I don’t know about you, but I’m not sure I have fully recovered from the Montana Tech MSU- Northern double overtime burner on Thursday night. It was one of those games that had everything. The intensity was off the charts. The second-half defense was incredible, and it truly showed how skilled Coach Hiatt and Coach Huse are in guiding their teams.

The Frontier Men’s Standing after the first round of conference play

#12 Montana Tech           4-1         16-2
Providence                      3-2         9-9
UM Western                    3-2         8-10
Rocky                               2-3         10-7
Carroll College                 2-3         8-8
MSU Northern                 1-4         12-6

Northern has 4 losses, 2 of those in Double Overtime, and one in (single) Overtime. This conference is incredibly good.

After the first trip around the conference sun, Western has wins over Rocky and Montana Tech at home, and a road win at Northern. Their two losses are to Providence at home, and to Carroll in Helena. Western is one of the better teams in the nation from the 3 point line, averaging 10 made 3’s a game (#7 in the country). Michael Haverfield is 30/51 from downtown, shooting 59%, and Ky Kouba is shooting 47% from the arc.

Overall the Bulldogs are led by Jamal Stepherson and Ky Kouba both averaging 13 points a game. Brenton Woods comes in with 11, Michael Haverfield and (the best name in the conference) Jok Jok both averaging 9 points a game. As a team, the Bulldogs are averaging 69 points a game.

Western won the first matchup 67-64 in Dillon, team numbers were pretty comparable. Tech shot 43%, Western 38%. Tech defended the 3 point line well, holding Western to 27% from the arc in their building. Two big numbers, Tech was 10-17 from the Free Throw line and was outrebounded 38-26.

Asa Williams led all scorers with 23 points in the first matchup, Caleb Bellach finished with 15 for the Diggs.

belly drives to the hoop-Picture courtesy of BnO Photography. BRIANNA OMARA
belly drives to the hoop-Picture courtesy of BnO Photography. BRIANNA OMARA
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Reigning Frontier Conference player of the week, Caleb Bellach remains the Oredigger’s leading scorer, averaging 18 points a game (over his last 3 games he is averaging 24) Michael Ure comes in with 13 points, and 7 rebounds a game, and Asa Williams checks in at 12 points a contest. Freshman Hayden Diekhans is getting 9 points, and Keeley Bake and Bridger Larson are both making a huge impact off the bench averaging 8 points a night.

Hayden Diekhans drives-Picture courtesy of BnO Photography. BRIANNA OMARA
Hayden Diekhans drives-Picture courtesy of BnO Photography. BRIANNA OMARA
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That loss to Western back in December snapped an 11-game winning streak for Coach Adam Hiatt and the Orediggers over the Bulldogs. They would love to start another winning streak Saturday. Tip-off 4 pm Straugh Gymnasium, Dillon.

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