Game #30
Montana Tech vs. No. 11 Montana Western - Headband Day!Thursday, Feb. 26 | Butte, Mont. | 7:30 p.m. | HPERLive Stats |
Live Video |
Live AudioGame #31
Montana Tech vs. Westminster - Senior DaySaturday, Feb. 28 | Butte, Mont. | 7:30 p.m. | HPERLive Stats |
Live Video |
Live AudioGame Notes (PDF)
BUTTE, Mont. - As the Frontier Conference playoff pictures thickens, the Montana Tech men's basketball welcomes Montana Western and Westminster to the HPER for to must win games. Tech currently sit in the seventh spot in conference standings while only the top six earn a post-season bid. The Diggers take on first-place Western on Thursday then battle Westminster on Saturday. Both contest tip-off at 7:30 p.m.
For the RecordThe Diggers fell to Carroll (72-63) and Rocky Mountain (64-51) on the road last week. Tech shout 55.8 percent from the field and outrebounded the Saints (21-18) however Carroll scored 17 points off of 17 Digger turnovers to seal the victory.
Â
Tech took better control of the ball at Rocky committing just nine turnovers. It was not enough as the Battlin' Bears shot 52.1 percent from the field and hit 7-of-15 from three in the victory.
Scouting the BulldogsThe first place Montana Western Bulldogs come into the HPER winners of six of their last seven games. Western is coming off back-to-back wins against MSU-Northern (68-46) and Great Falls (86-76) last weekend. Senior Stephen McCall averaged 22.5 points, five assists and 3.5 rebounds last week earning Frontier Conference Player of the Week honors.
Last Time vs. Montana WesternTech shot 56.7 percent from the field in the first half highlighted by a half-court three pointer by
Akeem Williams giving the Diggers the 47-40 advantage at halftime. In the second half Western outscored Tech 46-31 and held the Diggers to 29.4 percent shooting on their way to the 86-78 victory.
Antonio Snow led three Diggers in double figures with a game-high 22 points.
Â
Scouting the GriffinsWestminster snapped their three-game losing skid with a 92-76 win vs. Great Falls last weekend. However, the victory was short lived as the Griffins fell 58-51 to MSU-Northern. Nick Jenson went 8-for-11 over the weekend and averaged 11.5 points and three rebounds for WC.
Â
Last Time vs. WestminsterThe Diggers erased a 10-point halftime deficit but their rally would fall short as they dropped the 69-64 decision at Westminster on Jan. 29th. Four Diggers scored in double figures including
Antonio Snow with a game-high 16 points along with five rebounds.
Â
Big Sky Starting 5Head coach
Patrick O'Herron has starting five players from Montana in back-to-back games this weekend. The Diggers are the only Montana men's colligate program at any level or affiliation to have such a lineup this year. Tech started
Trent Thompson (Plains),
Adam Greger (Florence),
Reid Baerlocher (Florence), Brand Rydberg (Bozeman) and
Paul Engstrom (Medicine Lake) against Carroll and Rocky last week.
Â
Senior FarewellSaturday's game against Westminster will be the last for seniors
Reid Baerlocher,
Antonio Snow,
Adam Greger,
Brandon Rydberg and
Trent Thompson at the HPER. So far, the seniors have won 26 total games as a group.Â
For complete coverage of Montana Tech athletics, "Like" us onÂ
Facebook and follow us on TwitterÂ
@MTechDiggers.