MISSOULA, Mont.—Kyle Sharp and Anthony Johnson came off the bench to score 13 points apiece in Montana’s 63-44 win over Denver on Thursday night in the opening game of the inaugural Karl Tyler Chevrolet Classic.
Sharp shot 5-for-6 from the field, while Johnson was 4-for-5 and made all five of his free throws. Jordan Hasquet finished with nine points and four rebounds for the Grizzlies (4-4).
Denver kept the game close during the first half, going into the break down only 27-26. But Montana went on 20-3 run early in the second half to go ahead 47-32. Johnson and Hasquet scored five points apiece in the run, and the Grizzlies missed only three shots from the floor in the second half on 77 percent shooting.
Nate Rohnert led the Pioneers (0-5) with 14 points, and Rob Lewis added 12. Rohnert scored all but one of his points in the first half.
The Grizzlies hit 63 percent from the field on the game, compared to 40.5 percent shooting by Denver.
The Pioneers committed 20 turnovers and went scoreless for more than seven minutes in the second half as Montana’s lead climbed into double digits.
Montana’s bench outscored Denver’s 36-6.
