Frontier Preview: Coaching changes make for an interesting Frontier season

Before the 2018-19 Frontier Conference season began, it was already going to be remembered as the year of sweeping coaching changes.

Steve Keller shocked the league and left UM-Western for Providence, while Brandon Rinta moved on from Lewis-Clark State, and Carson Cunningham left Carroll for an NCAA DI job. All that means there are three new coaches in the league this season, and four of the six teams have new head men on the bench.

However, now that January has arrived, the Frontier season is going to be known for what happens on the floor this winter. And make no mistake, this winter will be a grinder, with so much talent and parity in the league. Of course, that’s nothing new, considering a year ago Carroll and Western shared the regular season crown with five conference losses apiece. That’s just the way it is in the Frontier these days, and while the Fighting Saints are the obvious front-runners at this point, with how deep the league is, don’t expect them, or anybody else to emerge unscathed when February is over.

Here’s a team-by-team look at Frontier Men’s Basketball with teams listed in the order they were picked in the Preseason Coaches Poll.

Rocky Mountain

Battlin Bears

2018-19: 1-1, 10-4

2017-18: 8-10, 18-14, 5th in Frontier

Head Coach: Bill Dreikosen

Arena: Fortin Center

OUTLOOK: After a late surge a year ago and the return of star Jared Samuelson (6-8), it was easy to see why Rocky was a pick to win the Frontier championship this season. However, injuries and a tough start have the Bears struggling as January begins. Still, Samuelson is a double-double every night, while veteran Satchell McDonald (5-11) has become a bona fide scoring threat. The addition of Lucas Vining (6-4), as well as the return of big men Danny Betcher (6-7) and Austin Payne (6-5) also make the Bears strong in the post. Craig Wilmore (6-3) is another returning veteran, so while Rocky got off to a slow start this season, don’t count the Bears out come Frontier tourney time.

#10 Lewis-Clark State

Warriors

2018-19: 2-0, 13-1

2017-18: 11-7, 23-10, 3rd in Frontier

Head Coach: Austin Johnson

Arena: LCSC Activity Center

OUTLOOK: One of three teams to undergo a coaching change in the Frontier, the Warriors haven’t skipped a beat. A consistent national tourney team in recent years, LCSC goes into Frontier play as dominant as ever under new head coach Austin Johnson. Returning stars Cory Dollarhide (6-0) and Dana Abe (6-4) are a big reason why, while Race Martin (6-6) is as good as any big man in the league. But it’s LCSC’s depth and athleticism that has them riding high. The Warriors average just over 98 points a game, while surrendering just 57 per outing. They are the top rebounding team in the Frontier, too, with plenty of length in the post. So while Brandon Rinta leaving was a big story, it hasn’t set LCSC back at all, and they could certainly be playing well into March again this season.

#3 Carroll College

Fighting Saints

2018-19: 3-0, 14-1

2017-18: 13-5, 28-6; 1st in Frontier

Head Coach: Kurt Paulson

Arena: Carroll P.E. Center

OUTLOOK: The Saints lost their head coach to NCAA Division I Incarnate Word, but coming off a trip to the NAIA Final Four, it appears they’ve gotten better. New head coach Kurt Paulson’s squad has its best record ever going into January, and its only loss is to the very best team in all of Canada. With veterans Match Burnham (6-8) and Matt Wyman (6-7), and the emergence of Dane Warp (6-4) as a super star, Carroll is a talented, offensive juggernaut, with all three of those stars averaging over 20 ppg. Add point guard Ice Kalejaye (6-1) and newcomer Shamrock Campbell (6-0) an incredible 3-point shooter to the mix, and Carroll possesses one of the most talented starting fives in the NAIA. The Saints are a little short on depth, however, but still, with how well Carroll is playing and with their big three in the lead, the Saints aren’t just a Frontier title contender, they’re a true threat to win a national championship.

University of Providence

Argos

2018-19: 1-1, 11-3

2018-17: 5-13, 11-18, 6th in Frontier

Head Coach: Steve Keller

Arena: McLaughlin Center

OUTLOOK: Optimism hasn’t been this high in Great Falls in years, as Steve Keller comes over from Western to take over for the departed Anthony Owens. And from the start, Keller has turned Providence into an immediate threat for the Frontier crown. Keller is a proven recruiter, and he’s brought a deep and talented roster to Great Falls, led by newcomers Brandon Cotton (5-10), Jalen Sheppard (6-2) and Austin Starr (6-3). Keller also has the inside talents of Jaxon Hashley (6-7) at his disposal, as well as a bench which is averaging over 30 points per game. And he’s also brought his disciplined, but up-tempo style with him, and as a result UP is scoring 96 points per game entering the heart of conference play. And while the Argos might still be a year away from winning their first Frontier crown, with Keller at the helm, the days of them being in the Frontier cellar are probably over for good.

MSU-Northern

Lights

2018-19: 0-2, 8-6

2017-18: 9-9, 19-12, 4th in Frontier

Head Coach: Shawn Huse

Arena: Armory Gymnasium

OUTLOOK: Over Shawn Huse’ tenure, the Lights have been as consistent as any team in the Frontier. With 20-win seasons and deep runs in the Frontier tourney the norm, and while Northern lost star center Ryan Reeves to graduation, the Lights appear headed for another successful year. Veterans Adam Huse, Justin Dunsmore and Devin Bray have blossomed into leaders for the Lights, while newcomers Mascio McCadney, Kavon Bey and Cedric Crutchfield have bolstered Northern’s deep and talented lineup. The Lights are always tough at home too so if they can find ways to get league wins on the road, they’ll certainly be a team to contend with come tourney time.

Montana Tech

Orediggers

2018-19: 1-2, 11-4

2017-18: 4-14, 12-18, 6th in Frontier

Head Coach: Adam Hiatt

Arena: HPER Complex

OUTLOOK: It was easy to think that it wouldn’t take former Westminster coach Adam Hiatt long to turn around struggling Montana Tech. And in his second season in Butte, it appears Hiatt is doing just that. Tech is off to a hot start this winter and is showing no signs of being the team that has finished in the bottom half of the Frontier in each of the last seven seasons. Tech’s scoring almost 89 points per game, while remaining a stingy defensive club with emerging stars like Taylor England (6-7) and Blake Dittman (6-4), along with Dylan Pannabacker (6-4) and Troy Owens Jr. (6-2) all scoring in double figures, the Orediggers appear to be rising in the conference. Tech also has excellent depth, and size to go with it, and, it’s obvious, the Diggers could be as dangerous as they’ve been in a long, long time.

UM-Western

Bulldogs

2018-19: 0-2, 6-7

2017-18: 13-5, 27-8, 2nd in Frontier

Head Coach: Mike Larsen

Arena: Straight Gym

OUTLOOK: Keller built Western into an absolute NAIA powerhouse over the last decade with multiple national tournament appearances. But his departure, coupled with heavy losses to graduation, namely Dom Robinson, have left new head coach Mike Larsen in a tough spot. Kooper Kidgell (6-4) is back as a three-year starter, while Troy Scott (6-4) has plenty of experience, too. Colin Achenbach and Derek Durocher have also stepped up this season, as have transfers Cedric Boone and Jaycob Payne, but in general, Western averaging just 77 points per night, while giving up 70 per game just doesn’t seem like the juggernaut its been for so many years now.