BILL SPELTZ 406 MT Sports

MISSOULA — Former Montana men's basketball forward Kyle Owens, a mainstay in the starting lineup in 2020-21, has died after an 18-month battle with cancer.

According to a Tuesday message on social media from LA Daily News reporter Tarek Fattal, who first reported Owens' death, the former Grizzly was battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Owens went public with his diagnosis in the winter of 2024 and sought a blood stem cell donor.

The 6-foot-8 Owens started 25 of 28 games as a sophomore in 2020-21, averaging 10.5 points on 47 percent field goal shooting. He also averaged 5.5 rebounds per game and was named all-Big Sky Conference honorable mention.

His minutes plummeted as a junior in 2021-22 and he made zero starts. That prompted him to enter the transfer port

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