LAWRENCE, KS - DECEMBER 19: Head coach Travis DeCuire of the Montana Grizzlies reacts from the bench during the game against the Kansas Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse on December 19, 2015 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

We go North for today’s mid-major focus as we look at the Montana Grizzlies of the Big Sky conference.

The Big Sky conference have not been known for NCAA Tournament powerhouses. It also may not be known for prime-time players, outside of Damian Lillard of Weber State a few years back. However, this conference is as wide and open as the geologic region is represents. In the last seven years alone, there have been four different automatic qualifiers. One program that has consistently snagged this automatic bid is Montana.

Since 2002, the Grizzlies have won the Big Sky Conference Tournament six times. Despite that great stretch, Montana have not won an NCAA Tournament game since 2006. This year the Grizzlies are coasting through the Big Sky with an 11-0 record. With that being said, Montana has yet to play the teams nipping at their heels in the standings, Weber State and Idaho. In fact, they will not play either of those teams until late February and early March.

Never the less, the Grizzlies have scorched their opponents in their 11 Big Sky bouts. So far in conference play, Montana has a +173 point scoring advantage over their adversaries. Regardless of the difference in competition, that is a remarkably high number against conference teams. Therefore, it goes without saying that the Grizzlies are trampling over the Big Sky currently.

When the program’s future was left in doubt due to the departure of Wayne Tinkle, it was Travis DeCuire who was tasked with assuming Tinkle’s role. He would have tough shoes to fill too, as Tinkle led Montana to three NCAA Tournaments in eight seasons. Yet, DeCuire, a former assistant at California, has thrived.

Though he has not seen the NCAA Tournament yet, he has brought the Grizzlies three winning seasons in four attempts. DeCuire only continues to build on the stretch of great coaches at Montana which include Tinkle, the current head coach at Oregon State and current Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak.

The Grizzlies have only slipped up five times so far this season, with their current mark at 18-5. If they happen to run the table in the Big Sky, they will head into the conference tournament 25-5. All five of their losses have come to teams inside the KenPom top-105 with their only “bad” loss coming to UC Santa Barbara.

One has to wonder how Montana has become so good and so dominant in the Big Sky this season. In my opinion, it comes from two seemingly obvious points. Fantastic offense coupled with stingy defense, mind-blowing concept, right? But bear with me. The Grizzles are only one of two teams in the Big Sky to hold teams under 70 points per game this season.

In league play, they have been even better, only allowing 67 points to Big Sky opponents. This conference, for those who have not seen it, is a run and gun league. Offensive firepower usually overrides stout defense on a nightly basis. The fact that Montana has been able to be so successful defensively in league play is wildly impressive.

I have not even mentioned that their 77 points per game is second best in the league this season. That mark is higher in conference play too as they rack up 83 points per Big Sky game. Those numbers are extremely high even for a Big Sky school. Not to mention, they beat their conference foes by an average of 16 points every night. That is overbearing, no pun intended.

Three juniors lead the way for Montana on a nightly basis. We start with guard Ahmaad Rorie, a Oregon transfer who is averaging 17 points and nearly four assists and rebounds per game. Next, there is another guard, Michael Oguine, a California native that averages 15 points and five rebounds per game. Oguine also shoots 46 percent from the field, a very high clip for a guard.

Lastly, there is the post presence, Jamar Akoh, another California product who pours in 14 points and seven rebounds per game. Getting most of his points near the basket, Akoh shoot 58 percent from the field, which would be best in the conference if not for lack of attempts.

It is clear that Travis DeCuire’s previous occupancy in California has given him a leg up in recruiting in that area. Oguine and Akoh are just a few of the California natives on the Grizzlies roster. While DeCuire has picked up right where Wayne Tinkle left off, one has to assume this is the year his NCAA Tournament seal is broken. They have a challenging Big Sky road ahead of them, but they are by far the most talented team in the conference. We may just see them impose that talent in the coming months.