Griz/Diggers to tip off Saturday afternoon in Missoula

The following is a release from Digger Athletics:

MISSOULA, Mont.- The basketball game between the University of Montana and Montana Tech has been rescheduled.

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The schedule change was made to accommodate the NCAA FCS Quarterfinal game between the University of Montana Grizzlies (11-1) and the Furman Paladins (10-2) which will be played on Friday at 7:00 PM. The game will be aired on ESPN 2. Tickets to the game will be available to the general public at 5pm Tuesday and are available at griztix.com

The Orediggers enter the game on Saturday with a 7-1 overall record and are currently No. 8 in the NAIA Coaches’ Top 25. Montana Tech will be playing their second game with a ‘full bench’. This past Friday (December 1^st) saw the return of First Team All-American Caleb Bellach to the lineup. Caleb made his presence felt immediately, scoring 17 points in 19 minutes, on 7 of 12 shooting.

The 2022-23 Frontier Conference MVP, Bellach averaged 18.1 points per game, and an even more impressive 21.8 points in conference games.

Also returning to active duty was guard Levi Torgerson. Levi was ‘recruited’ by the football program to step in and play receiver this season, and play he did. Levi finished the year with 28 receptions, good for 428 yards and three scores. Levi was also one of the best kick returners in the conference, averaging well over 20 yards per return.

Through the first eight games of the season, the Orediggers have four players averaging double digits. Senior Asa Williams is out front with 17.6 ppg, Michael Ure at 12.5, Ifeanyi Okeke averages 12.3, and Hayden Diekhans checks in at 10 points a game.

The Grizzlies (3-4) are led in scoring by Money Williams, who is averaging 14.4 points per game. Right behind his is Aanen Moody who is putting up 14 ppg.

Before the Grizzlies welcome the Orediggers to Robin Selvig Court, they will host MSU-Northern on Tuesday at 7:00 PM.

The last time the Orediggers played in Missoula (Nov 18, 2019), Montana Tech came away with a 74-72 win behind 24 points from Sindou Diallo.