2017 Frontier Conference Men's Basketball Preview

Men’s basketball in the Frontier Conference is always an exciting event. That’s because every year, the league is loaded with great teams and great players.

The 2017 season will be no different.

While Carroll College is a prohibitive favorite this season, from top to bottom, the Frontier is heavy with good basketball teams, and that will make the next two months extremely exciting and intense.

Another reason the league is so good is because it’s littered with coaching stalwarts. Bill Dreikosen is in his 17th year at Rocky Mountain College, Shawn Huse is 13 years and 300-plus wins into his tenure at MSU-Northern, Steve Keller has coached 10 years at UM-Western, Brandon Rinta six at LC State and Carson Cunningham has resurrected the Carroll program after just three years. Anthony Owens is now a veteran at UGF and Montana Tech just hired former Westminster head coach Adam Hiatt, so, the coaching ranks in the Frontier is as good as it gets.

Of course, the players are as good as it gets, too, and while the league looks to have some dominant teams again this season, don’t be surprised if it’s also a dogfight where the regular season title isn’t decided until the last Saturday night in February. That’s usually how it works and will probably work again this season.

Here’s a look at the Frontier Conference team-by-team, in its predicted order of finish according to the Frontier Preseason Coaches Poll.

Carroll College

Fighting Saints

2016-17: 1-1, 11-3, Ranked No. 6

2015-16: 23-10, 13-5, lost in NAIA Elite 8

Head Coach: Carson Cunningham, 4th Season

Location: Helena, MT

Outlook: When Carson Cunningham arrived at Carroll, he had a major rebuilding job to do. Carroll is now on the verge of completing that job like no one could have imagined. The Fighting Saints aren’t just the heavy favorite in the Frontier, they’re considered a legitimate contender for an NAIA national title. And why shouldn’t they be? With returning All-Americans Zach Taylor (6-0) and Ryan Imhoff (6-6), as well as veteran depth with Oliver Carr (6-6) and sophomores Match Burnham (6-8) and Matt Wyman (6-7), Carroll is as talented as anybody in the country. The Fighting Saints also have tremendous depth and an explosive offense, and because of Cunningham’s aggressive non-conference scheduling, they are also battled tested. Yes, everything is in place for Carroll to have a historic season.

Lewis-Clark State

Warriors

2016-17: 2-1, 12-3

2015-16: 29-5, 14-4, Frontier Champions, lost in NAIA Sweet 16

Head Coach: Brandon Rinta, 6th Season

Location: Lewiston, Idaho

Outlook: The Warriors were extremely dominant a year ago. But they also lost an All-American in Jake Wiley, as well as key veterans like Nic Emerson. Still, Brand Rinta’s club has the depth and talent to be a factor in the Frontier title chase. Senior Doug McDaniel (6-3) is one of the most explosive players in the Frontier, while Trea Thomas (5-10) and Ty Higbie (6-5) are key returnees. Anthony Sullen (6-3) is also a talented newcomer who has helped keep the Warriors as one of the top scoring teams in the league. LCSC also has a favorable home schedule, and while the Warriors are certainly adjusting to life without the talented Wiley, they’ll no doubt be a team to beat as the season goes on.

UM-Western

Bulldogs

2016-17: 2-0, 12-2, Ranked No. 17

2015-16: 19-13, 12-6, lost in NAIA 1st Round

Head Coach: Steve Keller, 10th Season

Location: Dillon, MT

Outlook: The Bulldogs, along with MSU-Northern, have been atop the Frontier as far as consistency goes for the last decade now. And this season is no different. Already owning a win over Carroll, Western is most definitely a team that can win the Frontier title this season. Head coach Steve Keller will miss two-time All-American Dexter Williams Jr., but star guard Shyke Smalls (6-1) is off to an incredible start this season, while the additions of Dom Robinson (5-8) and Riley King (6-4) have been big for a Western team that lacks some size but can put points on the board in a hurry. Western is also a top-level defensive squad, and the Bulldogs are certainly built to contend for the Frontier title yet again.

Rocky Mountain College

Battlin’ Bears

2016-17: 0-2, 7-7

2015-16: 18-14, 8-10

Head Coach: Bill Dreikosen, 17th Season

Location: Billings, MT

Outlook: Like many teams in the Frontier, graduation hit the Battlin’ Bears hard. But Rocky had so much depth last season, that it still brings back a plethora of key returners, such as Zach Hinton (6-6), Taylor Longo (6-1) and Chad Kananan (6-1), who were all All-Conference performers a season ago. Derek Graves (6-3) is another veteran for longtime head coach Bill Dreikosen, and the addition of University of Montana transfer Riley Bradshaw (6-1) certainly gives the Bears a very complete team. And being complete will mean that Rocky has a great chance to make plenty of noise in the Frontier this season.

MSU-Northern

Lights

2016-17: 13-1, 2-0, RV

2015-16: 19-12, 8-10

Head Coach: Shawn Huse, 13th Season

Location: Havre, MT

Outlook: The Lights were picked to finish fifth this season, but Northern is playing like anything but a fifth-place team. MSU-N has a roster as deep as anyone in the Frontier, with 10 players averaging six or more points per game. The Lights also return experience in David Straughter, Tyler Chandler, Badhasa Margarsa and Dylan Tatarka, while Ryan Reeves is perhaps the most dominant big man in the Frontier. Add to that the additions of Cameron Epps and Charles Porter, great role players like Justin Dunsmore, Kevin Oberweiser and William Walker, and a trio of talented red-shirt freshmen, and the Lights are as strong as any team in the conference. And if MSU-N continues its stingy defensive ways, and continues to shoot the 3-pointer well, with all of that depth and talent, the Lights will be right back in the conference title race.

Great Falls

Argos

2016-17: 1-1, 9-4

2015-16: 13-16, 5-13

Head Coach: Anthony Owens, 4th Season

Location: Great Falls, MT

Outlook: The last couple of seasons have been rough for the Argos. But, that doesn’t mean UGF isn’t consistently a tough out in the Frontier. Under Anthony Owens, the Argos play gritty defense and always seem to hold teams down offensively. They will be that way again this season, and with the returning experience of Sigman Farmer III (6-1), Isaac Howard (6-6) and Sergio Berkley (6-3), the Argos have some leadership to go with an otherwise young, but talented, roster.

Montana Tech

Orediggers

2016-17: 0-3, 6-9

2015-16: 8-22, 3-15

Head Coach: Adam Hiatt, 1st Season

Location: Butte, MT

Outlook: The team that finishes last in the Frontier every year would by no means be a last-place team in any other conference in the NAIA. If that’s Montana Tech this season, the same will hold true. The Orediggers have struggled recently in conference play, and yet, they are always talented and tough. This season should be no different. Tech is young but has experience returning in Lucas Vining (6-3), Carson Dummer (6-8) and Flemming Okeke (6-5), while Chris O’Neil (6-0) and John Chapman (6-2) are talented scorers. And under new head coach Hiatt who once guided Westminster to big successes in the Frontier, Tech will be extremely tough, extremely defensive minded and fundamentally sound. And with Hiatt at the helm now, the Orediggers days of being in the Frontier cellar will likely be numbered.