USD Comes Up Cold in Loss at Montana

A team shooting poorly and coming off a loss in its own tournament, the University of Montana shot 59% Tuesday night, including 8 of 14 from 3-point range.

A team shooting well and coming off a victory at home, the University of San Diego shot 43%, including 3 of 16 from 3-point range.

Those numbers added up to an 80-65 victory for Montana over USD in front of 5,637 at Missoula, Mont.

Senior K.C. McGowan, with a career-high 25 points, led Montana (6-4). Senior Wayne Tinkle added 15 points and junior John Reckard had 11 for Montana.

USD (4-3) was led by freshman Gylan Dottin with 22 points, his college high. Junior Craig Cottrell added 15 points and freshman Wayman Strickland scored 13.

“We played horribly defensively,” USD coach Hank Egan said. “Offensively we were intimidated inside by their big people. We played well in stretches, but we weren’t able to sustain anything.”

Behind Dottin and Strickland, USD pulled to within 55-50 midway through the second half after trailing by as many as 13 points in the first half.

Montana then went on a 19-4 scoring run. USD was outrebounded, 38-29. Tinkle had 11 for the Grizzlies. Cottrell and Dondi Bell had 7 each for USD.

Montana jumped to a 7-0 lead. USD rallied to take the advantage 10-9, behind Dottin’s 7 points. Montana then went on a 11-2 run and never trailed again.

USD’s Danny Means, who scored a career-high 26 points against Seattle Pacific Saturday, scored only 4 points.