Tournament Notes
Four of the six team in this year’s field qualified for the 2011 tournament: Eastern Washington, Montana, Montana State and Weber State. Portland State and Idaho State are newcomers this year. Northern Colorado and Northern Arizona qualified last season, but did not make the field this year.
The Championship will be played at Dahlberg Arena for the first time since 2000. This will mark the fifth time the tournament has been played at Dahlberg Arena. In first hosted in 1978, followed by 1991, 1992 and 2000. Weber State won it in 1978. Montana won in 1991 and 1992. Northern Arizona won in 2000.
Missoula is the seventh different city to host the Big Sky Championship since 2002. Bozeman, Mont., hosted in 2002. Cheney, Wash., hosted in 2004. Flagstaff, Ariz., hosted in 2006, and Greeley, Colo., hosted in 2001. The tournament was in Ogden, Utah, in 2003, 2009 and 2010. Portland, Ore., hosted in 2005 and 2008.
Montana junior guard Will Cherry enters this year’s tournament with 14 steals in five tournament games. Cherry is currently tied for the career tournament record with three other players, but will be in a class of his own with one steal. Cherry set the single-tournament record with nine steals as a freshman in 2010.
Weber State senior forwards Kyle Bullinger and Darin Mahoney are the only two players in this year’s field who will play in the tournament for four consecutive seasons. Montana senior Derek Selvig was injured and did not play in 2009. Weber State junior guard Damian Lillard played in the tournament in 2009 and 2010, but was injured in 2011.
Montana is making its 11th consecutive trip to the Big Sky Championship, the longest active streak in the league. Montana is in the tournament for the 33rd time. The Grizzlies have won seven championships and finished second seven times.
Weber State is in the field for the 35th time in 37 years, and the sixth consecutive season. The Wildcats have won a record 36 games in the tournament, and won a record eight championships.
Idaho State is in the tournament for the 23rd time, but the first time since 2009. The Bengals last won a title in 1987.
Eastern Washington is in the tournament for the second straight season and the 12th time overall. The Eagles won their only title in 2004.
Montana State is in the tournament for the 27th time, and the eighth consecutive season. The Bobcats are seeking their first championship since 1996.
Portland State returns to the field for the 10th time since joining the Big Sky in 1995-96. The Vikings won back-to-back championships in 2008 and 2009 when current head coach Tyler Geving was an assistant under Ken Bone.
Montana’s Wayne Tinkle and Weber State’s Randy Rahe are the lone coaches in the field who have won Big Sky Championships. Tinkle led his Grizzlies past Rahe’s Wildcats in the 2010 championship game. Rahe led Weber State to the title in 2007, his first season as a head coach.