Previewing the 112th Brawl of the Wild

It's almost that time.  The 112th Brawl of the Wid between the Montana Grizzlies and Montana State Bobcats is just around the corner.  Tomorrow, Montana's equal to the Super Bowl will be played in Missoula, and both teams will be playing with totally different mindsets.

Last year, the Bobcats entered their big battle with the Grizzlies with the #1 ranking in the nation and home field advantage.  The ingredients were there for the Bobcats to enter the FCS playoffs as the top seed.  Instead, the Grizzlies spoiled the party, as Montana (literally) ran away with the game and cruised to a share of the Big Sky title with the Bobcats.

But things will be different this year.  The Bobcats have all but wrapped up a spot in this season's FCS playoffs, as they enter tomorrow's contest ranked 2nd in the nation behind defending national champion North Dakota State.  Montana, on the other hand, has struggled for much of the season (mostly with late game leads), and their defensive bugaboos have all but knocked them out of the playoff picture.

The Bobcats to watch on Saturday: The Bobcats have played to their expectations this season.  The great play of fleet-footed quarterback Denarius McGee and the running back tandem of Cody Kirk and Orenzo Davis have made Montana State's running game one of the best in all of FCS football this season.  Also, wide recever Tanner Bleskin has had a great season as well, as he leads the Bobcats in receptions (54) and receiving yards 693).

But their defense hasn't been too shabby, either.  Among their defensive stars this season is senior defensive end Caleb Schreibeis (pictured right, #49), who leads the FCS in forced fumbles (7, a Montana State school record) and is the Big Sky's leader in quarterback sacks (11) entering the Brawl.  Another star worth mentioning is senior linebacker Jody Owens, who is leading the team in total tackles (70) for the second year in a row, while senior defensive back Darius Jones leads the teams in interceptions with four.

Head coach Rob Ash recently became Montana State's all-time winningest head coach, after the Bobcats mauled Portland State 65-30.  With that win, Ash passed Sonny Holland with his 48th victory at the helm of the Bobcats' football program.  And a win on Saturday would mark his second career win against the Grizzlies.

The Grizzlies to watch on Saturday: The 2012 season has been nothing more than a disappointment for the Grizzlies, as number of factors, including inconsistency on defense and giveaways have led to the team missing the postseason for the second time in three years.  Ever since the Grizzlies installed Shay Smithwick-Hann at quarterback, the fortunes of their passing offense have made a turn for the better.  Unlike the Bobcats, the Grizzlies use a three-headed monster with their running game.

Among that trio of talented running backs is senior Peter Nguyen, who leads the Grizzlies in net rushing yards with 812 (needs 188 to reach 1,000 on the season) is also one of the Big Sky's top return specialists.  The team's second-leading rusher is sophomore Jordan Canada with 550 yards.  But bruising senior Dan Moore is expected to play on Saturday, and could give the Bobcat defense problems much like he and Nguyen did last season in Bozeman (the duo combined for 239 rushing yards against the Bobcats defense, with 116 of those yards coming from Moore).

After taking over the football program on an interim basis on March 30 and assuming the full position on July 29, head coach Mick Delaney has had a pretty eventful year after beginning the 2012 calendar year as a retiree from the coaching ranks.  But now he has a chance to beat his former employer on Saturday, as he served as an assistant coach at Montana State from 1976 to 1980.  And a win for Montana will have the Grizzlies entering the 2013 season with some confidence for the returning players, as well as a three-game winning streak.

Photo credits: Bozeman Daily Chronicle/AP

2012-13 Big Sky Conference Basketball Countdown: Montana

It's time to conclude the countdown by taking a look at the Grizzlies and Lady Griz of Montana.  The Grizzlies enter this season as the reigning Big Sky Conference champions and are the prohibitive favorites to win the conference again.  The Lady Griz on the other hand, are looking for their 20th NCAA Tournament appearance over the last 31 years, after finishing the 2011-12 season with a 16-14 record.

MBB: What a spectacular 2011-12 season the Montana Grizzlies had.  They set a conference record for wins in a season by winning 15 of 16 league games last season, and before falling to Wisconsin in the NCAA tournament, they had a 14-game win streak at one point.  Their 25 overall wins was the third-highest mark in program history.  Only the 1949-50 and 1991-92 seasons were better, as both those squads went 27-4.

Head coach Wayne Tinkle is back for his 7th season at his alma mater, and he returns three starters--also his top three scorers--as they make a run for another conference championship.  Tinkle also returns two of his assistant coaches in Freddie Owens and Jono Metzger-Jones, but lost top assistant Bill Evans to Idaho State, as he was named the head coach in Pocatello.  Replacing Evans is Kerry Rupp, who had previously served as head coach at Louisiana Tech and recently served as director of basketball operations at Hawaii.

One of those three starters back in the fold is senior guard Will Cherry (above left), who led the team in scoring last season at just under 16 points/game.  However, Cherry won't be back in the lineup until December at the latest, as he's out with a foot injury he sustained playing a pick-up game in late September.  In his abscence, a trio of sophomore guards (Keron Deshields, Jordan Gregory, and Kevin Henderson) are expected to pick up the slack in Cherry's place.

The other starters back are senior forward Mathias Ward and junior guard Kareem Jamar.  Ward was the team's third-leading scorer last season as he averaged just under 11 points/game, while Jamar was second on the team in both scoring (13.6 points/game) and rebounding (5.6 boards/game).  Jamar also recorded a triple-double (to match his jersey number, ironically) in the Grizzlies' Bracket-Buster game against Hawaii on February 18 (21 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists).

The starters lost to graduation were center Derek Selvig, who led the Grizzlies in rebounding (at 6.1/game) and blocks (35), and forward Art Steward, who led the team in field goal percentage (61%) in league games.  Junior center Eric Hutchison appears to be the favorite to replace Selvig at center, while junior Spencer Coleman (a JC transfer) or sophomore Mike Weisner will compete to take the place of Steward in the starting lineup.  Also back for the Grizzlies are redshirt freshmen Nick Emerson and Morgan Young (both of whom were walk-ons last season, with Emerson now on scholarship), while true freshmen Andy Martin (center) and Jake Wiley (forward) round out the roster.

Center Billy Reader is no longer on the team, as he transferred to College of Southern Idaho after academic issues caused him to miss the second half of the 2011-12 season.  Guard Riley Bradshaw will join the team at the beginning of spring semester after he transfers from Utah State (where he originally committed) at the end of fall semester.  Bradshaw can practice with the team, but he will not be eligible to play until the second half of the 2013-14 season due to NCAA transfer rules.

VERDICT: Despite losing two starters to graduation, the Grizzlies are still very dangerous with their three main scorers coming back.  But with the additions of North Dakota and Southern Utah to the conference this season, it makes the conference race more interesting.  Still, the Grizzlies and Weber State are the class of the league, and the conference title will once again have to go through either Missoula or Ogden.

WBB: The Montana Lady Griz are the only team in the Big Sky Conference--men's or women's--to bring back all five of the team's starters.  The team also has the elder statesman of all league coaches in Robin Selvig, who is entering his 35th season as the Lady Griz skipper.  Selvig also has the luxury of having the most experienced assistant coaching staff in the nation, all consisting of former players that played under him.

Senior center Katie Baker (right) is regarded as the team's best player, as she led Montana in both scoring (15 points/game) and rebounding (7.2 boards/game).  The 2011-12 season was the first time she played (and started) in all of the team's games, as a knee injury caused her to miss the second half of her freshman season and an appendectomy forced her to 6th man duty midway through her sophomore season.  Baker is one of the conference's top inside threats, and she should be in the mix for Big Sky MVP at season's end.

The two other senior starters are guard Kenzie DeBoer and forward Alyssa Smith.  DeBoer was second on the team in scoring at 10.8 points/game, but is regarded more for her defense, as she led the team in steals with 72.  Smith was third on the team in rebounding at 6.1 boards/game despite scoring only 4.9 points/game.

There are two junior starters that are back this season: forward Jordan Sullivan and guard Torry Hill.  Sullivan was second on the team in rebounding at 6.6 boards/game and was the 4th leading scorer at 7 points/game.  Hill is the team's top deep threat, as she led the team in three-pointers with 53, and with her great range behind the arc, she could be in for a huge junior season.

With all that talent in the starting lineup, there's plenty of it on the bench as well.  Top bench players for the Lady Griz include senior Alexandra Hurley and three sophomores: guard Kellie Cole and forwards Carly Selvig and Maggie Rickman.  Redshirt freshman Hannah Doran will see some playing time this season, as will a pair of true freshmen in guard McCalle Feller and forward Shenae Gilham.

Rounding out the roster are sophomore guard Haley Vining and three more true freshmen: forward Molly Klinker (who won three Class B titles at Fairfield High School), forward Rachel Staudacher (who is the cousin of former Griz guard Ryan Staudacher), and guard DJ Reinhardt (who chose to stay in Missoula and play for the Lady Griz).

VERDICT: With five starters coming back and Robin Selvig as head coach, the Lady Griz are a team that should not be counted out of the race for the conference title.  But their bugaboo in the past couple of seasons has been shooting the ball, while at the same time defense has been the team's best strength.  With an experienced team and plenty of threats off the bench, Montana is a serious threat to unseat Idaho State as conference champion.

And that concludes the basketball version of the Big Sky Conference Countdown.  It should be a great season with two new teams and an expanded conference tournament.  Enjoy the season everybody!

Photo credits: Missoulian

2012-13 Big Sky Conference Basketball Countdown: Montana State

Moving ahead with the countdown, it's time to take a look at the Montana State Bobcats.  Both teams experienced very different campaigns last season, as the women's team recorded a 19-11 record and an appearance in the conference semifinals against conference runner-up Northern Colorado.  The men's team, on the other hand, struggled during their season, which included an eight-game losing streak in the middle of conference play, and an offseason that included two players having a brush with the law.

WBB: Ever since Tricia Binford took over the women's basketball program prior to the 2005-06 season, the Lady Bobcats have gone from conference bottom-feeder to regular conference contender.  They just haven't won a conference tournament under Binford--yet.  But with four starters coming back from last year, their chances of finally getting over the hump look promising, despite losing top scorer Katie Bussey to graduation.  The Bobcats' top returning scorer is senior forward Rachel Semansky (right), who was second on last season's team at 13.8 points/game and led the team in rebounding at 8.8/game.  Another starter coming back for Montana State is junior forward Ashley (Albert) Brumwell, who is the only other top scorer to average double figures per game.  Senior guard Latisha Adams and junior center Chelsea Banis round out the returning starters for the Bobcats.

VERDICT: Tricia Binford enters her eighth season as the winningest head coach in program history.  Her teams have gotten progressively better throughout her tenure in Bozeman, and with the talent she's assembled this year, the Bobcats will definitely be in the mix with Idaho State, Montana, and Northern Colorado for the conference crown.  If the Bobcats win the Big Sky championship, it will only be their second in program history (1993 was their only conference championship).

MBB: The 2011-12 season was a disappointment for the men's basketball squad, as they finished the season 12-16 overall (7-9 in conference) and failed to make the conference tournament.  Then their offseason was marred by turmoil, as forwards Tre Johnson and Jeff Budinich were both arrested & charged with two counts of criminal trespass to vehicles and theft, respectively.  Head coach Brad Huse (left) dismissed Johnson (who started 20 of the Bobcats' 26 games last season and led the team in rebounding) from the team while Budinich, who was mostly used off of the bench, was suspended.  Outside of the turmoil, Huse brings in four junior college transfers (Paul Egwuonwu, Antonio Biglow, Flavien Davis, and Calen Coleman) and five freshmen (one redshirt), but does bring back leading scorer from last season in senior guard Xavier Blount (11.7 ppg).  Other key players returning for Montana State include senior guards Jamie Stewart and Christian Moon, who both made spot starts in the Bobcats' starting five.

VERDICT: While they're no where close to being a top-tier team like Montana or Weber State, making the tournament shouldn't be a big surprise as long as the Bobcats play well in league play.

UP NEXT: Montana

Photo credits: Bozeman Daily Chronicle

2012-13 Big Sky Conference Basketball Countdown: Eastern Washington

The 2011-12 seasons for the Eastern Washington basketball teams would be considered average by most people's standards, as the men's team went 15-17 and hosted a conference tournament game against Idaho State before falling in the semifinals to eventual conference champion Montana.  The women's team, on the other hand, went 16-14 and lost in the first round of the tournament to Sacramento State.  One team is hoping to continue to build on the success they found last year with a second-year head coach, and the other is having to establish a new identity after losing two key players to graduation.

MBB: 2011-12 was a far better campaign for the Eagles' men's basketball program than past campaigns under former head coach Kirk Earlywine.  Jim Hayford is entering his second season at the helm, and his team is beginning to emerge as a team to watch this season that keeps getting better.  The team returns two senior starters in forward Collin Chiverton (pictured left) and guard Jeffrey Forbes.  Chiverton is the team's top returning scorer, as he recorded just under 14 points/game after coming to the Eagles last season from City College of San Francisco.  But the team lost most of their rebounding punch as top rebounders Cliff Ederaine and Laron Griffin graduated over the offseason, so outside of Chiverton, the Eagles' frontcourt will be short on experience when the regular season starts.

VERDICT: Combining an experienced backcourt with an inexperienced frontcourt could make for an interesting 2012-13 season, which could explain why the Eagles were voted to finish anywhere from 3rd (media) to 6th (coaches).  Still, this is a very good basketball team that could very much be in the hunt for a conference championship.

WBB: The women's basketball team is in need of a new identity this coming season, as they lost reigning conference MVP and top scorer Brianne Ryan, as well as starting point guard Chene Cooper in the offseason to graduation. Wendy Schuller enters her 12th season at the helm, which is the second-longest tenure in the Big Sky for a current women's coach, and her squad will have their work cut out for them with the losses of Ryan and Cooper.  Three starters from last season are back, among them senior forward Carrie Ojeda (right), who led the team in rebounding last season and is also the top returning scorer.  The two other starters returning this season are junior guard Aubrey Ashenfelter and sophomore forward Melissa Williams.

VERDICT: The road back to the Big Sky Tournament may be tougher than it has been in past seasons for the Eagles, as both the coaches and media picked the Eagles to finish 8th, which means if they do finish there they would be the first team on the outside looking in.  The losses of Ryan and Cooper will hurt, as younger players will have to step up.  But the Eagles are a competitive team, and it would be no big surprise if they overachieve this season, much like defending conference champion Idaho State did last season.

UP NEXT: Montana State

Photo credits: Eastern Washington athletics