Montana Grizzlies Clash with Northern Arizona in Big Sky Quarterfinals

BOISE, Idaho — The Montana men’s basketball team, seeded No. 2 in the Big Sky tournament, is set to face No. 7 Northern Arizona on Sunday at 8 p.m. at Idaho Central Arena. The matchup follows Northern Arizona’s impressive win over Eastern Washington, where they secured a 66-53 victory in the first round on Saturday.

Trent McLaughlin, a first-team All-Big Sky selection, topped the Lumberjacks with 17 points and contributed significantly alongside Carson Towt, who added nine points and a game-high 12 rebounds. In their regular-season meetings, Montana finished 2-0 against Northern Arizona, previously outscoring them in Missoula and Flagstaff, respectively.

In their first encounter, McLaughlin’s offensive efforts were stifled by Grizzlies defender Brandon Whitney, limiting him to 19 points on 6-of-21 shooting. In the rematch, McLaughlin managed another 19 points, shooting 6-of-16. Currently, McLaughlin ranks second in the nation with an average of 22.1 points per game, while Towt leads the nation in rebounds, averaging 12.4 per game.

The Grizzlies, buoyed by a strong 15-3 conference record, captured the second seed in the tournament, in contrast to Northern Arizona’s 8-10 league finish. The first game on Sunday pits No. 1 seed Northern Colorado against No. 9 seed Weber State at 5:30 p.m.

Highlights from the tournament’s first round include No. 9 Weber State’s 83-70 win over No. 10 Sacramento State, as well as Northern Arizona’s advance after their win over Eastern Washington. Upcoming matchups also feature Colorado taking on Weber State and the showdown between Montana and Northern Arizona.

Frank Gogola, Senior Sports Reporter at the Missoulian and 406 MT Sports, noted, ‘The Grizzlies are looking to capitalize on their regular-season success against NAU, while the Lumberjacks aim to leverage their recent momentum into an upset in this critical tournament,’ reflecting the stakes involved as both teams battle for a chance in the semifinals.

As the tournament progresses, the Grizzlies are seeking not only to maintain their strong season but also to clinch their first tournament title since 2019. Fans can look forward to watching the showdown on ESPN+, where all quarterfinal games will be streamed live.