Travis DeCuire


Now entering his10th season as head coach of the Montana men’s basketball program, Travis DeCuire continues to etch his name into the Grizzlies’ record book. DeCuire has led Montana to three Big Sky Conference regular-season championships (2015, 2018, 2019), two Big Sky tournament titles (2018, 2019) and two NCAA tournament berths (2018, 2019).
 
In a lineage of historic coaches, DeCuire (pronounced: duh-CURE) is the only one to lead Montana to three Big Sky regular-season titles, winning in 2015 – his first season – despite Montana being picked eighth in the preseason poll, and going back-to-back in 2018 and 2019. That dominant two-year stretch saw the Grizzlies win regular-season and tournament titles both years, winning a school-record 52 games over the two seasons. He was named coach of the year by the Big Sky and NABC District 6 in 2018.
 
DeCuire’s 177-112 record (.612 winning percentage) entering the 2023-24 season is historic on many levels. In January 2022, DeCuire passed College Basketball Hall of Famer Mike Montgomery and his predecessor, Wayne Tinkle, on the school’s all-time wins lists. Only George ‘Jiggs’ Dahlberg, who won 221 games across two stints and whom the arena is named after, has more wins than DeCuire.
 
On a conference level, DeCuire is the Big Sky’s active leader for wins, owning a 113-52 league mark (.685 winning percentage), including a .500 or better record against every Big Sky opponent. His 177 overall wins rank sixth in Big Sky history. His 113 Big Sky wins rank third all-time. DeCuire was the fastest coach in league history to win 50 Big Sky games, needing just 65 games to do so, and the second-fastest to 100 wins.
 
Montana has had a winning record each season under DeCuire, including four 20-win seasons and four postseason berths (2018 NCAA, 2019 NCAA, 2015 NIT, 2016 CBI). At the Big Sky tournament, DeCuire has produced an impressive 13-6 record, including four appearances in the title game and a league-record eight straight wins from 2018 through 2021.
 
DeCuire has coached eight first-team All-Big Sky selections, in addition to five second-team honorees, plus the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, Newcomer of the Year (twice), Top Reserve (twice) and tournament MVP (twice). He has developed three of the top-eight scorers in school history in Sayeed Pridgett, Ahmaad Rorie and Michael Oguine.
 
Rorie, the 2019 Big Sky tournament MVP, reached 1,500 career points faster than any player in Montana history, doing so in his third season with the program. Oguine was the 2018 tournament MVP and league’s top defender, and finished his career ranked in the top 10 for scoring, steals and games started.
 
Pridgett was a two-time All-Big Sky first-team selection who finished his career ranked fourth for career scoring, sixth for steals and in the top 15 for assists and rebounds. DeCuire also coached big man Martin Breunig, a two-time first-team all-league pick, and Jordan Gregory, who earned first-team honors in 2015.
 
Josh Bannan is the most recent All-Conference player developed by DeCuire, earning first-team honors in 2023 and second-team in 2022.
 
Off the court, DeCuire proudly boasts a 100-percent graduation rate, in addition to earning the NABC Team Academic Award six times (2016, 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023). Montana has obtained a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average for eight consecutive semesters, and in 2020-21, Montana earned a 3.30 team grade-point average, with 10 student-athletes earning Academic All-Big Sky recognition and zero falling below a 2.0 GPA. DeCuire has mentored two of Montana’s eight Academic All-Americans in Gregory (2015) and Josh Bannan (2022, 2023).
 
Also off the court, multiple team conversations about social and racial injustices led to action in 2020, including 100-percent voter registration, a solidarity message on the backs of each jersey and the launch of a Free Little Library on campus. The library, which was funded and established by the men’s basketball program, features minority-themed literature that the community can freely take from or add to.

2022-23: The Griz won 17 games and reached the semifinals of the Big Sky Conference tournament. After a slow start to Big Sky play, Montana turned things around by winning seven of the final eight games of the regular season. The Grizzlies set school record for the third year in a row with a .788 percentage, which ranked 6th in the NCAA. Bannan and transfer Aanen Moody both reached 1,000 career points during the season. Montana were elite from beyond the arc offensively (.372 percentage, 32nd nationally) and defensively (.322 percentage, 81st nationally).
 
2021-22: Montana earned 18 wins, including a 7-4 mark in non-conference play, which saw the Grizzlies win the Zootown Classic tournament title. Paced by Bannan, Montana then started 8-2 in Big Sky play, helping DeCuire become the fourth coach in Big Sky history to win 100 league games. Montana set a school record from the free-throw line for the second year in a row (.782, 10th in NCAA in 2021-22) and was among the nation’s leaders for turnovers per game (10.2, 20th), turnover margin (+2.9, 35th) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.28, 46th).
 
2020-21: Montana continued to develop young talent, with a trio of freshmen setting school records for scoring, minutes played and starts by a freshman class. Montana was the only school in the nation to have three true freshmen average at least 25.0 minute per game and was one of only two schools to have its freshman class total 2,000 minutes played. Despite all of that, Montana earned a Pac-12 road win over Washington before peaking at the right time and winning its final four games of the regular season, followed by a pair of victories in the Big Sky tournament, including an upset win over No. 3-seed Weber State. Montana set a then-school record from the charity stripe, making 78.2 percent of its free-throw attempts.
 
2019-20: Following back-to-back championship seasons, Montana began developing its next wave of talent, with true freshmen – including the Big Sky Freshman of the Year – accounting for a then-school-record 40 starts. The Grizzlies ranked 21st nationally for shooting (.498) and led the Big Sky for field-goal percentage, 3-point field-goal percentage and turnover margin, also ranking in the top three for seven additional categories. Led by Pridgett, an MVP candidate, Montana entered the final week of the regular season in first place and would have been a legitimate Big Sky tournament contender had the tournament and postseason not been wiped out due to the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
2018-19: After graduating just one senior from the 2018 championship team, Montana was an overwhelming favorite to repeat as champions in 2019. The Grizzlies, led by Rorie and Oguine, didn’t disappoint, winning 26 games, tied for the third-most in school history. During non-conference, the Grizzlies beat a pair of NCA tournament teams in Georgia State and North Dakota State, and snapped South Dakota State’s nation-leading 26-game home winning streak. After beginning Big Sky play just 3-2, Montana then won 16 of its next 18 games to repeat as Big Sky regular-season and tournament champions.
 
Montana was one of 20 schools nationally to rank in the top 100 for both scoring offense and defense, and was incredible efficient, making 49.2 percent of its shots (10th in the nation), including 37.6 percent from beyond the arc (38th.).
 
2017-18: The 2017-18 season was historic on many levels, with the Grizzlies winning 26 games and winning both the Big Sky regular-season and tournament titles to advance to the NCAA tournament. The team’s record included a road win at Pitt of the ACC and a perfect 14-0 mark on its home court.
 
Montana won its first 13 Big Sky games, the third-longest winning streak in school history and the third-longest active streak in the NCAA at that time, including a program-record seven consecutive road victories. Montana used the same starting lineup in all 34 contests and led the Big Sky in five statistical categories while ranking in the top 30 nationally for turnovers forced, steals and turnover margin.
 
2016-17: Paced by 10 underclassmen and just two seniors who played significant time, the Grizzlies earned a .500 record and a first-round bye in the Big Sky tournament. The 2016-17 season was also the second consecutive year in which the Grizzlies posted a team grade-point average above 3.0, earning NABC Team Academic Excellence recognition.
 
2015-16: In DeCuire’s second season, he posted another 20-win season and another trip to the Big Sky championship game, this time led by Breunig. DeCuire’s Grizzlies would once again advance to the postseason, competing in the first round of the CBI tournament against Nevada, finishing with a 21-12 record. DeCuire is the only coach in Montana history to win at least 20 games in each of his first two seasons.
 
2014-15: In his first season at the helm of a program with a rich history of success, DeCuire’s Grizzlies started the year picked to finish eighth in the conference. Led by Gregory, Montana would go on to defy expectations and win the Big Sky regular-season championship and advance to play Texas A&M in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT). At the time, DeCuire became only the second coach in Montana history to notch 20 victories in his first season – a feat also accomplished by his former coach Blaine Taylor, in 1991-92 when DeCuire was a player for the Griz.
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Prior to returning to his alma mater as head coach, DeCuire spent six seasons (2008-09 through 2013-14) on the University of California coaching staff – including the final four as associate head coach. Regarded as one of the top tutors in the game, DeCuire helped former Montana mentor Mike Montgomery – a member of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame – transform Cal into one of the winningest programs in the Pac-12 during his time in Berkeley. The Golden Bears reached the postseason all six years he was on staff, including the NCAA tournament four times. They boasted 130 wins in his six seasons – the best six-year stretch in school history – winning the 2010 Pac-10 championship. He coached numerous all-conference selections, including conference players of the year Jerome Randle (2010) and Jorge Gutierrez (2012).
 
DeCuire spent five seasons (2003-04 through 2007-08) as an assistant coach at Old Dominion, under former Griz head coach and player Blaine Taylor. There, he helped the Monarchs to a combined record of 117-53. The mark included 94 wins during his final four seasons – the most in school history over a four-year period. Old Dominion reached the postseason each of those four seasons and advanced to the NCAA tournament in both 2005 and 2007 – winning a school-record 28 contests in 2005. Additionally, the Monarchs reached the NIT semifinals in 2006 and the quarterfinals of the College Basketball Invitational in 2008.
 
In 18 seasons as an assistant or head coach at the Division-I level, DeCuire is 407-224, a .645 winning percentage.
 
DeCuire’s roots remain in the Seattle area, where he grew up, started his non-profit and broke into the coaching profession. He served as the head coach at both Sammamish High School and Green River Community College. At GRCC, DeCuire took over a last-place program and guided it to a conference championship and its first 20-win season in more than 20 years, earning league coach-of-the-year honors in 2003 – his second season. At Sammamish High School in Bellevue, DeCuire led his team to a pair of conference titles, a state tournament appearance and three consecutive trips to the district tournament.
 
As a point guard for Montana from 1992-94 DeCuire was named All-Big Sky as a junior and senior. He set a school record, despite playing just three seasons, with 435 career assists – a mark which still stands today. He also established Montana’s single-season record with 199 assists as a senior in 1993-94, when he ranked 12th in the nation, averaging 7.1 assists per game. He was the recipient of the Grizzlies' Carl Dragstedt Award (MVP) as a junior and senior, and received the John Eaheart Award (Outstanding Defensive Player) following his senior year. Montana won a pair of Big Sky championships during his Griz career, advancing to the NCAA tournament in both 1991 and 1992.
 
As a freshman at Chaminade-Hawaii in 1989-90, he was a starter and team MVP. He then transferred to Montana and redshirted in 1991. As a prep, DeCuire starred in the Rainier Valley and at Mercer Island High School, where he was a three-year starter and all-state selection, team MVP, and a McDonald's All-America honorable mention pick.
 
DeCuire has a strong commitment to community service and founded and acted as president of the Fastbreak Basketball Association – an organization that assists in teaching life lessons and building self-esteem through basketball to more than 500 students in the Seattle-Tacoma area. Additionally, he was a counselor  the Echo Glen Children's Center in Snoqualmie, Washington, from 1996-98, and with the Ryther Children's Center in North Seattle, from 1995-97.
 
DeCuire graduated from Montana in 1994 with a degree in business marketing. He and his wife, Sabrina, have two daughters – Brianna and Tamia.

 Chris Cobb

Chris Cobb enters his ninth season with the Montana men’s basketball program in 2022-23, including his seventh as associate head coach and recruiting coordinator. He was originally hired by Travis DeCuire in 2014, serving one season as the Grizzlies’ recruiting coordinator and one as an assistant coach before being elevated to the top assistant coach in May 2016.

During his eight seasons in Missoula, Cobb and the Grizzlies have enjoyed unprecedented success, averaging 20.0 wins per season and winning three Big Sky Conference regular-season titles. Montana also won back-to-back Big Sky tournament championships in 2018 and 2019, playing in the NCAA tournament both years. Over those two seasons, Montana went 52-17, the school’s most wins ever over a two-year period. The Grizzlies ranked in the top 20 of the College Insider Mid-Major Top 25 poll both seasons.

In addition to 160 total wins (.620 winning percentage), the Griz are 103-45 in Big Sky play (.696) since 2014-15, holding a winning record over every other conference opponent.

Montana has had a winning record each season with Cobb on the sidelines, including four 20-win seasons and four postseason berths (2018 NCAA, 2019 NCAA, 2015 NIT, 2016 CBI). At the Big Sky tournament, the Grizzlies have produced an impressive 12-5 record, including four appearances in the title game and a league-record eight straight wins from 2018 through 2021.

Cobb has coached seven first-team All-Big Sky selections, in addition to four second-team honorees, plus the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, Newcomer of the Year (twice), Top Reserve (twice) and tournament MVP (twice). Additionally has coached three of the top-eight scorers in school history in Sayeed Pridgett, Ahmaad Rorie and Michael Oguine.

Following the 2021-22 season, Cobb was invited to the prestigious TopConnect Basketball Symposium, an event that identifies the nation’s top assistant coaches and connects them with athletics directors to provide tremendous networking and leadership development opportunities. That summer, Cobb was also named one of the Most Impactful Mid-Major Assistant Coaches by Silver Waves Media.

Cobb was DeCuire’s top assistant for the best two-year stretch in school history, as Montana won 26 games in back-to-back seasons, not only winning Big Sky Conference regular-season titles, but also sweeping through the league tournament to qualify for the NCAA tournament.

In 2018-19, Montana won 26 games, tied for the third-most in school history. During non-conference play, the Grizzlies beat a pair of NCAA tournament teams in Georgia State and North Dakota State, and snapped South Dakota State’s nation-leading 26-game home winning streak. After beginning Big Sky play just 3-2, Montana won 16 of its next 18 games to repeat as Big Sky regular-season and tournament champions.

Montana was one of 20 schools nationally to rank in the top 100 for both scoring offense and defense, and was incredibly efficient, making 49.2 percent of its shots (10th in the nation), including 37.6 percent from beyond the arc (38th).

The 2017-18 season was historic on many levels, winning 26 games, and like 2018-19, winning Big Sky regular-season and tournament titles and advancing to the NCAA tournament. The team’s 26-8 record included a perfect 14-0 mark on its home court.

The Grizzlies got off to a strong start, posting their first winning non-conference record in six seasons, including a signature victory at Pitt of the ACC. Montana then won its first 13 Big Sky games, the third-longest winning streak in school history and the third-longest active streak in the NCAA at the time. The stretch featured a program-record seven consecutive road victories. Montana used the same starting lineup for all 34 contests in 2017-18, leading to a balanced effort. The Grizzlies led the Big Sky in five statistical categories and ranked in the top three in 14. On defense, the Grizzlies ranked in the top 30 nationally for turnovers forced (15.4, 22nd), steals (7.8, 23rd) and turnover margin (+3.0, 29th).

Over the past three seasons, Montana has developed its next wave of young talent with true freshmen accounting for 100 total starts in 2019-20 and 2020-21.

During a shortened 2019-20 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Montana once again earned a top-three finish in the Big Sky, winning 18 games despite returning just four letterwinners from the previous season. The Grizzlies led the Big Sky for field-goal percentage (.498), 3-point field-goal percentage (.394) and turnover margin (+3.5), and ranked in the top three for scoring (74.1), scoring margin (+6.4), free-throw percentage (.745), field-goal defense (.436) assists (13.3), steals (6.3) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.2). On a national scale, Montana ranked 21st in the NCAA for shooting and 55th for 3-point accuracy.

Montana had a trio of freshmen start 40 combined games in 2019-20, including Big Sky Freshman of the Year Derrick Carter-Hollinger. The Grizzlies were also paced by two-time All-Big Sky first-team selection Sayeed Pridgett and second-team honoree Kendal Manuel.

In 2020-21, Montana was the only school nationally to have three true freshmen average at least 25.0 minutes per game, and was one of two schools in the country to have its freshman class total 2,000 minutes played. Montana peaked at the right time, winning its final four games of the regular season, followed by a pair of victories in the Big Sky tournament – including an upset over No. 3-seed Weber State – to advance to the semifinals. During non-conference play, Montana also earned a win at Washington of the Pac-12.

The Grizzlies set a then-school record from the charity stripe in 2020-21, making 78.2 percent of their free-throw attempts (15th in the NCAA). They also ranked highly from 3-point range (36.2, 61st) and for overall shooting (46.0, 66th), and ranked in the top 25 percent nationally for scoring defense (67.0 points allowed per game, 77th).

Montana won 18 games in 2021-22, including a 7-4 mark during a non-conference slate that saw the Grizzlies earn victories over Air Force (Mountain West) and Southern Miss (Conference USA), in addition to winning the Zootown Classic tournament title. The Grizzlies were paced by second-team All-Big Sky selection Josh Bannan, who was the only player in the league to average at least 17.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. The sophomore also shot .520 from the floor while recording the Grizzlies' third-highest rebounding average over the past two decades. 

Montana set a school record from the free-throw line for the second year in a row, ranking 10th in the NCAA at 78.5 percent. The Grizzlies were also among the nation's leaders for turnovers per game (10.2, 20th), turnover margin (+2.9, 35th) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.28, 46th).

Among the greats Cobb has developed are Ahmaad Rorie, Michael Oguine and Pridgett. Rorie, the 2019 Big Sky tournament MVP, reached 1,500 career points faster than any player in Montana history, doing so in his third season with the program. Oguine was the 2018 tournament MVP and league’s top defender, and finished his career ranked in the top 10 for scoring, steals and games started. Pridgett was a two-time All-Big Sky first-team selection, finishing his career ranked fourth for scoring, sixth for steals and in the top 15 for both assists and rebounds. During Cobb’s first season, Jordan Gregory was a Capital One third-team All-American while Martin Breunig was a two-time first-team All-Big Sky pick who is still enjoying a professional career overseas.

Off the court, Montana has earned the NABC Team Academic Award four times, including both in 2020 and 2021. Also in 2020, Cobb was selected to Montana's inaugural Athletics Diversity & Inclusion Committee.

Cobb came to Montana after four years as an assistant coach at Chico State (2010-11 through 2013-14), where he helped lead the Wildcats to three consecutive NCAA DII tournament appearances, including a trip to the Elite Eight during the 2013-14 season. He was part of Chico State's first championship team in the California Collegiate Athletic Association in 2011-12 (the first in school history), working for head coach Greg Clink.

At Chico State, he was a key component of the team's scouting, recruiting and player development efforts, and helped oversee the academic program while also assisting in the promotion of the Wildcats' clinics and summer camps. During his tenure with the Wildcats, he coached and helped to develop seven all-league players, two all-region selections and one NCAA Division II All-American.

Cobb came to Chico State after serving as an assistant to head coach Bill Treseler at San Francisco State during the 2009-10 season. The Gators posted a winning record that season, going 17-14.

He joined the coaching ranks immediately after completing a four-year career at Menlo College in Atherton, California, where he was a two-time All-California Pacific Conference first-team selection and part of the Oaks' conference championship team in 2008. He's finished his collegiate career ranked second in school history for career assists and 3-pointers made.

Cobb was an outstanding prep player at Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland, California, and was instrumental in leading the Dragons to three consecutive Hayward Area Athletic League titles and a 2004 appearance in the state championship game. He was named first-team all-league during his junior and senior seasons, and was an All-Northern California Division III first-team selection as a senior.

He received his bachelor's degree in business management from Menlo College in 2009. He earned his master's degree in kinesiology, with an emphasis in sports administration, from Fresno Pacific University in 2012.

Chris and his wife, Alisa, welcomed a son, Clayton, in September 2019, and a daughter, Olivia, in November 2021.

 Jay Flores

Jay Flores enters his seventh season with the Montana men’s basketball program in 2022-23, including his sixth season as an assistant coach. Flores was originally hired by Travis DeCuire in June 2016 as director of basketball operations. He was elevated to assistant coach in July 2017.

Flores’ first two seasons as an assistant coach were historic on many levels, with Montana winning back-to-back Big Sky Conference regular-season and tournament championships, and qualifying for the NCAA tournament both seasons. Montana went a combined 52-17 during that time, the best two-year stretch in school history.

Overall, the Grizzlies have posted a winning record every season with Flores on staff.

On top of his roles on the court, Flores also holds scouting and recruiting responsibilities. Additionally, he runs the team’s annual summer camps and takes on the bulk of Montana’s academics. Prior to his first season in Missoula, he and DeCuire made a goal of obtaining a 3.0 team grade-point average. Montana has accomplished that four times since then, being recognized with the NABC Team Academic Award in 2017, 2020, 2021 and 2022.
 
During the 2020-21 academic year, Montana posted a team GPA of 3.30, with 10 individuals earning a 3.0 GPA compared to zero below 2.0. Additionally, nine players earned Academic All-Big Sky status in 2020-21, a huge jump from previous seasons, including seven in 2019 and 2020 combined. In 2021-22, Josh Bannan earned Academic All-America recognition, one of 15 Division-I players honored nationally and the only sophomore.
 
With Flores on staff, Montana has had 11 all-conference selections, including five first-team picks. During that time, Flores and the Grizzlies' staff have also developed the league's defensive player of the year (2018), freshman of the year (2020), newcomer of the year (2020) and top reserve (2020, 2022), as well as three of the top-eight scorers in school history.
 
Montana had a two-year run in which the Grizzlies won back-to-back Big Sky regular-season championships, back-to-back tournament titles and qualified for the NCAA tournament two seasons in a row. Montana won 26 games in both 2017-18 and 2018-19, tied for the third-most wins in school history.
 
Instrumental to the team’s success during that time was a trio of standout players who Flores helped develop. Ahmaad Rorie, the 2019 Big Sky tournament MVP, reached 1,500 career points faster than any player in Montana history, doing so in his third season with the program. Michael Oguine was the 2018 tournament MVP and league’s top defender, and finished his career ranked in the top 10 for scoring, steals and games started. Sayeed Pridgett, also a two-time first-team selection, ranks fourth all-time for scoring, sixth for steals and in the top 15 for assists and rebounds.
 
The team’s 26-8 record in 2017-18 included a perfect 14-0 mark on its home court. The Grizzlies got off to a strong start, posting their first winning non-conference record in six seasons, including a signature victory at Pitt of the ACC. Montana then won its first 13 Big Sky games, the third-longest winning streak in school history and the third-longest active streak in the NCAA at the time. The stretch featured a program-record seven consecutive road wins. Montana used the same starting lineup for all 34 contests, leading to a balanced effort. The Grizzlies led the Big Sky in five statistical categories and ranked in the top three in 14. On defense, they ranked in the top 30 nationally for turnovers forced (15.4, 22nd), steals (7.8, 23rd) and turnover margin (+3.0, 29th).

Early on in the 2018-19 season, Montana beat a pair of NCAA tournament teams in Georgia State and North Dakota State, and snapped South Dakota State’s nation-leading 26-game home winning streak. After beginning Big Sky play just 3-2, Montana then won 16 of its next 18 games to repeat as Big Sky regular-season and tournament champions. Montana was one of 20 schools nationally to rank in the top 100 for both scoring offense and defense, and was incredibly efficient, making 49.2 percent of its shots (10th in the nation), including 37.6 percent from beyond the arc (38th).
 
Following back-to-back championship seasons, Flores then helped develop Montana's next wave of young talent with true freshmen accounting for 100 total starts in 2019-20 and 2020-21.
 
In a shortened 2019-20 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Montana once again earned a top-three finish in the Big Sky, winning 18 games despite returning just four letterwinners from the previous season. The Grizzlies led the Big Sky for field-goal percentage (.498), 3-point field-goal percentage (.394) and turnover margin (+3.5), and ranked in the top three for scoring (74.1), scoring margin (+6.4), free-throw percentage (.745), field-goal defense (.436) assists (13.3), steals (6.3) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.2). On a national scale, Montana ranked 21st in the NCAA for shooting and 55th for 3-point accuracy.
 
Montana had a trio of freshmen start 40 combined games in 2019-20, including Big Sky Freshman of the Year Derrick Carter-Hollinger. The Grizzlies were also paced by two-time All-Big Sky first-team selection Sayeed Pridgett and second-team honoree Kendal Manuel.
 
In 2020-21, Montana was the only school nationally to have three true freshmen average at least 25.0 minutes per game, and was one of two schools in the country to have its freshman class total 2,000 minutes played. Montana peaked at the right time, winning its final four games of the regular season, followed by a pair of victories in the Big Sky tournament – including an upset over No. 3-seed Weber State – to advance to the semifinals. During non-conference play, Montana also earned a win at Washington of the Pac-12.
 
The Grizzlies set a then-school record from the charity stripe in 2020-21, making 78.2 percent of their free-throw attempts (15th in the NCAA). They also ranked highly from 3-point range (36.2, 61st) and for overall shooting (46.0, 66th), and ranked in the top 25 percent nationally for scoring defense (67.0 points allowed per game, 77th).
 
Montana won 18 games in 2021-22, including a 7-4 mark during a non-conference slate that saw the Grizzlies earn victories over Air Force (Mountain West) and Southern Miss (Conference USA), in addition to winning the Zootown Classic tournament title. The Grizzlies were paced by second-team All-Big Sky selection Josh Bannan, who was the only player in the league to average at least 17.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. The sophomore also shot .520 from the floor while recording the Grizzlies' third-highest rebounding average over the past two decades. 

Montana set a school record from the free-throw line for the second year in a row, ranking 10th in the NCAA at 78.5 percent. The Grizzlies were also among the nation's leaders for turnovers per game (10.2, 20th), turnover margin (+2.9, 35th) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.28, 46th).
 
A former California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Most Valuable Player at Chico State, Flores spent three seasons as an assistant coach for the Division II Cal State East Bay Pioneers (2013-14 through 2015-16). During his tenure as an assistant coach, Flores coached a pair of All-CCAA players, including Jacari Whittfield, who finished his collegiate career as the school’s all-time leader for 3-pointers made and free-throw percentage and was second for assists. Flores also helped develop Mark Samuels – who ranks in the top 10 in school history for both scoring and rebounding – and Jalen Richard – an All-CCAA selection after ranking in the top five in the conference for scoring, steals and free throws. Additionally, Flores oversaw a large section of the Pioneers' basketball program, including academic monitoring and counseling, recruiting and athlete evaluation, video analysis, and coordinating summer camps.

Flores also has professional playing experience, having spent the 2012-13 season playing for Soles de Mexicali of Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional, Mexico's top professional basketball league. Flores was the starting point guard for Soles, helping them to a 31-9 record and a postseason appearance. He played in 52 games, averaging 3.1 points and 2.1 assists per game while shooting .568 from the field and .380 percent from 3-point range.
 
Flores was an outstanding point guard at Chico State, where he played under current Montana associate head coach Chris Cobb. As a Wildcat, he finished his three-year career as one of the most decorated players in program history. During his sophomore campaign in 2009-10, he started every game and led Chico State in minutes, assists and steals. He ranked fourth in the CCAA that year with 4.1 assists per game. In his second season at Chico State, he averaged 11.0 points per game while once again pacing the squad for steals and minutes played. He led the conference for 3-pointers made and assist-to-turnover ratio, and ranked second for assists (4.8 per game), earning himself a second-team All-CCAA selection.
 
As a senior, Flores led Chico State to a 25-8 record, its first CCAA title in school history, and an appearance in the NCAA Division II semifinals. Again, he led the conference in assist-to-turnover ratio and ranked second for assists (4.2 per game), while anchoring one of the nation's top defenses. Flores was named conference MVP, first-team All-CCAA, first-team All-West Region and Academic All-West Region, and was a third-team All-American.
 
At the conclusion of his career, Flores ranked third all-time in Chico State history with 387 assists and 137 steals and fourth all-time with 153 made 3-pointers. He was also an 81.3-percent shooter from the free-throw line. During his college career, Flores coached summer camps for top Division-I programs like UCLA, Cal, Saint Mary's and Michigan State.
 
Flores played his prep ball at Jesuit High School in Sacramento, California. An all-league honoree as a senior, he led the Marauders to a combined record of 60-8, consecutive appearances in the Delta League championship and back-to-back Sac-Joaquin section titles in his final two seasons.

Flores then played in 24 games in one season as a freshman at Sonoma State before transferring to Chico State to complete his college career. He graduated from Chico State in 2012 with a degree in business administration.
 
He and his wife, Molly, were married in August 2016. In 2019, they welcomed their first son, Julian Jesse. In 2021, they added a daughter, Leah, to their family.

 Anderson Clarke

The 2023-24 season is Anderson Clarke’s sixth with the Montana men’s basketball program and first as assistant coach. He spent the previous two seasons as director of operations and his first three seasons as a graduate manager.
 
He served as Montana’s first director of operations since 2017, but filled much of those roles during his first three seasons while he was a graduate manager. In addition to operations duties, such as travel, meals, hotels and more, Clarke also takes on the majority of Montana’s scouting and film prep.
 
During Clarke’s time with the Grizzlies, Montana has posted a winning record each season. The Grizzlies won the 2019 Big Sky Conference regular-season and tournament titles while advancing to the NCAA tournament. In 2019-20, they were again a conference-title contender, entering the Big Sky tournament as the No. 3 seed before it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020-21, Montana found its form late, winning a pair of games in the Big Sky tournament and advancing to the semifinals as the No. 6 seed.

The Grizzlies enjoyed more winning seasons over the past two years with Clarke's help, winning 18 games in 2021-22 and 17 games in 2022-23.
 
Prior to coming to Montana, Clarke played collegiately for Division II Concordia University Irvine. The Eagles went 86-36 during Clarke’s four seasons (2014-15 through 2017-18), with Clarke totaling 15 points, 25 rebounds, eight assists, four steals and one block. He made seven of his nine career shot attempts.
 
Clarke is a native of Tasmania, Australia, where he played for Campolindo High School. His father, Marty, formerly served as the associate head coach for St. Mary’s College in California.
 
Clarke and his wife, Shelby, were married in 2020. He earned his undergraduate degree in communications from Concordia Irvine in 2018, and his master’s in philosophy of educational leadership from Montana in May 2020. He is currently working toward his doctorate in philosophy of educational leadership.