UM Corner

Christoper Shook, the dean of the College of Business, will leave the University of Montana this June to serve as dean of the Gordon Ford College of Business at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

For the second year in a row Montana's season came to a similar end – in the NCAA tournament to a top-10 Michigan team, one victory shy of tying a school record for wins in a season. The Grizzlies never quit, but Michigan showed why it is was deserving of a No. 2 seed, defeating Montana, 74-55, in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

The University of Montana ranks No. 6 among medium-sized schools on the Peace Corps’ 2019 list of top volunteer-producing colleges and universities. Currently 31 UM alumni volunteer in countries around the world, including Paraguay, Morocco, Mozambique and Mongolia.

Montana is playing in the NCAA tournament for the 12th time in school history, including the fifth appearance in the past decade. Montana is 2-12 all-time in the Big Dance, beating Utah State in 1975 – its first-ever tournament game – and upsetting No. 5 seed Nevada in 2006. 

Students, faculty and staff, and fans are encouraged to meet the team in front of the Adams Center as they gather around the bus beginning at 10 a.m. The team will then take the Madison Street Bridge and drive down Broadway Street, with community members and businesses lining the streets to show their support.

Montana is headed back to the NCAA tournament, and it will begin Thursday vs. a familiar opponent. The Grizzlies were matched up with Michigan, a rematch of last year's first-round game.

Montana is dancing once again: As they did in last year's title game vs. Eastern Washington, the Grizzlies overcame a double-digit deficit on Saturday night to win the Big Sky tournament (68-62) and punch their ticket to March Madness.

Montana finds itself in a familiar position, back in the Big Sky Conference championship game. The Grizzlies have played in the title game in eight of the past 10 seasons – including four of five seasons under head coach Travis DeCuire – an unprecedented run never experienced by any team in the 44-year history of the conference tournament.

Montana will play as the No. 1 seed in next week's Big Sky Championships in Boise, Idaho. The Grizzlies' quarterfinals game will take place at 12 p.m. on Thursday against the winner of Wednesday's contest between Northern Arizona and Sacramento State.

For as rough as February and early March were for the Montana women's basketball team, the Lady Griz will take a two-game winning streak into next week's Big Sky Conference tournament in Boise, Idaho. Montana got 18 points from Jace Henderson on Senior Day and 18 from McKenzie Johnston to outlast Sacramento State 75-67 on Saturday afternoon at Dahlberg Arena in Missoula.