Anthony Johnson (left, shooting) was named Big Sky Player of the Week last week, averaging 23.5 points in Montana’s two wins over Northern Arizona and Northern Colorado. The Grizzlies are home this weekend, hosting Weber State Friday and Idaho State Saturday. (Greg Lindstrom/Montana Kaimin)

Montana to face Weber State

by Matt McLeod | February 5, 2010 | Montana Kaimin

You don’t have to look too hard to spot this one on the calendar. It’s the game with a big, red circle drawn around it.

Two conference heavyweights go toe-to-toe at the Adams Center tonight as Montana meets Weber State in the biggest game of the season so far for the Griz.

Sitting three games back in the Big Sky title race with seven conference games left on its schedule, Montana (15–7, 6–4) is hoping to make up ground on first place Weber (14–7, 8–1). The Wildcats sit in a comfortable position two games ahead of the pack and with wins over the three other teams still in the hunt: Northern Colorado, Montana and Montana State. They still have their work cut out for them starting this weekend with back-to-back road contests against the Griz and Bobcats, the two teams tied for third.

A win would keep the Griz’s slim hopes for a regular season conference crown alive; a loss would all but snuff out those hopes and move the Wildcats one step closer to hosting the Big Sky tournament. 

The scenario is one many saw coming. Montana finished second to Weber in both the preseason coaches’ and media polls.

So far, the Wildcats have been par for the course and the Griz are showing signs of following suit.

Montana has been hot as of late, winning six of its last seven league games, including a pair of impressive victories at second-place Northern Colorado and fourth-place Northern Arizona last weekend.

Weber is also burning up. Coach Randy Rahe’s team opened the season with four losses in its first five games, but has gone 13–3 since, railing off five straight conference victories.

Griz players know their road to the NCAA tournament could likely include a rematch with Weber. If that’s the case, a head-to-head win would do wonders for Montana’s psyche.

“Obviously, we want to win every game, but I don’t think it’s any secret that this one would make a huge difference in our confidence if we run into them again,” Montana center Brian Qvale said.

But for now, their focus is directly in front of them.

Griz senior forward Jack McGillis said in order to finish on top in March, his team needs to follow the oldest sports adage in the book: taking it one game at a time.

“The postseason is unpredictable. We never know for sure what’s going to happen or who we’re going to see,” McGillis said. “All we know is we’re playing Weber Friday and we’re going to do everything we can to beat them.”

The first order of business will be keeping tabs on explosive guard Damian Lillard.

Weber’s offense revolves around the standout sophomore, whose average of 19.8 points per game leads the league. When he gets going, the going gets tough for opposing defenses. Just ask Eastern Washington; Lillard dropped 36 points on the Eagles last week.

But he isn’t the only loaded weapon in the Weber arsenal. Balance plays a big part of the Wildcats’ formula for success, and Lillard has a handful of skilled sidekicks.

Among them are senior center Steve Panos, who’s been doing serious work in the paint lately, scoring in double figures his last four games, and dangerous junior guard Franklin Session. Session went off for 24 points against Portland State and 22 points against Idaho State.

The Wildcats always come to play offensively, but they’re even better on the other end.

Weber’s aggressive, in-your-face defense is a hallmark that has left its mark on the Griz, emotionally and physically.

“They’re not afraid to knock you to the ground,” Qvale said. “They come out and overpower whoever they’re playing against. They try to always be the aggressors.”

Sounds familiar.

Being aggressive is a mantra Griz coach Wayne Tinkle has hammered into his players’ heads in the two weeks since their tentative Jan. 23 loss at Montana State.

He is convinced the hungrier of the two clubs will walk away with the win. His job is just to whet his team’s appetite.

“We’re trying to get these guys to flip the switch and go after it,” Tinkle said. “Win or lose, we’re happy when we bring the effort on both ends. And we believe if we do that, the results will take care of themselves.”

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