grizzlyjournal
Well-known member
The palpable irony of the facts is clear: Montana’s greatest (statistically speaking) road win over a Power 5 university was its 2002, 70-68 win over the then 19th-ranked Stanford Cardinal. The tiny handful of other historic wins (including Wayne Tinkle’s vs. Oregon in 2009 and vs. UCLA in 2010; Mike Montgomery’s win over Kansas St. in 1978) pale by comparison.
That team’s coach? Pat Kennedy, whose 23-35 (.397) Montana career lasted a mere two seasons. A week earlier, Kennedy’s Griz had given visiting Gonzaga a home-court scare, before losing 75-67. After that game, Kennedy spoke at length about how he planned to turn the Grizzlies into a regional and nationally recognized mid-major power on a level equal to the Zags. Ummm, ok. The more lasting effect: Gonzaga has never played another game in Missoula.
Three years later, then-coach Larry Krystkowiak’s upstart Griz demolished the Cardinal 88-69 in Stanford’s last-ever visit to Missoula. Krysko departed shortly thereafter, making certain to emphasize he was leaving his alma mater because the salaries for him and his coaches were (paraphrase here) grossly insufficient. True. True.
Sadly (I guess… nothing we locals can do about salaries) the Montana Grizzlies and Missoula have been unable to reach the college basketball heights equal to Gonzaga and Spokane, a mere 200 miles west. Nevertheless, Missoula’s fans have fared very well when compared to most very small (and UM is small) schools and environs nationally, with two NCAA appearances by Krysko’s Griz, three (and a CIT home-court appearance) by succeeding coach Wayne Tinkle’s Griz, and two NCAA and an NIT plus a CIT appearance by Travis DeCuire’s Griz teams. Those 11 post-season appearances since 2005 total 3 more than the previous six coaches racked up combined.
In total, however: Very impressive. Missoula and UM fans have had it good.
In truth, the Montana coaches and their records, listed below, except Holst and Kennedy, ALL established roots in Missoula before departing and having pretty illustrious careers as major collegiate coaches. BUT, all of them… every single one of them, had teams suffer “embarrassing” 30-to-47 point losses vs. major collegiate competition. The wins vs Power 5 teams were cool, but few & far between. Nonetheless, overall, thanks to those coaches, the Montana Griz have been very, very good.
I’ve personally watched well over 95% of Montana’s home games since Heathcote’s first season. I know this: there are a lot of universities and their fans around the country who openly envy what Montana’s fans have taken for granted over the last 50-plus seasons.
Let the records below speak the truth. But, a point of emphasis: current Montana Coach, Travis DeCuire’s record has placed him as an EQUAL, in EVERY category. He belongs (by all standards and all categories) in the illustrious Montana Coaching Tree. His three Big Sky championships ties Wayne Tinkle atop the list. No one’s going to hear criticism of coach DeCuire and his staff from me.
MONTANA GRIZZLIES – POST-SEASON APPEARANCES
Jud Heathcote 1971-76 (5 seasons): 80-23 – .597
Big Sky Championships: ONE
Post-Season record: 1-2: 1975 – Beat Utah St 69-63; lost to UCLA 67-64; lost to UNLV 75-67).
[b]Jim Brandenburg 1976-78 (2 seasons): 26-29 (variable, due to forfeits)[/b]
Big Sky Championships: ONE 1978 (Griz lost tourney title game 62-55 OT vs Weber State in Missoula)
Post-Season record: Zero.
Mike Montgomery 1978-86 (8 seasons): 155-76 – .669
Big Sky Championships: ZERO
Post-Season record: 0-2 Two NIT invites: 1985—Lost to UCLA, 78-47; 1986--Lost to TCU, 76-69 in Missoula.
Stew Morrill 1986-91 (5 seasons): 98-51 – .652
Big Sky Championships: ONE
Post-Season record: 0-1. 1991--Lost 99-65 to UNLV.
Blaine Taylor 1991-98 (7 seasons): 141-66 .680
Big Sky Championships: TWO (1992 in Missoula, 1997 in Flagstaff)
Post-Season record: 0-3. 1992—Lost 78-68 to Florida State; Lost 90-60 to UTEP in NIT; 1997—Lost 92-54 to Kentucky.
Don Holst 1988-2002 (4 seasons): 57-56 .504
Big Sky Championships: ONE
Post-Season record: 0-1. 2001—Lost 81-62 to Oregon.
Pat Kennedy 2002-04 (2 seasons): 23-35 .397
Big Sky Championships: ZERO
Post-Season appearances/record: Zero.
Larry Krystkowiak 2004-06 (2 seasons): 42-20 .677
Big Sky Championships: TWO
Post-Season record: 1-2. 2005—Lost 88-77 to Washington; 2006—Beat Nevada 87-79, Lost 69-56 to Boston College.
Wayne Tinkle 2006-2014 (8 seasons): 158-91 .635
Big Sky Championships: THREE
Post-Season record: 0-4 2010—Lost 62-57 to New Mexico; 2011—Lost 87-76 to Duquesne in CBI tourney in Missoula; 2012—Lost 73-49 to Wisconsin; 2014—Lost 81-34 to Syracuse.
Travis DeCuire 2014-Current (8th season) 145-87 .628
Big Sky Championships: THREE.
Post-Season record: 0-4. 2015—Lost 81-64 to Texas A&M in NIT; 2016—Lost 79-75 to Nevada in NIT; 2018—Lost 61-47 to Michigan; 2019—Lost 74-55 to Michigan.
That team’s coach? Pat Kennedy, whose 23-35 (.397) Montana career lasted a mere two seasons. A week earlier, Kennedy’s Griz had given visiting Gonzaga a home-court scare, before losing 75-67. After that game, Kennedy spoke at length about how he planned to turn the Grizzlies into a regional and nationally recognized mid-major power on a level equal to the Zags. Ummm, ok. The more lasting effect: Gonzaga has never played another game in Missoula.
Three years later, then-coach Larry Krystkowiak’s upstart Griz demolished the Cardinal 88-69 in Stanford’s last-ever visit to Missoula. Krysko departed shortly thereafter, making certain to emphasize he was leaving his alma mater because the salaries for him and his coaches were (paraphrase here) grossly insufficient. True. True.
Sadly (I guess… nothing we locals can do about salaries) the Montana Grizzlies and Missoula have been unable to reach the college basketball heights equal to Gonzaga and Spokane, a mere 200 miles west. Nevertheless, Missoula’s fans have fared very well when compared to most very small (and UM is small) schools and environs nationally, with two NCAA appearances by Krysko’s Griz, three (and a CIT home-court appearance) by succeeding coach Wayne Tinkle’s Griz, and two NCAA and an NIT plus a CIT appearance by Travis DeCuire’s Griz teams. Those 11 post-season appearances since 2005 total 3 more than the previous six coaches racked up combined.
In total, however: Very impressive. Missoula and UM fans have had it good.
In truth, the Montana coaches and their records, listed below, except Holst and Kennedy, ALL established roots in Missoula before departing and having pretty illustrious careers as major collegiate coaches. BUT, all of them… every single one of them, had teams suffer “embarrassing” 30-to-47 point losses vs. major collegiate competition. The wins vs Power 5 teams were cool, but few & far between. Nonetheless, overall, thanks to those coaches, the Montana Griz have been very, very good.
I’ve personally watched well over 95% of Montana’s home games since Heathcote’s first season. I know this: there are a lot of universities and their fans around the country who openly envy what Montana’s fans have taken for granted over the last 50-plus seasons.
Let the records below speak the truth. But, a point of emphasis: current Montana Coach, Travis DeCuire’s record has placed him as an EQUAL, in EVERY category. He belongs (by all standards and all categories) in the illustrious Montana Coaching Tree. His three Big Sky championships ties Wayne Tinkle atop the list. No one’s going to hear criticism of coach DeCuire and his staff from me.
MONTANA GRIZZLIES – POST-SEASON APPEARANCES
Jud Heathcote 1971-76 (5 seasons): 80-23 – .597
Big Sky Championships: ONE
Post-Season record: 1-2: 1975 – Beat Utah St 69-63; lost to UCLA 67-64; lost to UNLV 75-67).
[b]Jim Brandenburg 1976-78 (2 seasons): 26-29 (variable, due to forfeits)[/b]
Big Sky Championships: ONE 1978 (Griz lost tourney title game 62-55 OT vs Weber State in Missoula)
Post-Season record: Zero.
Mike Montgomery 1978-86 (8 seasons): 155-76 – .669
Big Sky Championships: ZERO
Post-Season record: 0-2 Two NIT invites: 1985—Lost to UCLA, 78-47; 1986--Lost to TCU, 76-69 in Missoula.
Stew Morrill 1986-91 (5 seasons): 98-51 – .652
Big Sky Championships: ONE
Post-Season record: 0-1. 1991--Lost 99-65 to UNLV.
Blaine Taylor 1991-98 (7 seasons): 141-66 .680
Big Sky Championships: TWO (1992 in Missoula, 1997 in Flagstaff)
Post-Season record: 0-3. 1992—Lost 78-68 to Florida State; Lost 90-60 to UTEP in NIT; 1997—Lost 92-54 to Kentucky.
Don Holst 1988-2002 (4 seasons): 57-56 .504
Big Sky Championships: ONE
Post-Season record: 0-1. 2001—Lost 81-62 to Oregon.
Pat Kennedy 2002-04 (2 seasons): 23-35 .397
Big Sky Championships: ZERO
Post-Season appearances/record: Zero.
Larry Krystkowiak 2004-06 (2 seasons): 42-20 .677
Big Sky Championships: TWO
Post-Season record: 1-2. 2005—Lost 88-77 to Washington; 2006—Beat Nevada 87-79, Lost 69-56 to Boston College.
Wayne Tinkle 2006-2014 (8 seasons): 158-91 .635
Big Sky Championships: THREE
Post-Season record: 0-4 2010—Lost 62-57 to New Mexico; 2011—Lost 87-76 to Duquesne in CBI tourney in Missoula; 2012—Lost 73-49 to Wisconsin; 2014—Lost 81-34 to Syracuse.
Travis DeCuire 2014-Current (8th season) 145-87 .628
Big Sky Championships: THREE.
Post-Season record: 0-4. 2015—Lost 81-64 to Texas A&M in NIT; 2016—Lost 79-75 to Nevada in NIT; 2018—Lost 61-47 to Michigan; 2019—Lost 74-55 to Michigan.