Salt Lake City International Airport turned into a meeting place of sorts for the Big Sky Wednesday, as flights that carried NAU, Eastern Washington, Sacramento State and Portland State all arrived around the same time. ... The Jacks' trip to Missoula took a major detour since all flights to the town from Salt Lake City were canceled due to heavy fog. The team instead flew into Kalispell, just south of the Canadian border, and bussed more than two hours to Missoula. In all, the trip took 12 hours.
nau @montana st
- Thread starter loophole
- Start date
MISSOULA, Mont. -- Maybe being on the road isn't such a bad thing.
For one, it saves Northern Arizona's players from being barraged with questions about the assault that took place outside a Flagstaff bar early Sunday morning that left point guard DeJuan Stevens with a broken jaw and the Lumberjacks with a gaping hole in the lineup. Stevens was NAU's second-leading scorer behind guard Steve Sir.
Stevens' injury stopped being a distraction for NAU players the moment they hit the practice floor Monday and Tuesday as they prepared for the team's most important road trip of the season. The Lumberjacks meet Montana here tonight before facing off with Montana State, unbeaten in the Big Sky at 3-0, four hours down the road Saturday in Bozeman.
NAU coach Mike Adras wishes he could say the same thing. He's stopped taking phone calls and media questions about Stevens' situation, because the distractions have left him struggling to prepare for tonight's game against the Grizzlies.
"The practice court has been the best thing for me the last two days," Adras said. "I told (NAU athletics director) Jim Fallis last night that I'm not comfortable with where I'm at in my game preparation for Montana. I should be a lot further along than I am.
"Truth be told, it's been a tremendous distraction to me. ... The best thing for our guys is to just get away."
Starting point guard Kyle Feuerbach noted Wednesday that the Lumberjacks have had two days to prepare for life without Stevens, who will miss at least four to six weeks, if not the rest of the regular season. Sophomore Riley Van Patten, a reserve who has played mostly two guard this season, will pick up some of Stevens' minutes, while Feuerbach will be expected to shoulder a much larger load of minutes himself.
That's nothing new for the senior. During his sophomore year, fellow point guard Chris Ferguson went down three games into the season with a foot injury, leaving Feuerbach as the only point guard. He played nearly the full 40 minutes every game.
"I guess the positive spin is that I have a point guard who has been in this predicament before," Adras said. "He knows what he has to do. And I just think mentally, he's tougher than he was two years ago."
Van Patten's story is an interesting one. He came to NAU from Glendale, Calif., on a football scholarship and was expected to play defensive back for the Lumberjacks. But a recurring problem with the pinky finger on his left hand -- he dislocated the digit time and again -- forced him out of a football uniform. He eventually had surgery to repair the finger, and he decided to try out for the NAU basketball team.
Van Patten impressed the coaching staff with his quickness and ability to defend on the ball. Plus, he's got a nice outside shot and the ability to penetrate. So while Stevens is out, Van Patten will get a chance to show he can be an impact player himself.
"It's exciting," Van Patten said. "It's been a lot of work this week trying to cram everything in and figure things out. ... With 'D' (Stevens) gone, everyone has to step up their game."
The Grizzlies will be without a star of their own tonight. Forward Kamarr Davis has been out since December while trying to regain his academic eligibility through UM's winter-session classes. The grades from those classes have yet to be posted, meaning Davis won't play tonight. He's expected to return for Saturday's game against Sacramento State.
Montana has adapted. In Davis' absence, freshman Andrew Strait has emerged as a legitimate scoring threat. And, as always, guard Kevin Criswell is a dangerous sharpshooter with the ability to take over a game.
If NAU gets the same sort of production tonight out of freshman Cedric Hill as it did last weekend at home, when he averaged 19 points per game in two Lumberjack victories, the impact of Stevens' absence will be lessened. Like Stevens, Hill has the athletic ability to create his own shot off the dribble, an important asset on a team filled with dead-eye shooters who get their shots off screens.
"I wouldn't say there's pressure on him," Feuerbach said. "But we need him to keep playing like he did last week."
For one, it saves Northern Arizona's players from being barraged with questions about the assault that took place outside a Flagstaff bar early Sunday morning that left point guard DeJuan Stevens with a broken jaw and the Lumberjacks with a gaping hole in the lineup. Stevens was NAU's second-leading scorer behind guard Steve Sir.
Stevens' injury stopped being a distraction for NAU players the moment they hit the practice floor Monday and Tuesday as they prepared for the team's most important road trip of the season. The Lumberjacks meet Montana here tonight before facing off with Montana State, unbeaten in the Big Sky at 3-0, four hours down the road Saturday in Bozeman.
NAU coach Mike Adras wishes he could say the same thing. He's stopped taking phone calls and media questions about Stevens' situation, because the distractions have left him struggling to prepare for tonight's game against the Grizzlies.
"The practice court has been the best thing for me the last two days," Adras said. "I told (NAU athletics director) Jim Fallis last night that I'm not comfortable with where I'm at in my game preparation for Montana. I should be a lot further along than I am.
"Truth be told, it's been a tremendous distraction to me. ... The best thing for our guys is to just get away."
Starting point guard Kyle Feuerbach noted Wednesday that the Lumberjacks have had two days to prepare for life without Stevens, who will miss at least four to six weeks, if not the rest of the regular season. Sophomore Riley Van Patten, a reserve who has played mostly two guard this season, will pick up some of Stevens' minutes, while Feuerbach will be expected to shoulder a much larger load of minutes himself.
That's nothing new for the senior. During his sophomore year, fellow point guard Chris Ferguson went down three games into the season with a foot injury, leaving Feuerbach as the only point guard. He played nearly the full 40 minutes every game.
"I guess the positive spin is that I have a point guard who has been in this predicament before," Adras said. "He knows what he has to do. And I just think mentally, he's tougher than he was two years ago."
Van Patten's story is an interesting one. He came to NAU from Glendale, Calif., on a football scholarship and was expected to play defensive back for the Lumberjacks. But a recurring problem with the pinky finger on his left hand -- he dislocated the digit time and again -- forced him out of a football uniform. He eventually had surgery to repair the finger, and he decided to try out for the NAU basketball team.
Van Patten impressed the coaching staff with his quickness and ability to defend on the ball. Plus, he's got a nice outside shot and the ability to penetrate. So while Stevens is out, Van Patten will get a chance to show he can be an impact player himself.
"It's exciting," Van Patten said. "It's been a lot of work this week trying to cram everything in and figure things out. ... With 'D' (Stevens) gone, everyone has to step up their game."
The Grizzlies will be without a star of their own tonight. Forward Kamarr Davis has been out since December while trying to regain his academic eligibility through UM's winter-session classes. The grades from those classes have yet to be posted, meaning Davis won't play tonight. He's expected to return for Saturday's game against Sacramento State.
Montana has adapted. In Davis' absence, freshman Andrew Strait has emerged as a legitimate scoring threat. And, as always, guard Kevin Criswell is a dangerous sharpshooter with the ability to take over a game.
If NAU gets the same sort of production tonight out of freshman Cedric Hill as it did last weekend at home, when he averaged 19 points per game in two Lumberjack victories, the impact of Stevens' absence will be lessened. Like Stevens, Hill has the athletic ability to create his own shot off the dribble, an important asset on a team filled with dead-eye shooters who get their shots off screens.
"I wouldn't say there's pressure on him," Feuerbach said. "But we need him to keep playing like he did last week."
Grizzlies ready to bury memories of MSU loss
By BOB MESEROLL Missoulian sports editor
The Montana men's basketball team is done grieving.
The Grizzlies' heartbreaking loss to rival Montana State last week has been reconciled.
"We went through a little 48-hour mourning process," said Montana coach Larry Krystkowiak, whose Griz host Northern Arizona on Thursday night. "The only way to heal is with time."
A little heart-to-heart talk with the coach Tuesday morning maybe sped the process along.
"I think we had one of our best practices of the year (Tuesday afternoon)," Krystkowiak said. "I had some media stuff to do before practice and I kind of wandered in late and I don't know what happened. It was like walking into another gym. The guys were fired up and there was a lot of energy in the gym."
It'll take a lot of energy to defend the high-octane Lumberjacks, who lead the league in scoring at 76.2 points a game.
Watching the Cats make 10-of-28 3-pointers last week was just a portent of things to come. NAU leads the league in 3-point accuracy (39 percent) and is second in treys made with 125, six behind MSU.
"It does have a familiar ring to it," Krystkowiak said of preparing for NAU. "The emphasis remains on the perimeter. If you have your hands down and you're too far away from these guys, like Montana State, they're going to shoot it right in your eye and there's a pretty good chance it's going in."
If anything, the Jacks have more weapons than Montana State, despite losing guard DeJuan Stevens. Stevens was the victim of an assault early Sunday morning that left him with a broken jaw, among other injuries.
Freshman Cedric Hill had stepped into Stevens' starting slot last week and responded with 38 points in two games. Senior guard Kyle Feuerbach leads the league in 3-pointers with 50 and junior Kelly Golob is eighth with 32. Junior Steve Sir has 22 treys in just six games after becoming eligible in late December.
Sophomore Ruben Boykin Jr. is a capable inside threat who ranks fourth in the league in rebounding.
"It's just a bunch of weapons," Krystkowiak said. "It's not a deal where you're just trying to cut the head off the snake. Everybody has to be on guard."
The Griz, too, have shown improvement. Freshman Andrew Strait, who took over at one of the starting forward slots last week, is averaging better than 12 points and seven rebounds since league play began. Junior center John Seyfert had 14 points and nine boards last week against the Cats. And despite being held to nine points last week, junior Kevin Criswell is averaging 16 ppg over the last six games.
"We're making progress," Krystkowiak said.
Job one Thursday night will be to slow down the Lumberjacks.
"First and foremost, we have to get back on defense," Krystkowiak said. "They're the first team we've played this year that will actually break after a make. They look to push it and they have guys at all five positions that are committed to the break. If we have one guy who's dogging it back on defense we're going to be toast."
Notes: Krystkowiak said sophomore Mike Chavez, who is not practicing because of a broken jaw, was "knocking on the door academically" but failed to regain his eligibility for the remainder of this season. Chavez is attending intersession but won't be able to practice until his jaw heals. ... With 10 points, Kevin Criswell will become the 21st player in UM history to score 1,000 career points. ... The Griz should learn by the end of the week whether suspended senior Kamarr Davis has regained his eligibility during intersession.
By BOB MESEROLL Missoulian sports editor
The Montana men's basketball team is done grieving.
The Grizzlies' heartbreaking loss to rival Montana State last week has been reconciled.
"We went through a little 48-hour mourning process," said Montana coach Larry Krystkowiak, whose Griz host Northern Arizona on Thursday night. "The only way to heal is with time."
A little heart-to-heart talk with the coach Tuesday morning maybe sped the process along.
"I think we had one of our best practices of the year (Tuesday afternoon)," Krystkowiak said. "I had some media stuff to do before practice and I kind of wandered in late and I don't know what happened. It was like walking into another gym. The guys were fired up and there was a lot of energy in the gym."
It'll take a lot of energy to defend the high-octane Lumberjacks, who lead the league in scoring at 76.2 points a game.
Watching the Cats make 10-of-28 3-pointers last week was just a portent of things to come. NAU leads the league in 3-point accuracy (39 percent) and is second in treys made with 125, six behind MSU.
"It does have a familiar ring to it," Krystkowiak said of preparing for NAU. "The emphasis remains on the perimeter. If you have your hands down and you're too far away from these guys, like Montana State, they're going to shoot it right in your eye and there's a pretty good chance it's going in."
If anything, the Jacks have more weapons than Montana State, despite losing guard DeJuan Stevens. Stevens was the victim of an assault early Sunday morning that left him with a broken jaw, among other injuries.
Freshman Cedric Hill had stepped into Stevens' starting slot last week and responded with 38 points in two games. Senior guard Kyle Feuerbach leads the league in 3-pointers with 50 and junior Kelly Golob is eighth with 32. Junior Steve Sir has 22 treys in just six games after becoming eligible in late December.
Sophomore Ruben Boykin Jr. is a capable inside threat who ranks fourth in the league in rebounding.
"It's just a bunch of weapons," Krystkowiak said. "It's not a deal where you're just trying to cut the head off the snake. Everybody has to be on guard."
The Griz, too, have shown improvement. Freshman Andrew Strait, who took over at one of the starting forward slots last week, is averaging better than 12 points and seven rebounds since league play began. Junior center John Seyfert had 14 points and nine boards last week against the Cats. And despite being held to nine points last week, junior Kevin Criswell is averaging 16 ppg over the last six games.
"We're making progress," Krystkowiak said.
Job one Thursday night will be to slow down the Lumberjacks.
"First and foremost, we have to get back on defense," Krystkowiak said. "They're the first team we've played this year that will actually break after a make. They look to push it and they have guys at all five positions that are committed to the break. If we have one guy who's dogging it back on defense we're going to be toast."
Notes: Krystkowiak said sophomore Mike Chavez, who is not practicing because of a broken jaw, was "knocking on the door academically" but failed to regain his eligibility for the remainder of this season. Chavez is attending intersession but won't be able to practice until his jaw heals. ... With 10 points, Kevin Criswell will become the 21st player in UM history to score 1,000 career points. ... The Griz should learn by the end of the week whether suspended senior Kamarr Davis has regained his eligibility during intersession.
thread caption is obviosly wrong - this game is against montana, not montana state. sorry for the confusion.
like montana in this spot. note nau coach's concerns over lost prep time because of situation with pg dejuan stevens is immediately compounded with travel difficulties in salt lake city. flagstaff is not an easy place to travel into and out of without weather delays. contrast with good practice reports out of missoula on the heels of superior effort vs montana state.
