Post by griz on Dec 23, 2011 15:36:57 GMT -5
www.montanagrizzlies.com/news/?n=2011/96/10363&m=36
2nd-half run propels Griz over Utah Valley
Montana's game against Utah Valley appeared to be slipping away from the Grizzlies late in the first half and early in the second.
A 15-4 run to close the opening 20 minutes and a 7-1 burst right after intermission gave the Wolverines a 35-29 lead.
Then the Grizzlies' sharpshooters took over. A bucket inside by Mathias Ward was followed by a barrage of 3-pointers by Derek Selvig and Kareem Jamar. A 17-2 run minutes later opened up a double-digit lead and the Griz cruised to a 65-52 nonconference men's basketball win Thursday night in front of 2,591 fans at Dahlberg Arena.
Ward and Jamar led the Griz (7-5) with 15 points apiece, but Selvig triggered the win in the team's final Big Sky Conference tuneup with 13 points, seven rebounds, six assists and four blocked shots. The 7-foot senior was 4 of 5 from 3-point range.
"I'm feeling better, health-wise," said Selvig, who missed the first three games of the season with an ankle injury. "Coaches are emphasizing more shots (in practice). All of us are getting up more shots. I think that's improved everybody's shooting."
In Selvig's first six games after returning from the injury, he averaged a little more than six points and shot 25 percent from the field. In his last three games, he's averaging 12.0 points and 9.0 rebounds while shooting 8 for 13 from 3-point range.
"He was playing great in the summer, and at the beginning of the season in practice he was leading us," said Jamar, who was 2 for 4 from deep. "That foot injury set him back and now he's getting comfortable and getting stronger. When he's playing like that, we're a tough team and we can beat anybody."
His coach can see a difference in the whole team when Selvig's on his game.
"There's a sense of calmness that comes over them," said Montana coach Wayne Tinkle, who passed his old coach Stew Morrill and took over the fourth spot on UM's career coaching wins list with 98. "We knew he got it going a little bit down the stretch against Nevada. It's his presence; he's our most mature, most experienced player. He protects the basket for us. When he's playing well and making shots, just like when Will (Cherry) is, our guys feel like they're indestructible."
Speaking of Cherry, the Grizzlies' big run came with their junior point guard on the bench. Cherry banged his knee diving for a ball and played just seven minutes after the break, but insisted he was fine after the game.
"He's not ailing at all, it was just one of those deals," Tinkle said. "The nice thing is we talk about our strength is in our numbers. If one or two guys are maybe just down a little bit, we have others who can step in and have their backs."
Shawn Stockton stepped in and scored seven points, including a trey that stretched the lead from 10 to 53-40 with 7:16 to play, and Jordan Wood played 10 solid minutes, all in the second half.
Cherry's defense on Utah Valley's Isiah Williams in the first half, though, kept the Wolverines from getting much going. Williams came into the game averaging 15.0 ppg, but scored just eight on 3-for-8 shooting.
"That's one thing Will did and maybe that's why Will got a little run down," Tinkle said. "Early on in the game Will didn't let him get a sniff. ... Will did a great job and the guys who took the baton - Jordan and Shawn - took us to the finish line with our defense."
Montana's lead reached its peak at 57-41 on a free throw by Ward, who was 6 for 8 from the field and added five rebounds.
The Griz shot just 32 percent from the field in the first half and 60 percent in the second against the Wolverines' zone.
"We really didn't want to settle for threes, but they were packing in the zone and we weren't getting stops where we could push the ball," Selvig said. "We had to rely on some shooting. Ultimately our goal is to get to the rim, either with post-ups or driving it. Tonight we had to settle for something else."
Montana will take its modest two-game winning streak into the beginning of league play when Portland State visits Dahlberg Arena on Wednesday.
"It feels great. I don't know the last time was we won two in a row," Jamar said. "It's good to get a little streak going when we're going into league. I'm excited for league because this is where it starts."
NOTES: The Griz won three straight from Nov. 14-20, but hadn't won back-to-back games until their current streak. ... Morrill was 97-52 from 1986-91. Tinkle is now 98-69. ... Center Ben Aird led the Wolverines with 12 points, six of which came in the final 1:19. ... The Griz won the rebounding battle 33-27. ... Montana had 12 turnovers while forcing 16.
2nd-half run propels Griz over Utah Valley
Montana's game against Utah Valley appeared to be slipping away from the Grizzlies late in the first half and early in the second.
A 15-4 run to close the opening 20 minutes and a 7-1 burst right after intermission gave the Wolverines a 35-29 lead.
Then the Grizzlies' sharpshooters took over. A bucket inside by Mathias Ward was followed by a barrage of 3-pointers by Derek Selvig and Kareem Jamar. A 17-2 run minutes later opened up a double-digit lead and the Griz cruised to a 65-52 nonconference men's basketball win Thursday night in front of 2,591 fans at Dahlberg Arena.
Ward and Jamar led the Griz (7-5) with 15 points apiece, but Selvig triggered the win in the team's final Big Sky Conference tuneup with 13 points, seven rebounds, six assists and four blocked shots. The 7-foot senior was 4 of 5 from 3-point range.
"I'm feeling better, health-wise," said Selvig, who missed the first three games of the season with an ankle injury. "Coaches are emphasizing more shots (in practice). All of us are getting up more shots. I think that's improved everybody's shooting."
In Selvig's first six games after returning from the injury, he averaged a little more than six points and shot 25 percent from the field. In his last three games, he's averaging 12.0 points and 9.0 rebounds while shooting 8 for 13 from 3-point range.
"He was playing great in the summer, and at the beginning of the season in practice he was leading us," said Jamar, who was 2 for 4 from deep. "That foot injury set him back and now he's getting comfortable and getting stronger. When he's playing like that, we're a tough team and we can beat anybody."
His coach can see a difference in the whole team when Selvig's on his game.
"There's a sense of calmness that comes over them," said Montana coach Wayne Tinkle, who passed his old coach Stew Morrill and took over the fourth spot on UM's career coaching wins list with 98. "We knew he got it going a little bit down the stretch against Nevada. It's his presence; he's our most mature, most experienced player. He protects the basket for us. When he's playing well and making shots, just like when Will (Cherry) is, our guys feel like they're indestructible."
Speaking of Cherry, the Grizzlies' big run came with their junior point guard on the bench. Cherry banged his knee diving for a ball and played just seven minutes after the break, but insisted he was fine after the game.
"He's not ailing at all, it was just one of those deals," Tinkle said. "The nice thing is we talk about our strength is in our numbers. If one or two guys are maybe just down a little bit, we have others who can step in and have their backs."
Shawn Stockton stepped in and scored seven points, including a trey that stretched the lead from 10 to 53-40 with 7:16 to play, and Jordan Wood played 10 solid minutes, all in the second half.
Cherry's defense on Utah Valley's Isiah Williams in the first half, though, kept the Wolverines from getting much going. Williams came into the game averaging 15.0 ppg, but scored just eight on 3-for-8 shooting.
"That's one thing Will did and maybe that's why Will got a little run down," Tinkle said. "Early on in the game Will didn't let him get a sniff. ... Will did a great job and the guys who took the baton - Jordan and Shawn - took us to the finish line with our defense."
Montana's lead reached its peak at 57-41 on a free throw by Ward, who was 6 for 8 from the field and added five rebounds.
The Griz shot just 32 percent from the field in the first half and 60 percent in the second against the Wolverines' zone.
"We really didn't want to settle for threes, but they were packing in the zone and we weren't getting stops where we could push the ball," Selvig said. "We had to rely on some shooting. Ultimately our goal is to get to the rim, either with post-ups or driving it. Tonight we had to settle for something else."
Montana will take its modest two-game winning streak into the beginning of league play when Portland State visits Dahlberg Arena on Wednesday.
"It feels great. I don't know the last time was we won two in a row," Jamar said. "It's good to get a little streak going when we're going into league. I'm excited for league because this is where it starts."
NOTES: The Griz won three straight from Nov. 14-20, but hadn't won back-to-back games until their current streak. ... Morrill was 97-52 from 1986-91. Tinkle is now 98-69. ... Center Ben Aird led the Wolverines with 12 points, six of which came in the final 1:19. ... The Griz won the rebounding battle 33-27. ... Montana had 12 turnovers while forcing 16.