University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Saturday, March 5
Missoula, MT
2:00 p.m.
University of Northern Colorado
10-20, 7-11
78
at
72
University of Montana
19-10, 14-4
1
2
F
Northern Colorado
33
45
78
Montana
40
32
72
Team Stats
UNCO
UM
FG%
.477
.396
3FG%
.412
.387
FT%
.906
.759
RB
27
29
TO
13
14
STL
7
3
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
29
FGM
7
3FGM
3
FTM
12
Pts
17
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
4
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
9
FGM
1
3FGM
0
FTM
7
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
Photo by: Todd Goodrich, UM Communications
Johnson Drops 29, @unco_mbb Tops Montana 78-72
3/5/2016 5:09:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Junior guard, Anthony Johnson went off for 29 points as the Bears bested the Griz on the road in the team's regular season finale
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MISSOULA, Mont. – Don't count them out yet. Northern Colorado (10-20, 7-11 Big Sky) put on a show in its regular season finale, topping Montana (19-10, 14-4 Big Sky) 78-72 on Saturday afternoon on the road inside Dahlberg Arena.
Junior guards, Anthony Johnson and Jordan Wilson combined for 46 of the team's 78 points in the six point decision. Johnson continues to put up huge numbers, finishing with a game-high 29 points. Johnson ended the contest 12-of-13 (92.3%) from the charity stripe and 7-of-16 (43.7%) from the field. It was the junior's sixth game of 20 points or more.
Wilson played a major role in the victory, leading the team on a 20-7 second half run, scoring all 17 of his points in the final 20 minutes of regulation. Wilson was 3-of-6 (50.0%) from long range, and 5-of-9 (55.5%) on field goals.
Freshman guard, Jordan Davis was the other Bear to finish in double digits. He pitched in with 13 points, four rebounds and a steal before fouling out in the second half.
"Our guys deserve all the credit in the world because it's tough to follow a game plan in this arena because of the atmosphere and the great basketball crowd Montana always has," head coach B.J. Hill said about the victory. "I think we've won twice here in my ten years at UNC – so that's hard enough, but to not play well at Montana State and then turn around 36 hours later and play like we did tells you a lot about what our guys are made out of."
UNC played from behind the entire first half, but never let the game get out of reach. The team's largest deficit was 24-13 before answering with an 11-0 run to knot the game up at 24-24 with 5:06 to play until the intermission.
During the rally, Johnson and redshirt freshman forward, Ibrahim Sylla pooled together from nine of the 11 points. Sylla finished the game with four points and a team-high six rebounds.
The Griz responded scoring five straight to send the Bears into the locker room down, 38-33. Montana knocked down 8 of their 12 three pointers in the first half, but were held to just 4-of-15 makes from downtown in the second act.
"We talked a lot about trust beforehand in our conversations and they showed trust in me and in the system and each other," Hill added. "The way they played offensively was tremendous today."
The second half was all Northern Colorado, jumping out of the gates and outscoring UM 24-8 in the first 10 minutes of action. Wilson poured in 12 of the 24 points to give UNC a 59-50 advantage with 10:11 to play.
After taking the lead for the first time in the game (46-44) off a Wilson three-ball , UNC never relinquished it.
The Griz got within four (62-58) of the Bears off a Jack Lopez spot-up three, but that is as close as it would be over the final five minutes of the game.
UNC sealed the deal at the free throw line putting in 10 of the final 12 attempts, to earn its tenth win of the season. Northern Colorado made a season-high 29-of-32 shots at the charity stripe.
"This was it – we don't play a game on anyone's home court the rest of the year," Hill finished with. "Now it's just one on one, team on team, neutral court, hey let's go. Hopefully this gives our guys some confidence on how to win games under tough circumstances and I'm just so, so proud of them and the way they finished out this game."
The Bears now turn their attention to the Big Sky Tournament in Reno, Nevada. UNC has already locked in the no. 9 seed in the postseason tournament, and will play the no. 8 seed Portland State on Tuesday, March 8 at 1:05 p.m. (MT).
Stats of the Game:
- Northern Colorado finished with a season-most 29 made free throws. The Bears shot 90.6% (29-of-32) from the charity stripe in the win.
- UNC scored 19 points off of 14 Montana turnovers and only committed 13 themselves.
- The Bears defense held Montana to 39.6% shooting on the afternoon, just the fourth time this season holding a team to under 40.0% from the floor.
MISSOULA, Mont. – Don't count them out yet. Northern Colorado (10-20, 7-11 Big Sky) put on a show in its regular season finale, topping Montana (19-10, 14-4 Big Sky) 78-72 on Saturday afternoon on the road inside Dahlberg Arena.
Junior guards, Anthony Johnson and Jordan Wilson combined for 46 of the team's 78 points in the six point decision. Johnson continues to put up huge numbers, finishing with a game-high 29 points. Johnson ended the contest 12-of-13 (92.3%) from the charity stripe and 7-of-16 (43.7%) from the field. It was the junior's sixth game of 20 points or more.
Wilson played a major role in the victory, leading the team on a 20-7 second half run, scoring all 17 of his points in the final 20 minutes of regulation. Wilson was 3-of-6 (50.0%) from long range, and 5-of-9 (55.5%) on field goals.
Freshman guard, Jordan Davis was the other Bear to finish in double digits. He pitched in with 13 points, four rebounds and a steal before fouling out in the second half.
"Our guys deserve all the credit in the world because it's tough to follow a game plan in this arena because of the atmosphere and the great basketball crowd Montana always has," head coach B.J. Hill said about the victory. "I think we've won twice here in my ten years at UNC – so that's hard enough, but to not play well at Montana State and then turn around 36 hours later and play like we did tells you a lot about what our guys are made out of."
UNC played from behind the entire first half, but never let the game get out of reach. The team's largest deficit was 24-13 before answering with an 11-0 run to knot the game up at 24-24 with 5:06 to play until the intermission.
During the rally, Johnson and redshirt freshman forward, Ibrahim Sylla pooled together from nine of the 11 points. Sylla finished the game with four points and a team-high six rebounds.
The Griz responded scoring five straight to send the Bears into the locker room down, 38-33. Montana knocked down 8 of their 12 three pointers in the first half, but were held to just 4-of-15 makes from downtown in the second act.
"We talked a lot about trust beforehand in our conversations and they showed trust in me and in the system and each other," Hill added. "The way they played offensively was tremendous today."
The second half was all Northern Colorado, jumping out of the gates and outscoring UM 24-8 in the first 10 minutes of action. Wilson poured in 12 of the 24 points to give UNC a 59-50 advantage with 10:11 to play.
After taking the lead for the first time in the game (46-44) off a Wilson three-ball , UNC never relinquished it.
The Griz got within four (62-58) of the Bears off a Jack Lopez spot-up three, but that is as close as it would be over the final five minutes of the game.
UNC sealed the deal at the free throw line putting in 10 of the final 12 attempts, to earn its tenth win of the season. Northern Colorado made a season-high 29-of-32 shots at the charity stripe.
"This was it – we don't play a game on anyone's home court the rest of the year," Hill finished with. "Now it's just one on one, team on team, neutral court, hey let's go. Hopefully this gives our guys some confidence on how to win games under tough circumstances and I'm just so, so proud of them and the way they finished out this game."
The Bears now turn their attention to the Big Sky Tournament in Reno, Nevada. UNC has already locked in the no. 9 seed in the postseason tournament, and will play the no. 8 seed Portland State on Tuesday, March 8 at 1:05 p.m. (MT).
Stats of the Game:
- Northern Colorado finished with a season-most 29 made free throws. The Bears shot 90.6% (29-of-32) from the charity stripe in the win.
- UNC scored 19 points off of 14 Montana turnovers and only committed 13 themselves.
- The Bears defense held Montana to 39.6% shooting on the afternoon, just the fourth time this season holding a team to under 40.0% from the floor.
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