Feb. 21, 2012

Griz-NAU2 Notes

THE GAME: The 18th-ranked (Mid-Major Top 25) University of Montana Grizzlies (12-1/20-6) return to Big Sky Conference action this week, hosting the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks (1-13/5-22) on Thursday, Feb. 23. Tip-off in Dahlberg Arena is at 7:05 p.m. The Grizzlies play three league home games in the next six days.

RADIO: UM's flagship station is KGVO Radio (1290 AM). Mick Holien, "The Voice of the Grizzlies," calls the play-by-play for his 19th season in a row, while Greg Sundberg provides color commentary.

Live stats & Streaming: www.gogriz.com.

TV: The Griz-Jacks game will be aired on the regular Altitude channels in Montana and Utah. In other states, the game will be on Altitude 2 (DirecTV 682, and Dish Network 447). Rich Winter and Jay McMillin will serve as the commentators.

GAME TICKETS: Tickets for the game are available at the Adams Center Box office, from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, and beginning at 8:30 a.m., and running through halftime of the game on Thursday.

RESIDENT'S HALL NIGHT: There will be several members of UM's dorms competing for prizes at the Montana-NAU game. The dorm with the highest percentage of residents at the game wins a pizza party, while the group voted the loudest from a residence hall earns a traveling trophy.

DODGE-BALL: There will be teams in dodge-ball competition at halftime Thursday, with two squads advancing to the championship game which will be played at halftime of the Weber State game, next Tuesday, Feb. 28.

GRIZ: FIRST OR SECOND: The Griz will finish in first or second in the Big Sky in the regular-season. Weber State is currently in first place with a 13-1 league record.

NEXT?: The Griz host the Montana State Bobcats (6-8/11-15) on "Senior Night," Saturday, Feb. 25. It will be the 285th Griz-Cat meeting on the hardwood. Next Tuesday (Feb. 28), Montana hosts the 15th-ranked (Mid-Major Top 25) Weber State Wildcats, who are 13-1 in the Big Sky and 22-4 overall.

A LOOK AT THE GRIZZLIES' LAST GAME (1-0): At Montana 94, Hawaii 79: Guard-forward Kareem Jamar registered a rare triple-double to lead the Griz over the Warriors in a Sears BracketBusters game. It was Montana's ninth consecutive win and its 15th in its last 16 contests. The largest crowd to watch a game so far this season in UM's Dahlberg Arena - 5,009 -- saw Jamar score 21 points, pull down 11 rebounds, and dish out a career-high 11 assists. Junior guard Will Cherry scored a game-high 24 points, making 10-of-13 of his shots from the field and 3-of-5 three-pointers. UM junior forward Mathias Ward added 18 points.

POW: For his outstanding triple-double effort, Jamar, a sophomore from Venice, Calif., was named the Big Sky's "Player of the Week" for the first time in his career.

ANOTHER 20-WIN SEASON!: The Grizzlies' win last Saturday was their 20th -- giving them three consecutive 20-win seasons. Montana was 21-11 last year and 22-10 in 2009-10.

GRIZ RANKED 18TH IN MID-MAJOR POLL: Montana is now ranked 18th in the nation in the recent (Feb. 20) Mid-Major Top 25 poll, receiving 191 points. The leader is 26-1 Murray State with 763 points, while the 22-4 Wildcats are 15th with 371 points. (Poll on add 6).

CHERRY NOW 17TH IN CAREER SCORING AT UM: Cherry now has 1,106 career points, moving him up to 17th all time at Montana.

CHERRY 6TH (TIE) IN THE NATION IN STEALS/RANKED 8TH IN SKY: Cherry is tied for sixth in the nation in steals per game (2.62 pg). He has 68 steals in 26 games so far this season. Cherry now has 208 career steals, which ties him for the seventh most in Big Sky history. (See add 3: "Cherry in the record books").

COACH TINKLE IN SELECT UM COACHING COMPANY: Sixth-year Griz head coach Wayne Tinkle became one of just three coaches in school history to win 20 or more games in three straight seasons. Mike Montgomery won 20 or more four seasons in a row from 1983-86, while Blaine Taylor's squads won three straight from 1995-97. Coach Tinkle's 111 career wins rank him fourth in school history. (Montana's 20-win coaches listed on add 6).

MONTANA GRIZZLIES (12-1/20-6) PPG- RPG- MISC.

F-1-Art Steward, 6-4, 210, Sr., 1V- 9.3- 4.5- 62.5 FG% in league

F-24-Derek Selvig, 7-0, 230, Sr., 3V- 8.6- 6.2-Sky: 7th 43.1 3PT% & Rebs.

F-40-Mathias Ward, 6-7, 236, Jr., 2V- 10.3- 3.8- 2nd in Sky: 55.5 FG%

G-5-Will Cherry, 6-1, 177, Jr., 2V- 16.2-4.0/ Sky: 3rd ppg/1st 2.6 stl pg

G-32-Kareem Jamar, 6-5, 210, So., 1V- 13.3- 5.4-Sky:9th in ppg/11th rpg

6-22-Shawn Stockton, G, 6-0, 203, Sr., 3V- 3.7- 1.3- 7/3/3 in Hawaii win

Head Coach: Wayne Tinkle: 111-70, 6th season at Montana.

NAU LUMBERJACKS (1-13/5-22)- PPG- RPG- MISC.

F-20-Gaellan Bewernick, 6-6, 215, Fr., RS- 5.7- 5.1- 59.0 FG%/14 starts

F-34-Durrell Norman, 6-4, 190, Sr., 1V- 9.9- 6.0- 10th in Sky rebs. pg

G-1-James Douglas, 6-0, 175, Fr., HS- 12.6- 2.7- T-10th Sky in ppg

G-2-Michael Dunn, 6-0, 180, Jr., 1V- 7.0- 3.1- 75.8 FT%

G-21-Stallon Saldivar, G, 6-0, 185, Jr., 2V-6.6- 3.4-T-2 in Sky at 5.1 apg

6-11-Gabe Rogers, G, 6-2, 175, Jr., 2V- 9.8- 1.4- 78.4 FT%

Interim Head Coach: Dave Brown: 5-22, 1st year at NAU.

SERIES: Montana leads 58-30 and has won five of the last six.

Earlier this year: Montana 78, at N. Arizona 53.