MISSOULA — The University of Montana’s 2012-13 men’s basketball schedule features 14 home games, and 10 of those will be Big Sky Conference contests in the expanded, 10-team league.
Seven-year head coach Wayne Tinkle’s Big Sky defending champion squad will make its seasonal debut on Thursday, Oct. 25, in the annual Silver-Maroon scrimmage, which starts at 5:30 p.m. in Dahlberg Arena. The Griz are in action a week later, hosting Lewis and Clark in an exhibition game on Nov. 1.
UM’s four-game, non-league slate consists of Minot State (Nov. 14), University of San Diego (Nov. 24), Carroll College (Dec. 8), and South Dakota State (Dec. 15).
“It’s going to be a challenging schedule,” said Tinkle, who has a career record of 116-71 and whose teams have won more than 20 games the last three seasons in a row. “It was really hard to fill our schedule. We just couldn’t find teams that wanted to come to Missoula.
People are also reading…
“San Diego is a return from a home-and-home, and they’ve got everyone back from a team that really progressed last year,” Tinkle said. “South Dakota State won 27 games and went to the NCAA tournament, and also have about everyone back (including 6-4 senior guard Nate Wolters, an honorable mention All-American who led SDSU with 21.2 points a game last season).”
The Grizzlies return three starters from a 25-7 and Big Sky (15-1) championship team that advanced to the NCAAs a year ago. Those starters are senior guard Will Cherry (6-1), junior guard Kareem Jamar (6-5), and senior forward Mathias Ward (6-7).
Both returning guards were first team all-league selection last season, although Cherry, who led the Griz in scoring (15.8 ppg) as a junior, recently suffered an injury and is expected to be out six to eight weeks. Jamar was UM’s second leading scorer (10.9 ppg) and rebounder (5.6 rpg). Ward was third on the team in scoring at 10.9 points a game.
Montana has a formidable non-league road schedule, starting with its opener on Nov. 9 at Colorado State. The Griz also play at Idaho, BYU, and the University of San Francisco.
“We open at Colorado State with its new coach Larry Eustachy, and they return everybody from a really good team (20-12),” Tinkle said. “Then we are at Idaho, which has some new players, and that will be a tough one. AT BYU - we all know how good (26-9 last year) they are; and we are playing them in the Energy Solutions Arena, where the Jazz play in Salt Lake City. And then USF, who we don’t know too much about.
“It’s going to be a challenge, but that’s what we wanted for this team,” Tinkle continued. “We approach the pre-season pretty much like all exhibition games — it’s preparation for conference. Yes, we want to win games, but more importantly we want to prepare ourselves for what we know is ahead in the Big Sky race.”
With the addition of North Dakota and Southern Utah, league games begin even earlier than in the past, as the Griz play at Northern Arizona on Dec. 19, and then at Sacramento State on Dec. 21, before taking a week-plus break before resuming Big Sky play on Jan. 3 at home against Eastern Washington.
“It’s a little different starting in the league before Christmas and then we have a really long break,” Tinkle said. “Northern Arizona has a new staff and they’re excited down there and they have some good young players. I think Sac could be one of the most improved teams in the league this year.
“Right away we’re tested on the road beginning at Colorado State, and then we’re going to be tested at the beginning of league play heading out on the road at NAU and Sac,” he said. “There are a lot of things up in the air about our squad, and it’s going to be interesting to see how we can develop in those early weeks.”
2012-13 University of Montana Grizzly Men’s Basketball Schedule
Date-Day Opponent Time (Mtn.)
Oct. 25-Thurs. Silver-Maroon Scrimmage 5:30 p.m.
Nov. 1-Thurs. Lewis and Clark (Exhib. ) 7:05 p.m.
Nov. 9-Fri. @Colorado State 7:00 p.m.
Nov. 14-Wed. Minot State 7:05 p.m.
Nov. 17-Sat. @Idaho 8:05 p.m.
Nov. 24-Sat. University of San Diego 6:05 p.m.
Nov. 28-Wed. @BYU 7:00 p.m.
Nov. 30-Fri. @University of San Francisco 8:00 p.m.
Dec.-8 Sat. Carroll College 7:05 p.m.
Dec.-15-Sat. South Dakota State 7:05 p.m.
Dec.-19-Wed. @Northern Arizona* 6:35 p.m.
Dec.-21-Fri. @Sacramento State* 8:05 p.m.
Jan. 3-Thurs. Eastern Washington* 7:05 p.m.
Jan.-5-Sat. Portland State* 7:05 p.m.
Jan.-10-Thurs. @North Dakota* 6:05 p.m.
Jan.-12-Sat. @Northern Colorado* 7:05 p.m.
Jan.-17-Thurs. Southern Utah* 7:05 p.m.
Jan.-19-Sat. Montana State* 7:05 p.m.
Jan.-24-Thurs. Idaho State* 7:05 p.m.
Jan.-26-Sat. Weber State* 7:05 p.m.
Jan.-31-Thurs. @Portland State* 8:35 p.m.
Feb. 2-Sat. @Eastern Washington* 7:05 p.m.
Feb.-7-Thurs. Northern Colorado* 7:05 p.m.
Feb.-9-Sat North Dakota* 7:05 p.m.
Feb.-14-Thurs. @Weber State* 7:05 p.m.
Feb.-16-Sat. @Idaho State* 7:05 p.m.
Feb. 23-Sat. @Bracket Buster TBA
March-2-Sat. @Montana State* 7:05 p.m.
March-4-Mon. @Southern Utah* 7:05 p.m.
March-7-Thurs. Sacramento State* 7:05 p.m.
March-9-Sat. Northern Arizona* 7:05 p.m.
March 14-16 Big Sky Conference Tourn. TBA
Thurs.-Fri.-Sat. (At regular-season champion)
*=Big Sky Conference game
Grizzlies’ Costa top defender last week
Montana senior Lauren Costa has been named the Big Sky Conference co-Defensive Player of the Week the league office announced Tuesday. Costa was recognized for her efforts in leading the Grizzlies to a 1-0-1 record last weekend as the team opened Big Sky play.
Costa shared this week’s honor with Northern Colorado defender Janelle Kramer. The UNC senior helped the Bears post shutout victories last weekend over Portland State and Sacramento State.
The award is the first player of the week for Costa, but her name is a familiar one at the league office. Costa is a three-time Academic All-Big Sky Conference selection (accounting major, 3.71 GPA), she was named second-team All-Big Sky as a freshman, first-team last season, and last November she made the all-tournament team after helping Montana to the Big Sky tournament championship.
Costa, who is one of 30 finalists nationwide for the 2012 Senior CLASS award, which recognizes excellence in the areas of community, classroom, character and competition, was instrumental last weekend as the Grizzlies opened league play with a 1-1 tie against Idaho State Friday and a 1-0 victory over Weber State Sunday at South Campus Stadium.
Costa played all 200 minutes at center back against the Bengals and Wildcats and was a key piece in Montana allowing just five shots on goal in the two matches.
But what elevated her weekend to player of the week level was the added threat she posed as an offensive weapon.
Costa scored the game-winner in Sunday’s victory against Weber State when she headed in junior Mary Makris’s corner kick in the 17th minute. It was the first game-winner of Costa’s career and her second career goal. She scored her first goal against North Dakota as a freshman in 2009.
“Lauren does so much for us,” UM coach Mark Plakorus said. “She is our leader defensively in how she communicates and the example she sets. She organizes our defense and is a big part of what we do.
“Attacking-wise she is very good in the air, especially on set pieces. She’s a big target, and she finds the ball very well. She’s come close (to scoring) a number of times this year, so it was nice to see her get one Sunday.”
Costa, who possesses a leg that would be the envy of many college football kickers, takes most of Montana’s free kicks and frequently puts her teammates in position to score.
Her free kick from near midfield at Wyoming in the season opener was headed in by senior Erin Craig in the 56th minute for the Grizzlies’ second goal in their 2-0 victory.
Costa also assisted on freshman Mackenzie Akins’ game-winning goal in the 107th minute in Montana’s 3-2 double-overtime victory over Idaho at Boise earlier this month.
Costa’s header off Makris’s corner kick was saved by a Vandal defender. Akins collected the rebound and scored her first career goal.
“That’s Lauren. She just does a lot for our team,” Plakorus repeated. “She is very accurate with her distribution, especially on free kicks, and that gives us another dimension to our attack. It’s something else that teams have to prepare for.”
Montana (5-4-2, 1-0-1 BSC), which has lost just once in its last seven matches, will continue Big Sky Conference play this weekend with matches at Portland State (3-6-1, 1-1-0 BSC) and Sacramento State (3-5-2, 1-1-0 BSC).
- Courtesy Montana Sports Information
Montana Sports Information — GoGriz.com
OGDEN, Utah (September 25, 2012) - The Big Sky Conference has announced its women’s soccer players of the week for matches played from September 17 - September 24. Northern Colorado midfielder Tara Rickenbach has been named Offensive Player of the Week, while Northern Colorado defender Janelle Kramer and Montana defender Lauren Costa have earned co-Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Tara Rickenbach, a junior mildfielder from Gilbert, Ariz., played a key role in both of Northern Colorado’s wins this week accumulating 2 shots on goal, one goal and one assist.
In Friday night’s victory over Portland State she helped set up the lone goal of the game, providing the assist to teammate Chandler Guetz. She also helped provide pressure throughout the game for the Bears, contributing one shot on goal during the game.
On Sunday against Sacramento State, Rickenbach added on an insurance goal in the Bears 2-0 win over the
Others Nominated:
Offense: Cassie Black - Eastern Washington; Amanda Ellsworth - Idaho State; Demi Schmieder - Northern Arizona; Kayla Henningsen - Portland State; Stacey Brinkman - Southern Utah; Mackenzie Harrison - Weber State
Defense: Nathalie Schwery - Eastern Washington; Krisi Hestdalen - North Dakota; Lauren Weaver - Northern Arizona; Lainey Hulsizer - Portland State; Charly Booth - Southern Utah; Ryann Waldman - Weber State
- Courtesy Big Sky Conference Sports Information