Lady Griz head to The Pit to face Vandy

For the first time since 2005, the Lady Griz are going dancing. And this time, with their first round partner the same as in their last do-se-do, they hope they can swing a different result. 

Ironically, in their return trip to the NCAA Tournament on Saturday night in Albuquerque, N.M., the Lady Griz will face off against Vanderbilt (23-8), the same South Eastern Conference (SEC) power who drilled them three years ago in first-round action in Seattle.

Montana will begin its journey to rewrite history as the team departs Missoula at 7 a.m. Thursday morning and is expected to practice around 6 Friday evening in Albuquerque. Saturday’s game will tip off at 9 p.m. MST and will be aired on ESPN2. It will be Robin Selvig’s first trip to The Pit in Albuquerque, which is one of the most historic arenas in college basketball.

“We’re really excited. It’s a huge step,” said junior guard Sonya Rogers after Wednesday morning’s practice. She also said her team is excited to experience this weekend’s atmosphere at one of the game’s most storied venues. “It’s a really significant place to play,” Rogers said. 

Rogers and company will lead the Lady Griz into their 17th NCAA appearance in program history, but for most on the team, this will be their first trip to the dance. Only seniors Laura Cote, Dana Conway and Johanna Closson were part of the program in 2005. But Selvig believes his team is thoroughly battle tested. 

“We don’t have a lot of NCAA Tournament experience, but I feel we are experienced,” said Selvig. “The nucleus of our team has played in all kinds of big games.”

This marks the 21st trip to the NCAA Tournament for the Commodores, who ended their regular season last Saturday to Tennessee in the SEC Tournament Semifinals. It was the third double-digit loss suffered to the Volunteers on the year, but in no way does that nullify the body of work Vanderbilt has accumulated over the course of the season. Melanie Balcomb’s squad earned a school record 11 conference wins this season, including non-conference victories over Duke - a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament - and Iowa State, a seven seed in the Greensboro region. They enter Saturday night ranked 21st in the Associated Press polls. 

“They’re obviously a great team, a top 16 team in the country,” said Selvig, referring to Vanderbilt being one of the four No. 4 seeds. “They’ll be the most talented team we’ll have faced.”

Unlike 2005, when Vanderbilt boasted the SEC’s leading scorer in Ashley Early, the Commodores are much more balanced offensively. Junior guard Christina Wirth averages 12.9 points per contest, and 6-foot-4 Liz Sherwood, who averages 11 points per game, is one of the conference’s best posts. But no other player averages in double figures for a squad that earns 71 points per game, all the while holding opponents to 56.

Although both teams bring offensive balance to the table, their regular season shooting may be a prelude to a shootout. Rogers leads the country in three-point percentage at 48.6 percent, and Montana ranks fifth overall, shooting 39.6 percent from downtown. Both marks are program bests. Vandy ranks eighth, shooting 38.7 percent.

Guard play, as usual in March, will also be an important element in Saturday night’s contest. A decisive element could be Montana’s ability to handle the pressure the Commodores bring with their vaunted full-court trap scheme.

“Our guard play is going to be important,” Selvig said, “though I don’t think you get to this point in the season without your guards playing really well. Our guards have played well all year long.”

The Spokane region is one of the deepest in this year’s bracket, and includes Maryland, Stanford and Baylor. Before Montana and Vanderbilt square off, fifth-seeded West Virginia will face No. 12 seed and host New Mexico at 7 p.m. MST.

Selvig said he is using his experience of coaching in the NCAA Tournament to keep his players grounded.

“We’re going to enjoy the moment,” he said. “We’re going to approach the game like we always do. We want to win it.”

“I’m extremely excited, it’s just great to be a part of. I don’t think any of us have ever been to New Mexico,” said Closson, who believes her team can turn a better result than the last time they played in the NCAA Tournament. “We’re going to bring our best.”