GREAT FALLS, Mont.- The Battlin' Bears have proven their ability to play with anyone this season, as they enter the Frontier Conference Tournament with high hopes and expectations of securing an automatic qualifying bid and a conference championship in Great Falls. 

Game Information

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Sunday, March 2nd
(5) Rocky Mountain College (18-10, 7-8 conf.) vs (4) Montana Western (17-12, 8-7 conf.)
Great Falls, Montana | 5:00 pm (MT)

Last Time Out

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The Battlin' Bears lost their final two regular-season matchups on the road to Carroll College and Montana Western last week. Entering the final weekend, the conference standings were separated by just one game between five teams. The Battlin' Bears dropped to the fifth seed in the Frontier Conference, earning a rematch of the final regular-season game with Montana Western. 

Omari Nesbit led the Battlin' Bears with 17 points in the loss in Helena versus Carroll College. Carter McCoy scored a season-high 18 points in the defeat to Montana Western. 

Game Notes

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New Season
The Battlin' Bears enter the Frontier Conference Tournament as the fifth seed after finishing the regular season with a 7-8 conference record. Fortunately for all teams involved, an automatic qualifying bid is at stake for any team that can win out and earn a Frontier Conference Championship. With an RPI rating of 65 as of Monday's release and a rating of No. 8 in the ARC (2nd highest in the Frontier),  the Battlin' Bears remain squarely in the mix for an At-Large bid to the NAIA National Championship Tournament as they will look to improve their resume in the Frontier Conference Tournament. 

Tournament Overview
Montana Tech secured the regular season title and will enter the tournament with the No. 1 seed. The University of Providence finished as the runner-up and received the No. 2 seed and the second first-round bye. Along with the Battlin' Bears taking on the Bulldogs in the first round, third-seeded Carroll College will take on sixth-seeded MSU-Northern on Sunday. 

The lowest remaining seed of the two winners on Sunday will take on Montana Tech on Monday at 7:00 pm, with the higher remaining seed to take on the University of Providence at 9:00 pm. Winners of Monday's semifinal games will compete in the championship game on Tuesday at 7:30 pm. 

Stats Leaders
At the conclusion of the Frontier Conference regular season, Jesse Owens led all players in assists per game at 3.9. Jaylon Lee was the leading rebounder, grabbing 10.9 rebounds per game, the only player in the Frontier to average double figures. Lee also finished as the league's leading shot blocker, averaging 1.8 blocks per game. Carter McCoy finished second in the conference in both offensive rebounds per game (2.8) and steals per game (1.5). (Stats are based on conference games only.) 

Anytime, Anywhere
The Battlin' Bears feature the best record in the conference in neutral site games, playing to a perfect 6-0 record this season. Only one other Frontier Conference team has won more than they have lost on a neutral court (Montana Tech, 3-1). Rocky's combined road and neutral site record is also best by winning percentage in the Frontier at 10-5, shaping up nicely for the neutral site conference tournament in Great Falls. 

Scouting the Bulldogs
Rocky could not secure the season sweep over Montana Western in their final matchup last weekend. Still, the Battlin' Bears hold a 2-1 record over Montana Western this season. In their second matchup of the season, Rocky produced one of their best offensive nights of the season, shooting 49.2% from the field, 50% from three-point range, and 76.9% from the free-throw line to score 98 points in the victory. Jalyn Stepney has averaged 21.0 points per game against Rocky this season, including a 26-point performance last weekend in the Bulldogs' lone win over the Battlin' Bears.