Wyoming All-Stars take advantage of cold-shooting Montana team
By ED WEST
Of The Gazette Staff
The bricks were flying at the Fortin Center Saturday.
The 64th meeting between the Montana and Wyoming All-Stars produced 104 missed shots. And that doesn't even count free throws.
Wyoming, however, managed to make more shots, particularly when it mattered and matched its second largest win in the series with an 80-63 decision.
It was second straight year there has been a split in the series. Montana won 100-93 in Sheridan Friday night. That game went down to the final seconds, but there wasn't much doubt about the outcome of this one as Montana managed its lowest total in the 32-year history of the series.
Wyoming ran up a 19-point lead by halftime and led by as much as 29 in the third quarter.
"We made some adjustments," said forward Kirk Blaine. "We rebounded better and we played better defense than we did the night before. That eight-point start set the pace."
Actually, it was a 7-0 start and it was an ominous sign for Montana. It took the Treasure State over five minutes to get a field goal and things didn't get much better after that. Montana made just 7 of 36 shots in the first half and was 0-for-12 on 3-pointers.
Wyoming wasn't exactly on fire, but turned out to be twice as good in the first half by making 14 of 40 shots and going 7-for-23 beyond the arc. That was enough to built a 42-23 lead.
Brian Ridgeway bombed in three 3-pointers while Blaine added two and Craig Wilk and Cain Atkinson had one each.
"We all can shoot the three," said Blaine, an MSU-Billings recruit who finished with 13 points and eight rebounds. Arthur Steward scored 15 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. Ridgeway collected 11 points and 10 boards and Cain had 13 points.
Wyoming's 6-foot-8 forward James Johnson, who's being recruited by Wake Forest, scored just two baskets, but one was a big-time, high-flying slam coming down the lane in the third quarter.
As it turned out, Wyoming didn't need much offense from Johnson partly due to Montana's inability to get anything going.
"Our shots weren't falling," said forward Shane Robison. "We didn't pass as well as we did (Friday)."
But Robison thought the experience was the most important thing, noting, "I was fun to play with these guys."
Bobby Howard scored a game-high 22 points. His Great Falls High teammate Shaun Tatarka added 14 and Derek Selvig had 10.
Montana connected on just 22 of 74 shots and made only 15 of 30 free throws. Wyoming went 26 of 78 from the floor and canned 20 of 30 at the line.
Wyoming held a commanding 56-44 rebounding advantage.
After leading 17-12 entering the second quarter, Wyoming took control by putting together an 8-2 run in the first 2:12 for a 25-14 lead. Back-to-back bombs by Ridgeway pushed the lead to 31-17. Another 3-pointer, this one by Wilk, hiked the margin to 17 and two free throws by Kaleb Rehmer made it a 19-point cushion at halftime.
Wyoming turned it into a runaway with a 10-0 burst, highlighted by Johnson's dunk, that produced a 56-27 lead.
NOTES: Howard received the Mr. Basketball Award from the Northern Sports Network. ... Montana's 63 points is the fewest its ever scored in the series. The previous low was 73 in 1990. ... The 17-point margin by Wyoming was surpassed only by the Cowboy State's 21-point victory in 2000 in Billings. It equaled a 91-74 Wyoming win in 1991. ... Montana still leads the series 40-24.
Wyoming 80, Montana 63
Wyoming 17 25 22 16 - 80
Montana 12 11 17 23 - 63
Wyoming - Cain Atkinson 1-11 4-4 13, Brian Ridgeway 3-6 2-4 11, James Johnson 2-12 3-7 7, Kaleb Rehmer 0-3 2-2 2, Kirk Blaine 4-9 3-4 13, Craig Wilk 2-4 3-4 8, Kellen Fullenwider 2-6 1-2 6, Arthur Stewart 7-20 1-1 15, Adam Blaine 2-7 1-2 5. Totals: 26-78 20-30 80. 3-pointers: 8-38 (Ridgeway 3-5, Blaine 2-6, Wilk 1-2, Fullenwider 1-4, Atkinson 1-6, A. Blaine 0-2, Stewart 0-5, Johnson 0-8). Fouls: 24. Rebounds: 56 (Ridgeway 10, Stewart 10). Assists: 15 (Johnson 5). Steals: 12 (Rehmer 3, Stewart 3). Blocks: 10 (Blaine 3). Turnovers: 24.
Montana - Dan Hancock 1-5 1-4 3, Preston Gray 1-5 3-4 5, Derek Selvig 3-10 4-6 10, Shane Robison 0-2 0-2 0, Philip Barndt 0-7 0-0 0, Dana Ori 3-6 0-0 6, Shaun Tatarka 6-13 0-0 14, Chase Godecke 0-4 1-2 1, Jeff Edwards 1-3 0-0 2, Bobby Howard 7-19 6-12 22. Totals: 22-74 15-30 63. 3-pointers: 4-26 (Tatarka 2-6, Howard 2-11, Gray 0-1, Ori 0-1, Godecke 0-1, Hancock 0-2, Selvig 0-4). Fouls: 26. Fouled out: Selvig. Rebounds: 44 (Hancock 7, Edwards 7). Assists: 7 (Ori 3). Steals: 14 (Tatarka 6). Blocks: 8 (Selvig 2, Edwards 2). Turnovers: 23.
By ED WEST
Of The Gazette Staff
The bricks were flying at the Fortin Center Saturday.
The 64th meeting between the Montana and Wyoming All-Stars produced 104 missed shots. And that doesn't even count free throws.
Wyoming, however, managed to make more shots, particularly when it mattered and matched its second largest win in the series with an 80-63 decision.
It was second straight year there has been a split in the series. Montana won 100-93 in Sheridan Friday night. That game went down to the final seconds, but there wasn't much doubt about the outcome of this one as Montana managed its lowest total in the 32-year history of the series.
Wyoming ran up a 19-point lead by halftime and led by as much as 29 in the third quarter.
"We made some adjustments," said forward Kirk Blaine. "We rebounded better and we played better defense than we did the night before. That eight-point start set the pace."
Actually, it was a 7-0 start and it was an ominous sign for Montana. It took the Treasure State over five minutes to get a field goal and things didn't get much better after that. Montana made just 7 of 36 shots in the first half and was 0-for-12 on 3-pointers.
Wyoming wasn't exactly on fire, but turned out to be twice as good in the first half by making 14 of 40 shots and going 7-for-23 beyond the arc. That was enough to built a 42-23 lead.
Brian Ridgeway bombed in three 3-pointers while Blaine added two and Craig Wilk and Cain Atkinson had one each.
"We all can shoot the three," said Blaine, an MSU-Billings recruit who finished with 13 points and eight rebounds. Arthur Steward scored 15 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. Ridgeway collected 11 points and 10 boards and Cain had 13 points.
Wyoming's 6-foot-8 forward James Johnson, who's being recruited by Wake Forest, scored just two baskets, but one was a big-time, high-flying slam coming down the lane in the third quarter.
As it turned out, Wyoming didn't need much offense from Johnson partly due to Montana's inability to get anything going.
"Our shots weren't falling," said forward Shane Robison. "We didn't pass as well as we did (Friday)."
But Robison thought the experience was the most important thing, noting, "I was fun to play with these guys."
Bobby Howard scored a game-high 22 points. His Great Falls High teammate Shaun Tatarka added 14 and Derek Selvig had 10.
Montana connected on just 22 of 74 shots and made only 15 of 30 free throws. Wyoming went 26 of 78 from the floor and canned 20 of 30 at the line.
Wyoming held a commanding 56-44 rebounding advantage.
After leading 17-12 entering the second quarter, Wyoming took control by putting together an 8-2 run in the first 2:12 for a 25-14 lead. Back-to-back bombs by Ridgeway pushed the lead to 31-17. Another 3-pointer, this one by Wilk, hiked the margin to 17 and two free throws by Kaleb Rehmer made it a 19-point cushion at halftime.
Wyoming turned it into a runaway with a 10-0 burst, highlighted by Johnson's dunk, that produced a 56-27 lead.
NOTES: Howard received the Mr. Basketball Award from the Northern Sports Network. ... Montana's 63 points is the fewest its ever scored in the series. The previous low was 73 in 1990. ... The 17-point margin by Wyoming was surpassed only by the Cowboy State's 21-point victory in 2000 in Billings. It equaled a 91-74 Wyoming win in 1991. ... Montana still leads the series 40-24.
Wyoming 80, Montana 63
Wyoming 17 25 22 16 - 80
Montana 12 11 17 23 - 63
Wyoming - Cain Atkinson 1-11 4-4 13, Brian Ridgeway 3-6 2-4 11, James Johnson 2-12 3-7 7, Kaleb Rehmer 0-3 2-2 2, Kirk Blaine 4-9 3-4 13, Craig Wilk 2-4 3-4 8, Kellen Fullenwider 2-6 1-2 6, Arthur Stewart 7-20 1-1 15, Adam Blaine 2-7 1-2 5. Totals: 26-78 20-30 80. 3-pointers: 8-38 (Ridgeway 3-5, Blaine 2-6, Wilk 1-2, Fullenwider 1-4, Atkinson 1-6, A. Blaine 0-2, Stewart 0-5, Johnson 0-8). Fouls: 24. Rebounds: 56 (Ridgeway 10, Stewart 10). Assists: 15 (Johnson 5). Steals: 12 (Rehmer 3, Stewart 3). Blocks: 10 (Blaine 3). Turnovers: 24.
Montana - Dan Hancock 1-5 1-4 3, Preston Gray 1-5 3-4 5, Derek Selvig 3-10 4-6 10, Shane Robison 0-2 0-2 0, Philip Barndt 0-7 0-0 0, Dana Ori 3-6 0-0 6, Shaun Tatarka 6-13 0-0 14, Chase Godecke 0-4 1-2 1, Jeff Edwards 1-3 0-0 2, Bobby Howard 7-19 6-12 22. Totals: 22-74 15-30 63. 3-pointers: 4-26 (Tatarka 2-6, Howard 2-11, Gray 0-1, Ori 0-1, Godecke 0-1, Hancock 0-2, Selvig 0-4). Fouls: 26. Fouled out: Selvig. Rebounds: 44 (Hancock 7, Edwards 7). Assists: 7 (Ori 3). Steals: 14 (Tatarka 6). Blocks: 8 (Selvig 2, Edwards 2). Turnovers: 23.
