Griz look to build on perfect start to Big Sky play with home contests

Montana (9-6, 2-0 Big Sky) vs. Northern Arizona (10-5, 1-1 Big Sky)
Thursday, Jan. 9 / 7:00 PM / Watch / Live Stats / Tickets

Montana vs. Northern Colorado (10-5, 2-0 Big Sky)
Saturday, Jan. 11 / 4:00 PM / Watch / Live Stats / Tickets

The Montana men's basketball team returns home after nearly a full month away for a pair of Big Sky Conference games this weekend. The Grizzlies faceoff against the only two teams in the league with 10 wins this year in Northern Arizona and Northern Colorado.

It's one of the most difficult home stands of the season for the Grizzlies, who will look to remain undefeated after a 2-0 start last week. The Grizzlies haven't started perfect through the first weekend of league play in five years.

Montana is seeking its first 4-0 start in Big Sky play since the 2017-18 team opened league play 13-0.

They got to this point by sweeping the Eastern Washington-Idaho road trip for the first time since 2017. Montana won 93-81 in Cheney on Thursday and came from behind for a 73-71 win in Moscow on Saturday.

It was a complete team effort in the wins, but the play of sophomore guard Money Williams stood out. Williams leads the Big Sky in scoring (22.0 PPG) and steals (7) through the first week of league play, stringing together back-to-back stellar performances on the road.

Williams was named the Big Sky Conference Co-Player of the Week as a result, his second honor this season. Joe Pridgen has also been named POTW once, giving Montana three wins in a season of the weekly award for the first time since 2019-20.

Joe Pridgen made a great first impression on the Big Sky Conference in Montana's wins, averaging 17.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game last week. Pridgen continues to score at a highly efficient rate, making 66.7 percent of his field goal attempts and increasing his season-long dunk total to 19.

Malik Moore (12.5) and Austin Patterson (11.5) also averaged double figures in the two wins for the Grizzlies. Montana outshot its two opponents 55.1-to-44.1 percent from the floor in the two wins and averaged nearly six more assists per game.

It helped them overcome a disadvantage on the boards as Montana were outrebounded by 17 total in the two games. They will need to improve in that department on Thursday as Northern Arizona enters as one of the best rebounding teams in the country.

The Lumberjacks split their opening weekend of games, losing to Idaho State and beating Weber State. Northern Arizona are 7-1 at home this year but 3-3 on the road. Four of NAU's wins have come against non-D-1 opponents, and they have yet to beat a team in the top 225 of the NCAA NET Rankings.

Northern Colorado comes to town on Saturday for a matchup between the two top teams in the league in the standings, and in the NCAA NET Rankings. The Bears are 138^th in the latest batch of rankings while Montana is 148^th.

Williams split the Player of the Week honor with UNC's Langston Reynolds. Reynolds averaged 20.5 points, 6.5 assists, and 5.5 rebounds while shooting 83 percent from the floor in the first two league games.

The Grizzlies will look to remain perfect at home and in Big Sky play, and also reach the 10-win mark for the 54^th consecutive season, beginning on Thursday night at 7:00 PM.

YOUTH NIGHT - THURSDAY
Thursday night's game will be Youth Night for Montana. Children are able to get a $6 ticket to the game by going to GoGriz.com/promocode and entering the code "YOUTH" during checkout.

There will also be an official autograph session with the team following a 10-minute cooldown period after the game.

UM FACULTY & STAFF NIGHT – SATURDAY
Every member on the Montana men's basketball roster invited a professor that has impacted their academic life to the game on Saturday. The professors will be honored prior to the game.

SKY CLUB HOURS
The Sky Club will be open to members for both games this week. The doors will open 90 minutes prior to the tipoff in both games. They will open at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday and 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.

WINNING THE CLOSE ONES
Montana is now 3-1 on the season in games decided by four points or less. The Grizzlies won by two at Idaho last Saturday, denying a potential game winner on the final possession of the game.

The Grizzlies are now 2-0 in one-possession games. They won by three points (69-66) against Utah Tech on Nov. 25.

RIDE THE HOT HAND
Montana has the benefit of several scorers and playmakers sharing the floor this season, allowing DeCuire to go with whoever is hot at the moment. The Grizzlies have had four different players lead them in scoring at least four times.

Kai Johnson, Malik Moore, Joe Pridgen, and Money Williams have all led Montana in scoring exactly four times. Moore and Williams shared the lead last Saturday with 18 points from each.

The quartet of players all average at least 11.0 points per game, and the trio of Moore, Pridgen, and Williams all score at least 13.5 per game.

HOME SUCCESS IN THE BIG SKY
Head coach Travis DeCuire is 67-23 at home in Big Sky Conference games. The .744 winning percentage is 36^th best in the NCAA during the past 11 seasons and the second-best mark in the Big Sky.

The Grizzlies went 7-2 at home during Big Sky play last season. Overall, Montana have won 11 straight games inside Dahlberg Arena.

WILLIAMS EARNS 3^RD CAREER POTW
Sophomore guard Money Williams earned his second Player of the Week honor this season, and the third of his career, after his fantastic opening week to Big Sky play. Williams led the league in scoring at 22.0 points per game during the first week of league action.

Williams also leads the conference with seven steals through two games while averaging 4.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game as well. Williams is the first Grizzly since Sayeed Pridgett to win multiple POTW honors in the same season.

PUTTING A BOW ON 2024
Montana finished up the 2024 calendar year with a 23-13 overall record. The 23 wins were tied for the 42nd most in the NCAA during 2024, and led the Big Sky Conference.

The Grizzlies had one of the best offenses in the country during that time. Montana ranked 31st in the NCAAA with 2,784 total points, and were 8th in the country with a .491 field goal percentage.

The 23 wins were the most in a calendar year for Montana since 2019, and tied for the second most in any calendar year under DeCuire.

BEST IN THE BIG SKY
Since head coach Travis DeCuire took over as head coach before the 2014-15, Montana leads the Big Sky Conference in wins (210) and winning percentage (.618). There are only five teams with winning records in the league during those 11 years.

Eastern Washington is second in wins (208), followed by Weber State (191), Northern Colorado (179), and Montana State (168).

MONTANA NOTES

The Grizzlies overcame a halftime deficit for the first time all season in Saturday's win at Idaho. The Griz were down 32-29 at the break, but won the second half 44-39. They were previously 0-6 when trailing at halftime.
They are looking for their 12^th straight win at home dating back to last season.
Montana has shot better than 50 percent from the floor in two straight games, and five of the last six overall. They have outshot their opponent in 11 of the 15 games this season, and are 8-3 when doing so.
The Griz are 8-1 when holding opponents under 45.0 percent shooting from the floor.
When shooting more free throws than their opponent, the Griz are 7-0.
Montana is 5-2 when outrebounding their opponents this year, but have done so just four times against D-1 opponents. They have been outrebounded by 4.8 per game against D-1 teams.
In the second half last week, Montana outscored its two opponents 96-80. They were tied at the half against Eastern Washington, and trailed at Idaho. It's the first win when trailing at the half this year.
Joe Pridgen ranks 10^th in the NCAA in field goal percentage. He is shooting 66.2 percent from the floor this year, and has made at least 50 percent of his attempts in 11 straight games.
DeCuire has used the same starting lineup in nine straight games. The unit of Williams/Whitney/Moore/Pridgen/Sawyer is 6-3 when starting games together.

SCOUTING NORTHERN ARIZONA (10-5, 1-1 BIG SKY)

The Lumberjacks come into week two in Big Sky play at .500 after a loss to Idaho State and a win against Weber State. Both games were played in Flagstaff.
Northern Arizona have played zero Quad 1 games and just one Quad 2 game. They are 5-3 in Q4 games this year, and are ranked 8^th in the Big Sky in the NET at 267 overall this year.
They have the 9^th easiest schedule in the country, according to the NET Rankings. Montana, on the reverse side of that coin, have played the 23^rd most difficult schedule.
Last season, Northern Arizona finished 14-19 overall and 7-11 in Big Sky play. Thy were ranked 7^th in the Big Sky tournament but were eliminated in the first round.
Head coach Shane Burcar is in his 6^th season in Flagstaff. The head coach has a 67-100 overall record.
Northern Arizona has a high-powered offense and are the best rebounding team in the Big Sky Conference. They average 81.7 points per game and rank 34^th in the NCAA with nearly 40 rebounds per game.
The Lumberjacks also take care of the ball very well, ranking 14^th in the country with a 1.71 assist/turnover ratio. They are in the top 25 in turnovers per game, giving it up fewer than 10 times per contest.
NAU may have the top duo in the league in Trent McLaughlin and Carson Towt, a couple of Big Sky Conference veterans.
McLaughlin, the Big Sky Preseason MVP, ranks 2^nd in the NCAA in scoring this season at 23.0 points per game. He has attempted 273 field goals this year, the fourth-most in the country. He is 8^th in the NCAA with 51 made three-pointers.
He's been in double figures in every game this season twice reaching the 30-point mark and scoring at least 20 points in 11 games. He's made multiple three-pointers in every single game this year.
Towt ranks 4^th in the NCAA in rebounding at 11.4 per game. He is 3^rd in defensive rebounding with 8.3 per contest, and has 171 total this year to easily lead the Big Sky Conference.
Towt also averages 14.2 points per game and has recorded 10 double-doubles. He ranks 4^th in the NCAA in double-doubles, trailing the nation's leaders by just one. Towt was ejected from NAU's last game against Weber State.

SERIES HISTORY VS. THE LUMBERJACKS

Montana leads the all-time series against Northern Arizona 79-36. Montana is 44-11 in games played in Missoula, and have won two straight overall in the series.
In the last 10 games, the two sides have split things 5-5. Prior to that, Montana had won 10 straight in the series.
Last season, Montana won both meetings in blowout fashion. They averaged 92.0 points per game and held the Lumberjacks to 56.5 points per game in the two wins.

SCOUTING NORTHERN COLORADO (10-5, 2-0 BIG SKY)

The Bears enter week two of Big Sky play on a four-game winning streak. They will play at Montana State on Thursday before facing the Grizzlies.
Northern Colorado are 7-1 at home this year, but just 2-4 away from Greeley.
They beat Weber State by 17 points in their league opener and then survived Idaho State in overtime on Saturday.
Head coach Steve Smiley is in his 5^th season at Northern Colorado. He has a career record of 74-66 (.529).
As is typical for one of Smiley's teams, the Bears are one of the best offensive teams in the country this year. They average 84.1 points per game to rank 25^th in the NCAA in scoring.
The Bears make 50.8 percent of their field goals, the 8^th best mark in the country. They are also in the top 100 in free throw percentage (74.6) and just outside of it in three-point percentage (35.1).
They play well on offense, but have allowed opponents to score over 76 points per game. They are near the bottom of the country in field goal percentage defense, allowing opponents to make 46.6 percent of their field goals.
Langston Reynolds has been named Big Sky Player of the Week three times this season, including a share of the honor with Money Williams this week.
Reynolds is 2^nd in the Big Sky and 67^th nationally in scoring at 18.1 points per game. He is shooting 63.5 percent from the floor, 2^nd in the Big Sky only to Joe Pridgen and 12^th in the country.
Isaiah Hawthorne averages 16.3 points per game to rank 4^th in the Big Sky Conference. Hawthorne makes 2.0 three-pointers per game, and ranks 8^th in the league with 1.53 steals per contest.

SERIES HISTORY VS. THE BEARS

Montana leads the all-time series against Northern Colorado 28-16. The Grizzlies are 15-8 in games played in Missoula. Northern Colorado won both contests last year, and have won eight of the last 11 against Montana overall.
DeCuire is 11-9 overall against Northern Colorado, but has had more success on the road against the Bears. He is 5-6 in Missoula against Northern Colorado and 5-3 on the road. DeCuire is 1-0 against them in neutral site games.

Griz look to build on perfect start to Big Sky play with home contests

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Kai Johnson

Malik Moore

Austin Patterson

Joe Pridgen

Money Williams

University of Montana Athletics

Griz look to build on perfect start to Big Sky play with home contests

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Kai Johnson

Malik Moore

Austin Patterson

Joe Pridgen

Money Williams

Related Videos