OGDEN, Utah — The Montana men's basketball team's late-season swoon continued Saturday, as the Grizzlies lost 92-72 to Weber State.
It's Montana's third consecutive loss and fifth in its past six games.
The Griz trailed the Wildcats just 18-16 after a Brooklyn Hicks bucket with 9:40 to play in the first half, but Weber State started to impose its will from there. The Wildcats ballooned their to lead as many as 16 points — 41-25 — in the first half and led 45-32 at the break.
The Wildcats poured it on in the second half, twice growing their lead to as many as 29 points. Viljami Vartiainen scored 13 points after halftime and made three 3-pointers over a three-minute stretch.
Vartiainen finished with 25 points on 9-of-11 shooting, including a 7-of-9 showing from beyond the arc. As a team, Weber State shot a blistering 58.9% from the field, 50% from 3-point range and 81% from the free throw line.
Tijan Saine Jr. and Trevor Hennig each added 16 points for the Wildcats, Malek Gomma had 12 and Edwin Suarez Jr. contributed 10. Every Weber State player who attempted a shot except for Saine and ArDarius Grayson made at least 50% of their attempts.
Money Williams and Kenyon Aguino had 15 points apiece to lead Montana. Hicks (13 points) and Te'Jon Sawyer (10) also finished in double figures.
The Griz fell to 14-14 overall and 8-7 in the Big Sky Conference with the loss. They're currently tied with Northern Colorado for fifth in the league standings, a half-game back of Weber State, which has won two straight games and is now 15-14 overall and 9-7 in the Big Sky.
Montana will try to end its skid back at home against Sacramento State on Thursday, Feb. 26.
