Box score/play-by-play (htm)
Box score/play-by-play (pdf)
The University of Montana Grizzlies had three players in double figures to post a 64-62 upset victory over the 10th-ranked (College Insider.com Mid Major Poll) University of Northern Colorado Bears in a Big Sky Conference game Thursday night in UNC’s Butler Hancock Sports Pavilion.
Montana (14-7 overall/5-4 Big Sky) trailed by six points in the final four-plus minutes of the contest, but took the lead for good when sophomore forward-center Derek Selvig made of pair of free throws to give the Grizzlies a 63-62 lead with 1:16 remaining in the game. The Grizzlies ended a 12-game home winning streak by the Bears.
Selvig made one-of-two free throws with four seconds left to play to give the Grizzlies a 64-62 advantage, and the Bears (17-5/6-3) had a chance to win the contest, but a three-point shot by senior guard Will Figures missed, UNC failed to get off another shot, and Montana had its second Big Sky road win of the season.
The game was tied seven times and the lead changed hands seven times as well.
The Bears took a 61-59 lead with 2:25 remaining on a three-point shot by junior guard Devon Beitzel. But a little more than a minute later Selvig was fouled, made both free throws, and that gave the Grizzlies the lead for good.
The Grizzlies’ Anthony Johnson scored a game-high 19 points, while fellow senior guard Ryan Staudacher chipped in 17, and Selvig added 13 points and registered his second double-double of the season with a game-high 10 rebounds. Staudacher, who did not score last Saturday at Montana State, made 5-of-7 three-point shots and scored 12 of his 17 points in the second half.
Beitzel led the Bears with 15 points, while Figures added 12.
Montana made 21-of-45 (46.7%) field goal attempts, including 10-of-17 (58.8%) three-pointers, and was 12-of-16 (75.0%) from the free throw line. The Griz were 10-of-17 (58.8%) from the floor and made 5-of-7 (71.4%) three-pointers in the second half.
UNC made 17-of-52 (32.7%) field goal shots – its lowest shooting percentage of the season, was 7-of-20 (35.0%) from three-point range, and made 21-of-30 (70.0%) attempts from the charity stripe.
The Grizzlies had a 37-29 edge in rebounds, but had 19 turnovers compared to the Bears’ eight. Montana led 31-23 at halftime.
The Grizzlies are at Northern Arizona (11-9/5-4) Saturday, Jan. 30th in a game that tips off at 6:35 p.m. NAU defeated Montana State (11-9/6-3) 71-58 Thursday evening for its fourth league win in a row.