With just five games left in the Big Sky Conference regular season, it's crunch time. Montana is 7-4, Montana State is 7-4; only one team can emerge from Saturday's game with a realistic chance at catching first-place Weber State (10-4).
Should the Griz come out on top, they'll head to Ogden, Utah, next Wednesday with a chance to supplant the Wildcats atop the league standings.
Easier said than done. The Bobcats are the only team with a perfect mark at home during league play and have won seven of their last eight overall. How they've done it escapes even their coach.
“I can't really put a finger on it,” Montana State coach Brad Huse said. “The guys are playing hard. We've been fortunate to have had some success at home and the guys have confidence playing here.”
Kind of like the Griz on the road. Montana is 4-2 at home, 3-2 on the road, where they've won their last two.
“If you look at how we played on the last road trip, we've really come together on the road,” Tinkle said, referring to Montana's sweep of Northern Arizona and Northern Colorado. “On the road, our guys are really together, on the same page. It's like they're a little more relaxed, yet focused. So I think we'll have a lot of confidence rolling over there knowing we've had some success in league on the road.”
Complicating matters for the Griz will be the health of leading scorer Andrew Strait. Strait missed the Grizzlies' win over Sacramento State on Wednesday with a virus, ending his streak of playing in 58 straight games.
Tinkle said Strait is feeling a little better, but that he would not practice on Friday. Whether he's able to play probably won't be determined until Saturday morning, Tinkle said. If he's not ready to play, either Mike Chavez or Kyle Sharp would likely get the start.
Whoever plays will face a Montana State zone defense designed to limit the effectiveness of Strait and Jordan Hasquet inside the paint.
“They've seen a lot more zone since the first time we played and they'll be more prepared for it,” Huse said. “At this time of the season, all the cards are pretty much on the table.”
Senior forward Nick Dissly leads the Cats in scoring (14.0 ppg) while guard Carlos Taylor comes off the bench to add 12.1 a game. Taylor led the Cats with 15 points in their 73-65 loss to the Griz in Missoula.
Casey Durham, who has been a thorn in the side of the Griz in past years, warmed up for the rivalry game by scoring a season-high 20 points in MSU's win over Sac State on Thursday.
“He really got us going last night,” Huse said of Durham, who was 6-for-7 from 3-point range.
“We have to get to their shooters,” Tinkle said. “When they're winning games, they're hitting 10, 12, 13 threes. And we can't allow them to get anything easy off the offensive glass.
“Offensively, we can't settle for mediocre. We've got to be the aggressor.”
NOTES: Satellite coordinates for the game are: KU digital, Galaxy 11/K20, slot D, 9Mhz, frequency 12113.500 vertical, 91 degrees west, SR 6.148936, FEC 3/4. ... Dissly was not in the Cats' starting lineup on Thursday because he was late to pregame. Huse said he'll be back in the starting five on Saturday.
Sports editor Bob Meseroll can be reached at 523-5265 or at sportsdesk@missoulian.com.
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