February 2005
Bulldogs Lose Heartbreaker in Overtime to Lewis-Clark
Saturday, February 26 2005
The University of Montana-Western Bulldogs were nipped 82-84 by the Lewis-Clark State Warriors in overtime Saturday night from Dillon's Straugh Gymnasium. The Bulldogs fall to 7-7 in the Frontier Conference and 18-12 overall. Lewis-Clark is 22-8 overall and 10-4 in Conference action.
The Bulldogs came out slow in the first half, and trailed for most of the half. Western turned up the defense and eased back into the game. At the 3:41 minute mark, Matt Luedtke hit two free throws that tied the game at 28-28. The two teams traded baskets as they fought for control. A three pointer by Jeff Feenstra helped Western outscore the Warriors 36-33 at the end of the first half.
The Bulldogs held on to their first half lead throughout the first 10:00 minutes of the second half. A field goal by Martin Brothers gave Lewis-Clark their first lead of 54-55. The two teams battled evenly down the stretch. A Danny Allen three pointer tied the game 74-74 with 0:13 seconds remaining. A missed shot by Luedtke wasn't enough. The Warriors outscored Western 38-41 at the end of the second half.
Lewis-Clark outscored the Bulldogs 8-10 in overtime. Allen scored five points to give the Warriors an 82-84 edge over Western.
Jeff Feenstra led the Bulldogs with 30 points including a sizzling 12 of 15 from the field. Luedtke followed with 20 and Tyler Palmer with 18. Feenstra also led in rebounds with seven followed by Palmer and Jeff Graham both with five.
Western travels to Butte Thursday, March 3rd to take on Rocky Mountain College in the Frontier Conference Tournament. Tip-off is at 8:00 p.m.
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Bulldogs Fall to Westminster
Friday, February 25 2005
The University of Montana-Western Bulldogs fell 79-65 to the Westminster College Griffins in a Frontier Conference game Friday night from Dillon's Straugh Gymnasium. The Bulldogs fall to 7-6 in the Frontier Conference and 18-11 overall. Westminster is now 11-2 in conference play and 21-8 overall.
Even though the Bulldogs scored first, they could never get their offense untracked against the Westminster defense. The Griffins held the biggest lead of the half 23-7 at the 8:50 minute mark. The Bulldogs could get no closer than 11. Westminster lead at the half 27-43.
Westminster continued to control the court in the first ten minutes of the second half. At the 7:53 minute mark a three pointer by Jeff Feenstra began an unanswered eight point run to put the Bulldogs within six points 60-66. Westminster came back when the Bulldogs went cold in the last minutes of the game. Westminster outscored the Bulldogs 38-36 at the end of the second half.
Four Bulldogs scored in the double digits with Tyler Palmer and Feenstra leading with 15 each followed by Bo Segeberg with 14 and Brandon Day with 13. Segeberg also led in rebounds with six followed by Derek Hibbert with five and Jeff Graham and Palmer with 4 apiece.
The Bulldogs return to the Straugh Gymnasium Saturday night, February 26th to face Lewis-Clark State College. Tip-off is at 8:00 p.m.
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Bulldogs Host Nationally Ranked Opponents
Wednesday, February 23 2005
The University of Montana-Western Bulldogs host nationally ranked Westminster College and Lewis-Clark State in the final weekend of the regular season. Western plays Westminster Friday, February 25 and Lewis-Clark, Saturday, February 26. Both games tip-off at 8:00 p.m. from the Straugh Gymnasium.
Western dropped to 18-10 overall and 7-5 in league play after weekend losses at Carroll College 103-97 and Rocky Mountain 90-80.
Westminster raised their overall record to 20-8 and their conference record to 10-2 after sweeping home games against MSU-Northern and the University of Great Falls. Westminster spanked UGF 93-45 and downed Northern 73-63. The Griffins moved from #12 to #9 in the latest NAIA, Division I Top-25. Last month, Westminster beat the Bulldogs in Salt Lake 80-68.
Jared Ruiz leads Westminster with 13.61 points a game followed by Shane Humphreys with 12.52 points per game. Nick Booth leads the team in rebounds with 5.68 rebounds per game. Westminster averages 73.5 points a game while giving up 65.5.
Lewis-Clark State also won two at home last weekend. The Warriors beat MSU-Northern 75-51 and Great Falls 63-57. The pair of wins raises Lewis-Clark's record to 9-3 in conference and 21-7 overall. In the latest rankings, the Warriors remained at #25. Last month, Western lost at Lewiston 65-43.
The Warriors are led in scoring by Danny Allen with 13.9 points a game and Martin Brothers with 13.1 ppg. Skyler Wilson leads the Frontier in three-point field goal percentage with a 50% average. Lewis-Clark averages 73.8 points per game while giving up 59.1 points per game.
"This will be a fun weekend for us,” said Bulldog coach Mark Durham. We are hosting two nationally ranked teams ahead of us in the standings. “We need to get some momentum going into next weeks conference tournament.”
Matt Luedtke leads the league and is third in the nation in scoring with 23.3 points a game. Also scoring in double figures for the Bulldogs is Bo Segeberg with 19 points and Tyler Palmer with 13.9 points. Segeberg leads the Frontier and is 11th in the nation in rebounding with 8.89 rebounds per game. Palmer leads the conference and is second in the nation in free throw percentage with an average of 92.7%. Derek Hibbert is second in the league and seventh in the nation in assists with 5.39 per game.
The Bulldogs lead the league and are 9th in the nation in scoring offense with 80.5 points per game. Western gives up 78.4 points per game. The Bulldogs lead the Frontier and the nation in free shooting with a 78.6 shooting percentage.
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Bulldogs Lose Second in a Row
Sunday, February 20 2005
The Bulldogs dropped their second game in a row as they lost 80-90 at Rocky Mountain College. The loss drops Western to 7-5 in conference play and 18-10 overall.
The Bulldogs and Bears battled on fairly even terms in the first half with Rocky leading at the halftime break 39-35.
Neither team could take control in the first eight minutes of the second half. The game was tied at 54 at the 12:57 mark when Rocky's R.J. Tollefson hit a 3-point field goal that ignited a 20-6 run that carried the Bears to a 74-60 lead. Down the stretch, the Bulldogs never got any closer than nine points.
Matt Luedtke led Western with 29 points followed by Bo Segeberg with 22 and Brandon Day with 14.
The Bulldogs close out the regular season when they host Westminster on Friday, February 25 and Lewis-Clark on Saturday, February 26.
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Bulldogs Fall to Carroll in Helena
Friday, February 18 2005
The Bulldogs had their chances, but went ice cold from the field in the second half as Carroll Collelge came from behind to edge the Bulldogs 103-97 Thursday night in Helena.
It seemed that Western couldn't miss in the first half as they shot 58% from the field and led 55-45 at the half. Bo Segeberg led the way by scoring 18 points in the first half as Western's inside game looked unstoppable.
Early in the second half, the Bulldogs expanded their lead to 14 but then went ice cold. With the Bulldogs leading 87-88, Carroll's defense held Western scoreless for the next five minutes and scored fourteen unanswered points to take a 101-88 lead with less then a minute to play. It was a lead they would never lose.
Segeberg was the game's high scorer with 32 points. Also scoring in double figures for Western was Matt Luedtke with 28 and Tyler Palmer with 11.
Western is now 7-4 in league play and 18-9 overall going into Saturday night's game at Rocky Mountain College.
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Bulldogs Travel to Helena and Billings For Key Frontier Conference Games
Wednesday, February 16 2005
The Bulldogs travel to Helena and Billings for key conference match-ups against Carroll College and Rocky Mountain College. Western plays at Carroll on Thursday, February 17 and at Rocky on Saturday, February 19. Tip-off is 8:00 p.m. for both games. The Western-Carroll game will be televised across the state on the Omega Network.
Western is 18-8 overall and 7-3 in league play after last Friday's win over Montana Tech 104-99. The Bulldogs did not crack the Top--25 in the latest NAIA, Division I, power poll, but did receive votes.
Carroll College is 21-5 overall and 9-2 in league play after sweeping their weekend series against MSU-Northern and the University of Great Falls. Carroll beat MSU-Northern 70-65 and Great Falls 77-64. With the two wins, the Saints entered the Top-25 at #20. The game matches up two of the more high-powered scoring teams in the nation.
"This is a very big week for us,” said Bulldog coach Mark Durham. “We need to go to Carroll and get a win. They are in the drivers seat to win the conference and we could shake that up if we could go in to their place and pull out a win. Carroll is playing very well and are very solid in all areas. We have to shoot well to have a chance."
Andy Brown leads the Saints in scoring with 15.1 points a game followed by Sinan Guler with 13.4 and Jeff Hays with 13.1. Hays leads the nation and the league in three point field goal percentage with a 'red-hot' 50.8%. Kurt Paulson leads the Frontier and is third in the nation in assists with 6.5 assists per game. Brown leads the team in rebounds with 7.36 per game followed by Ross Gustafson with 6.15. Carroll average 83.4 points a game, second in the league and 14th in the nation.
Rocky Mountain also won both games on their swing through the Highland. The Bears downed Great Falls 82-64 and edged MSU-Northern 54-52. The Bears are 5-6 in league play and 16-11 overall. Last month, Western won the first meeting 85-69.
The Bears are led by David Ellis with 15 points a game followed by Luke Kunkel with 13.6 points a game. Kunkel leads the league and is fifth in the nation in field goal percentage by hitting 63% of his field goals. Rocky averages 79.6 points per game while giving up 70.4.
Matt Luedtke leads the league and is third in the nation in scoring with 23 points a game. Also scoring in double figures for the Bulldogs is Bo Segeberg with 18.4 points and Tyler Palmer with 14.5 points. Segeberg leads the Frontier and is 12 in the nation in rebounding with 8.84 rebounds per game. Palmer leads the conference and is second in the nation in free throw percentage with an average of 92.7%. Derek Hibbert is second in the league and sixth in the nation in assists with 5.46 per game.
The Bulldogs lead the league and are 12th in the nation in scoring offense with 85.2 points per game. Western gives up 78.4 points per game. The Bulldogs lead the Frontier and the nation in free shooting with a 78.3 shooting percentage.
Western returns to Dillon to close out the regular season with home games against Westminster College on February 25 and Lewis and Clark State College on February 26.
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Feenstra Named Player of the Week
Tuesday, February 15 2005
Jeff Feenstra, a 6-6 forward from Bozeman was named the Frontier Conference Player of the Week for his play in the Bulldogs' win over Montana Tech on Friday.
Feenstra scored 28 points, pulled down five rebounds, dished off two assists and had two steals. He was 4 of 5 from for three point field goals and all came in a-row early in the second half. Overall from the field, he was 8 of 10 and 8 of 9 from the free throw line.
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Bulldogs Nip Diggers to Secure "Digger-Dawg" Cup
Friday, February 11 2005
The Bulldogs held off the Montana Tech Orediggers 104-99 for a Frontier Conference victory and to keep possession of the "Digger-Dawg" Cup. With the win, Western is now 7-3 in league and 18-8 overall.
The game looked to be a Bulldog runaway in the game's first few minutes as Western quickly built a 12-3 lead. Tech answered with a couple of quick baskets. The two teams traded baskets as the Bulldogs maintained a lead. Western took advantage of cold shooting spell by the Orediggers and built a 21-9 lead. Then, the Orediggers went on an 11-0 run and cut the Bulldog lead to 1, 21-20 at the 11:38 mark. Western then took control of the first half and built leads by as many as nine down the final minutes of the half and led at the break 45-39.
The Bulldogs looked to be in control in the second half as they scored at ease and built their lead back to nine, and maintained that lead until the 11:10 mark when Tech went on a mini 5-0 run to cut the lead to four. The teams battled evenly and at the 6:42 mark, the game was tied at 83-83 with neither team able to take control. The Bulldogs took the lead back on two Matt Luedtke free throws. Tech didn't look like the last place team in the conference and kept battling, but could get no closer than one.
Jeff Feenstra led the Bulldogs with 26 points including 4 of 5 from the three point land. Matt Luedtke was next with 25 followed by Bo Segeberg with 15, Derek Hibbert with 14 and Tyler Palmer with 12.
The Bulldogs play at Carroll on Thursday and Rocky on Saturday.
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Digger-Dawg Cup on the Line in Frontier Conference Showdown
Wednesday, February 9 2005
The Bulldogs battle the Montana Tech Orediggers for the “Digger-Dawg Cup” in a Frontier Conference game from Dillon's Straugh Gymnasium, Friday, February 11. Tip-off is 8:00 p.m.
Western is 17-8 overall and 6-3 in league play after last weekend's sweep over MSU-Northern (77-66) and the University of Great Falls (78-76). The Bulldogs did not crack the Top 25 in the latest NAIA, Division I, power poll, but did receive votes.
Montana Tech is 6-19 overall and 1-8 in the Frontier. Last weekend, at home, the Orediggers lost to UGF 93-81 and downed MSU-Northern 73-71 for their first conference win of the season.
For the fourth year, the two conference rivals are playing for the “Digger-Dawg” Cup traveling trophy. Western won both games last season, and beat the Diggers 97-73 last month to maintain possession of the Cup and the lead in the overall series of the Cup 6-1.
"This is a big game for us,” said Bulldog coach Mark Durham. “We like to play Tech and we consider them our biggest rival! They are much improved since the last time we played them in January, and the big reason is the return of Luke Harman. He is a very solid point guard and gives them more scoring out front. We need to just keep making baskets and rebounding well and we feel like we can win games."
Davin Blixt, the league's second leading scorer (11th in the nation) leads the Orediggers with 20.2 points a game. Also scoring in double figures for Tech is Harmon who averages 12.9 points a game. Blixt leads the league and the nation in three point field goals made with an average of 5.26 per game. The Orediggers average 70.4 points a game while giving up 78.1.
Matt Luedtke leads the league and is third in the nation in scoring with 22.9 points a game. Also scoring in double figures for the Bulldogs is Bo Segeberg with 18.6 points and Tyler Palmer with 14.6 points. Segeberg leads the Frontier and is 12 in the nation in rebounding with 8.84 rebounds per game. Palmer leads the conference and is second in the nation in free throw percentage with an average of 92.4%. Derek Hibbert is second in the league and seventh in the nation in assists with 5.56 per game.
The Bulldogs lead the league and are 12th in the nation in scoring offense with 84.3 points per game. Western gives up 78.4 points per game. The Bulldogs are tops in the Frontier and second in the nation in free percentage with a 78% average.
Western travels to Carroll College and Rocky Mountain College next Thursday and Saturday.
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Bulldogs Hold Off LIghts
Saturday, February 5 2005
The Bulldogs held off the MSU-Northern Lights 77-66 in a Frontier Conference match-up from Dillon's Straugh Gymnasium. The win moves Western to 6-3 in league play and 17-8 overall.
Neither team could gain control in the game's opening eight minutes. Western gradually pulled away and had leads of 12 and 14 with five minutes remaining in the half. Northern battled back and cut the Bulldogs lead to 39-28 at the half.
The second half opened like the first half, with the teams trading baskets. But, at the 18:47 mark, the Bulldogs went ice cold and Lights were red-hot as they began a run where they outscored the Bulldogs 18-5 and tied the game at 48 at the 12:20 mark. Western quickly took the lead back with a Matt Cornelius field goal. Northern could get no closer than two in the games final minutes. The Bulldogs shot a sizzling 90% from the free throw line.
Matt Luedtke led Western with 30 followed by Tyler Palmer with 23 and Bo Segeberg with 10.
Western hosts Montana Tech on Friday, February 11.
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Bulldogs Edge Argos In Frontier Conference Thriller
Friday, February 4 2005
The Bulldogs nipped the University of Great Falls 78-76 in a Frontier Conference thriller from the Straugh Gymnasium. The win snapped a three losing streak for the Bulldogs who raised their conference mark to 5-3 and their overall record to 16-8.
The teams battled evenly throughout the first half. The biggest Bulldog lead was five, the biggest Great Falls lead was three. Western led at the half 40-36.
The second half began much like the first half was played with the two teams trading baskets and leads. It looked like Western took control at the 13 minute mark when they build a 59-49 lead. But then the Bulldogs went ice cold while Great Falls went red-hot as they went on 14-0 run and led 64-59 with six minutes left.
Western clawed their way back to regain the lead with two Matt Luedtke free throws. The free throw line was the difference in the game's final minutes.
Tyler Palmer led the Bulldogs with 20 points followed by Bo Segeberg with 15, Matt Luedtke with 12 and Derek Hibbert with 10.
Western hosts MSU-Northern Saturday night. Tip-off is 8:00 p.m. from the Straugh Gymansium.
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Bulldogs Host UGF and MSU-Northern
Wednesday, February 2 2005
The Bulldogs look to snap a three game losing streak when they host the University of Great Falls on Friday, February 4 and MSU-Northern on Saturday, February 5. Tip-off is 8:00 p.m. each night from the Straugh Gymnasium.
The Bulldogs are 15-8 overall and 4-3 in league play after losing 65-43 at Lewis-Clark and 80-68 at Westminster College. The two losses dropped the Bulldogs out of the NAIA top 25. They received votes in the balloting but not enough to keep them in the top 25.
Great Falls is 4-19 overall and 1-6 in league play after losing to MSU-Northern 72-51 last week in Havre. With the win, Northern is now 3-4 in league play and 12-9 overall. A month ago, Western edged MSU-Northern 89-80 in overtime and downed Great Falls 99-70.
" We need to get back to scoring some points,” said Bulldog coach Mark Durham. “Some teams get energy from playing defense, our identity is definitely one that is fed off of our offense. We play better in all areas when we are scoring. Hopefully playing at home we can get back to shooting the ball like we know we can. Both Great Falls and Northern are smaller and quicker than us. We need to contain on defense and then also get Bo involved on offense.”
James Edwards leads Great Falls in scoring with 14.3 points per game. Anthony Owens leads the Argos in rebounding with 5.75 per game. UGF is last in the conference in scoring offense, averaging 66.4 points per game while giving up 78 points per game.
MSU-Northern is led by Jordan Mathews with 12.7 points per game followed by Marcus Wilson with 10.9 points per game. Wilson also leads the team in rebounding with 6.7 rebounds per game. The Lights average 74 points a game while giving up 65.5 points, second best in the conference.
Western continues to be led in scoring by Matt Luedkte with 23 points a game (1st in the league, 3rd in the NAIA) followed by Bo Segeberg with 19 points a game (3rd in the league, 17th in the nation. Tyler Palmer is third in scoring with 14 points a game (8th in the league) Palmer leads the league and is second in the nation in free shooting percentage with an average of 92%. Segeberg leads the league in rebounding with 8.96 per game (10th in the nation) and blocked shots (18th in the nation). Derek Hibbert is second in the league and sixth in the nation in assists with 5.91. As a team, the Bulldogs continue to lead the league in scoring with 85 points a game (13th in the nation). Western leads the conference and is second in the nation in free throw percentage with an average of 77%.
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