Busting Brackets
Fansided

Big Sky Basketball: Top contenders for the 2018-19 season

By Jason Burgess

GLENDALE, AZ - MARCH 31: An Oregon Ducks player dribbles a Final Four game ball in practice ahead of the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four at University of Phoenix Stadium on March 31, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - MARCH 31: An Oregon Ducks player dribbles a Final Four game ball in practice ahead of the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four at University of Phoenix Stadium on March 31, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
WICHITA, KS – MARCH 15: Head coach Travis DeCuire of the Montana Grizzlies reacts against the Michigan Wolverines during the first half of the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at INTRUST Arena on March 15, 2018 in Wichita, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
WICHITA, KS – MARCH 15: Head coach Travis DeCuire of the Montana Grizzlies reacts against the Michigan Wolverines during the first half of the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at INTRUST Arena on March 15, 2018 in Wichita, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

Montana

The team that defeated Eastern Washington for the Big Sky title, the Montana Grizzlies 26-8 and finished atop the conference at 16-2. They got matched up with eventual national runner-up Michigan in the first round where they fell 81-67.

Head coach Travis Decuire brings back his top four scorers and six of his top seven, only needing to replace big man Fabijan Krslovic. If one aspect of a successful team is veteran guard play, the Grizzlies have that covered with leading scorers Ahmaad Rorie and Michael Oguine who combined to score 33 points per game. At 6-8, senior Jamar Akoh is the team’s leading rebounder grabbing over six per game, but he will have help on the boards from a couple of big rebounding guards 6-5 Sayeed Pridgett and 6-7 Bobby Morehead.

The incoming class should also help in that regard. Mack Anderson is a 6-8 forward from Bozeman, and Montana’s highest-rated recruit and Ben Carter is a 6-10 275lb. rock in the middle from Australia, which coincidently is where the Grizzlies’ staff found Krslovic, the guy he could replace. Also joining Decuire’s backcourt will be Eddy Egun and Freddy Brown, both of whom are 6-3. The Grizzlies return an experienced squad that checks all the boxes and is likely to be battling for another Big Sky title.

Home/Mid Major Conferences