Perhaps the best indicator as to how Montana’s 71-63 win at UC Riverside unfolded came when Montana associate head coach Chris Cobb put on the headset for the postgame radio interview.
“Anytime Travis can’t do the postgame talk on the radio because of his voice it’s never a good thing,” Cobb joked on KGVO radio before conceding that even his vocal cords took a beating during an ugly game marred by fouls and turnovers that eventually provided Montana its first win in California during Travis DeCuire’s tenure and gave the Griz a chance to pick up some momentum heading into Big Sky Conference play.
Situated in Riverside’s SRC Arena, a setting that provided a stale environment, Montana overcame 19 turnovers and a start-and-stop pace that never allowed either team to settle in. Yet as the fouls mounted in the second half, Montana found a way to convert 13 of its 20 shot attempts.
Montana freshman Sayeed Pridgett/ by Jason Bacaj
It was a charge led by guards Sayeed Pridgett, Ahmaad Rorie and Walter Wright, who combined to score 35 of the Grizzlies’ 43 second-half points, 19 of which came from Rorie. The three guards’ impact on the game was displayed during a play late in the second that seemed to secure things and push Montana to 4-8.
Protecting a 62-56 lead with under three minutes to play, Pridgett picked up his third block, swatting Malik Thames layup into the waiting hands of Wright. Wright raced up court and tossed it ahead to Rorie for a finger roll that tied the Oregon transfer’s then career-high with 21 points.
Rorie finished with 25, Wright had 10 of his 16 in the second half and Pridgett, who routinely got to the rim, added 10.
“We had to make a couple adjustments, but really it comes down to just playing hard and doing what we want to do,” Cobb said. “I think we got some good performances. You saw Ahmaad and Walter start to make some shots in the second half and get going.”
The second half, even with its share of free throws and miscues, was a stark contrast for Montana. Its 65-percent conversion rate from the field was nearly double its percentage in the first half, when it got its chances at the rim but more often than not watched shots roll off the rim.
Montana didn’t exactly jump out to 13-10 lead on Jared Samuelson’s dunk, but held the lead with 11 minutes left. Riverside took its first lead — and nearly held it through the remainder of the half — on buckets from Secean Johnson and Alex Larrson. Montana aided Riverside, turning the ball over on four of their seven possessions during the nearly two minute stretch.
“They probably watched us and saw the success that we’ve had attacking the rim and being aggressive at the rim,” Cobb said. “They did a really good job getting in the gaps so there wasn’t much there for us in the first half. You could kind of see that. When we drove there was a lot of turnovers early.”
Montana adjusted in the second half and the offense started to come around — some of it created from the bevy of turnovers the Griz forced the Highlanders into. Montana turned 22 UCR turnovers into 26 points, three of which came with 13:27 remaining on a triple from Rorie, who scored or assisted on 12 of the Grizzlies’ first 15 points in the final half.
Rorie found Jack Lopez for a three nearly three minutes into the half for UM’s first points of the second. He then added a layup, a jumper, another layup and a three in a run that lasted nearly five minutes and resulted with the Griz ahead 43-37.
Wright hit the final 3-pointer of the night, his first but hardly his biggest connection from behind the arc. About eight minutes after putting the Grizzlies up six, Wright drifted into the corner and drilled a high-arcing three on a kick from Mario Dunn.
“We talked a lot today about the hockey assist — the extra pass — it’s the pass before that,” Cobb said. “That’s one of the thing we focused on in the second half and I thought that really got us going. You saw us get more open shots and we made those shots.”
Montana’s first non-conference road win since a victory over Seattle in November 2014 came in its final chance to pick up one up before Big Sky play begins on Dec. 29. The Griz return home Thursday to face Pepperdine with a chance to avenge last season’s 69-66 loss to the Waves.
“We’re gonna be excited,” Cobb said. “We’re gonna be back at home. We’ve played well at home. We love shooting at home. We’ll be ready and excited for that one”
