At least the travel situation promises to be easier for the Montana Grizzlies this week.

Thank goodness, because the games won’t be.

The Griz, fresh off an impressive home weekend of wins over league-leading Weber State and sometimes-nemesis Idaho State, now face road outings at Portland State Friday night and Eastern Washington Sunday afternoon.

Portland State likely is still smarting from the 90-58 pasting bestowed on the Vikings by the Grizzlies about a month ago in Missoula, and the Vikes are trying to stay alive for a top-two regular-season finish, as are the Grizzlies.

While it’s nice that the Griz will have a little extra time to get from Portland to Cheney – let’s hope they haven’t painted the entire Eastern basketball court red by then – they will have to avoid any kind of letdown regardless of Friday night’s result in the Rose City.

That’s because Eastern, no matter what the sport, counts any game with Montana as a big deal, even though this year’s Eagles are on the verge of being out of Big Sky Conference tournament contention.

So batten down the hatches, Grizzlies. You’re in for another interesting road weekend in the Big Sky Conference.

Let’s hope the toughness that the Griz displayed so abundantly last weekend is on display again this weekend.

- Bill Schwanke