Montana Picked No. 1 in the Big Sky Preseason Polls

10/21/2010 4:15:00 PM

T. William Gooch

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OGDEN, Utah (October 21, 2010) - Montana has been picked by the coaches and the media to win the Big Sky women’s basketball title in 2010-11. The Lady Griz return to the position of preseason favorite after a one-year hiatus.

Montana had at least tied for the top spot in the coach’s poll for nine straight seasons until Portland State replaced them in the polls last year. The results of the polls were released on Thursday by the conference office, coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams.

Montana received five first-place votes in the coach’s poll for a total of 61 points. The media gave the Lady Griz 171 points and 12 first-place votes.

Head coach Robin Selvig enters his 33rd year at the helm of Montana Lady Griz basketball, where he has collected a record of 740-218. In the 2009-10 season the Lady Griz made their 22nd straight appearance in the Big Sky tournament, but lost to eventual champion Portland State in the semifinal 62-47.

Montana returns four starters and eight letterwinners from its 2009-10 season. That group finished the season 15-14 and tied for second in the Big Sky with a 10-6 league record. This year’s roster will be without Lauren Beck, a second-team All-Big Sky selection, and point guard Shaunte Nance-Johnson. Sophomore forward Katie Baker returns from a knee injury. She was averaging 11.5 points and 6.9 rebounds per game before she was lost for the season in Montana’s third conference game. Also helping out on the front line will be senior Sarah Ena. Ena finished 10th in the league in rebounding at 5.9 per game and she finished 12th in scoring with 12.2 points per game.

The reigning regular-season champion Eastern Washington Eagles came in second with 53 points and two first-place votes in the coaches poll, and 159 points and six first-place nods in the media poll. The Eagles finished the 2009-10 campaign with a 19-11 overall record and 12-4 in league play. Eastern Washington’s regular season title was a first in program history. Coach Wendy Schuller was selected as the Coach of the Year and senior forward Julie Piper was named the league’s MVP. Piper, a 6-1 forward from Roseburg, Ore., averaged 12.1 points per game and improved that average in league play to 12.6. She was third in the conference with 7.8 rebounds per game and lead the league in offensive boards.

Portland State has been picked to finish third in both polls. The coaches gave the Vikings 52 total points with one first-place vote, while the media gave them 150 points. The Vikings became the first No. 5 seed to win the Big Sky tournament last season. They were the 2009-10 preseason favorite by the coaches and media, but entered the tournament needing three victories. Portland State beat Idaho State, No.2 seed Montana and No. 6 seed Montana State en route to its first ever Big Sky postseason title. The Vikings lost to No. 2 seed Texas A&M in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Leading the charge for the Vikings last season was senior guard Claire Faucher. Faucher finished her career as the league leader in assists with 829. She also stands third on the all-time steals list with 282. Portland State returns nine letterwinners and three starters this season. Fourth-year head coach Sherri Murrell has led Portland State to back-to-back Big Sky tournament championship game appearances after a semifinal appearance in her first season.

Both the coaches and the media have predicted a fourth-place finish for Montana State. The coaches awarded  MSU with 48 points and one first-place vote, and the media gave the Bobcats 132 points. The Bobcats are coming off a run to the Big Sky tournament championship game, where they lost to Portland State. Senior forward Sarah Balain (formally Strand) returns as the Big Sky’s Co-Defensive Player of the Year. The junior from Seattle, Wash., averaged 4.6 defensive rebounds per game along with being an excellent on-ball defender. During the season Strand was named Big Sky Player of the Week twice.

Idaho State and Sacramento State both finished with a point total of 26 points from the coaches. The Hornets received 102 from the media and three first-place votes, while the Bengals garnered 84 points. Both teams were 2009-10 Big Sky tournament participants and both lost in the first round. Sacramento State lit up the scoreboard last season averaging 79.1 points per game, an average that is third best in league history.  Idaho State had looked like the hot team heading into the tournament. The Bengals were on a six-game winning streak, including a 63-51 defeat of Portland State. The Vikings ended ISU’s season in the opening round of the tournament 75-61.

Northern Arizona was not far behind Idaho State and Sacramento State in the coaches’ minds, as the Lumberjacks were awarded 25 points. The media thought NAU would finish in the same spot as the coaches and awarded them 66 points. The Lumberjacks will be looking to build around the 2009-10 Freshman of the Year Amy Patton. Patton finished the season as the league’s top rebounder with 8.6 per game and was second in scoring at 18.6 per game. During the season the Tempe, Ariz., product posted four 30-point games, including a league season high 35 against Sacramento State. The freshman also tallied 13 double-doubles, more than double than any other player in the conference.

The coaches picked Northern Colorado to finish eighth with 18 points and Weber State to finish ninth with 15 points. In the media poll the Bears received 48 points, while the Wildcats collected 33.

The 2010-11 basketball season starts on November 12 and the conference season begins on January 6, 2011. The Big Sky Women’s Basketball Championship is slated for March 10-12 and will be hosted by the regular-season champion.

Coach's Poll

Media Poll