Montana
Wisconsin vs. Montana: Preview, picks, and prediction
The Wisconsin Badgers are heading to Denver for their first-round matchup against the Montana Grizzlies, with tip-off set for Thursday at 12:30 p.m. central.
The Badgers earned a No. 3 seed in the East Region of the NCAA Tournament, getting bumped back to the three line but missing out on their coveted destination of Milwaukee.
Instead, they’ll have a quick turnaround, heading out to Denver to play in one of the earliest games of the tournament, just days after playing four games in four days during the Big Ten Tournament.
Wisconsin currently stands at 26-9, which is the most wins they’ve had entering the tournament since their historic 2014-15 season that ended in a National Championship appearance.
Meanwhile, the Grizzlies finished their season 25-9, including 15-3 in the Big Sky, as they won their conference tournament with wins over Northern Arizona, Idaho, and Northern Colorado.
What are all of the odds ahead of the game?
Odds(via FanDuel)
Spread: Wisconsin -17.5
Over/under points: 151.5
Prediction
I’ve alluded to my thoughts a couple of times this week, but I really like the matchup for the Badgers, despite all the extenuating circumstances with the quick turnaround, altitude in Denver, and recently playing four games in four days.
Wisconsin has a clear size advantage over Montana, as the Grizzlies have only one key rotational player who stands over 6’5 and that’s forward Te’Jon Sawyer, who stands at 6’8, 240 pounds and plays only 23 minutes per game.
Apart from that, Montana is a guard-oriented team, as each of their top five players in minutes and points per game are guards.
The Grizzlies aren’t elite offensively (99th in KenPom), don’t play at a fast tempo (193rd in the nation), and are porous defensively (253rd in KenPom). That doesn’t bode well against a Badgers team that is extremely efficient in the frontcourt and is at their best playing inside out.
Honestly, I don’t really see a path to a Montana win, even with the Grizzlies shooting 50 percent from the floor and 36 percent from three. They don’t run in transition, where the Badgers have been susceptible, and don’t have the size down low to give Wisconsin matchup troubles.
Not only am I predicting Wisconsin to win, but I’m going as far as saying the Badgers will cover the hefty 17.5-point spread.
My prediction: Wisconsin -17.5
Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See fanduel.com/sportsbook for details.
MISSOULA, Mont. — In this week’s Amazing America, NBC Montana is highlighting smokejumpers and their efforts to keep our communities safe during wildfire season.
NBC Montana caught up with a current and a former smokejumper to learn more about the work they do and how the job has changed throughout the years.
Jim Kitchen was a smokejumper for 20 seasons, fought over 100 fires and raised his three daughters on a smokejumper base, where he served as base commander.
Kitchen says he’ll never forget his first jump, when he started training in Fairbanks, Alaska, in 1987.
“I went, ‘That was amazing,’ and he goes, ‘Yeah,’ and I go, ‘Have you ever done anything as amazing in your life? I mean, we just made our first jump,” said Kitchen.
Kitchen told NBC Montana when he laughed his crew had to do 50 pushups.
Kitchen saw several changes during his career, including women entering a historically male-dominated field. He told NBC Montana Deanne Shulman, the first woman smokejumper, paved the way for the industry.
He recalled a time when he was on a trip to Washington, D.C. , in the early ’90s to coordinate emergency response, when a U.S. Department of State official asked him a question.
“He goes, ‘I didn’t realize men were smokejumpers.’ And I had to go, ‘Peter, I’ll have you know, there’s quite a few of us, and actually, it’s the women that are rare,’” said Kitchen “The early ladies in smokejumping, they always met and exceeded the bar, and they were instrumental in doing these winter details.”
Another change he oversaw as base commander, was moving from round parachutes used in World War II, to the ones used today.
“Ram-Air parachutes that inflate make the shape of the wing and they actually have about a 20 mph forward speed. And so you can you can fly those in much windier conditions, higher elevations,” said Kitchen.
Kitchen says the job requires you to roll with the punches and make quick decisions on the fly.
He said while training new jumpers, he taught them early to prepare and never hesitate.
“The only thing that we ask of you is that you take all the information that you can and then make a decision,” said Kitchen.
Nick Holloway, a current Missoula smokejumper, who’s been working for 14 seasons, says it’s important to rely on your training, stay positive and persevere.
“Having done this for a few years, it’s just trying to know that essentially every season is a marathon, it’s not a sprint. Just stay healthy, stay focused and keep having a good time,” said Holloway.
NBC Montana asked both men what they were most proud of during their time jumping.
Kitchen recalled fighting a fire near the Grand Canyon, when he and his crew decided to manage a fire instead of suppressing it when they ponderosa pine trees.
The crew let the fire burn to a plateau, “The Ponderosa pine has about a 20 to 30-year fire return interval in that area,” said Kitchen. “That’s one of the high points as far as land stewardship of my career is seeing fire on a landscape escape and not necessarily suppressing it but allowing it to burn, because then you’re saying it’s good for decades after that.”
Holloway told NBC Montana, while he has “too many to count,” he’s most proud that recently he jumped a 3- to 5-acre fire at Yellowstone National Park.
The fire grew to 8 acres, “So seven days later we got around everything, put it all out and essentially with a good product upon departure. So it’s just a classic example of a smokejumper fire.”
Holloway says staying fit for annual trainings, regardless of experience, is critical to staying fire-ready.
“Pushups, pullups, sit-ups, a certain amount and then a mile and a half in a certain time as well,” said Holloway.
Kitchen told NBC Montana he still does his pullups, pushups and sit-ups.
“Many of my colleagues are still in really fit shape even in their 60s, 70s and 80s,” he said.
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