GREAT FALLS, Mont. – A late push in the final four games of the regular season and a little help could still place the University of Providence men's basketball team in the top four in the Frontier Conference standings, but doing so will require a strong upcoming weekend. After four straight road games, the Argos finally return home for two games, including Senior Night.

The good news is that three of UP's last four games will come against teams in the bottom four in the conference, but the fourth opponent will be a team the Argos have lost five straight games to. That opponent is (6) Carroll College who UP will face for Senior Night.

Before playing Carroll, the Argos will take on Rocky Mountain College on Friday, February 16 at 7:30 p.m. The next day will be Senior Night on Saturday, February 17, at 7:30 p.m.

Looking for a Way to Finish
Close games that have ended in losses have defined UP's season. Of the team's last seven losses, six have come by 10 or fewer points including two that have come down to the final possession. A major factor in those close loses has been defensive lapses in the second half.

In those six games, the Argos have averaged 34.1 points in the first half and an only marginally few 32.6 points in the second. After averaging 33.6 points in the first half, however, UP's opponents have scored an average of 40 points in the second half. The most recent example came in a 77-67 loss to (10) University of Montana Western in which the Argo led 42-32 at the half.

A Sendoff for Six Seniors
Unless UP can clinch the 4-seed and therefore a home playoff game in the Frontier Tournament, a large and productive group of seniors will play their last game inside the McLaughlin Center on Saturday against Carroll. All six members of the senior class comprised of Trayvon Bashir, Sergio Berkley, Matthew Brooks-McGregor, Steven Daho-Clark, DuShaun Rice, and Jared Schultz, have played in at least 22 of the team's 24 games in 2017-18 and each has started at least six.

The group accounts for five of the team's six top scorers and each of its top two rebounds. Combined, the seniors have scored 72 percent of UP's points on the year, grabbed 63 percent of the team's rebounds, dished out 79 percent of the team's assists, and pick-pocketed 68 percent of the team's steals.

UP vs Rocky: Game Notes

• The two teams split their two previous meetings in 2017-18 with the Argos taking the first game on December 2 with a score of 86-79, while Rocky took the second meeting 76-73. In both contests the home team came away victorious.
• UP will enter the night on a four game losing streak, while the Battlin' Bears are 3-1 in their previous four games.
• Rocky is one of the two teams the Argos are chasing for the 4-seed. RMC currently holds the four-spot in the standings at 7-7, with Western right behind at 6-8, and the Argos at 4-10.
• The Battlin' Bears bring an offense that thrives on efficient team play. RMC ranks 8th in NAIA Division I in Assist/Turnover Ratio (1.346) and 9th in Assists Per Game (17.654). Opponents would also do well to keep Rocky away from the charity stripe with the team making 74.7 percent as a team, which ranks 8th in the country.
• With all the ball movement, there will be plenty of passing lanes for UP's starting point guard DuShaun Rice to jump. The senior ranks 8th in the nation in Steals per Game (2.227). Rice and the Argo's full court press are a large reason why the team ranks 13th nationally in the same category with 8.792 spg.

UP vs Carroll: Game Notes

• The Fighting Saints have been a trouble spot for the Argos in recent years. UP is 0-5 against Carroll in the past two years, including 0-3 in 2017-18.
• Both of the losses in the current season have been relatively close games. Carroll won the first, which was played in Great Falls, 86-76 and then won 72-63 in Helena. Carroll's superior shooting was the difference in both games with the Saints combining to hit 56.6 percent from the floor and 53.5 percent from three.
• One Argo that has been particularly good against Carroll has been senior Matthew Brooks-McGregor. The shooting guard averages 7.2 ppg on the year but has averaged 13.5 points in the two games against Carroll.
• The Saints bring a whole host of impressive numbers into the weekend, including leading NAIA Division I in 3-Point Field Goal Percentage (43.4), Field Goal Percentage (54.3), and Free Throw Percentage (82.7). Carroll also ranks 3rd in Scoring Defense Per Game (65.8 ppg), 4th in Steals Per Game (10.5 spg), and 8th in Scoring Margin (16.731).
• Leading the Saints is senior Ryan Imhoff who leads the team in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. He ranks 2nd nationally in Steals Per Game (2.69 spg) and 10th in Points Per Game (20.3 ppg).
• Since 2005, the Argos are 7-6 on Senior Night, but recent history hasn't been as kind, with the team losing each of the last three years.