Colstrip, Heart Butte, Stevensville, Missoula, Spearfish

[evergriz]

http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/9313148

 

[Paytonlives]

http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/9313148

Krystkowiak kicks legend up a notch with Grizzlies' upset
March 16, 2006
By Jared Eborn
Special to CBS SportsLine.com




SALT LAKE CITY -- In Big Sky Country, you earn a certain degree of respect just by being from there. Montana folk simply know, like and trust their own.


Larry Krystkowiak urges the Grizzlies on during play in the first half. (AP)
Perhaps that explains Larry Krystkowiak's popularity in his native state. But only partially.

Krystkowiak, who just coached Montana to what some were calling the biggest win in the school's history -- an 87-79 NCAA Tournament victory for the 12th-seeded Grizzlies over fifth-seeded Nevada -- was a legend before he climbed the podium to answer questions from the assembled media.

The kid who was born in Missoula, played high school ball for Big Sky High in his hometown and then spent four seasons playing for Montana is larger than life in town. He's the quintessential local kid that made it big, then came home to make it bigger.

"He's a hero in Missoula," said Montana's longtime sports information director Dave Guffey. "He resurrected the program when he came back to Montana."

The Grizzlies, in two years under Krystkowiak's leadership, have won back-to-back Big Sky Conference championships and now have the upset of 21st-ranked Nevada. His record of 42-19, is as good as Montana has seen in eons.

He's called Coach K locally but is now seeing his reputation spread as he piles up wins with the Grizzlies.

His small-town roots have left an easily visible imprint on his team. Filled with kids from out-of-the-way places like Colstrip, Stevensville and Heart Butte, Mont. and Spearfish, S.D., the Grizzlies are thrilled to have advanced to the second round of the NCAA tourney, where they will meet Boston College on Saturday afternoon.

But when the final horn sounded, there was no dancing on the floor, as one would expect from a 12 seed from one of the nation's least-populated states.

In fact, it didn't look anything like an upset; Montana led from start to finish.

"Our team isn't a team that goes out and celebrates and hoots and haws," said senior guard Kevin Criswell, a former walk-on turned team captain. "We just felt like we belonged this year. So it wasn't that big a deal."

Krystkowiak, who won three Big Sky MVP awards as a college player, never got to play in an NCAA tourney. Even more than now, the Big Sky wasn't a conference that was given multiple berths in the field.

But now, Krystkowiak has taken his team to the tournament twice and has a victory with which his legend will continue to swell.

Back in 1975, the Grizzlies lost to UCLA during John Wooden's legendary coaching tenure. "I remember being a little kid, watching that and crying," he said. "And I didn't even know what a Grizzlie or Bobcat was. I just knew it was Montana and we were losing."

His commitment to his alma mater has made a huge impact on his team. Pat Kennedy was the previous coach and was never embraced by the locals. His intentions, according to followers of the program, were to win a few games, resurrect his career and move on to greener pastures.

Instead, he lost the respect of his players and jumped to Towson State at his first chance to get out of Missoula.

That's not a worry with Krystkowiak.

"His heart is at Montana," sophomore forward Andrew Straight said. "It's made all the difference in the world for us. He can be a great coach, but if his heart is not committed to the team and the school, it's just not going to work."

Krystkowiak enjoyed a 10-year NBA career and coached in the CBA before answering the call to rescue his beloved Grizz.

He may someday move on to a larger program -- quality coaches notching upset wins over ranked opponents in March tend to attract the attention of schools with coaching vacancies. But or now -- and forever -- he's a Montana man.

"Hopefully this made a few people recognize Montana," Krystkowiak said. "Maybe now they know where Montana is."

The line of reporters hoping to interview Krystkowiak after the win over Nevada was a long one. While talking to a national radio network, the interviewer asked if he like being called Coach K Jr.

"I don't care what you call me," he said. "As long as you call me on Saturday."