GREAT FALLS, Mont. – Phoenix, Arizona will be a warm haven for Argo basketball, and many other teams looking to escape the frigid temperatures that a polar vortex has created across much of the northern United States, as they and a total of 15 teams from throughout the country gather for the 2016 Cactus Classic. Formerly the Chandler-Gilbert Classic, the Cactus Classic will be hosted by the University of Great Falls in the gym of Chandler-Gilbert Community College from Sunday, December 17 – Wednesday, December 21.

With 15 total teams and 19 total games, the 2016 iteration will be the largest in the tournament's three-year history. Of the 15 teams, nine are NAIA Division I schools, four are NAIA Division II, and there are one each from the USCAA and CIS in Canada. Three of the NAIA DI school will enter the tournament ranked in the NAIA Top-25 Coaches' Poll: (15) Hope International, (17) University of Montana Western, and (25) Arizona Christian.

UGF is joined by four other Frontier Conference teams in Western, MSU-Northern, Montana Tech, and Rocky Mountain College, though none of those teams will face each other over the four days.

In last year's tournament, the Argos went 2-1, beating NAIA DII Embry-Riddle (Ariz.), and NCCAA team Yellowstone Christian (Mont.), while barely losing Indiana Wesleyan, one of the best teams in NAIA DII.

This year, the tournament will start for UGF against NAIA DII Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) at 1 p.m. MT on Monday, December 19. The Tigers were a national tournament qualifier in 2015-16, but have had a rough start so far this season. Despite leading NAIA DII in Free Throw Percentage (80.5 percent), and ranking 7th in Assists per Game (19.455 apg) the Tigers will enter the tournament with a record of 2-9. Freshman forward Nic Reed, will provide a challenge for the Argo defense, however. He is averaging 21.5 ppg, and 9.36 rpg so far this year and ranks 7th in NAIA DII in Offensive Rebounds per Game (3.727).

Next up will be 7-2 Southwestern Christian (Okla.) at 8 p.m. MT the following day. That game could come down to how well UGF shoots for the field. The Eagles rank 11th in NAIA DI in Field Goal Percentage Defense (38.8 percent) and 15th in 3-Pt. Field Goal Percentage Defense (28.3 percent). Just under a third of UGF's offensive production on the season has come from 3-point shots and the team ranks 31st in NAIA DI in 3-Pt. Field Goals Made per Game (8.889).

The final opponent will be Diné College (Ariz.) a member of the USCAA. The Warriors have played three NCAA Division II teams this year, losing 120-33 to Colorado Mesa, 118-46 to Western State Colorado, and 117-33 to Fort Lewis.

UGF enters the tournament with a 7-2 (1-1) record and is coming off of three straight exhibition games against NCAA DI opponents, all three of which were loses. The Argos run one of the cleanest offensive attacks in the country, ranking 4th in NAIA DI in Turnover Margin (5.778) and 11th in Assist/Turnover Ratio (1.305). Defensively, UGF lives off of constant defensive pressure and solid rebounding. The Argo's 9.556 Steals per Game ranks 13th nationally and the team's 30.333 defensive rebounds per game ranks 19th.

 

Tournament Schedule (times in Pacific Time)

Sunday

2:00 pm - Rocky Mountain (Mont.) vs. Hope International (Calif.)

Monday

10:00 am - Valley City State (N.D.) vs. Montana Tech

Noon - Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) vs. Great Falls (Mont.) 

2:00 pm - Diné College vs. Rocky Mountain (Mont.)

4:00 pm - Hope International (Calif.) vs. Montana Western

6:00 pm - Warner Pacific (Ore.) vs. Montana State - Northern

8:00 pm - Southwestern Christian (Okla.) vs. Arizona Christian

Tuesday

9:00 am - William Jessup (Calif.) vs. Olivet Nazarene (Ill.)

11:00 am - Montana State - Northern vs. Diné College

1:00 pm - Rocky Mountain (Mont.) vs. Valley City State (N.D.)

3:00 pm - Montana Tech vs. Calgary

5:00 pm - Montana Western vs. Warner Pacific (Ore.)

7:00 pm - Great Falls (Mont.) vs. Southwestern Christian (Okla.)

9:00 pm - Hope International (Calif.) vs. Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)

Wednesday

11:00 am - William Jessup (Calif.) vs. Montana State - Northern

1:00 pm - Diné College vs. Great Falls (Mont.)

3:00 pm - Calgary vs. Warner Pacific (Ore.)

5:00 pm - Arizona Christian vs. Montana Tech

7:00 pm - Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) vs. Montana Western