Jason Walker, University of Providence Sports Information
GREAT FALLS, Mont. - The University of Providence men's and women's basketball teams return to Frontier Conference action this week with a pair of road games at Montana Western Friday, and Montana Tech Saturday.
Thursday's women's game starts at 5 PM with the men at 7 PM, Saturday's games in Butte begin at 2 PM and 4 PM. Live streams and live stats can be found at www.upargos.com.
Women's Basketball
The Argo women are 11-4 overall, 1-1 in the Frontier and looking to continue the stellar play from Reed Hazard and Maddy Dixon. Hazard scored 22 points in her return from a minor injury in a 70-44 win over Lakeland College (Canada) last Friday in Havre. The graduate student leads the team in scoring at 11.9 points per game while also pulling down 5.3 rebounds each contest. Dixon puts up 11.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.
Others to watch:
About Montana Western
The 18th ranked Bulldog women (13-2, 1-1) have won eight straight games and outscore opponents by an average of 16.6 PPG. Brynley Fitzgerald, a senior from Dillon who started her career at Montana State, leads the Dawgs with 17.2 PPG and 7.6 RPG. Jordan Sweeney is averaging just over 12 points per night.
Providence holds a three-game winning streak against the Bulldog women and is 7-3 against the 2019 NAIA National Champions in the last 10 meetings.
About Montana Tech
The Tech women are 4-8 under first-year head coach Jeff Graham and are 0-2 in league action. The Orediggers have won two straight games and are led by Tavia Rooney (12.5 PPG, 7.8 RPG), Aubrie Rademacher (9.9 PPG) and Dani Urick (8.9 PPG).
The Argos have beaten the Tech women five straight games.
Men's Basketball
The Providence men are coming off a 1-1 weekend at the Green & Gold Classic in Billings bolstered by the return of Marcus Stephens and Davien Harris-Williams to the roster. Harris-Williams scored a career high 34 points including a 9 of 14 effort from the three-point line in a 94-89 loss to Dickinson State. He averaged 22 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists in his first two games back for the Argos and was named the Erck Hotels/Frontier Conference Player of the Week for his efforts. Stephens scored 26 points with five threes in a 101-81 win over Southern Alberta Institute of Technology.
The Argos (7-8, 1-1) are led by Kenny Curtis (14.3 PPG, 45.5% 3PT FG, 30 steals), Eric Milner (13.7 PPG), Jake Olsen (12.1 PPG, 7.0 RPG) with Sam Vining chipping in with 10.5 points per game.
About Montana Western
The Western men are 6-9 overall, 1-1 in Frontier Conference play. Jamal Stephenson (13.8 PPG), Ky Kouba (12.4 PPG) and Brenton Woods (11.0 PPG) all score in double figures for the Bulldogs who have been outscored and outrebounded on average this season. Western has lost three straight games.
Providence has lost four straight in the series and is 14-32 against the Bulldogs going back to the 2005 season including a 3-20 mark at Straugh Gymnasium.
About Montana Tech
The Orediggers are ranked 13th in the latest NAIA Top 25 and are 13-2 overall, 1-1 in the Frontier and have won four straight games along with being a perfect 8-0 at the HPER Complex. Montana State transfer Caleb Bellach scores a team-high 16.4 PPG to lead four players averaging double digits. Michael Ure leads the team at 6.9 rebounds per game.
Providence leads the all-time series since 2005 25-19 but has lost three consecutive to Tech.
