Griz hoops: Maroon-Silver Scrimmage set for Oct. 23
Basketball season is just around the corner, and fans will have the opportunity to see their Montana basketball teams in action later this month. The Griz and Lady Griz will hold their annual Maroon-Silver Scrimmage on Tuesday, Oct. 23 inside Dahlberg Arena.
The Lady Griz will kick off the evening at 5:30, followed by the men at 7 p.m. The night will be fans' first chance to see both teams in action, in addition to hearing from both head coaches and meeting the student-athletes afterward. The Maroon-Silver Scrimmage is once again free to the public.
The Lady Griz began preseason practices last Thursday ahead of their exhibition opener Oct. 30 vs. Carroll. The team's regular-season home opener will take place on Nov. 20 vs. Providence, which will also be the team's Lady Griz School Day, an event that attracted more than 7,000 fans a year ago.
Despite once again being ravished by injuries, the Lady Griz doubled their win total from the previous season, finishing 14-17 and advancing to the quarterfinals of the Big Sky tournament. They return four starters, including McKenzie Johnston – their leading scorer and an All-Big Sky honorable mention honoree. Additionally, the Lady Griz welcome six newcomers who can be seen for the first time on Oct. 23.
The men's basketball team is coming off of one of the most prolific seasons in school history, winning 26 games including a 14-0 mark at home, claiming the Big Sky Conference regular-season and tournament titles, and advancing to the NCAA tournament. Back are four starters, including first-team all-conference guard Ahmaad Rorie and defensive player of the year Michael Oguine. Returning nearly all of their production from a year ago, expectations are once again high for Travis DeCuire's squad. The season begins with an exhibition game vs. Whitworth on Nov. 2, followed by the regular-season opener Nov. 9 vs. NCAA-tournament team Georgia State.