Montana Lady Griz Basketball Gears Up for Crucial Road Games

The Montana Lady Griz basketball team, riding a wave of recent success, is set to embark on a critical road trip this week, facing off against Eastern Washington and Idaho.

 

Currently holding a 7-14 overall record and 4-6 in the Big Sky Conference, the Lady Griz have secured victories in four of their last five outings.

 

They will challenge the Eagles (11-11, 4-5 BSC) on Thursday at 7 p.m. (MT) at Reese Court in Cheney, followed by a Saturday showdown against the Vandals (17-5, 8-1 BSC) at 3 p.m. (MT) at ICCU Arena in Moscow.

 

Montana's recent momentum includes a notable 69-63 home win over Portland State, marking their longest winning streak in nearly two years.

 

However, this streak was halted by a 64-57 loss to Sacramento State, the Hornets' second-ever victory over the Lady Griz in Missoula.

 

Looking ahead, Montana is slated to host Big Sky leader Montana State next week, followed by home games against Idaho State and Weber State on February 19 and 21.

 

The regular season will conclude with a series of games against Sacramento State, Portland State, and Northern Colorado.

 

Both upcoming games will be streamed on ESPN+ and broadcast on KGRZ (1450 AM/92.7 FM) and the Varsity Network with Ace Sauerwein providing commentary.

 

Thursday's matchup against Eastern Washington carries significant postseason implications.

 

The Lady Griz are currently seventh in the conference standings, with the top six seeds earning a direct spot in the quarterfinals of the Big Sky tournament.

 

Eastern Washington, just half a game ahead, previously defeated Montana in Missoula last month.

 

A win for Montana would propel them above the Eagles in the standings and mark their fifth victory in six games.

 

Conversely, an Eastern Washington win would create a two-game gap and secure a season sweep, providing a crucial head-to-head tiebreaker.

 

Following Thursday's game, Montana faces challenging matchups against the top two teams in the league: at Idaho on Saturday and at home against Montana State on February 14.

 

Additional storylines include:

 

Montana's recent games have been closely contested, with all five being one-possession affairs in the final minute.

 

The Lady Griz secured wins over Northern Arizona, Weber State, Idaho State, and Portland State by a combined 14 points before the recent loss to Sacramento State.

 

Avery Waddington delivered a standout performance against Portland State, scoring a career-high 31 points on 13-of-20 shooting and adding 10 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season.

 

She became the third Lady Griz player to reach 30 points this season, joining Jocelyn Land and Mack Konig.

 

This marks the first time in program history that three different players have achieved 30-point games in the same season.

 

Over the last five games, Montana's three-point shooting has been inconsistent.

 

They shot 14 for 28 in a home win over Northern Arizona and 15 for 36 in a road win at Idaho State.

 

However, against Weber State, Portland State, and Sacramento State, they went 20 for 92 (.217).

 

Montana ranks fifth nationally in three-point attempts per game (30.4) and tenth in three-pointers made per game (9.4).

 

Mack Konig made her return to the court in the recent loss to Sacramento State after being sidelined since January 3.

 

She played 21 minutes off the bench, contributing three assists and two points.

 

As of Monday, Montana is 3-7 on the road this season, with recent away victories at Weber State and Idaho State.

 

They also secured a win at North Dakota in early December.

 

Over the last four games, Avery Waddington is averaging 19.5 points on 57.9 percent shooting.

 

During the same stretch, Rae Ehrman is averaging 13.3 points on 54.5 percent shooting, including 11 for 22 (.500) from the three-point line.

 

Regarding their upcoming opponents:

 

Eastern Washington split their games last week, winning a high-scoring matchup at Northern Arizona and losing at home to Northern Colorado.

 

The Eagles boast balanced scoring, with four players averaging between 11.6 and 15.0 points per game.

 

Freshman guard Elyn Bowers leads the team in scoring, while sophomore Kourtney Grossman ranks second nationally in rebounding (13.0 per game).

 

In their previous meeting on January 10, Eastern Washington overcame a halftime deficit to defeat Montana 65-58 in Missoula.

 

Idaho enters Thursday's matchup against Montana State on a six-game winning streak.

 

The Vandals have won nine of their last ten games and are 17-5 overall, with an 8-1 record in Moscow this season.

 

They average 79.7 points per game, ranking 21st nationally, and have a +10.7 rebounding margin.

 

In their previous meeting, Idaho led nearly from start to finish, securing a 67-50 win in Missoula.

 

Senior guard Kyra Gardner scored 28 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in that game.

 

As the Lady Griz prepare for these pivotal matchups, fans are encouraged to support the team as they aim to solidify their position in the Big Sky Conference standings.