League-leader Montana faces second-place Idaho State Saturday at 7 p.m. in a game that will give one team an inside track on the regular-season title. The Lady Griz are defending champs, while the Bengals won the Big Sky women's basketball tourney last season.
The game is doubly important in the standings. A Lady Griz victory would give them a two-game lead with three to go. A win by the Bengals would forge a tie that's as good as a one-game lead over Montana because ISU will have swept UM and earned a tie-breaker advantage.
Schweyen's record of 2,172 points has stood for 16 years.
“They're going to be tough,” said Montana scoring leader Mandy Morales, who has shown her own brand of toughness by playing with foot problems all season. “We have to be ready.
“Doma is huge inside. We're going to have to really stop her. She had a great game at Montana State (Thursday). She's pretty much an All-American. We're just going to have to be ready defensively and hopefully we can make our shots.”
Doma scored 32 in an 85-71 win at Montana State and 30 on Jan. 17 in a 90-77 win over the Lady Griz. But the Bengals' 12 treys and 34-14 edge from the free-throw line were just as important to their triumph over Montana in Pocatello.
“You need to play well defensively because they're so scary,” Montana coach Robin Selvig said. “We were not patient at their place. We played poorly to start that game and dug a hole.
“Hopefully we'll find some kids to knock down some shots.”
Saturday's game marks the final regular-season appearance in Missoula for Lady Griz seniors Johanna Closson, Laura Cote and Dana Conway. With 14 more points, Closson can become the 25th player in team history to reach the 1,000-point milestone.
The game also holds special significance for junior Britney Lohman, who led Montana with 18 points and four blocks in Thursday's win over Weber State. Lohman quickly fell into foul trouble the first time the Lady Griz faced the Bengals and finished with just one point in 12 minutes of action.
“It will be a big game for us and our home crowd,” Lohman said. “They're the only team that has a chance to sweep us this year and it would be really great to have a win.”
In the first meeting of the teams on Jan. 17 in Pocatello, Montana (10-2 conference, 20-5 overall) dug itself a hole in the first half with foul trouble and an inability to stop Idaho State (9-3, 17-7). The Lady Griz trailed 46-32 at halftime and never recovered.
The Bengals are coming off what coach Jon Newlee calls one of their best all-around efforts of the season in an 85-71 win at Montana State. He knows his team will need to play just as well or better to hand the Lady Griz their first home loss.
“I love everything about them,” Newlee said of Montana. “They're so well-balanced. Mandy (Morales) is a great player, but everybody else is dangerous in their own right.
“We have to be aggressive like we were the last time, on offense and defense. We can't be intimidated. Teams do that when they play Montana, especially up here.”
Notes: Montana is 14-0 at home this season and has won 29 of 30 home games dating back to the start of the 2006-07 season ... Doma ranks third in the nation in scoring (24.7 ppg) and rebounding (12.0 rpg). She needs just eight more rebounds to break former Bengal Mandi Carver's Big Sky career rebounding record of 1,098 (set in 2002) ... ISU and Montana have split in their last four meetings, but the Lady Griz hold a 29-1 record in games played against the Bengals in Missoula.
Sports writer Bill Speltz can be reached at 523-5255 or bill.speltz@lee.net.
Idaho State at Montana Lady Griz
Saturday, 7 p.m., Dahlberg Arena (7,321)
Tickets: $5 general admission, $6-16 for reserved, children 12 and under free in general admission with a paying adult.
Radio: KMPT 930 AM. TV: None.
Records: Montana is 10-2 in the Big Sky Conference, 20-5 overall. Idaho State is 9-3, 17-7.
Last outing: Montana defeated Weber State on Thursday, 74-61. Idaho State won at Montana State on Thursday, 85-71.
Series: Montana leads, 53-6.
Last meeting: Idaho State won, 90-77, in Pocatello on Jan. 17, 2008.
Up next: Montana plays at Northern Colorado on Thursday at 7 p.m.; Idaho State plays host to Sacramento State on Thursday at 7.
Probable starters
Idaho State
3-Jenna Brown, 5-3, jr. 5.8 ppg
21-Oana Iacovita, 6-2, so. 3.1 ppg
23-Andrea Lightfoot, 5-8, sr. 16.5 ppg
30-Devin Diehl, 5-9, so. 6.3 ppg
35-Natalie Doma, 6-3, sr. 24.7 ppg
Montana
3-Mandy Morales, 5-9, jr. 16.3 ppg
5-Johanna Closson, 6-0, sr. 10.3 ppg
10-Sonya Rogers, 5-7, jr. 12.8 ppg
22-Britney Lohman, 6-1, jr. 9.1 ppg
51-Tamara Guardipee, 6-2, jr. 6.2 ppg
|
 |
 |
Add your comment now! Write your comment in the form below.
(Email address is for verification only. If you'd like to email a story, look for the link above)