DILLON, Mont. – The (RV) Montana Western men's basketball program (12-3, 7-2 FC) plays host to MSU-Northern (10-5, 5-4 FC) and Providence (2-13, 2-7 FC) in its first home matches of 2026.
 
 SCHEDULE 
Friday, Jan. 9
MSU-Northern – 7 p.m. MT | Watch Live | Live Stats
 
Saturday, Jan. 10
Providence – 7 p.m. MT | Watch Live | Live Stats
 
 LAST TIME OUT 
UMW improved to 12-3 last week after road wins at Dickinson State (78-73) and Bismarck State (96-66).
 
Against the Blue Hawks, Western came back from 13-points down earn the five-point win, shooting 52.8 percent (28-53) from the field, 44.4 percent (8-18) from distance, and 63.6 percent (14-22) from the foul line. The team tallied 23 rebounds, 11 assists, 10 steals, and two blocks. Kyle Gruhler led all players with 24 points, all of which came in the second half. Emanuel Steward and David Young also put-up double digits with 21 and 10 points, respectively. Billy Carlson and Kolter Merritt paced the team with four rebounds apiece while Carlson also dished out a team-high three assists. Young snagged a game-best six steals. Gruhler and Jacob Ankeny each landed a block.  
 
The Bulldogs dominated against the Mystics while shooting 46.6 percent (34-73) from the floor, 47.7 percent (21-44) from three, and 50.0 percent (7-14) from the line. They registered 41 boards, 24 assists, five steals, and two blocks. Gruhler once again led the game with 27 points, followed by Carlson (14) and Merritt (11). Gruhler also topped the team with seven rebounds. Steward handed out a game-best six assists while Carlson and Joshua Whiteside posted two steals apiece. Whiteside and Merritt each earned a block in the win.
 
 BEHIND THE BARK 
UMW is putting up 84.3 points, 37.3 rebounds, and 14.0 assists in 2025-26. The Bulldogs are shooting 47.3 percent from the floor, 37.9 percent from three, and 67.6 percent from the foul line. They are also earning 5.8 steals and 4.0 blocks per game.
 
Kyle Gruhler leads the team with 23.1 points per game, followed by Emanuel Steward at 18.0. Billy Carlson pulls down a team-best 5.4 rebounds per game. He and David Young share the team-lead in steals at 1.3 apiece. Steward is tossing 3.5 assists per game. Jacob Ankeny and Joshua Whiteside are both earning 0.8 blocks per game.
 
 GRUHLER EARNS NAIA AND FC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK 
Kyle Gruhler was named NAIA Offensive Player of the Week Tuesday following his fifth Frontier Conference Offensive Player of the Week Honor, awarded Monday. Gruhler averaged 25.5 points against DSU and BSC while adding 10 rebounds (six offensive), four assists, one block, and one steal. He shot 50.0 percent (18-36) from the floor, 52.6 percent (10-19) from beyond the arc, and 100.0 percent (5-5) from the line.
 
 BULLDOGS IN THE RANKINGS 
In the NAIA, UMW is 16th in turnovers per game (10.1), 26th in offensive efficiency (1.16), and 29th in three-point percentage (37.9). Individually, Kyle Gruhler is third in the nation in three pointers (59), seventh in total points (347), 10th in points per game (23.1), 11th in three-point percentage (53.2), and 12th in field goals (118).
 
 CONFERENCE ROUNDUP 
Western ranks second in the Frontier in threes per game (9.8), offensive rebounds (11.9), and blocks (3.93). The Bulldogs are third in points per game (84.2), three-point percentage (38.4), and rebounds per game (37.3), and sit fifth in defensive rebounds (25.4).
 
 IT'S RAINING THREES 
UMW drained 21 three-pointers against Bismarck State, it's highest tally of the season and three away from the program record. It marked the fifth game this season that the team has made 10 or more threes in a single game.
 
 GUARDING THE ROCK 
The Bulldogs committed just four turnovers against Bismarck State, a season low.
 
 OFFENSIVE EFFICIENCY 
Western has shot over 40.0 percent from both the field and from three in each of the last three games. On the year, the Bulldogs have registered 12 games shooting over 40.0 percent from the floor and seven games where they have reached that mark from downtown.
 
 HELPING HANDS 
UMW posted 24 assists against Bismarck State, matching a season high. The team has reached double figures in assists in all but two contests this year.
 
 CRASH THE BOARDS 
Western has pulled down at least 30 rebounds in 13-of-15 games on the campaign, including 40 or better on eight occasions.
 
 PICKPOCKET 
David Young matched his career-high with six steals against Dickinson State, his fourth multi-steal outing this season.
 
 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 (83.9), Mark Huber (82.2), and Emanuel Steward (80.4).
 
 SPLASH! 
Kyle Gruhler has posted 20 or more points in each of his last four games. He has hit that mark 11 times on the year including four contests with 30 or more points.
 
 BLOCK PARTY 
Six Bulldogs have swatted five or more blocks on the year, led by Jacob Ankeny and Joshua Whiteside at 12 apiece. Emanuel Steward (nine) David Young (seven), Kolter Merritt (seven), and Kyle Gruhler (five) 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 
MSU-Northern (10-5,5-4 FC)

• The Lights are putting up 82.9 points, 31.1 rebounds, 16.7 assists, 7.2 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game this season.
• They are shooting 51.8 percent from the field, 36.8 percent from three, and 75.1 percent from the foul line.
• MSU-Northern ranks second in the nation in turnovers per game (9.1) fifth in field-goal percentage (51.8), and 24th in free-throw percentage (75.1).
• Individually, Jeffrey Tjelde sits 24th in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.7).
• Austin Ramos leads the team with 14.5 points per game, followed by Leon Sayers IV (14.2) and Tracen Jilot (12.0).
• Ramos and Sayers IV share the team lead in rebounds (4.6).
• Claysen Delp tops the team in both assists (2.9) and steals (1.3).

 
Providence (2-13, 2-7 FC)

• The Argos are averaging 74.7 points, 31.5 rebounds, 13.5 assists, 6.9 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game.
• They are shooting 45.8 percent from the floor, 32.1 percent from distance, and 71.0 percent from the line.
• Marvel Chambers Jr. paces the team with 12.9 points per game while Brendan Redhead (11.6), Marcus Lawson (11.0), Quinn Swanson (10.6), and Jakub Lloyd (10.1) are also averaging in double figures.
• Swanson leads the Argos in both rebounds (6.2) and assists (3.2) per game.
• Chambers Jr. tallies 1.5 steals per game and Lloyd swats 0.8 blocks per game.

 
 SERIES HISTORY 
Since 2002, Western is 37-32 against MSU-Northern. In the last matchup between the pair, the Bulldogs walked away with the 77-62 victory.
 
UMW is 43-20 against the Argos since 2001, earning the 100-94 win the last time they met.
 
 LOOKING AHEAD 
The Bulldogs head back on the road next week when they travel to Bellevue (1/16) and Dakota State (1/17)  
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!