Montana

Lady Griz look to reverse road fortunes in Big Sky Conference opener at Eastern Washington

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MISSOULA — Although their 1-5 file in video games exterior of Dahlberg Area doesn’t replicate it, the Montana Girl Griz have performed good basketball on the highway.

They pushed nationwide powerhouse Gonzaga for 3 quarters in Spokane final week and made Washington State sweat earlier this month in Pullman, Washington. That they had Wichita State on the ropes in a neutral-site recreation on Nov. 25 in Los Angeles earlier than letting the Shockers off the hook and dropping in additional time.

The optimistic reminiscences will assist give the Girl Griz (4-7) confidence heading into their Large Sky Convention opener at Jap Washington (7-3) on Thursday at 7 p.m. (ESPN+).

Solely Weber State (4-8) had a worse file than Montana in non-conference play. And two of the Girl Griz wins came to visit NAIA groups in Windfall and Montana Tech.

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Nonetheless, Montana has seemed excellent in stretches. They trailed by simply six factors with 9 minutes left in final week’s recreation at No. 19 Gonzaga earlier than fizzling late in an 82-67 loss.

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“So far as effort, are you kidding? Our children are beginning to get it,” Montana coach Brian Holsinger mentioned after the sport.

“We have now so many freshmen and sophomores taking part in on the market. They’re beginning to get it. I am excited for them. We discovered a ton on this (non-conference) season.”

Jap Washington boasts the second finest non-conference file within the Large Sky at 7-3, sitting behind solely Sacramento State with its spectacular 9-2 begin. However the Eagles have been inferior to Montana when pitted in opposition to the one top-25 staff on their schedule, dropping in a blowout at Seventeenth-ranked Oregon on Dec. 15, 88-38.

Thursday guarantees to be shut with senior scoring threats Carmen Gfeller and Sammy Fatkin main the way in which for Montana. Holsinger likes to speak about his staff being younger, however he returned 4 gamers from final season with ample beginning expertise (Gfeller, Fatkin, Haley Huard and Katerina Tsineke) and nobody within the Large Sky has performed extra school hoops than Gfeller and Fatkin.

The Girl Griz will wish to be aware of taking part in disciplined protection in opposition to Jap. The Eagles common near 71 factors per recreation, which ranks third within the Large Sky. Jap’s high scorer is 6-foot sophomore Jaydia Martin, who averages near 14 factors per recreation.

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“All of our beginning lineup and extra off the bench can are available in and rating,” mentioned Eagles coach Joddie Gleason, who has three gamers that common over 10 factors per recreation and one other two which can be just below 10. “Any of them can go off any night time.”

The Girl Griz and Eagles cut up final season underneath then-first-year coaches Holsinger and Gleason. Holsinger had quite a bit higher debut marketing campaign (19-11) than Gleason (9-21) however the latter has loved extra success this season. 

Invoice Speltz is Missoulian Sports activities Editor and has served as Sunday columnist the previous 16 years. Do you’ve gotten a narrative concept? E mail Invoice at invoice.speltz@missoulian.com.

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