DILLON, Mont. – The (RV) Montana Western men's basketball program (14-3, 9-2 FC) travels to Bellevue (14-3, 9-2 FC) and Dakota State (13-3, 8-3 FC) this weekend.
 
SCHEDULE
Friday, Jan. 16
@ Bellevue – 6 p.m. MT/ 7 p.m. CT | Watch Live | Live Stats
 
Saturday, Jan. 17
Providence – 6 p.m. MT/ 7 p.m. CT | Watch Live | Live Stats
 
LAST TIME OUT
UMW moved to 14-3 on the year and 9-2 in conference play after wins over MSU-Northern (77-70) and Providence (83-74).
 
Against the Lights, Western shot 42.2 percent (27-64) from the floor, 50.0 percent (11-22) from three, and 92.3 percent (12-13) from the foul line. The team tallied 39 rebounds, 12 assists, three blocks, and two steals. Kyle Gruhler paced the team with 19 points, followed by Emanuel Steward (18) and Joshua Whiteside (11). Whiteside pulled down a game-best eight rebounds. Steward led the team with six assists. Kolter Merritt and Billy Carlson each earned a steal. Steward, Whiteside, and Jacob Ankeny all swatted one block.
 
Against the Argos, the Bulldogs shot 43.3 percent (26-60) from the field, 32.1 percent (928) from distance, and 84.6 percent (22-26) from the charity stripe. They registered 40 rebounds, 15 assists, six blocks, and four steals. Gruhler led all players with 27 points while Steward (22) and David Young (15) were also in double figures. Young grabbed a team-high eight boards and also snagged a team-leading two steals. Steward tied for the game-high with five assists and Gruhler posted a game-best two blocks.
 
BEHIND THE BARK
UMW is putting up 83.8 points, 37.6 rebounds, and 13.9 assists in 2025-26. The Bulldogs are shooting 46.7 percent from the floor, 38.1 percent from three, and 69.6 percent from the foul line. They are also earning 5.5 steals and 4.1 blocks per game.
 
Kyle Gruhler leads the team with 23.1 points per game, followed by Emanuel Steward at 18.2. Billy Carlson pulls down a team-best 5.1 rebounds per game. Steward is tossing 3.8 assists per game. David Young tops the Bulldogs in steals at 1.3. Jacob Ankeny and Joshua Whiteside are both earning 0.8 blocks per game.
 
GRUHLER PICKS UP SIXTH FC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONOR
Kyle Gruhler was named Frontier Conference Offensive Player of the Week for the sixth time on the year. Gruhler averaged 23.0 points against MSU-Northern and Providence while shooting 51.7 percent (15-29) from the floor, 64.3 percent (9-14) from downtown, and 98.5 percent (7-8) from the stripe. He also registered seven rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and a steal.
 
BULLDOGS IN THE RANKINGS
In the NAIA, UMW is 13th in turnovers per game (10.1) and 21st in three-point attempts (433). Individually, Kyle Gruhler sits second in made three pointers (68), fifth in three-point percentage (54.4), seventh in total points (393), 11th in points per game (23.1), and 12th in made field goals (133).
 
DOWN FOR THE REBOUND
David Young matched his career-high with eight rebounds against Providence. He has tallied five or more rebounds in eight contests this season.
 
IT'S RAINING THREES
UMW shot 50.0 percent (11-22) from three against MSU-Northern, marking the eighth time this year that the team has shot over 40.0 percent from beyond the arc.
 
GUARD THE PERIMETER
Western held both the Lights (.059) and the Argos (.154) under 20.0 percent from three, making it five times on the campaign that an opponent has shot under that mark.
 
HELPING HANDS
UMW has reached double figures in assists in all but two games this season, including 11 in a row.
 
FEELIN' FINE AT THE FOUL LINE
Four Bulldogs are shooting over 80.0 percent at the line this season. Quincy Taylor leads the team at 87.5 percent, followed by Kyle Gruhler (84.3), Emanuel Steward (83.6), and Mark Huber (82.2).
 
SPLASH BROTHERS
Kyle Gruhler and Emanuel Steward are both in the top five scorers in the Frontier. Gruhler ranks first (23.1) while Steward sits fifth (18.2).
 
BLOCK PARTY
Six Bulldogs have swatted five or more blocks on the year, led by Jacob Ankeny and Joshua Whiteside at 13 apiece. Emanuel Steward (11) David Young (eight), Kolter Merritt (seven), and Kyle Gruhler (seven) round out the group.
 
SHOWCASING OUR DEPTH
13 different players have tallied an assist this season, with 10 recording five or more. Additionally, 14 players have pulled down a rebound and 11 have snagged a steal. 
 
MEET THE OPPONENTS
Bellevue (14-3, 9-52 FC)

• The Bruins are putting up 85.5 points, 36.2 rebounds, 14.5 assists, 7.4 steals, and 3.0 blocks per game.
• They are shooting 49.7 percent from the field, 39.0 percent from three, and 72.0 percent from the foul line.
• Ahamad Bynum leads the team with 20.8 points per game, followed by Jaden Phillips (15.5) and RJ Smith (12.3).
• Smith pulls down a team-best 7.7 rebounds per game.
• JJ Montgomery is dishing out 2.2 assists per game to lead the team while Bynum, Jermaine Haliburton, and Liam Thompson are all at 2.1.
• Haliburton snags a team-high 2.1 steals.
• Thompson and Deng Jal swat 0.8 blocks per game.
• As a team, Bellevue is ranked 10th in the nation in three-point percentage (39.0), 14th in three-pointers per game (10.2), and 16th in three-point attempts.
• Individually, Bynum is 20th in made threes (50) and 23rd in points per game (20.8).
• Smith is second in the NAIA in both field-goal percentage (74.8), and offensive rebounds (71).

 
Dakota State (13-3, 8-3 FC)

• The Trojans are averaging 76.1 points, 36.7 rebounds, 14.4 assists, 8.6 steals, and 2.1 blocks per game.
• They are shooting 49.3 percent from the floor, 38.2 percent from three, and 70.0 percent from the line.
• Nathan Ojukwu paces the team in points (19.4), rebounds (8.5), and assists (3.0).
• Lukas Morgan is also posting double figures in scoring with 13.1 points per game.
• Brayden Pankonen is grabbing a team-best 2.1 steals per game while Aiden Jensen swats 0.8 blocks per game.
• Nationally, Dakota State is third in points allowed per game (61.3), 13th in rebound margin (8.5), 19th in three-point percentage (38.2), and 25th in field-goal percentage (49.3).
• Individually, Ojukwu is 23rd in defensive rebounds (106).
• Desman Botts sits 23rd in field-goal percentage (65.2).

 
SERIES HISTORY
This is the first ever matchup between the Bulldogs and the Bruins.
 
Western is 0-1 all-time against Dakota State, falling 82-68 in the lone matchup between the two (11/26/22).
 
LOOKING AHEAD
The Bulldogs return home next weekend when they take on rival Montana Tech. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. MT.  
For complete coverage of UMW Men's Basketball, be sure to follow us on social media at @umwesternbball (Instagram), @UMWesternBball (X), and @Montana Western Men's Basketball (Facebook) or visit our official website at UMWBulldogs.com.

#GOBULLDOGS!