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Johnson scores 22, Grizzlies bounce back against NWIC before Tennessee matchup

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Johnson scores 22, Grizzlies bounce back against NWIC before Tennessee matchup


MISSOULA — Sandwiched between two road tests, facing the Oregon Ducks Friday night and the No. 12 Tennessee Volunteers next Wednesday, the Montana Grizzlies enjoyed a breather.

Although a matchup against the Division-2 Northwest Indian College Eagles failed to offer the competition of its road battles, Montana (2-1) coming away with a 94-44 victory on Robin Selvig Court Sunday night, the game allowed head coach Travis DeCuire’s team to recalibrate after a tough loss to the Ducks.

The 11th-year head coach said his team returned home, “not a happy group.”

“I probably ruined their game-day mood this morning,” DeCuire said in a post-game radio interview. “They thought they were coming in for shoot-around and they had a practice. They were on edge a little bit today, but I think we needed that.”

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The Griz scored more points in Sunday’s first half (56) than in the entire Oregon game (48). The biggest statistical difference came from their shooting beyond the arc; while Montana connected on just 15.8% of three-pointers in Eugene, the team completed 36.4% in the first half against the Eagles. Conversely, Montana forced NWIC into making just 30.3% and 13.3% of its two’s and three’s, respectively.

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The Eagles kept the matchup competitive in the first handful of minutes, but a 10-minute, 34-10 run for Montana was enough to create a nearly insurmountable lead entering halftime. By the end of the 20 minutes of play, the Griz led 56-23.

DeCuire said he emphasized shot selection with his team entering the game.

“You go back and watch the film (against Oregon), and bad shots turn into high-percentage shots for your opponent,” DeCuire said. “Just too many times we took contested shots with a lot of time on the clock, they get in transition, we’re poor in transition, they bang three’s.

Senior guard Kai Johnson led Montana in first-half scoring, tallying 15 points on just six field goals and ending the game with a team-leading 22 points. The newcomer to the maroon and silver picked up where he left off in his first regular-season game on Robin Selvig Court. In two home games this season, Johnson has totaled 49 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.

With the game already out of hand, senior forward Te’Jon Sawyer took over offensively in the second half. He netted two three-pointers, scoring 12 of his career-high 19 points on the night. He added seven rebounds to a stat line that also featured a team-leading plus-39 score differential while he was on the court.

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With all of the scoring for Montana, its most points scored since last season’s 96-86 win over North Dakota State, DeCuire credited fifth-year guard Brandon Whitney for his facilitation and playmaking.

“i thought Whitney set the tone,” DeCuire said. “The way he pushed the ball, his willingness to make sure the ball got to places it needed to get to. He made our transition offense work the way it’s supposed to.

“He set the tone for us offensively in terms of his sharing and ball movement, probably sacrificing some offense for himself to do that.”

DeCuire also complimented sophomore Money Williams by name. While the 6-foot-4-inch guard carried his shooting struggles from Oregon into Sunday’s contest, making just two of 10 attempts from the field, Williams was credited for also helping vitalize the offense with his playmaking. 

Williams led the team with seven assists.

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“He’s trying to get his offense going right now, and he turned down some high-percentage shots for guys like Zach Davidson to get layups and to get going,” DeCuire said.

“When you’ve got guys that have the ball in their hands as often as they do turn down shots to get guys going, I think it’s good for the health of the team.”

Montana will face potentially its toughest matchup of the year this week in Knoxville, Tennessee, facing the Volunteers in Rocky Top country. DeCuire said the Vols’ will likely be the toughest defensive opponent his team faces all season.

“It would’ve been nice to rest some guys tonight, tomorrow and then go into Tennessee fresh but for me it’s more about playing good basketball,” DeCuire said.

“For chemistry, for flow, I think we’re a little behind where we want to be right now, especially offensively. We’ll keep working.”

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The Griz will tip-off from Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville Wednesday at 5 p.m. (MT).

Carson Cashion is a sports writer for 406 MT Sports, primarily covering the Bitterroot Valley. Follow him on X @CarsonCashion or contact him at carson.cashion@406mtsports.com.

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Montana Lottery Mega Millions, Lucky For Life results for Dec. 31, 2024

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The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 31, 2024, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from Dec. 31 drawing

13-22-27-29-35, Mega Ball: 01, Megaplier: 2

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Dec. 31 drawing

19-27-37-41-48, Lucky Ball: 15

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Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from Dec. 31 drawing

03-19-20-21, Bonus: 15

Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 9:00 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
  • Lotto America: 9:00 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
  • Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Montana Cash: 8:00 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.

Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.

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Where can you buy lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Freight Rail Company Beats Montana Covid-19 Vaccine Complaints

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Freight Rail Company Beats Montana Covid-19 Vaccine Complaints


A federal Covid-19 vaccine mandate preempted a Montana state law prohibiting employers from discriminating against unvaccinated workers, a federal judge ruled.

The state law has been the subject of a number of lawsuits, including a challenge from doctors and immunocompromised individuals that the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit rejected in October. Montana was one of roughly a dozen states that implemented vaccine status-related anti-discrimination laws during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Judge Brian Morris of the US District Court for the District of Montana stopped short of issuing a blanket injunction for future vaccine claims against BNSF Railway Company …



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Montana AG supports federal TikTok ban, as Trump calls for delay in U.S. Supreme Court filing

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Montana AG supports federal TikTok ban, as Trump calls for delay in U.S. Supreme Court filing


HELENA — Next week, the U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear arguments over whether to uphold a federal law that would ban the app TikTok if its Chinese owners don’t sell it. Montana’s attorney general is asking the court to let the law go into effect – even as President-elect Donald Trump seeks to delay it.

“I think Congress got it right this time – I don’t often say that, but I think Congress got this one right,” Attorney General Austin Knudsen told MTN.

Last spring, on a bipartisan vote, Congress approved a law that gave TikTok’s parent company nine months to divest the app or risk losing access to U.S. app stores and internet hosting services. That deadline is approaching, on Jan. 19 – the day before Trump’s inauguration.

TikTok sued over the federal law, on the grounds that it infringed on the right of free expression for its millions of users. The Supreme Court agreed to hear the case and scheduled oral arguments for Jan. 10, leaving just a few days before the effective date.

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On Friday, Knudsen and 21 other Republican state attorneys general filed an amicus brief, asking justices to let the law take effect.

“Allowing TikTok to operate in the United States without severing its ties to the Chinese Communist Party exposes Americans to the risk of the Chinese Communist Party accessing and exploiting their data,” they wrote.

Knudsen’s Amicus Brief:

At the same time, Trump’s attorneys submitted their own brief. In it, they said they weren’t taking a position on the merits of the case, but that they wanted the court to put a stay on the law, to give Trump time to reach a deal once in office that could resolve the issue “through political means.”

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“President Trump alone possesses the consummate dealmaking expertise, the electoral mandate, and the political will to negotiate a resolution to save the platform while addressing the national security concerns expressed by the Government—concerns which President Trump himself has acknowledged,” they wrote.

While Trump’s brief didn’t support either side in the lawsuit, it did suggest there were “valid concerns” about First Amendment implications from blocking a social media platform.

Trump’s Amicus Brief:

In 2023, the Montana Legislature passed and Gov. Greg Gianforte signed Senate Bill 419, which said TikTok couldn’t operate in the state and app stores couldn’t offer it for download within Montana’s borders. Knudsen was one of the main backers of the law, and he cited concerns that China might be able to access U.S. users’ data. TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a company based in China, but has denied any claims that it puts data at risk.

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TikTok and a group of Montana-based content creators challenged the state ban. A federal district judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking it, ruling that the state infringing on users’ rights and overstepping onto the federal power over foreign policy. Knudsen appealed that decision, but the entire case was put on hold until the challenge to the federal law was resolved.

Knudsen said what the Supreme Court rules in the federal case will clearly make a difference when it’s time to rule on Montana’s ban. In his amicus brief, he accused TikTok of “trying to have its cake and eat it too” by arguing the state law intruded on federal authority but also challenging the federal law.

In 2020, during his first term as president, Trump issued an executive order that sought to ban TikTok, citing its connections to China. However, during his 2024 campaign, he spoke more favorably about the app, eventually saying people who wanted to “save TikTok in America” should vote for him.

Knudsen told MTN that he doesn’t believe Trump’s change in tone has had an impact on the concerns Montanans have about the app.

“Actually, if you look at what President Trump has said in his public statements, he likes the platform because he was able to reach a lot of young people and he thinks that helped him get elected,” he said. “But if you read that brief that they filed, they don’t dispute the fact that TikTok is a Chinese spying application.”

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While China was the biggest topic during the debate over Montana’s SB 419, the law also criticized TikTok for what it said was promoting dangerous content for minors. Knudsen filed a lawsuit against the app and its owners earlier this year, making similar arguments. He told MTN Monday he’d have to “wait and see” what form a divestiture of TikTok would take, before he could say whether it would address those issues to his satisfaction.

While the U.S. Supreme Court typically doesn’t rule quickly on cases, Knudsen said he expects that may be different this time.

“We don’t often see them move this fast, but I think the Roberts court probably recognizes that this is an important issue – it’s a hot issue for certain,” he said.





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