No. 4 Montana vs. No. 1 Weber State
2010 America First Credit Union
Big Sky Conference Men’s Basketball Championship
Wednesday, March 10, 7:05 p.m. MST
Dee Events Center (12,000), Ogden, Utah
TV: ESPN 2. Talent: Dave Fleming (Play-by-Play) and Bob Valvano (Color Commentary)
Coaches: Montana’s Wayne Tinkle is 69-52 in his fourth season at his alma mater. Tinkle is 3-3 in Big Sky Tournament Games. This is his first championship game…Weber State’s Randy Rahe is 77-45 in his fourth season. Rahe is 4-2 in Big Sky tournament games, and 1-0 in the championship. He guided Weber State to a 88-80 win over Northern Arizona in the 2007 Championship at the Dee Events Center…Rahe is 6-2 vs. Tinkle.
What’s next: The winner receives the Big Sky’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championship. If Weber State loses, the Wildcats will receive an automatic bid to the NIT Tournament because of its regular-season championship. The NCAA field will be announced on Sunday at 4 p.m. Mountain on CBS. The NIT field will be announced at 6 p.m. Mountain on ESPNU.
Today’s RPI: Weber State’s RPI on Wednesday was 78. Montana enters with an RPI of 104.
Season Series: The teams split the regular-season series, each winning at home. WSU beat UM 64-56 on Jan. 2 in Ogden. Damian Lillard scored 30 points with seven rebounds and five assists. WSU shot 38.5 percent from the field. The difference in the game was from 3-point range. WSU made 7-of-19, while UM was just 1-13 from long distance. Will Cherry led UM with 17 points. Anthony Johnson was held to just 11. UM shot 35.7 percent from the floor…Montana won 75-61 in Missoula on Feb. 5. Johnson scored 18 with five assists. Ryan Staudacher hit five 3-pointers and finished with 16 points. Cherry had 14 points. Lillard led Weber State with 24 points. Franklin Session had 12 points, 10 rebounds four assists, three blocks in a steal. UM shot 51.5 percent from the floor, while WSU shot 37.5 percent. UM outrebounded the Wildcats 38-29. Montana made 21-of-28 free throws, while WSU was just 6-of-10 from the free-throw line.
Previous Championship Meetings: This will be the fifth time the teams have played for the Big Sky Conference Championship. The Wildcats lead the series in the championship game 3-1. Weber State beat Montana 62-55 in 1978 at Dahlberg Arena in Missoula. The Wildcats beat Montana 50-42 in 1980 at the Dee Events Center. Weber State beat Montana 84-62 in 1995 at the Dee Events Center. In 2005, Montana beat Weber State 63-61 at Memorial Coliseum in Portland. WSU has won both previous meetings at the Dee Events Center. This will be the ninth time the schools have met in the tournament. Weber State holds a 5-3 edge, but UM has won two straight (1997 semifinal, 2005) championship and three of the last four.
WSU IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: The Wildcats will be making their 12th Championship Game appearance. Weber State has won a record eight Big Sky Championship games, most recently in 2007. Weber State also won championships in 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1995, 1999 and 2003. WSU finished second in 1976, 1977 and 2005.
UM IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP: Montana is making its 13th Championship Game Appearance. The Grizzlies are 6-6 in the title game. UM has won titles in 1991, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2005 and 2006. UM finished second in 1978, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1986, 1995. Montana has won its last four championship game appearance: 1997, 2002, 2005 and 2006.
Notes: Weber State and Montana are both original members of the Big Sky, which started play in 1963-64…WSU center Steve Panos is the only player on either roster with previous Big Sky Championship game experience. Panos scored two points in the 2007 championship game against Weber State…WSU is second in the Big Sky in scoring offense at 77.0 points per game. UM is first in scoring defense at 61.1 points per game…UM is tops in field-goal percentage (.486), field-goal percentage defense (.419) and 3-point FG percentage (.402)…WSU leads in rebounding margin (+3.2) and 3-pointers per game (8.2)…WSU’s Damian Lillard leads the Big Sky at 19.8 points per game. UM’s Anthony Johnson is third at 18.9. UM’s Anthony Johnson and Ryan Staudacher are 1-2 in 3-point FG percentage…Lillard leads in 3-pointers made per game (2.7)…The last two times Montana was swept by rival Montana State in the regular season (2001-02, 2004-05), the Grizzlies won the Big Sky Championship. Montana State swept Montana during the regular season…WSU is 6-0 in championship games at the Dee Events Center. WSU is 365-97 all-time at the Dee…The Wildcats have won 14 straight road games…Montana has won seven of its last nine…Weber State has won 11 of its last 13.