By BOB MESEROLL, Missoulian sports editor
CHENEY, Wash. - Maybe the Montana Grizzlies' eight-game losing streak had more to do with who they were playing rather than how they were playing.
Kevin Criswell broke out of a shooting slump with a season-high 24 points and Steve Horne added 20 in the Grizzlies' 79-68 win over Eastern Washington in the Big Sky Conference opener for both teams Thursday night at Reese Court.
The Griz (1-0, 4-9) scored on eight of their first nine possessions in the second half to break the game open. The Griz finished the game shooting a season-high 55 percent, 60 percent in the second half.
Montana led 39-30 at halftime, then hit eight of their first nine shots of the second half to take command. Criswell had eight points and Horne five as the Griz opened a 56-43 lead with 13:11 to play.
Criswell finished 7-for-14 from the field and 4-for-9 from 3-point range. He and Montana coach Pat Kennedy watched some videotapes Thursday morning, comparing Criswell's shot of a year ago against his shot this season.
"We looked at the projection of his ball and really tried to slow it down," Kennedy said. "We saw a difference. Against much better defenders you're rushing and the ball's flatter. Against open looks, he's getting a higher projection of the basketball."
Criswell had a simpler explanation.
"I'm a shooter, so I keep shooting the ball," said Criswell, who also snared six rebounds, tying Kamarr Davis for team-high honors.
Davis finished with 10 points and held Eastern's Marc Axton scoreless, the first time the Eagles' forward has failed to score in 62 games.
"Our defense was just smothering," Kennedy said. "I can't believe the job Kamarr did on Axton. These guys want to guard people. We need to play man-to-man and if we get in foul trouble just go to the bench."
Starting center John Seyfert did get in foul trouble. After swatting away four shots in the first half, Seyfert played just three minutes in the second half before fouling out with 7:00 to play.
Alvin Snow led Eastern (0-1, 4-10) with 24 points and 10 rebounds, but he also committed five of the Eagles' 17 turnovers, 10 of which came after intermission.
"We just shoot ourselves in the foot," said Eastern coach Ray Giacoletti. "We don't even give ourselves a chance because we're trying to do things that are not there."
Eastern's only lead came at 5-3 when Snow hit a trey two minutes into the game. A pair of free throws Montana missed 11 of 28 on the night by Davis gave the Griz the lead for good a 9-7. A 7-0 run capped by a nice up-and-under move by Seyfert gave the Griz a 24-13 lead with 10:05 to play before half. Montana led comfortably the rest of the way.
The Griz, looking for anything to snap them out of their doldrums, used a different pre-game ritual during the game introductions. The Griz formed a circle, arms around each other and as each player was introduced, he bounced around the circle before breaking free.
"In my junior college we used to do that," said Horne, who was 7-for-10 from the field. "We had a team meeting and I said let's do the same thing. We practiced it at the motel by the pool. We're going to do that for the rest of the year."
Whatever the reason, the Griz were clearly the aggressors early on.
"Brent Cummings came to me and said, 'Coach, we want to try some different things,'" Kennedy said. "I said great. That's what leadership is all about. It might sound corny, but it's not corny. We had such energy tonight."
The Griz also made some clutch shots when they were needed. Criswell hit a 16-foot jumper as the shot clock was expiring early in the second half that preserved a double-digit lead. Mansell had a trey as the shot clock buzzer sounded that gave the Griz a 68-53 lead with 5:50 to play, sending many of the 2,422 fans toward the exits.
"We hit big shots," Kennedy said. "I've been on the other side of that. Our kids had tremendous energy tonight. It's been a long road to get here, but I feel very good for them."
The Griz are going to travel by bus early Friday morning to Portland, where they'll face Portland State on Saturday night. Visiting Montana State downed Portland State 61-54 Thursday night.
Sports editor Bob Meseroll can be reached at 523-5265 or by e-mail at sportsdesk@missoulian.com.
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