Exhibition games are supposed to be a time for Division I basketball teams to sharpen their skills against lightly regarded opponents.
Ask the Eastern Washington Eagles how that's working out for them. Eastern dropped its exhibition opener to Carroll College last Saturday as Missoula Sentinel product Andy Garland torched the Eagles for 17 points and 12 rebounds.
“That's what coaches are always paranoid about in these exhibition games against non-Division I's,” Montana coach Wayne Tinkle said. “You try to preach to your team it doesn't matter who your opponent is, you need to take the floor with the same attitude every time out. Hopefully, that will help send a message to our guys.”
The Griz got off to a slow start, but picked up the pace to blow past Northwest University 83-51 in their exhibition opener last week. Four Griz scored in double-digits, led by senior Jordan Hasquet's 16.
The Griz played that game without talented newcomer Anthony Johnson, who was “banged up,” and freshman Mathias Ward, who was still getting over mononucleosis. Ward rejoined practices on Monday and Tinkle said Johnson is expected to play.
“We expect everyone to be in uniform and ready to go,” Tinkle said.
Johnson whetted the appetite of Griz fans by scoring 20 points in the Silver & Maroon scrimmage.
“We would like to try some different things, try some athletic lineups, try some small lineups and maybe even throw a really big lineup out there and see how they respond,” Tinkle said.
The Argos (3-2) are coming off a 108-63 win over Walla Walla University on Sunday. B.J. Meridyth, a 6-foot-1 sophomore guard, led Great Falls with 23 points, making 4-of-5 3-pointers. The Argos were 10-for-15 as a team from downtown.
“We're not super-familiar with them,” Tinkle said. “I know they have a lot of new guys and that they play very up-tempo, flying around with full-court pressure. It's going to be a challenge for our guys to be ready to go out of the gate so they don't catch us off guard.”
There are a few things Tinkle wants to see the Griz improve before they open the season for real on Nov. 14 at Colorado State.
“Offensively ... we've got to become a better screen-setting team. That hurt us last year,” Tinkle said.
“On the defensive end, we want to become a much more active team, both in man and in zone. So we have to have better pressure on the ball, then the other four guys have to be in a good help position.”
And as long as the Griz bench is, Tinkle said there's no reason not to go full out.
“The one thing we shouldn't see is guys pacing themselves out on the floor,” Tinkle said. “When we see that and when we see guys lose their focus that's ... when we're going to fly off the handle as a staff, because we have enough depth that when you're out there you better take full advantage of your playing time.”
NOTES: Aaron Skogen, a junior from Ronan, starts for the Argos and scored 13 points in their last game. Other area players on the Great Falls roster include Missoula Big Sky's Jesse Corbett and Trevor Fehr of Corvallis.
Sports editor Bob Meseroll can be reached at 523-5265 or at sportsdesk@missoulian.com.
Great Falls at Montana Griz
Wednesday, 7 p.m.,
Dahlberg Arena
Radio: KXGZ 101.5 FM. TV: None.
Records: NAIA University of Great Falls is 3-2. It is the final exhibition game for Montana.
Last outing: Great Falls beat Walla Walla University 108-63 on Sunday. Montana downed Northwest University 83-51 last Friday in an exhibition.
Series: Montana leads 9-0.
Last meeting: Montana beat the Argos 77-46 in an exhibition last season.
Up next: Montana opens its season on Nov. 14 at Colorado State.
Probable starters
Great Falls
3-Levi Lopez, 5-7, jr.
13-Matt Niemeyer, 6-6, jr.
34-Rayshaun Ames, 6-5, sr.
21-Aaron Skogen, 6-1, jr.
32-Travoy Edwards, 6-7, so.
Montana
2-Jordan Hasquet, 6-9, sr.
44-Jack McGillis, 6-6, jr.
41-Brian Qvale, 6-11, so.
3-Ryan Staudacher, 6-4, jr.
11-Ceylon Elgin-Taylor, 6-2, sr.
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