CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Southern Utah University men's basketball team will host the Montana Grizzlies in their final home game of the season tomorrow night, with tip-off set for 7:00 p.m. MT.

Game Info

Southern Utah vs Montana

Date: February 24, 2022

Tip-off: 7:00 p.m. MT

Location: Cedar City, Utah

Venue: America First Event Center

Stream: ESPN+

Watch | Live Stats | Southern Utah Game Notes (PDF)

Preview

The T-Birds (17-9, 11-5) are coming off a dominant performance on the road against Northern Arizona. SUU used a tenacious defensive effort to kick-start their offense and propel them to a 31-point victory.

The Thunderbirds now return to Cedar City for their final game in the America First Event Center this season.

This matchup will feature the Big Sky's highest-scoring offense vs the conference's top defense. Southern Utah currently leads the Big Sky in scoring at 79.7 points per game, while the Grizzlies, on the other hand, are allowing a meager 64.9 points per contest, good for first in the conference.

SUU will look to find their offensive rhythm early, aiming to get out in transition and limit the Grizzlies' ability to set up their stingy half-court defense. The T-Birds are averaging 13.1 fast break points in wins this season, compared to just 9 in losses.

Three-point shooting will be a critical aspect of the game for SUU. Montana has struggled to defend the three-point line this season, allowing opponents to shoot an average of 35.9 percent from behind the arc. The Thunderbirds struggled from three in the previous matchup against Montana, but are coming off one of their best shooting performances of the season, and hope to carry that over into tomorrow night's matchup.

In recent years, Montana has consistently been one of the best defensive teams in the Big Sky. They are the only team to rank in the top five of the Big Sky in fewest points allowed each season since 2017-18. In ten losses this season, the Grizzlies have given up an average of 79.5 points per contest, whereas, in wins, they have only given up an average of 57.3 points per game.

Offensively, the Grizzlies rely on contributions from a variety of different players, as they currently have six different players averaging at least six points a game. Josh Bannan, a sophomore out of Melbourne, Australia, leads their team in scoring and rebounding, averaging 14.3 points and 8 rebounds per game.

Rebounding could yet again prove to be a key factor in the game for Southern Utah. They currently lead the conference in team rebounds, pulling down an average of 38.5 boards per contest, while Montana is second to last in the Big Sky in rebounding at 31.7 boards per game.

This matchup proves to be a critical one in terms of seeding for the Big Sky tournament. The Thunderbirds are currently in a three-way tie with Weber State and Northern Colorado for second place in the Big Sky standings, while the Grizzlies are right on their heels, sitting just one game back.

On top of the postseason implications, it is senior night for Southern Utah, as the Thunderbirds will be honoring one of the strongest senior classes in program history. Eight T-Birds will be recognized in a post-game ceremony, as it could be their final game in the America First Event Center.

Prior Matchup

Southern Utah traveled to Missoula to face Montana earlier this month, falling to the Grizzlies by a final score of 67-78. 

The T-Bird offense struggled to find its rhythm in the first matchup, shooting 38.9 percent from the field and 29.4 percent from three. Despite the poor shooting from SUU, they were able to stay in the game for the majority of the contest. 

After a 12-4 run by Montana in the second half created a 10 point lead with 6:24 to play, the T-Birds battled back, going on a 5-0 run to cut the deficit to just 5 with 1:33 to play. The Grizzlies were able to knock down 8-8 free throws in the final minute and a half to close out the game and secure the victory.

Montana held Southern Utah to just four fast break points in the game, well below their season average of 11.7.

Last Time Out

The Thunderbirds put on a masterful performance in Flagstaff, dominating every aspect of the game from start to finish. The T-Birds had one of their best defensive performances of the season, holding NAU to just 14 points in the first half, and limiting one of the best three-point shooting teams in the Big Sky to just 14.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc, their worst mark for the entire season.

On the offensive end, SUU had eight players score at least 8 points, with four reaching double figures. Tevian Jones and Maizen Fausett led the way, scoring 12 points apiece, while Aanen Moody (11) and John Knight III (10), were the other Thunderbirds to reach the double-figure scoring mark.

Southern Utah shot 45.9 percent from the floor (28-61) and 41.9 percent from three (13-31) in one of their most complete team performances of the season.

Notable Stats:

• Jason Spurgin is averaging 14.7 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 block per game over his last three outings.

• John Knight III has recorded at least 2 steals in each of the last 7 games.

• Harrison Butler is 18 points away from the 1,000 point scoring mark for his career.

• Coach Todd Simon needs one more win to reach the 100 game win mark in his head coaching career.

• Southern Utah is 10-3 in home contests this season.

For all the latest on Southern Utah men's basketball, follow @SUUBasketball on Twitter and Instagram, and like the Southern Utah Basketball Facebook page.