Syracuse Orange basketball fans probably groaned on Selection Sunday when immediately after announcing Syracuse would play Montana, CBS' Seth Davis immediately proclaimed the Grizzlies could, and would, upset the Orange.
Davis' belief is probably based in part on Montana's three point shooting. As a team, the Grizzlies shoot 38% from beyond the arc, with five players converting more than 40% of their three point attempts.
It's always said the way to beat a 2-3 zone is to shoot over it.
However, the level of zone that Montana has seen is nowhere near the level of Jim Boeheim's vaunted 2-3 zone.
Not to mention, the Grizz has had trouble with certain zone teams they've played.
Then you factor in that Montana's leading score Mathias Ward is out for the season, and you almost wonder how Montana was seeded 13th.
This certainly, isn't like Vermont. Who in 2005 probably should have been more like an 8 or 9 seed rather than a 13 when they beat SU. Montana, perhaps is overseeded.
Montana was fantastic in Big Sky Conference play, going 19-1. The lone blemish was a rough 24-point loss to Weber State, a team they eventually beat for the Big Sky Tournament Championship.
Like SU, Montana features several weapons. Three players average over 10 points per game with several more on the cusp of that.
If you're more interested about the school itself, here are a couple quick facts-
The University of Montana's enrollment is just over 15,000 and hey if you live in the state tuition is only over $5,000 as opposed to the $21,000+ that a Central New Yorker would have to pay to become a member of Grizzly Nation.
The school is located in Missoula, Montana which is just a stones throw away from the Idaho border.
Tip off with the Grizzlies and Orange is set for 9:57 eastern time on Thursday night.
Should SU win, they'd meet the winner of the 12-seed California and the 5-seed UNLV.
The odd thing about Cal, being a 12-seed is that they're located just 45 minutes from the HP Pavilion in San Jose where the games are being played.
The Orange take on Montana in the 2013 NCAA Tournament on Thursday at 10:00 p.m. Follow @NikoTamurian for live updates from the Tournament.
