MISSOULA, Mont. – Defending Big Sky Conference co-champion Montana used a 16-0 run midway through the second half to break a 50-50 tie on the way to an 83-64 win over visiting Whitworth in an exhibition men's basketball game on Tuesday night in Dahlberg Arena.
Walter Wright, a junior college All-American at Snow College last season, led the host Grizzlies with a game-high 31 points. George Valle led the Pirates with 20 points.
Valle's basket with 17:22 left in the game gave Whitworth a 44-43 lead and the Pirates were still tied with Montana 50-50 after Valle scored again with 13:34 to play.
But then Wright scored eight of Montana's 16 points during the game-clinching Grizzly run that gave Montana a 66-50 lead with just over nine minutes to play. Montana eventually stretched the lead to as many as 23 points (83-60) with 2:22 to play.
Whitworth hit 41.5% (22-53) from the field, but the Pirates struggled from three-point range, making only 12.5% (2-16) from beyond the arc. The Bucs were able to hang with the Grizzlies by converting at the free throw line – making 18 of 19 attempts (94.7%).
Montana made 56.1% (32-57) from the field, 31.8% (7-22) from beyond the arc. The Grizzlies were 12-14 (85.7%) from the free throw line.
Montana's Riley Bradshaw was the only other player to reach double figures with ten points. Martin Breunig, the 2015 Big Sky Conference Player of the Year, battled foul trouble and was limited to 8 points and 5 rebounds.
Kenny Love, the 2015 Northwest Conference Player of the Year, also sat for most of the first half with two fouls but scored nine points after halftime. Christian Jurlina, Drew Sears and Kyle Roach each scored eight points for the Pirates.
Whitworth will officially open the season at 12:01 am on Friday, November 13th in the Whitworth Fieldhouse against the University of La Verne.
