5 things learned in Frontier basketball week 5: Playing their best basketball, 300, Strugglin’ Bears

HELENA — One month from Wednesday, the Frontier Conference determines its tournament championship game participants inside Four Seasons Arena in Great Falls. Between now and then reside six regular-season conference games promising to rattle current standings. Willa Albrecht, Carroll College, last two games – 27 PPG, 21-for-33 FG (63.

6%), 8-for-14 3PT (52.1%), 7.5 RPG, 1 APG, 2 SPG, 1 BPG Keanna Salave’a, Providence, last six games – 17.



3 PPG, 38-for-71 FG (53.5%), 12 RPG, 1.3 APG, 2 SPG, 1.

5 BPG Albrecht and Salave’a are both ranked among the Frontier’s top-5 scorers and are the league’s top-2 rebounders. University of Providence sophomore Keanna Salave'a is averaging 18 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 1.

1 assists per game for the 15-6 (5-4 Frontier) Argos. Adam Hiatt’s Orediggers are running out of first-time achievements, that’s how stellar these last four seasons in Butte have been. Nevertheless, when Keeley Bake’s game-winning jumper fell Saturday, Tech became the fastest men’s basketball team in program history to eclipse 20 wins, according to Oredigger records, doing so in just 22 games.

Tech’s fourth-straight 20-win campaign is also a record-setting streak. Six regular-season contests, plus at least one league tournament and, presumably, a national tournament game remain for the Orediggers as they chase their single-season mark for victories (29) established two seasons ago. Tech is currently two games clear of Providence atop the Frontier standings (see below).

Tech has captured three consecutive regular-season (shared or outright) and tournament championships. Montana Tech's Josh Coulanges (1) dribbles the ball during a mens basketball game between Carroll College and Montana Tech in Helena on Jan. 30.

Saturday’s victory represented Carroll women’s head coach Rachelle Sayers’ 296th career triumph. Already the program’s all-time winningest coach, she is about four seasons – at her current pace – away from overtaking Hall of Famer Gary Turcott for most Saints victories ever (men’s or women’s). As Sayers inches closer to that career milestone, here is a working list of Frontier coaches (men’s and women’s) who have achieved 300 or more career victories.

This list is not complete, and if you notice an omission, please email [email protected] with that coach's name.

List is in no particular order. Steve Keller – Montana Western & Providence Gary Turcott – Carroll College Brian Orr – Lewis-Clark State Casey Keltz – Montana Western William Straugh – Montana Western Bill Dreikosen – Rocky Mountain College Shawn Huse – MSU-Northern Carroll women's basketball head coach Rachelle Sayers claps and cheers alongside her team during a game against Rocky at Rocky Mountain College on Saturday, Feb. 1.

From the penthouse, to the cellar. From a 3-0 start to league play allowing fewer than 63 points per game, to an active four-game losing streak giving up 82.8 points and failing to average 70 offensively.

Rocky’s men’s team is below .500 in conference for the first time this season, anchored by an 0-5 record when allowing opponents to score 75 or more points. Rocky trailed by double digits at halftime in three of its last four losses, and faced an intermission deficit of some sort in all four defeats.

This is the sixth consecutive season Rocky has suffered a four-game or longer losing streak in regular-season Frontier action. Last season, Rocky was defeated six straight times after beginning league play 2-4. To add insult to injury, Rocky’s leading scorer Jaylon Lee has not played the last two games.

Rocky men's basketball head coach Bill Dreikosen speaks to players during a timeout at a game against Carroll at Rocky Mountain College on Saturday, Feb. 1. RPI and SOS are primary criteria considered by the National Selection Committee when determining at-large berths and seeding for upcoming national tournaments.

Metrics are released weekly, through March 5. An updated Area Ranking Committee (ARC) report will be available on Tuesday. ARC is another primary criteria.

Women’s+ (with change) Carroll College – No. 22 RPI (+7); No. 10 SOS (NC) Providence – No.

34 RPI (-4); No. 33 SOS (-7) Rocky Mountain College – No. 55 RPI (+3); No.

50 SOS (+10) Montana Tech – No. 58 RPI (-7); No. 58 SOS (-12) MSU-Northern – No.

121 RPI (-6); No. 90 SOS (+48) Montana Western – No. 143 RPI (-6); No.

30 SOS (+21) + – out of 227 teams; released Monday, Feb. 3 Men’s+ (with change) Montana Tech – No. 20 RPI (+2); No.

150 SOS (NC) Rocky Mountain College – No. 58 RPI (-26); No. 137 SOS (-47) Carroll College – No.

94 RPI (+23); No. 8 SOS (+9) Providence – No. 96 RPI (-7); No.

54 SOS (-23) Montana Western – No. 130 RPI (+14); No. 187 SOS (+19) MSU-Northern – No.

168 RPI (+10); No. 33 SOS (+5) + – out of 225 teams; released Monday, Feb. 3 Another primary criteria, along with RPI and SOS (see above), the NSC uses when determining at-large berths and seeding for upcoming national tournaments.

Released Monday. Only wins/losses against NAIA competition are counted. Team RPIs and game location factor into quadrant records.

Below is the RPI range of an opponent, based on game location, that determines what quadrant a game is counted toward. Home – Q1 (1-45); Q2 (46-90); Q3 (91-135); Q4 (136+) Neutral – Q1 (1-55); Q2 (56-105); Q3 (106-150); Q4 (150+) Away – Q1 (1-65); Q2 (66-120); Q3 (121-165); Q4 (166+) Women’s Carroll College – 2-6 Q1; 5-1 Q2; 3-0 Q3; 2-0 Q4 Rocky Mountain College – 4-5 Q1; 4-1 Q2; 3-1 Q3; 3-1 Q4 Providence – 6-3 Q1; 2-2 Q2; 3-1 Q3; 3-0 Q4 Montana Tech – 4-4 Q1; 1-1 Q2; 2-2 Q3; 5-0 Q4 MSU-Northern – 0-9 Q1; 0-2 Q2; 3-0 Q3; 5-0 Q4 Montana Western – 1-9 Q1; 1-2 Q2; 1-3 Q3; 2-0 Q4 Men’s Montana Tech – 2-2 Q1; 3-0 Q2; 5-0 Q3; 7-0 Q4 Providence – 1-4 Q1; 2-2 Q2; 2-3 Q3; 4-1 Q4 Rocky Mountain College – 1-2 Q1; 3-1 Q2; 5-2 Q3; 4-1 Q4 Carroll College – 2-5 Q1; 1-5 Q2; 2-2 Q3; 2-1 Q4 Montana Western – 0-4 Q1; 4-1 Q2; 1-3 Q3; 5-2 Q4 MSU-Northern – 1-3 Q1; 0-6 Q2; 2-6 Q3; 1-0 Q4 Montana Western's Kenzi Pedersen (24) slaps hands with Montana Western's Maddy Moy (5) and Montana Western's Keke Davis (4) after shooting a free throw during the Frontier Conference women's basketball game between Montana Western and Montana Tech on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025 in Dillon.

Women’s Carroll College – No. 20 (+2) Providence – No. 25 (-2) Rocky Mountain College – receiving votes (previously No.

20) Montana Tech – receiving votes Men’s Montana Tech – No. 9 (+2) Rocky Mountain College – receiving votes * – poll released Wednesday, Jan. 29; next poll Feb.

12 Thursday, Jan. 30 (conference) Women’s No. 20 Carroll College 76 , RV Montana Tech 56 No.

25 Providence 78 , Montana Western 66 RV Rocky Mountain College 58 , MSU-Northern 48 Men’s No. 9 Montana Tech 80 , Carroll College 70 MSU-Northern 81 , RV Rocky Mountain College 69 Montana Western 66 , Providence 55 MSU-Northern guard Cinque Maxwell (#3) scored nine points, grabbed three rebounds, doled out four assists, and was credited with two steals in the Lights' 68-59 Frontier Conference loss to Providence on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Havre.

Saturday, Feb. 1 (conference) Women’s No. 20 Carroll College 70 , RV Rocky Mountain College 65 (OT) No.

25 Providence 60 , MSU-Northern 53 RV Montana Tech 83 , Montana Western 67 Men’s No. 9 Montana Tech 68 , Montana Western 66 Carroll College 95 , RV Rocky Mountain College 77 Providence 68 , MSU-Northern 59 Women’s Offense : Redshirt junior guard Willa Albrecht , Carroll College Defense : Freshman forward Isabelle Heggem , Rocky Mountain College Rocky's Isabelle Heggem shoots opposite Carroll defense during a game at Rocky Mountain College on Saturday, Feb. 1.

Men’s Offense : Senior forward Ifeanyi Okeke , Montana Tech Defense : Senior forward Ifeanyi Okeke , Montana Tech Women’s Carroll guard Willa Albrecht – 25 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 1 block (Thursday, Tech); 29 points, 10 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block (Saturday, RMC) Providence forward Keanna Salave’a – 19 points, 17 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 4 blocks (Thursday, UMW); 25 points, 15 rebounds, 4 steals, 2 blocks (Saturday, MSUN) Montana Tech guard Liv Wangerin – 20 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal (Saturday, UMW) Carroll guard Kyndall Keller – 21 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists, 2 steals (Thursday, Tech); 21 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist (Saturday, RMC) Rocky Mountain College guard Gracee Lekvold – 20 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal (Thursday, MSUN) Providence guard Ashlee Maldonado – 18 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 steals (Thursday, UMW) Carroll's Willa Albrecht makes a pass opposite Rocky defense during a game at Rocky Mountain College on Saturday, Feb. 1. Men’s Carroll guard Isaiah Moore – 26 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal (Saturday, RMC) Providence guard Jamil Bowles – 23 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist (Saturday, MSUN) Montana Western guard Jalyn Stepney – 21 points, 1 rebounds, 2 assists (Saturday, Tech) Montana Tech forward Hayden Diekhans – 20 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal (Saturday, UMW) Montana Tech forward Ifeanyi Okeke – 17 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 blocks (Thursday, CC); 18 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals (Saturday, UMW) Montana Tech guard Brayden Koch – 19 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals (Thursday, CC) Montana Western's Jalyn Stepney (1) shoots defended by Jamestown's Cole Glasgow (13) during the Montana Tech Tip-Off Classic basketball game between Montana Western and the University of Jamestown on Friday, Nov.

8, 2024 at the HPER Complex. Thursday, Feb. 6 Carroll College vs.

MSU-Northern ( Helena ) Providence vs. Montana Tech ( Great Falls ) Montana Western vs. Rocky Mountain College ( Dillon ) Saturday, Feb.

8 Montana Western vs. Carroll College ( Dillon ) Providence vs. Rocky Mountain College ( Great Falls ) MSU-Northern vs.

Montana Tech ( Havre ) Providence guard Jamil Bowles scored 19 points to go along with nine rebounds and three assists in the Argos' 81-74 Frontier Conference victory over Carroll College on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025, in Great Falls. Women’s Carroll College – 7-2 (15-7) Rocky Mountain College – 6-3 (14-8) Providence – 5-4 (15-6) Montana Tech – 5-4 (14-8) MSU-Northern – 2-7 (11-11) Montana Western – 2-7 (7-14) Men’s Montana Tech – 8-1 (20-2) Providence – 6-3 (12-10) Rocky Mountain College – 4-5 (15-7) Montana Western – 4-5 (12-10) Carroll College – 4-5 (9-13) MSU-Northern – 1-8 (7-15) Email Daniel Shepard at daniel.

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