber State scored 13 points in a 81-seconds span to cut the score to 73-67 with 2:08 to play and got to within four with 1:15 on the clock. After missing back-to-back 3-pointers – but getting offensive rebounds both times – Seikou Sisoho Jawara buried a triple to cut the score to 76-75 with 17 seconds left.
Junior Cameron Parker was then fouled, making the front end of the one-and-one, before sinking the second as well. Needing one stop, Montana got it from its lone Montanan on the roster.Beasley is on 🔥! That makes for 23 points this game.#GrizHoops #GoGriz #BigSkyMBB pic.twitter.com/YKLUgpwhtZ
— Montana Griz BB (@MontanaGrizBB) March 12, 2021
Sisoho Jawara's game-tying 3-point attempt was blocked by Anderson. Montana's Josh Vazquez then converted a pair of free throws to ice the game and complete the victory.
Montana shot .654 in the second half and .615 for the game, while holding Weber State to a .431 clip (.375 in the second half). The two teams were even on the glass (28 to 28) and Montana recorded six blocks.
Fifteen of Beasley's 23 points came in the second half, when he shot 5-of-7. He was one of four Grizzlies in double figures for scoring, as well as Anderson, Josh Bannan (10) and Parker (10). Bannan tied for the team lead with seven rebounds, while Parker dished out five assists. Sophomore Eddy Egun also had a strong night defensively, including two blocked shots and a steal.
Quoting The GrizAUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE🇦🇺#GrizHoops #GoGriz #BigSkyMBB pic.twitter.com/Oyq2UfTQo7
— Montana Griz BB (@MontanaGrizBB) March 12, 2021
(DeCuire on the upset win)
"It never feels any better unless it's on Saturday. The thing is that these guys stuck together. That's what programs do, that's what winning teams do. These guys have figured out what it feels like to be in it for one another."
(DeCuire on his team's defense)
"Defense wins. That's really been the challenge for this group. We have been defending well for long stretches throughout the year, and statistically we're a good defensive team, but we've had stretches in the second half where lackluster effort, loss of concentration, and not being detail oriented has cost us some games. That's what youth is; we're just an inexperienced group.
Tonight was the first time I felt that, through adversity, we continued to focus on the details. To be able to hold that team to 37 percent in the second half is amazing effort defensively."
(Anderson on getting the upset win)
"It's a great feeling to win here, especially since we didn't get to play here last year. Every one of these is even more special."
(Beasley on the messages at halftime, after a strong first half)
"We just kept the pedal to the metal, kept the energy up. We had a lot more energy than them, especially on the defensive end. We came out second half really poised, and we just took it to them."
(DeCuire on near-annual matchups with Weber State in the tournament)
"We have very similar systems and sometimes, our strengths are our weaknesses and our weaknesses are our strengths. You become very familiar with one another. We are both part of the same coaching tree, and I have a lot of respect for what Randy (Rahe) has done. There's a reason he's the all-time winningest coach in the Big Sky. "
(DeCuire on gaining momentum)
"We have a very slow starting program. We have a team that has peaked in March every year. Usually late February, we kind of go for it, and this year in February, we weren't in position to go for it. It was a continued growth for this conference tournament. We are just now figuring out what we are capable of, and it just happens to be late in the year. But at the end of the day, it's about our culture of sticking together, and right now, that's the guys who are performing for us."
Looking AheadThat execution 💯#GrizHoops #GoGriz #BigSkyMBB pic.twitter.com/o1E977LBqH
— Montana Griz BB (@MontanaGrizBB) March 12, 2021
Montana has now won eight consecutive Big Sky tournament games and will now turn its attention to an Eastern Washington team that swept the Grizzlies in a home-and-home series last month. Montana, though, has beaten Eastern Washington in the past two Big Sky tournament championship games. Additionally, the Grizzlies have won eight consecutive semifinal games dating back to 2010.
Team Stats
UM
WSU
FG%
.615
.431
3FG%
.429
.304
FT%
.714
.818
RB
28
28
TO
19
12
STL
8
10
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
23
FGM
8
3FGM
4
FTM
3
Pts
16
FGM
8
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
F
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