MISSOULA, Mont. (Interstat) — Two teams looking to establish momentum at the start of Big Sky Conference play will meet when the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks visit the Montana Grizzlies on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. Both teams enter the New Year’s Day matchup at Dahlberg Arena with identical 6-7 overall records. The game marks the conference opener for each squad. Northern Arizona arrives in Missoula coming off a dominant 112-60 win over Benedictine Mesa on Monday. The Lumberjacks’ offense was fueled by a breakout performance from guard Brennan Peterson, who scored 23 points in 21 minutes. Peterson’s role has fluctuated, but his recent scoring punch could be key for a Northern Arizona team that has struggled on the road, going 1-6 away from Flagstaff this season. Montana last played on Dec. 20, suffering a 94-54 road loss to Louisville. In that game, guard Grant Kepley led the Grizzlies with 15 points in 25 minutes. Montana has shown resilience at home, posting a 4-2 record at Dahlberg Arena, including a notable early-season win at UNLV. The Grizzlies’ non-conference schedule featured several power conference opponents, which may prepare them for the rigors of league play. Northern Arizona will aim to leverage its high-scoring performance from Monday, where it shot 58% from the field, against a Montana defense allowing an average of 78.2 points per game. Historically, Montana has held the advantage in the series, including a sweep of last season’s two meetings. The Grizzlies won 78-64 in Missoula and 82-72 in Flagstaff. Following this contest, Northern Arizona travels to face Montana State on Saturday. Montana will host Northern Colorado the same day.