We were inspired by “Grizzly” Bill Schwanke’s blog post “My Top Griz Memories“, so we asked: What’s your best Griz or Lady Griz b-ball moment? We got lots of great responses, which can be seen here. Our judges have narrowed the field to 6 finalists.
Now it’s time for YOU to help pick a winner. YOU CAN VOTE ONCE A DAY, and be sure to click the share buttons to get your friends out to vote every day too. Mention the contest on Facebook and Twitter, and YOU are also entered to win a special prize.
The winner will get a University of Montana print by Monte Dolack! Ready?
HERE ARE THE TOP SIX. Once you read them, scroll down to VOTE.
Krista Redpath Pyron: This is a hard question…. best LG or Griz moment. For me there are so many moments and so I picked one very memorable game. My “moment” is being a part of the 2000 conference championship game against Cal State Northridge in Dahlberg Arena. We won 66-53 in front of a large loyal crowd. So many emotions played into that game and night for me. First off, the year prior we were plagued by injuries (two of those injuries being my ACL – twice torn) and had the first ever losing record for the Lady Griz. Secondly, it was our first year back in the newly renovated Adams Center – we spent the year previous playing in Sentinel High School. We proved to ourselves, the fans, and all of the teams that pounded on us the year before (one being Northridge) that we belonged back on top and in the NCAA tournament.
Nathan Covill: I have two. First is Kieth Crawfords dunk over Nevada Reno’s Thomas in the 91-92 Big Sky championship game. Second watching my future wife dominate the Big Sky Women’s Tourney to win the league championship and tournament MVP.
Cory McEnaney: I have quite a few favorite memories starting as a young kid. Going to Lady Griz games with my dad (Nick McEnaney) to watch a couple of his former players. Mens Griz games have a lot of memories, my dad did the shot clock so my brother and I went to every game and were allowed after the games to shoot around while they cleared the scorers table. We use to shoot from half court and even made a few so my dad talked me into signing up for the “shoot from center court contest”, I finally got picked and just knew I was going to make it. The first 2 contestants air-balled really bad, I got lined up and let fly a ball that was right on line, the only problem was it landed about 12 rows in the bleachers after clearing the shot clock, needless to say I still catch grief. I would have to say that my ‘favorite’ memory was one game I was allowed to sit at the scorers’ table with dad, I can’t recall the opponent but remember it was a really tight and intense game and my dad being a former coach was really into the game but still doing good at keeping the shot clock correct, but again dad was very into the game. Dad was so into the game that at one point coach Stew Morrill came to the table and said, Nick, you have to get off the officials, they said if you don’t they are going to give us a technical. Thankfully the Griz didn’t get a technical and dad and Stew were able to laugh about it later but I was also jokingly appointed by Stew to keep dad out of trouble.
Gary Hughes: So, so many great Griz and Lady Griz games over the years. Best individual performances have to be Eric Hays v. UCLA, in sold out Portland Coliseum, scoring 36 points against eventual NCAA National Champion UCLA; and, Shannon Cate scoring 34 at Wisconson with 8,000+ screaming Badger fans in the Big Dance, advancing Montana to to play USC. Best shot has to be Doug Selvig’s 1982 put-back at the buzzer against #8 Ranked Idaho (16-0 at the time) at Adams Field House in front of 9,300 wild Griz Fans. The roar at the buzzer blew the roof off! Idaho was beat only two times during the regular season by Doug Selvig and Montana and Notre Dame.
Pistol: My most memorable game was the Montana versus Idaho game in 1991. It was nationally televised on ESPN. The Gulf War was taking place and protesters were loud and proud on campus in those days. As it turns out, they also had a plan to stage a protest at the Griz game that evening. Of course, The Zoo, as the former raucous student section was affectionately called, got the crowd in a frenzy by rolling potatoes on the floor as the Vandals starting lineups were introduced. Then all hell broke loose…..a dozen protesters stormed the court and laid down in the shape of a peace sign. The Missoula Police Department was all over it, and “removed” them from the floor. One guy, named Duminda DeZoysa was drug off the playing floor by his hair! It happended right next to me. Needless to say, the crowd went wild, loving every minute of it. Of course, the ESPN Announcers were all over it. The next day it was all over ABC, CBS, and NBC news. I will never forget that game.
Ssisco: So many memories – I’d have to say my top was playing #1 ranked Tennessee in Dahlberg – standing room only – a very, very close game at one point it was so loud i was screaming to a teammate who couldn’t hear me though she was only an arms length away – such an incredible atmosphere… second- a big ‘get Noise for Boise’ game. I was a red-shirt on the bench – Ann was on the freethrow line near the end of the game, the score was tied… Rob was pacing – then he turned around and yelled at the bench “Every Body Pray!”…lowered his head… then yelled back at the bench “Never mind, not even God could help her!”… She made the free-throw, we won!
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