mtgrizrule
Well-known member
I will be watching it, One tv on it, the other on football. I hope to see a good crowd. According to the Missoulian, we should expect 40 minutes of energy due to the urgency of this game. If that happens, it will be a good sign. However, Tinkle did not mention what I feel is our biggest problem, offensive continuity and consistency. I hope we see CET penetrate alot.
Griz face Weber in ‘big game'
By BOB MESEROLL Missoulian sports editor
Sunday afternoon's Big Sky Conference basketball game against Weber State might not be the Montana Grizzlies' biggest of the season, but they're going to treat it as such.
When the schedule for Altitude Sports TV's Sunday Game of the Week was drawn up, this game was viewed as a matchup of the preseason co-favorites. At 3-1 in league, Weber State has lived up to the billing; at 1-3, Montana has not.
The game tips off at 2:05 p.m. in Dahlberg Arena, where the first 1,500 fans can receive free general admission tickets.
“It's a big game,” Montana coach Wayne Tinkle said. “I told our guys in practice that everything is still in front of us, but we said we need to treat Sunday's game like it's the last one on the schedule. We just need to play with that kind of urgency and not look down the road.”
The Griz have lost eight of their last 10 games after Thursday night's heartbreaking 56-54 home loss to Idaho State.
“We need to turn it around right now,” Tinkle said. “We're so close, we've been right there so many games. We've got to get out of the funk, we've got to make plays down the stretch ... If we can do that, especially at home, we can put something together, but it starts with Sunday's game and we should be solely focused on that one.”
A slow start - Montana scored nine points in the first 15 minutes - doomed the Griz against Idaho State. It was a complete 180 from road losses at Montana State and Northern Arizona, when the Griz came out strong and faded down the stretch.
“With this group, I think it had more to do with us not having been at home for so long,” Tinkle said. “I would be disappointed being at home, knowing that we lost a tough one the other day, if they didn't come out fired up and fighting.”
Idaho State double-teamed Griz post players Andrew Strait and Jordan Hasquet, which gave the Griz problems, particularly in the first half of Thursday's game. When point guard Ceylon Elgin-Taylor would pass into the post, his defender would leave for the double-team. With Elgin-Taylor shooting 23 percent from 3-point range - 36 percent overall - the Bengals didn't respect his outside shot.
“He's got to be more aggressive there and shoot, he's capable of knocking down shots but he has to play with that confidence,” Tinkle said. “Sometimes when he enters it, he might need to move away to bring somebody else to the ball side ... to turn that into an advantage for us.”
Either that, or penetrate, which Elgin-Taylor did with good results in the second half.
“If he gets it right away, we want him to put it on the floor,” Tinkle said.
Weber State brings its own set of challenges. Point guard Dezmon Harris scored 27 points in the Wildcats' road win at Montana State on Thursday. Forward Arturas Valeika ranks second in the league in rebounding after recording a double-double against the Cats. Center Steve Panos scored a career-high 17 points against Montana State and forward Daviin Davis is coming off a 23-point game last week against Portland State.
“Harris is shooting a great percentage (42 percent) from three and he's very good at taking you off the dribble, jumping into you, drawing contact and finishing,” Tinkle said. “We have to know where he's at at all times.”
Sunday's game is just the fifth of 16 league games for the Griz, but they can hardly afford back-to-back home losses if they intend to battle for one of the top spots.
“Our No. 1 key is we have to be the more aggressive and more physical team,” Tinkle said. “If we can establish that and maintain it, we'll be OK. We can't let Weber come in and set the tone like they did last year (in a 90-86 overtime win by the Griz). We just have to come out here and play with reckless abandon.”
Griz face Weber in ‘big game'
By BOB MESEROLL Missoulian sports editor
Sunday afternoon's Big Sky Conference basketball game against Weber State might not be the Montana Grizzlies' biggest of the season, but they're going to treat it as such.
When the schedule for Altitude Sports TV's Sunday Game of the Week was drawn up, this game was viewed as a matchup of the preseason co-favorites. At 3-1 in league, Weber State has lived up to the billing; at 1-3, Montana has not.
The game tips off at 2:05 p.m. in Dahlberg Arena, where the first 1,500 fans can receive free general admission tickets.
“It's a big game,” Montana coach Wayne Tinkle said. “I told our guys in practice that everything is still in front of us, but we said we need to treat Sunday's game like it's the last one on the schedule. We just need to play with that kind of urgency and not look down the road.”
The Griz have lost eight of their last 10 games after Thursday night's heartbreaking 56-54 home loss to Idaho State.
“We need to turn it around right now,” Tinkle said. “We're so close, we've been right there so many games. We've got to get out of the funk, we've got to make plays down the stretch ... If we can do that, especially at home, we can put something together, but it starts with Sunday's game and we should be solely focused on that one.”
A slow start - Montana scored nine points in the first 15 minutes - doomed the Griz against Idaho State. It was a complete 180 from road losses at Montana State and Northern Arizona, when the Griz came out strong and faded down the stretch.
“With this group, I think it had more to do with us not having been at home for so long,” Tinkle said. “I would be disappointed being at home, knowing that we lost a tough one the other day, if they didn't come out fired up and fighting.”
Idaho State double-teamed Griz post players Andrew Strait and Jordan Hasquet, which gave the Griz problems, particularly in the first half of Thursday's game. When point guard Ceylon Elgin-Taylor would pass into the post, his defender would leave for the double-team. With Elgin-Taylor shooting 23 percent from 3-point range - 36 percent overall - the Bengals didn't respect his outside shot.
“He's got to be more aggressive there and shoot, he's capable of knocking down shots but he has to play with that confidence,” Tinkle said. “Sometimes when he enters it, he might need to move away to bring somebody else to the ball side ... to turn that into an advantage for us.”
Either that, or penetrate, which Elgin-Taylor did with good results in the second half.
“If he gets it right away, we want him to put it on the floor,” Tinkle said.
Weber State brings its own set of challenges. Point guard Dezmon Harris scored 27 points in the Wildcats' road win at Montana State on Thursday. Forward Arturas Valeika ranks second in the league in rebounding after recording a double-double against the Cats. Center Steve Panos scored a career-high 17 points against Montana State and forward Daviin Davis is coming off a 23-point game last week against Portland State.
“Harris is shooting a great percentage (42 percent) from three and he's very good at taking you off the dribble, jumping into you, drawing contact and finishing,” Tinkle said. “We have to know where he's at at all times.”
Sunday's game is just the fifth of 16 league games for the Griz, but they can hardly afford back-to-back home losses if they intend to battle for one of the top spots.
“Our No. 1 key is we have to be the more aggressive and more physical team,” Tinkle said. “If we can establish that and maintain it, we'll be OK. We can't let Weber come in and set the tone like they did last year (in a 90-86 overtime win by the Griz). We just have to come out here and play with reckless abandon.”
