WHITEFISH — While the result of Montana's NCAA tournament game against Wisconsin may not have been what Griz fans wanted, many of them either skipped work or took the day off to visit their local bars and watch their team in the tournament.
For the first time since 2019, the Montana Grizzlies were part of March Madness.
With madness in the name, fans can believe their team has a shot at making a run for the title. That’s what made lifelong Griz fan Chris Edelen watch his team at 11:30 a.m. from the Great Northern Bar.
“More than anything, it's just, you feel like they actually have a shot," Edelen said. “I mean, you see it every year, underdogs do win in this tournament, so the fact that they're on TV, they're in the Big Dance and they might win is enough to keep me watching.”
Among the fans watching Thursday’s game was former Griz tennis player Brian Joss.
For Joss, watching fellow Montana athletes at the Big Dance was special.
“I like to see people rewarded for coming to Missoula to play sports,” Joss said. "It's great that they were able to play on national TV and play against a great team, and they kept it competitive for a long time. Such a special team, the way they persevered throughout the season.”
While the Griz basketball season ended with an 85-66 loss to Wisconsin, Edelen and the rest of the fans are already looking ahead to next season.
“The Big Sky tournament was just amazing to watch,” Edelen said. “I hope a lot of the guys come back for next year because I can't wait to do it again."
