By DAVE GUFFEY for GoGriz.com
THE GAME: The two-time defending league champion University of Montana Grizzlies (5-4/0-0 BSC) begin their 2013-14 Big Sky Conference schedule this week, starting with the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks (3-8/0-0 BSC) on Thursday, Jan. 2, with tip-off at 7:05 p.m. in UM’s Dahlberg Arena. The Griz host Sacramento State (4-5/0-0 BSC) on Saturday, Jan. 4. The Griz have combined to go 34-2 in conference play the last two seasons.
RADIO: Mick Holien, the long-time “Voice of the Grizzlies” calls the play-by-play, while Greg Sundberg serves as color commentator. Follow the action on UM’s flagship station, KGVO 1290 AM/ & 101.5 FM. (MBB Radio Network listed on add 4 of the weekly release).
VIDEO & AUDIO STREAMING: gogriz.com/all-access.
LIVE STATS: gogriz.com/all-access.
TWITTER: @umgrizzlies_fb & umgrizzlies_sid.
TV: There is no TV coverage of either game this week.
GRIZ LAST GAME: Montana 72, at Idaho 71: Kareem Jamar made two free throws with 4.1 seconds left to play to lead the Grizzlies to the come-from-behind victory. Jamar’s game-winning charity shots gave Montana its only lead of the game, and was set up on a steal by true freshman guard Mario Dunn.
Jamar had trimmed UI’s lead to a point (71-70) with two charity shots with 17 seconds remaining. After that Idaho in-bounded the ball, which Dunn stole, and he flipped it to Jamar, who was fouled, and then made the two subsequent free throws. UM was deadly from the line in the second half, making 18-of-18 charity shots. Jamar scored a team-high 26 points — 19 in the second half. Jordan Gregory added 19 points — 12 in the second half.
JAMAR NAMED CO-POW: Jamar, a 6-5 G/F from Venice, Calif., was named the Big Sky’s co-Player of the Week for his play at Idaho, sharing it with Northern Colorado forward Derrick Barden. Jamar was 7-of-10 from the field, 11-of-12 from the line, and grabbed a team-high 8 rebounds. It is his second POW award this season and the sixth in his career.
COACH TINKLE THIRD IN CAREER WINS: Griz head coach Wayne Tinkle’s 146 career wins are the third most in school history. Coach Tinkle needs 10 victories to move up to second and pass Mike Montgomery, who had 155 wins in eight seasons from 1979-86.
JAMAR 12TH IN CAREER SCORING & 11TH IN CAREER ASSISTS: Jamar has 1,285 career points, which ranks him 12th in school history. He needs 5 points to move up to 11th and pass Derrick Pope (1,289 points, 1980-83). He is 11th in career assists with 329, and needs 11 more to move on to the top 10 and pass Tony Reed (339 assists, 1985-89).
SERIES: The Griz lead 61-31. Montana has won nine of the last 10.
