Long Beach State University Athletics
49ers will host Montana in BracketBusters game on ESPN2
1/31/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 31, 2011
LONG BEACH, Calif. - Long Beach State will face the Montana Grizzlies in an ESPN BracketBusters game on Saturday, Feb. 19, at 8 p.m. in the Walter Pyramid live on ESPN2.
The 49ers currently lead the Big West Conference with an 8-2 record, while Montana leads the Big Sky with a record of 8-1. Long Beach State is 13-8 overall and has won eight of its last 10, while the Grizzlies are 16-5 overall and are winners of six in a row and 11 of their last 12.
Casper Ware leads five Long Beach State players averaging in double figures with 15.9 points per game, while Larry Anderson averages 14.5 ppg, T.J. Robinson 13.6 ppg, Greg Plater 11.7 ppg and Eugene Phelps 10.9 points per game. Ware is also a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award honoring the nation's top point guard.
Montana is the defending Big Sky Conference champions advancing to the NCAA Tournament where the Grizzlies lost 62-57 to third-seed New Mexico in the first round of the tournament. Guard Will Cherry leads the Griz in scoring averaging 15.8 points per game, while 6-foot -11 Brain Qvale averages 14.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per game and 7-foot Derek Selvig chips in 10.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.
The 49ers and Grizzlies have met five times in the past with LBSU holding a 3-2 series advantage. Montana won the last meeting, 80-70, on Dec. 21, 1996 in Missoula. Long Beach State's last win against the Griz was a 79-69 win on Dec. 21, 1994 in Long Beach.
