MISSOULA — Postseason play is officially here for the Big Sky Conference and the Montana Lady Griz enter the conference tournament as the No. 6 seed and they'll take on No. 3 Idaho on Monday.
An unorthodox season with plenty of challenges has all led to Boise for the Montana Lady Griz.
After everything was turned upside down in a mid-season coaching change, the campaign has been a roller-coaster, but now the Lady Griz have nothing to lose.
"It's a fresh start," senior forward Dani Bartsch said. "We know what type of team we can play like and so to forget whatever record we've had in the past and just go out there and really put it together for a three-game stretch."
The Lady Griz (12-17, 8-10 Big Sky) are 7-7 since Nate Harris took over as head coach mid-season after Brian Holsinger's resignation.
Montana was swept by Idaho in the regular season, but now gets a third crack at the Vandals, with the focus strictly inward.
"It's easier to prepare but we're going to focus on us mostly," Harris said. "We've been our best when we've focused on us. Obviously Idaho is a great team, beat us twice, really physical team. They've got great guard play so obviously we're going to have to prepare and do what we can to adjust but so much of when we've been good is just us being the best version of us rather than worrying a ton about who we're playing."
Since the conference tournament went to a neutral site format in 2016, the Lady Griz have just three tournament wins, including picking up their first ever in Boise last year, ironically, against the Vandals.
Snapping that skid took staying calm under the bright lights, something they hope to do again on Monday.
"It's a different atmosphere than any other gym we play in all year but not being timid about that," Bartsch said. "Just focusing on having the right mindset that you have going into every other game. Not making the game feel bigger than itself. Yes, you could go home after that but you can't have a fear mindset and so to play through that."
The program has been through plenty this season, but in March, anything can happen, and UM hopes the time has come for all of the pieces to come together.
"We're going to try and relieve the pressure for our kids," Harris said. "It's a basketball game, we're going to go out and cut it loose. We're going to have fun and we've got nothing to lose. Let's go take advantage of everything we have to earn."
