SAN JOSE, Calif. — Seeds don't matter nearly as much as stars.

That's the message New Mexico head coach Steve Alford is trying to send his third-seeded Lobos as they prepare for today's NCAA Tournament East Region opener against No. 14 Montana at 7:40 p.m.

While the Lobos (29-4) might be a favorite — a nine-point favorite from most Las Vegas oddsmakers, to be exact — it's the underdog Grizzlies who boast guard Anthony Johnson, a 6-foot-3, 210-point game-changer capable of beating teams seemingly by himself.

That was the case last week when Johnson willed Montana (22-9) to an upset in the Big Sky Conference championship game over Weber State to punch its ticket to the Bog Dance.

Among his exploits:

• Johnson scored 34 of his career-high 42 points in the second half.

• He was the driving force behind Montana erasing a 22-point deficit in the game.

• He scored his team's final 21 points.

• His 15-foot jumper with 10.4 seconds remaining proved to be the game winner in a 66-65 victory.

"He's somebody that can take over a basketball game and anytime you get in a tournament as such, I think good guard play is always a big key," said Alford, a former guard who carried Indiana to the 1987 NCAA Championship. "I think it has been over the years in this tournament, and Montana has that. Just in Johnson alone they've got that. ... That was a special night for him, a special game for him, and obviously a big concern for us trying to set up a defense that can contain him somewhat."

Johnson, whose 19.6 points per game average ballooned to 27.7 in his last three contests, spent much of Wednesday's media session trying to remind anyone who would listen that the Grizzlies didn't earn their way into the NCAA Tournament by being a one-man show.

"I had one objective and that was to win, and what people tend to overlook is that was a team win," said Johnson. "Without my team getting stops I wouldn't have had the ball late in the stretch like that. So that's what tends to get overlooked a little bit."

While Johnson is the Lobos' primary focus, there is no overlooking the Grizzlies' size advantage. Montana has two players — junior forward Brian Qvale (6-11, 265) and sophomore center Derek Selvig (7-feet, 250) — that are much bigger than anyone the Lobos can put on the floor.

Qvale and Selvig combined to average 15.6 points per game, but their presence opens up the floor for the rest of the team, in particular Johnson.

"We need to pound that thing inside," Wayne Tinkle, Montana head coach, said. "That's been our intent all year long, to establish post play early, make defenses collapse and get our shooters open, get some lanes to the basket for our penetrators. We're certainly going to try to do that again (today)."

Still, the Lobos' focus will be on stopping Johnson and that assignment goes to junior point guard Dairese Gary who was selected this year to the Mountain West Conference All-Defensive team.

Gary says his plan isn't unlike what he has done all season long — lean on his teammates.

"Trusting in my teammates, know that they're going to help me," Gary said. "He is a great player. (I) just have to know that he is going to score points. He's not going to miss every shot."

He sure didn't miss many against Weber State, and a similar showing today could leave the Lobos seeing stars.

Contact Geoff Grammer at 986-3060 or ggrammer@sfnewmexican.com. Read his blog at grammerschoolblog.com.