Friday, April 17, 2015

2015 Big Sky Transfers

Here is a list of the transfers in and out of the Big Sky, as far as I can tell, and as of today (April 17).

Transfers In:
- Geremy McKay - Eastern Washington (PF from Albany)
- Chaz Glotta - Northern Colorado (SG from Southern Illinois)
- Dallas Anglin - Northern Colorado (PG from Southern Miss)

Transfers Out:
- Ognjen Miljkovic (Eastern Washington)
- Sekou Wiggs (Idaho)
- Marcus Bradley (Idaho State)
- Ian Fox (Idaho State) - to Long Beach College (midseason transfer)
- Terrell Brown (Montana State)
- Bradley Fisher (Montana State)
- Joey Frenchwood (Montana State)
- Daniel Nwosu (Montana)
- Kraig Shields (North Dakota)
- Josiah Coleman (North Dakota)
- Geoff Frid (Northern Arizona)
- Chris Miller (Northern Arizona) (midseason transfer)
- Drew Bender (Northern Colorado)
- Riak Bol (Northern Colorado)
- Dorian Cason (Portland State)
- Braxton Tucker (Portland State)
- Iziahiah Sweeney (Portland State)
- Austin Waddoups (Southern Utah) - to Dixie State
- Chris Golden (Weber State)
- Jaylen Johnson-Coston (Weber State)

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Monday, April 13, 2015

Early 2015-16 Big Sky Rankings

OK, so we don't yet know who might be leaving their current programs, and recruiting classes aren't fully finalized in some cases... but that doesn't mean it's too early for some Big Sky rankings for next season!

Let me state the obvious caveat - everything is conjecture at this point. I would love to hear the dissenting opinions, because next year should be a fun year in the Big Sky, as always. Please let me know where you think I am right or wrong... I don't really have anything to base this off of except my own thoughts and opinions, so I don't know if my views are common or not.

The Big Sky was very deep this season, though there was no dominant team. You could see this in the conference tournament, where even the number eight seed Weber State had a legit shot at the title. There was a lot of balance this year. Next season, there still doesn't seem to be a dominant team (more on that in the previews), but there also doesn't seem to be quite the depth that there was this season, at least at first glance.

To be honest, I had a really difficult time trying to rank teams from 6-11... I almost feel like you could draw them from a hat, and you could make a case that it is a reasonable ranking. To me, there doesn't seem to be a lot of separation between those teams. Each has a lot of flaws and question marks at this juncture, granting that there is a lot of time left to go before the start of next season.

Also, I have updated the recruiting tracker, so hopefully that looks a little more up to date...

1. Weber State
Losses: James Hajek, Chris Golden, Jaylen Johnson-Coston
It was a disappointing year for the Wildcats, as they were the preseason pick to win the league, and they wound up sneaking into the tournament as the eight seed. However, next season should be much better. For one, the losses should be minimal, as James Hajek is the only senior, and then they lose two transfers. However, they weren't super young either - most of their production came from sophomores and juniors - so they will be flush with upperclassmen as well. The biggest name is Joel Bolomboy, who might never be the offensive force we want him to be, but is still a darn good player that can be the best shot blocking/rebounding force in the conference. Jeremy Senglin is still one of the most talented guys in the Big Sky, and Kyndahl Hill and Richaud Gittens are as athletic as anyone. There will be no shortage of upperclassmen talent.

All of this isn't to say that there is a lack of young talent as well. Weber State has been excellent recruiting, and reinforcements should make next year's team very deep. Ryan Richardson will be a sophomore, and he showed flashes of being a major threat stretching the floor. Jeremiah Jefferson redshirted this season, and he will be another athletic presence in the backcourt as a guy who can light it up from outside, or get to the rim. It is really a beneficial thing that they were able to redshirt him, and he should be dynamic. Up front, Zach Braxton redshirted as well, and he is a guy that could have made an impact as a true freshman for a lot of programs. He is a true post that will add depth and talent to a frontcourt that at times lacked size. That is not even including any incoming players who could potentially contribute.

Weber State took a one year step back, but they are primed to be right back in the thick of the title race again next season. With the likely departure of Tyler Harvey to the NBA Draft, it's reasonable to crown them at least as co-favorites, along with Montana and Eastern Washington.

2. Montana
Losses: Jordan Gregory, Mike Weisner, Chris Kemp
The co-champions only lose one starter, but he is a guy that will be tough to replace. Among all of their perimeter players, Gregory was the shot maker, and the guy that got the ball in crunch time. Mario Dunn has the talent to potentially evolve into that role, but his offensive skillset is not there yet.

The best thing Montana has going for them is big man Martin Breunig, a unanimous first team guy who almost beat the Eagles by himself in the Big Sky title game. He is dynamic in all phases, with the ability to hit midrange shots, put the ball on the floor and finish, and be one of the best rebounders in the Big Sky. He's a star. The Robin to his Batman is Dunn, who should win a defensive POY award before his career is out, and made a lot of strides offensively. If he can cut down on turnovers and develop a consistent outside shot that teams have to be wary of, he is a first-team all-conference type of player. He spearheads a Grizzlies defense that was the best in the Big Sky this year.

The role players are there too, as they always are for the Grizzlies. Brandon Gfeller could be the best shooter in the Big Sky next year (he shot 197 threes this year compared to 19 two-point attempts). Fabijan Krslovic was very steady as a freshman, and guys like Riley Bradshaw and Jack Lopez should be solid role players. The key will be replacing that production from Gregory, which will have to be a group effort. If they can do that, and if Dunn develops as expected, the Grizzlies have the pieces in place (including a top notch defensive mindset) to make another run at the Big Sky title.

3. Eastern Washington
Losses: Drew Brandon, Parker Kelly, Garrett Moon, Tyler Harvey
Before the news broke that Tyler Harvey would be entering the draft, I speculated in this now-rewritten section that EWU would be a unanimous selection as the preseason number one team in the Big Sky. Now, they are certainly still in the conversation (and it wouldn't be a major surprise to see them number one), but I've dropped them down a couple spots.

The strength of the team will be up front. Everyone knows Venky Jois, who does a bit of everything on both ends for the Eagles. He shot over 60% on twos, rebounds on both ends as well as most guys in the Big Sky, and is one of the best shot blockers in the Big Sky. He has a good handle for a big man. Other than shooting free throws, there isn't much he can't do. You could argue he was even more valuable than Harvey for the Eagles last year.

Joining him up front is Bogdan Bliznyuk, who should be ready to absolutely take off as a sophomore. He is an extremely efficient scorer (he shot 58% on twos and 24/43 from three) who always seems to be under control. He is an excellent rebounder as well. With the ball in his hands a bit more this year, he could average something like 16 and 7. He will be fun to watch. Ognjen Miljkovic will be back up front, and though he was up and down at times, skilled big men who score 10 PPG, can shoot from three, and will bang with the big men down low defensively don't grow on trees. Felix Van Hofe will be a junior, and provides more shooting range for EWU.

The questions facing the Eagles come in the backcourt, after losing their top three guys there. Everyone knows about Harvey, but Drew Brandon did a bit of everything for them, and Parker Kelly was a dangerous shooter and steady player for them. It's going to be very tough to replace all of those guys. Sir Washington will likely start at one of the guard spots, after an impressive freshman year. He didn't play a lot as he missed time due to injury, but he was a high-energy, athletic player (he sparked them in the NCAA Tournament game). He will probably get all of the minutes he can handle.

Among newcomers, Will Ferris will be in the mix after redshirting last year. He projects to be able to play both guard positions, and would add another excellent shooter to the mix. A final candidate is incoming freshman Michael Wearne, who hails from Australia (where else?). Wearne is one of the top PG prospects from Australia, and put up some eye popping numbers over there. It's always difficult to predict freshmen production, but it wouldn't be the least bit surprising to see him starting at PG and excelling right away.

When you put it together, nobody will be able to match the size and talent that the Eagles will have in the frontcourt, with multiple all-conference candidates up there. The key for them will be growth of young guards. If those guys develop (and Hayford has usually been able to get guard production), then the Eagles can win the Big Sky title again, even with some big losses.

4. Northern Arizona
Losses: Quinton Upshur, Aaseem Dixon, Len Springs
There is a fair amount of speculation in putting NAU this high, because they are losing two of their top three scorers (and leading shot blocker, and a four year guy in Gaellen Bewernick who has started most of his career), but don't necessarily have guys currently on the roster to replace them. They lost one backup guard to transfer this year, and another to academic ineligibility (who may be able to return). They are not a super deep team this season, often playing only seven guys, so they are losing over half of their main rotation.

Still, I feel comfortable putting them this high for a couple reasons. One, they even with the losses, they return arguably their two most important players. The first is PG Kris Yanku, who grew into a Big Sky first-team guy as a sophomore, and always seems to be in control of the offense. He is not a great outside shooter, and may never be, but he has the ability to almost get into the lane whenever he wants, draw a ton of fouls (7th in the country in the rate he draws fouls), and find open teammates (his 38.2 Assist Rate ranks 10th in the country. If he is able to score more efficiently (he shot an ugly 35% on twos this season), he can be the Big Sky player of the year. Their defensive anchor is Jordyn Martin, who was the Defensive POY this year. Martin isn't a big shot-blocker, but he's always in the right spot. Offensively, he is an excellent rebounder, and efficient finisher, shooting 58% this year.

Those two are joined by Ako Kaluna, one of the most skilled big men in the Big Sky. He can handle the ball, bang down low, but also hit from the outside, as he shot 43% on threes this year. With guys like those three, and expected improvement of Zachary Reynolds and Tate de Laveaga, the returning talent isn't as bare as it might seem.

NAU will be able to supplement this talent with six freshmen, a class that has been lauded by those who know more than me when it comes to recruits. It's impossible to say which of these guys will contribute, but I feel confident saying that some will. NAU has made a lot of strides in the three years under Jack Murphy, and while next year's team may not be quite as good as last year, they should still be a talented team that could be a Big Sky favorite entering 2016.

5. Southern Utah
Losses: Cal Hanks, Tyler Rawson (to LDS Mission), Austin Waddoups
Not only were they a young team last year, but Nick Robinson gave everyone a ton of playing time. For a long time, their bench played more minutes than anyone else in the country... They finished the year playing 44.8% of the team's minutes, fourth most in the nation. The loss of Cal Hanks will not hurt, but Tyler Rawson gave them a lot of good minutes this year. They are bringing in three frontcourt guys, so they should be able to put enough bodies in there and see what sticks in the frontcourt.

They have a ton of potential guards, so you can see why they didn't go for any in recruiting. AJ Hess can play the two or three, and is probably their best offensive guy with his shooting and size. He just keeps getting better, and will be a senior. James McGee was spectacular as a freshman with his shooting range - he made over 50% of his threes, which is remarkable. Nobody is talking about him, but he was quietly outstanding.

Trey Kennedy and Juwan Major are two guys who have the physical skills to be really good, but they haven't separated themselves through two seasons. Kennedy shot just 40% on twos this year, and Major had a 28.7 TO Rate. They need one of these guys to take a leap. John Marshall and Race Parsons are two other guys who will be juniors and while they have some flaws, they can be rotation pieces.

The reason I don't think they are a top tier yet is because nobody really stands out as a star to me. When you look at teams above them, there are guys that are potentially all-conference players there (Harvey, Jois, Yanku, Breunig, Senglin, Bolomboy, etc), but when I look at this SUU roster, I'm not sure who that guy would be. You can win a conference title with a lot of good players, but it helps to have a great player or two thrown in. We'll see if one develops for the Thunderbirds over the next couple of seasons.

6. Northern Colorado
Losses: Tevin Svihovec, Tim Hukisson, Dominique Lee, Corey Spence
The past couple of seasons had to be frustrating for the UNC staff, as the team was good enough offensively to make serious waves, but never got it together defensively. For the second straight year, they lose some key pieces, including four of their top six in minutes played. Of course, the cupboard still isn't bare.

Their backcourt will still be very solid, as Cam Michael and Jordan Wilson enter their junior seasons. Michael was one of the best newcomers in the conference this season, a great shooter with a quick release and ability to create his own shot. He shot 39% from downtown this season, and will slide over to become more of a focal point in the offense. Wilson is probably the fastest player in the Big Sky, and he uses that quickness to get in the lane, and pressure opponents defensively all over the court. He may never be a true distributor, but he takes great care of the ball, and can hit from the outside. Anthony Johnson will also be in for an expanded role. He was very efficient scoring the ball, but it was in very limited minutes.

The frontcourt has some solid players, though nobody that really stands out as a star. Cody McDavis and Jeremy Verhagen are both big bodies that can score efficiently, but neither has stood out as an above average rebounder or rim protector. Spencer Mathis played sparingly as a freshman, and he could be a combo 3/4 guy depending on his development.

Of the newcomers that they have signed up so far, Jordan Davis looks like he could be a really good player. He originally committed to EWU, and is excellent ballhandling and attacking the rim. When Wilson entered the program as a freshman two years ago, he split time with Corey Spence, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see a similar arrangement, with Davis now splitting time with Jordan Wilson. They also will get transfer Dallas Anglin in from Southern Miss, who I assume will be eligible in the second semester, and he can fill some backcourt minutes as well.

All of this is to say that UNC will likely be able to score the ball next year, as they always do under BJ Hill. But, we'll have to see if they can build a championship contending defense out of the group. I'm not sure the pieces are there for that.

7. Portland State
Losses: Gary Winston, DaShaun Wiggins, Tim Douglas, Tiegbe Bamba, Brandon Cataldo
The six through eleven logjam is typified by Portland State. They are losing a lot of talented guys, and there aren't necessarily many obviously replacements on the roster. As a change from some previous years, they look to be strongest in the frontcourt, where Collin Spickerman and Braxton Tucker both return. Spickerman was an interesting player... He was not a great offensive force, but he was strong on the glass (especially offensively), and he was 12th in the country in his block rate. Tucker is a little more of an offensive presence, as he shot over 50%, and was really missed when he was hurt.

The backcourt will be more interesting, because there are a lot of unknowns. Zach Gengler played the most among returning guys, and he is a guy that shoots the ball well. He was also pretty good as a defensive rebounder for a guard. They will need him to play a bigger offensive role. Iziahiah Sweeney got some time as a freshman, and while he is raw, flashed some skills. He needs to improve his outside shots, and he wasn't much of a distributor, but they like him. Sebastian Suarez could also get some time as a senior... He was billed as a great shooter but hasn't seen a lot of playing time.

The Vikings will also get transfer guard Calaen Robinson eligible. He transferred from Arizona State, and sat out last season. While Robinson didn't do much for ASU, he was the 19th best PG recruit coming out of high school. You don't need to look any further than Montana this year to see the impact a major program transfer can have. Bryce White will also be back. He only played 13 games last year because of injury, but he averaged 9.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game when he was playing. A core of Robinson-White-Spickerman-Tucker is pretty solid.

Part of the reason I have them as high as seven is because Tyler Geving is always very active on the juco market. While I worry about that strategy and how it works for overall team building, it should help to ensure they don't sink too low. We will see what kinds of players he is able to get from the junior college ranks.

8. North Dakota
Losses: Jaron Nash, Lenny Antwi, Chad Calcaterra, Ryan Salmonsen, Josiah Coleman, Kraig Shields
The sheer number of players leaving the program (either through graduation or transfer) is a bit exhausting, but it's not as bad as it looks. The biggest name is Jaron Nash, and though he was a very talented guy who could do a lot of things, at times he may have hurt the offense more than helped it. The other notable loss is Lenny Antwi, who followed up three OK years with a very solid senior season that saw him become a more consistent outside threat.

However, they still have some guys, especially in the backourt. Quinton Hooker took the big step forward that many people thought he would as a sophomore, becoming a steady PG with improved scoring punch. He will be an all-conference candidate type of player next year, and is easily their most important guy. He is joined in the backcourt by two transfers from last year who will be seniors - Estan Tyler and Terrell de Rouen. Tyler has the ability to be a very good scorer with a dangerous outside shot. De Rouen is the better defender of the two, but he shots a miserable 30% on over 100 threes last year - which quickly makes you a net negative offensively. Dustin Hobaugh is another guy that will get minutes, and can hit shots from anywhere on the court.

Up front is where there will be more question marks. The anchor will likely be Carson Shanks, who became eligible in the second semester last year, and flashed some skills. He was solid rebounding the ball, and showed some shot blocking chops. They are expecting growth from him. Bryce Cashman got some minutes as a freshman, and had an interesting time. He was 22/36 from the floor (great), but 8/24 from the free throw line (yeesh).

In the recruits that they have signed so far, it seems like there was an emphasis on wings, and they got some talented guys. I expect they will sign a JUCO big man or two to provide some depth and talent in the frontcourt, with immediate playing time being a lure for them.

After reaching the Big Sky title game two years, they predictably took a step back as guys graduated. However, they have more talent than you might think, and should compete in the middle of the Big Sky next season.

9. Sacramento State
Losses: Dylan Garrity, Mikh McKinney, Zach Mills, Alex Tiffin
This may be a little low after the best year in school history, but Garrity and McKinney did so much for the program, and they will be extremely difficult to replace. Also gone is Zach Mills, who was an underrated contributor in the frontcourt, and had the ability to play multiple positions.

The torch will have to be carried by Cody Demps, a do-it-all senior who has enjoyed a secondary role offensively the past couple of years. A three year starter, Demps really came into his own last season, shooting over 50% on twos, and making frequent trips to the foul line, where he shot 80%. He can also move the ball, and is their best defender. However, we have to see who will join him in the backcourt.

Dreon Bartlett played a secondary role last year, mostly as a catch and shoot guy. He was a 45% three-point shooter (though not on a ton of attempts), so there is certainly something there. Possibly the leading candidate to be the primary ballhandler is Marcus Graves. The 6'0'' guard was compared by Coach Katz to Dylan Garrity when he signed. Another guy is Jiday Ugbaja, who redshirted last season. The 5'10'' guard can be an athletic and dynamic scorer, with the ability to shoot and drive. Incoming freshman Jeff Wu could also be in the mix.

In the frontcourt, they have some guys, but not a lot who are proven. Eric Stuteville has been an important part of the team the last two years, as a guy who can score in a variety of ways in the post. He is not super quick, and has struggled rebounding the ball defensively, but he could be a main option offensively. His brother, Mason Stuteville, came in pretty highly touted, and wound up redshirting. He has the skillset to be more of a stretch four. Two other guys, James Herrick and Justin Strings, will get some time. Herrick is a bruising inside player who should split time with E Stuteville at the five. Strings played in 23 games last year, though he didn't play enough to draw any conclusions. He is a small power forward, the type that so often thrive in the Big Sky.

The Hornets will take a big step back next year, but they'll be a very young team that should have a bright future ahead of them.

10. Idaho
Losses: Sekou Wiggs, Connor Hill, Mike Scott, Bira Seck
It was a disappointing year for the Vandals. They were talented enough to beat anyone in the Big Sky, as they showed during the year. However, they snuck into the Big Sky tournament as a seven seed, falling to EWU in the first round. They lose four of their top five scorers, meaning next could be a bit of a rebuilding year in Moscow.

The best player returning is Arkadiy Mkrtychyan, who was a bit of a forgotten freshman this season. He was superbly efficient scoring the basketball, and rebounding well on both ends of the court. He is not bad at drawing fouls and getting to the line either. He will be an all-conference first-team player at some point in his career - he is that good. He is joined up front by guys like Ty Egbert and Jordan Scott, who both played well, but in limited minutes. Scott in particular could have a bright future.

 They will also get transfer Skyler White eligible, after he sat out last season. White played at George  Washington, where was active in 17 games but didn't accumulate much in the way of stats. With Paul Mpawe and Nahshon George also in the mix, they will have plenty of bodies up front, it's just a matter of some of them developing next to Ark up front.

In the backcourt, the main holdover is Perrion Callandret, who looked much improved as a sophomore, showing a solid three-point stroke to go along with vicious athleticism. He could be the best dunker in the conference. He didn't flash much in the way of creating for others, so it will be interesting to see if that is a role he has to fill. Victor Sanders is another guy that got a good amount of playing time, and was a good shot beyond the arc. He needs to be better inside the arc, but he could be a player. Another guy to watch is Jake Straughan, who redshirted last year after a high school career as the quintessential three-sport star. Tyler Brimhall could play as well.

All in all, the Vandals will be a young team, without a ton of proven guys. However, history also shows they will be a team that can score points under Don Verlin. We'll see if they can defend well enough to crawl into the middle of the pack/

11. Montana State
Losses: Blake Brumwell, Mike Dison, Eric Norman, Ryan Shannon, Joey Frenchwood, Terrell Brown, Bradley Fisher
I am not sure what to make of these guys heading into next season. I like Brian Fish, and I feel like he will build this into a winning program in time. However, next year looks like another year of growing pains with a young roster.

There will still be some pieces for a fast-paced team that can shoot from outside. Leading the way is Marcus Colbert, who was the sixth man of the year in the conference, but played more minutes than anyone else on the team. He was greatly improved as a distributor, while also displaying a dangerous outside shot. It is big to get him back. Stephan Holm is one guy that will join him in the backourt. Holm was a 33% three-point shooter on a lot of attempts, but the hope is that he will improve that and become a guy that can really stretch defenses. Zach Green will also return, and he got a lot of experience as a freshman.

In the frontcourt, Danny Robison had a nice impact as a junior, scoring efficiently inside the arc and becoming an outside threat. He is a guy where they at least have some certainty that he will be a productive player for them. Quinn Price is a guy with some talent, and should be better as a sophomore.

Beyond those guys, there are a lot of question marks. They have a big recruiting class, and they will need some of those guys to play right away. Fish's recruiting focus a lot of times has been clear to see - guys that can shoot the ball, handle it well, and are comfortable playing at a high tempo. Again, it will take some time for that plan to come to fruition, and there will likely be another year like last season, but things should slowly come more and more into focus.

12. Idaho State
Losses: Chris Hansen, Jeffrey Solarin, Evann Hall, Nnamdi Ezenwa, Ajak Magot
I like Bill Evans, and I think he is a great basketball mind. However, next year could be a long one for the Bengals, a program that has averaged just eight wins per season since he took over three years ago (in fairness, the cupboard was extremely bare when he took over).

Unlike other teams at the bottom of the Big Sky, the Bengals were an experienced team - by some measures the seventh most experienced team in college basketball, as measured by the class of the guys who played the most minutes. They lose arguably their three best guys. The most experienced returner is guard Ben Wilson, who started at PG and played 87% of the team's minutes. He is not a natural PG, but did have a solid 21.1 Assist Rate. He is not a huge offensive threat, but his experience will be nice to have around.

In terms of underclassmen, Geno Luzcando played a good chunk of minutes as a true freshman, though he may not have been quite ready. He struggled taking care of the basketball, and with shot selection... Still, he is a talented guy that will likely be given some opportunities next year. Big man Andre Slavik is a guy that Bengals fans like, though he didn't play enough to get a great read on him. The sophomore was just 10/14 from the field, but did not rebound very well and turned the ball over frequently.

The Bengals are bringing in some JUCO guards to hopefully provide some experience and a quicker injection of talent than a freshman might, and hopefully those guys will be ready to go right away. I am just speculating here, but I imagine that with another poor year, Evans could start to feel some job pressure, if he is not already. If you ever listen to him, you know he is one of the most likeable and quotable coaches in the Big Sky, so I am rooting for some Bengals success next year. As of today, however, they look to be on the bottom rung of the conference for next season.

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Friday, April 3, 2015

Northern Arizona Falls at Evansville

Northern Arizona built a 56-51 lead with under six minutes to play at Evansville, but they just couldn't finish it out to capture the CIT crown, as the Jacks fell 71-65 after a furious Evansville finish in the last five minutes. There were 14 lead changes in the game. So ends the Big Sky season and the great run by the Jacks in the collegeinsider.com tournament, where they are the runner-up.

It was a night when NAU couldn't hit from the outside, as they shot just 4/15 from downtown, and only took 16 free throws. It can be tough for them to generate things offensively when they aren't excelling in either of those areas.

Kris Yanku (18 points, 6 assists) and Ako Kaluna (11 points, 6 rebounds) were the only Jacks in double figures in this game. Inside, Jordyn Martin had 9 points and 8 rebounds (5 offensive), continuing his string of strong games. Yanku also set a Big Sky single season record with 230 made free throws this season, a pretty outstanding number that showcases his ability to get into the lane.

Northern Arizona ends the year with a record of 23-15, having won 18 games since the start of the new year. While they will be understandably disappointed to lose in the title game, they had a great season - one that could set the stage for the future of the program.

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Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Tyler Harvey to Test Draft Waters, Has Not Hired Agent

In a bit of a surprise, Eastern Washington's Tyler Harvey has announced that he will explore his options for the NBA Draft, but he will not hire an agent. That means he can pull out of the draft if he wants, but it sounds like his decision is pretty well made.

"When I went home (for spring break) I had a good chance to talk to my family about everything and what happened this year," Harvey said. "I was fortunate and blessed enough to lead the NCAA in scoring and we had a great year as a team, so we felt like the time was right. We thought this was the best opportunity to pursue a professional career."
As you would expect, Jim Hayford is very supportive.

"The dream of nearly every elite college player is to make it to the NBA," said Eastern head coach Jim Hayford of the first team Academic All-American who has a 3.60 grade point average and is one class shy of his degree. "Tyler has our full support and we know he will give it his best."
As a fan, certainly it would be great to see him back, because he is one of the most exciting players in all of college basketball. He led the NCAA in scoring, has limitless range, and a very underrated off the bounce game. It would have been fun to watch him one more year in Cheney.

However, you can't help but be happy for the guy. If you have read anything on him over the past year, you know how hard he has worked to get to where he is at, from not being able to get a scholarship to being able to declare for the draft after his junior year. Hopefully he can make it in the NBA, but if not, he should have a long and prosperous career overseas.

But I've got to think there's a spot on an NBA roster for a deadeye shooter with deeeeep range!

All I can say, it's been quite a blast watching him develop the last three years. What a player.

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Northern Arizona to Face Evansville in CIT Championship

I am a little behind, but by now you likely know that Northern Arizona took down NJIT in the CIT semifinals on Tuesday night, as they won 68-61 in front of a sellout crowd in Flagstaff (which, it's pretty darn great that a sellout crowd showed up to cheer them on!).

The Lumberjacks trailed 33-26 at the half, but came on strong in the second half, outscoring NJIT 42-28 in the last 20 minutes. Amazingly, NAU did that despite shooting just 32% in the half, as they grabbed nine offensive rebounds and shot 24 free throws.

Quinton Upshur paced them with 23 points, though he was 6/18 from the floor. Aaseem Dixon had 19 himself. For the second straight game, both Jordyn Martin and Len Springs were just beasts in the paint, finishing with a combined 32(!!) rebounds. Springs also finished with five blocks. On a day when Kris Yanku struggled badly (1/14 FG), the seniors stepped up in a major way to continue their careers.

On a day when the shots weren't falling, the Jacks still found a way to get the victory, a testament to their defense and rebounding ability.

They now go on the road to take on Evansville in the CIT title game. The game is Thursday, April 2nd at 5pm mountain time, and the game will be on the CBS Sports Network, and can be viewed online.

Two years ago, Weber State made it to the CIT title game before losing on a late shot... Hopefully this time, NAU can bring the championship home for the Big Sky!

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Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Four Montana State Players Transferring

Last week, Montana State coach Brian Fish announced that four players are leaving the Bobcats program.

Junior forward Terrell Brown and two freshmen — center Bradley Fisher and guard Joey Frenchwood — will continue their careers elsewhere. Fish says sophomore forward Ryan Shannon is retiring due to health concerns, but plans to remain a student at MSU.

Read more here: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2015/03/25/4206583/4-montana-state-basketball-players.html#storylink=cpy
On the court, it shouldn't be a huge loss.

Ryan Shannon played just three games, and with the injury issues, never really became a contributor. Bradley Fisher also played sparingly as a freshman, and was always going to be a project. He committed to the previous regime, and didn't seem like a great fit for Fish's program.

Terrell Brown was solid as a sophomore, but struggled as a junior, and was mostly a non-contributor by the end of the year. This gives the Bobcats another scholarship to work with rather than using it on a senior.

Joey Frenchwood got some time as a freshman, but may not have quite been ready. He was just 8/25 inside the arc, and 13/38 behind it. More concerning, he turned the ball over a ton, especially for a guard. He is still young, but it wouldn't be a surprise if it was a mutual decision for his departure.

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Saturday, March 28, 2015

Northern Arizona's Season Continues

Northern Arizona is on to the Final Four (of the CIT) after their 74-73 OT victory Friday night victory over Kent State.

It was a wild affair, as NAU led for much of the way, including a 56-47 lead with a little over five minutes to play. An 11-0 run by Kent State then gave them the lead at 58-56 lead with 3:16 left to play. Eventually, a Kris Yanku free throw tied the game at 61, and the game went into overtime after a late Len Springs block.

In overtime, it looked like NAU's season was going to be ending, as the Golden Flashes took a 73-68 lead with just 41 seconds left. Then, Kris Yanku hit a pair of free throws, and Aaseem Dixon hit a layup following a Jordyn Martin steal. With 12 seconds left, it was Quinton Upshur scoring the game-winning layup to send the Jacks into the CIT semifinals.

There were no shortage of impressive performances for the Jacks. Martin had his second straight huge game, finishing with 15 points and 14 rebounds. Len Springs had 10 points, 14 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Dixon had 16 points and 6 rebounds, while Yanku finished with 19 points, 3 assists, and 3 steals.

NAU will take on the winner of the NJIT/Canisius game on Tuesday night. The Jacks are now 22-14 on the year, ending things on a high note! Hopefully the run will continue!

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Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Sekou Wiggs Leaving Idaho Program

From Vandal Nation, Sekou Wiggs has announced via his instagram account that he is leaving the Idaho program.

On the court, it's a big loss for the Vandals. He could be a ball stopper at times, but he was dynamic attacking the basket, averaging 11.5 PPG. He wasn't an outside shooter (just 8/27 from three), but he was fifth in the Big Sky in the number of fouls he drew per 40 minutes, and he was even better in that category as a freshman.

He also increased his assist rate up to a very respectable 19.3, up a bunch from his freshman year. He was never going to be a great distributor, but certainly he showed enough ability in setting up others to be encouraged. With the graduation of guys like Connor Hill and Mike Scott, he would have been the center of the offense next year.

It's not hard to look at the transfer and believe it is related to an incident at the end of the year. According to reports, Wiggs was late for team breakfast the day of the Big Sky tournament game against Eastern Washington, and as a result did not play the first half, and played just 12 minutes of the game. Coach Don Verlin is big on discipline (well, sometimes), and I would think an incident like that would put him in the dog house, and give him a negative view toward the coaches.

In all, it's unfortunate, because Wiggs would have been a big part of the Vandals roster the next two years, pairing with Perrion Callandret to form a dynamic backcourt. Instead, he'll continue his career elsewhere.

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Monday, March 23, 2015

Northern Arizona Will Host Kent State

In the quarterfinals of the CIT, Northern Arizona will host Kent State on Friday, March 27 as they look to extend their season. An early guess after the game was that they might have to head to Eastern Kentucky, but I am glad to report that was incorrect.

A prediction from KenPom's computer models as NAU losing 65-64, so obviously this should be a very evenly matched contest.

Northern Arizona is 21-14 on the year, while Kent State is 23-11. It should be a fine matchup, and hopefully NAU can keep things going!

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Saturday, March 21, 2015

Northern Arizona Beats Sac State in CIT Second Round

Two Big Sky teams season was still going on entering Saturday night, but only one remains. Northern Arizona traveled to take on Sacramento State in the second round of the CIT, and they came away with the road victory for their 21st win of the season.

The final score was 78-73, and now Northern Arizona will advance to take on Eastern Kentucky in the next round, also on the road (according to what I have found, I have not seen this confirmed yet, as the matchups are determined after the previous round of games finishes).

Jordyn Martin was the Big Sky Defensive POY, but on this night, he was also the Jacks offensive star. He was 12/16 FG, finishing with 27 points and 6 rebounds. Quinton Upshur had 22 points himself, hitting three threes and finishing 9/11 from the line. The Jacks were 25/42 on their two-point attempts, scoring 1.20 PPP.

It is the final game in the excellent careers of Mikh McKinney and Dylan Garrity, who finished with 18 points each. And thus ends the best season in Hornets history. They finish 21-12, their first winning season since joining DI basketball. They won their first postseason game since 1962. They had an amazing run.

But for the Jacks, the season continues, and they move onto the quarterfinals of the CIT. They continue to lay the groundwork for the future of the program!

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Thursday, March 19, 2015

Eastern Washington Falls to Georgetown

Eastern Washington came out strong, but Georgetown was just too much in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Eagles led 24-17 at one point in the first half, and it looked like it could be their night. Tyler Harvey started the game off hot, and he was getting help. Venky Jois got Georgetown center Joshua Smith into early foul trouble, and guys like Parker Kelly, Felix Van Hofe, and Bogdan Bliznyuk were all hitting threes.

Then, Georgetown scored 41 of the next 54 points, as EWU just had no answers on either end. It's oversimplifying to say this, but things seemed to go south for the Eagles after the no-call on this play -



Even after review, the refs somehow decided this was not worthy of any type of technical foul (a flagrant foul could not have been called because technically it was a dead ball foul). In a sense, EWU literally took a punch, but figuratively couldn't throw one back.

For a stretch at the end of the first half and beginning of the second half, Georgetown seemed like they couldn't miss. The Hoyas drained 11 threes, effectively doing to EWU what the Eagles what they hoped to do to Georgetown. When the Hoyas did miss, they were all over the offensive glass.

The Eagles could have easily given up after the big GTown run, as the score was 65-42 at one point. However, EWU kept battling the rest of the way, making the final score 84-74. A spark was Sir Washington, who surprisingly entered the game and did some good things. More than the box score, he looked like he brought some energy back to the Eagles.

The guy that impressed me the most was Venky Jois, who was all over the floor on both ends. He finished with 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks, but even more than that, he gave a full effort at all times. If you only watched him, you wouldn't know the score of the game, and that's a true complement.

Tyler Harvey finished with 27 points, but it was a tough night. He was guarded often by Jabril Trawick (who, by the way, is a very easy guy to not like), and with Trawick's size, Harvey had trouble getting separation for his shot.

In the end, the Eagles finish the season 26-9, and they should have a great chance of playing NCAA Tournament basketball again next year. They lose two seniors (one of them being Drew Brandon, an important guy), but they arguably bring back their three most talented guys (Harvey, Jois, and Bogdan Bliznyuk). It was a great season for the Eagles, and it ended with a night in the Big Dance where they didn't have their best day, but they never stopped fighting.

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Northern Arizona and Sacramento State Will Meet in the CIT

And you thought Big Sky play was over!

On Wednesday in the CIT, both Northern Arizona and Sacramento State advanced to the next round... For the next round, NAU will travel to take on Sacramento State, who will host the game at their home gym.

Northern Arizona beat Grand Canyon, shutting down former Lumberjack DeWayne Russell (3 points on 1/10 FG) in the process. Aaseem Dixon had 21 points to lead the way, while Jordyn Martin contributed 10 points and 14 rebounds. The win makes it a 20 win season for the Lumberjacks, their first since 2008.

Meanwhile, Sac State went on the road and beat Portland 73-66, getting their first postseason win since 1962! Dylan Garrity led the way with 17 points, while Mikh McKinney was right behind with 16. That gives the Hornets 21 wins on the season.

On Tuesday night, Montana saw their season end in the NIT, as they were taken down by Texas A&M, 81-64. The Grizzlies rallied in the second half, but they weren't able to sustain their momentum. Their season ends at 20-13. Jordan Gregory had 20 points, seven rebounds, and five assists to wrap up a great Montana career.

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Wednesday, March 18, 2015

How Eastern Washington Can Beat Georgetown

As I wrote on Monday, beating Georgetown is not going to be easy. While a lot of pundits are picking the Eagles for the upset, there is a reason that the Hoyas are favored by something like 8.5 points. There are some real concerns - namely, how is Eastern Washington going to stop the Hoyas?

However, it's definitely still possible for the Eagles to make good on this Jim Hayford promise:



Let's look at some of the keys for the Eagles if they want to win this game and move on to the Round of 32.

- Hit threes - This one may seem obvious, but it doesn't make it any less true - the Eagles have to be hitting from the outside. Defensively, Georgetown is very difficult to score against in the paint. Their defense is anchored by Mikael Hopkins, and he erases shots down low. Opponents shoot just 42.7% on two-pointers against the Hoyas, the 21st lowest mark in the country.

On the other hand, they are susceptible to getting beat from deep. 35.1% of opponents shots come from three-point range, which makes GTown below average in stopping those attempts. For what it's worth (some question whether defenses really have control over this stat), teams have shot 35.9% on threes against the Hoyas, a bottom 100 mark in the NCAA.

That should suit EWU just fine... 37.7% of their shots are from three (16th highest rate in the NCAA), and they are in the top 15 nationally percentage-wise. So the Eagles certainly have the personnel to get this done, but the shots still need to fall.

- Avoid foul trouble for the big men - Georgetown center Joshua Smith is very tough to handle, because he's bigger than just about anyone in college basketball, but he's nimble, and has great touch around the basket. This is him on defense, but watch his ability to move with some quickness in a short area:


Venky Jois and Ognen Miljkovic (and Bogdan Bliznyuk) all struggled with foul trouble in the Big Sky championship game, but they need to do better in this one. It won't be easy - Smith draws as many fouls as just about anyone in all of college basketball.

- A secondary player needs to have a big game - It's going to take a lot of points to win this game, possibly as many as 80. Tyler Harvey should get his, and Venky Jois usually does too, but the Eagles could use a big game from someone else. Felix Van Hofe was that guy in the Big Sky semis, when he was 7/8 from downtown. In this game, the two most likely guys are Bogdan Bliznyuk and Drew Brandon. Bliznyuk showed in the Big Sky tournament that he is not intimidated by the big stage, even as a freshman, and he has the most diverse offensive skillset outside of Harvey. Brandon, meanwhile, seems to get a lot of good shots, because teams don't respect his range as much as some of the other guys. The Eagles could use one of those guys to go for 20+ in this one.

- Find a way to slow D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera - DSR averaged more than 16 PPG, and has a diverse offensive skill set. He is a very good shooter from the outside, and also has the handles to get inside and either finish or dish. If the Eagles play man defense, Drew Brandon will likely get the assignment, and that will be huge for the Eagles. They need to do what they can to limit him, because he can really make the Hoyas offense go.

- Push the pace - Georgetown is not necessarily a slow team, but the Eagles played at a much faster pace throughout the season. It's hard to say if it will matter, but the game is starting at about 7:47 pm mountain time (and likely a little bit later than that), which would be about 10pm in local Georgetown time, as the game will be played on the west coast. If there is any type of tiredness on the Hoyas part, it could be an advantage EWU can exploit by pushing the pace and speeding the game up.

Eastern Washington will have a chance in this game, especially if these things happen. I think the Eagles will be able to score even on a good Georgetown defense, because they'll push the pace and get some looks from downtown. The key will be how EWU handles the Hoyas on the other end of the court, because Georgetown is absolutely capable of putting up a big number of points themselves.

What are your thoughts on the Eagles chances?

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Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Interview With Casual Hoya About Georgetown

With Eastern Washington taking on Georgetown on Thursday, I thought it'd be a good idea to get to know a little bit about the enemy, from someone who knows a lot about them. So I sent Andrew from the blog Casual Hoya some questions (some about the game, some about other stuff), and he was gracious enough to answer them (and I answered some EWU questions for him, which you should be able to find up on that site by the time you read this - and here it is).

1. Obviously the media has been all over the Georgetown upset train, in large part it seems because of past first round Georgetown losses. First question related to that - Do you think there is a particular reason why the Hoyas have been the victim of upsets in the past? Second, do you think the current players pay even a speck of attention to that talk, with the standard college basketball roster turnover?

Upset train, nice one! Yes, there is a particular reason why the Hoyas have been the victim of upsets in the past and I think the coaching staff has done a great job in addressing those issues; mainly, recruiting athletes with size that can play both the Georgetown offense as we all push the tempo if need be. Moreover, there's more balance in this squad, as half a dozen different kids have led the team in scoring in various games this season. Georgetown teams in the past were more dependent on a lone individual to carry the team (i.e Otto Porter), and once the team fell behind and the wheels started to come off it was a tough hole to climb out from. This team more resembles in 2007 Final Four squad than later varietals that were upset victims in that there are more weapons on the floor.

As far as whether the team is paying attention to the upset talk, absolutely. Over at Casual Hoya we've had a number of compilation containing the national media's jumping on the Eastern Washington bandwagon, and I've noticed a few of the players posting similar things on social media. The seniors on this team were part of the disappointing NCAA efforts in 2009-10, 2010-11, and 2012-13, so there's definitely that motivation factor as well.

At least I hope there is.

2. D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera is obviously the Hoyas best player... Can you tell us a little about his game? Also, please tell me that I can just call him DSR so I don't have to continually type D'Vauntes...

Hey, DSR works for us so feel free!

DSR was the Big East Preseason Player of the Year and with good reason, he can score from the perimeter, get into the lane, and has been Georgetown's best and most consistent player all season. You might as well get used to tweeting the following throughout the game: "Hey, is anyone going to guard this DSR guy? He's killing us!"

3. Teams have had tough sledding going into the paint against Georgetown... Obviously that's likely due to many factors, but is it more defensive philosophy or more having shot blockers like Mikael Hopkins on the back line?

It's a bit of both, but the presence of Hopkins, Josh Smith and Isaac Copeland in the paint is certainly disruptive. Hopkins is an excellent help defender and shot blocker, and though he and Smith are a bit foul prone, I don't expect the Eagles to much success inside. If you're going to beat us, it's going to be from behind the arc.

4. I think a lot of the EWU fans are optimistic in part due to the fact that they can't see Joshua Smith out on the perimeter chasing some of EWU's shooters. Does that worry you at all or is that something JTIII can easily scheme around?

EWU fans might want to find another reason to be optimistic, because in no way shape or form will Josh Smith be chasing anyone around the perimeter. In fact, there is a better chance Smith chases you down after these questions than there is of him running after some Eagles gunner running around the three point line. Smith will stay where he needs to be, and Georgetown will probably deploy some sort of zone against your beloved Tyler Harvey to stifle whatever dreams you have of reaching the Round of 32.

5. At their best, GTown obviously has shown they can beat anyone. However, when they are at their worst, what do they struggle with the most?

Georgetown has lost all three games to Xavier this season, and that's the type of team that causes us problems - size down low to avoid having to double Smith and good perimeter shooters that can take advantage of perimeter rotations. Size up front generally has been a prerequisite to success against the Hoyas this season - do y'all have that?

6. What makes this Georgetown team fun to watch and root for?

I'm biased of course, but each student athlete on this team is genuinely a good kid. That, plus the classy way the school and program carries itself under John Thompson III makes Georgetown very difficult to actually hate, unless you are a Syracuse fan that is fat, pasty and also BANNED from the postseason.

7. How did you become a Georgetown fan? And how does one become a writer on the biggest Georgetown blog on the internet?

I've been a Georgetown fan since growing up in the heyday of the Big East, and attending Georgetown in the Iverson-era didn't exactly do anything to detract from that. The next time you're in the Georgetown area, shoot me a tweet or something, we'll meet up, I'll show you campus, will drink beers and toast the end of your season.

As far as being the head of the biggest Georgetown blog on the internet, well, that's probably more a product of the lack of other competition than anything impressive that I've done, but thanks, I'll take it. If you want to submit your resume for review, I'm more than happy to check it out since we're always looking for new talent!

8. Be honest - could you have named the Eastern Washington mascot before it was announced they would be Georgetown's opponent? Did you know anything about the team?'

Absolutely. We here at Casual Hoya have been compiling a list of possible Hoyas opponents for weeks, and EWU was on that list of teams that we didn't really want to face because of the whole, "these guys can get hot from 3 and kill us" issue. The thing is, we feared the same when we played Belmont in the first round of the Dance in 2012 and the Hoyas won that game by 15.

9. During my formative years, my favorite player was Allen Iverson... he converted me to become a Philadelphia 76ers fan all by himself. For your money, has there ever been a more exciting Hoya than him?

No, and it's not even close. I was a freshman at Georgetown when Iverson was a sophomore, so he holds a special place in my cold, dark heart. You can make an argument that Iverson was one of the single-most "era" defining players of all-time, as he ushered what I guess some people might refer to as the "hip-hop era" into the NBA which has shaped how the game has been played and who it has been marketed to ever since. When Iverson came back to Georgetown's campus a few months ago for the groundbreaking of Georgetown's new athletics facility called, appropriately, The Thompson Center, it was really really really awesome and quite casual.

10. Gun to your head (held by someone else - I promise to never do that to you), if the over/under for Georgetown tourney wins is set at 1.5, what side do you take? What if it's set at 2.5?

OVER. After we dispense of you guys I think we can take it to either Utah or Stephen F. Austin, and then it's on to Houston for a likely date with Duke. Georgetown has had pretty good success against Duke in the past, so I'll go once again with OVER 2.5! This is great! We're Indianapolis bound! I need a drink.

11. Last, what is your official game prediction?

I'd love to pump a bunch more air into your already-inflated balloons of joy, but I really think this Hoyas team is different and that the Eagles are going to feel the wrath of one of the best team's in the Big East coming out with a chip on its shoulder. The Eagles have a terrible defense (I'm not trying to insult you, it's simply true), and the only team that Georgetown played this season with a remotely comparable defense was Towson. The Hoyas won that game by 32 points. Call it Hoyas 78 - Eagles 62, friendo.

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Monday, March 16, 2015

A Final Word on Montana/Northern Arizona Finish

As you no doubt know, there were some controversial happenings at the end of the Big Sky semifinal game between Montana and Northern Arizona, when Montana player (who is sitting out the year) Jermaine Edmonds ran onto the court with 0.4 seconds left, before sprinting back and diving to the sideline. I wrote a few of my thoughts on my recap post after the game, and have sprinkled in some comments on twitter throughout the past week.

However, it was such a big story, that I wanted to expand on my thoughts a little bit, and walk through why I feel what I feel. First off, in case you somehow missed it, here is the video:



According to what I have heard, the official explanation given to NAU is that no technical foul was called because there was no interference on the play.

It is my opinion, which has been strengthened after talking to Big Sky coaches, and hearing from all types of people associated with college basketball (there was widespread commentary even from national media after the game), that a technical foul not only should have been called, but needed to be called in that situation.

My points:
1) If NAU had thrown the ball in immediately after the basket, especially toward that direction of the court, then presumably that would have necessitated that there was proper interference for a technical foul to be called. Because they didn't, the refs claim there was no interference. But what if NAU didn't throw the ball in precisely BECAUSE there was a guy in street clothes on the court with time on the clock? If you saw that, would you throw the ball in, or would you wait for things to clear? To claim there is no interference appears to be awfully arbitrary.

2) After the Gregory basket, the refs stopped the game (no timeout was called according to the play by play), presumably both to check the clock, and check the replay of the guy running onto the court. If they stopped the game even in part to look at that, that's interference right there.

3) It appears that Edmonds was noted by NAU players, and could have added to some confusion from that side, which would constitute interference. If you watch the video, it appears the player in bounding the ball looked that direction first... Did he turn away because a guy in street clothes is on the court?

4) As noted in the comments here, it is also a major player safety issue. I don't think Edmonds scoped the scene out before rushing and diving back to the bench. If a player was in the way, that's a serious knee injury waiting to happen. Not calling a technical is one heck of a precedent to set.

5) Let's take it out of context... let's say there's an NCAA Tournament game, and the ball is on one side of the court. Let's then say that on the opposite bench, someone saunters halfway on the court and does something on the opposite end of the court (it could be anything: dance, bounce a ball, try to rile up the crowd), but he gets back to the bench before the game changes ends. In theory, he has not interfered with the play, but do you think that's going to stop the refs from giving him a technical foul?

An absurd example, maybe, but under the explanation given, how do you call something like that a technical but say this isn't a technical foul?

Now, it is important to note that the non-call did not necessarily win or lose the game. Even if a technical foul is called, Montana is still likely going to win. NAU would have sent Kris Yanku to the line, an 80% FT shooter. That would make it a 65% chance he makes both free throws, which would have sent the game to OT. Let's say NAU had a 35% chance of winning the OT, being on the road - that means that if a technical foul was called, there's still only a 22% chance to win. In most scenarios, Montana still advances. But the fact that we didn't get to find out what would have happened is, frankly, embarrassing.

I understand that nobody wants to see something like that happen - a game shouldn't be decided in part because a player on the bench had an emotional reaction to a great play. Everyone hates when that helps decide games. But you can't just choose when to selectively enforce the rules.

In the days that followed, the Big Sky has issued announcements to say they were looking into the postgame scuffle (which, curiously, referred to the Montana head coach as "Travis" and NAU coach Jack Murphy as "the head coach at Northern Arizona," but that's another issue for another time), a statement to say they suspended Coach Murphy for one game, and a statement to acknowledge a clock error in the Women's Tournament, but nothing on this incident as far as I can tell. (EDIT: According to this article from the Arizona Daily Sun, the Big Sky affirmed the call as being correct. Consider me unconvinced that there was no interference, as per the rest of my article).

Having written about the league for four years, I can tell you that perception among fans exists that schools like Montana and Weber State get the most favorable calls in the league, to the point that it's not uncommon to hear suggestions that the league is rooting for and doing what they can to give Montana a better chance to win. Let me be clear, I personally do not believe that is the case. But things like this certainly won't help to change that perception.

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Georgetown Scouting Report

Georgetown finished the year 21-10, and went 12-6 in the Big East, losing to Xavier in the Big East Tournament. They are the four seed in the South region, and thus they are Eastern Washington's first round opponent. Early lines seem to have Georgetown favored by 8 points.

For the season, they scored 1.103 PPP (41st in the nation), and allowed 0.94 PPP (25th in the country). For comparison, EWU scored 1.10 PPP (46th), and allowed 1.08 PPP (279th). Georgetown played at a much slower pace than EWU, but their offensive is every bit as good as the Eagles, with their defense being quite a bit better than EWU's outfit.
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Offensively, the Hoyas excel at drawing fouls and getting easy buckets in the paint. They show 50.4% on twos this year, a top 75 rate in the country. They are also a great offensive rebounding team, finishing with a rate in the top 75 in the country there as well.

In the post, a lot of those efforts are centered on Joshua Smith, who many may remember from the start of his career at UCLA. He is a behemoth of a man with great touch around the basket, and great rebounding instincts, especially on the offensive glass. Smith shot 63% this year, and had an offensive rebounding rate of 15.4%, which was 14th in the nation (he is no slouch on the defensive glass, but especially excels offensively). Safe to say that EWU hasn't faced anyone quite like him, if only because there aren't many guys like him.

As good as Smith is, the Hoyas best player is junior guard D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera, who can hurt you in different ways. He excels at getting to the foul line, as he took almost five FTs per game, making 88% of his attempts. He can also hurt you from long range, where he shot 40%. In terms of ball distribution, he is their best shot creator for other, with a 20.0 Assist Rate compared to a 11.6 TO Rate. Simply out, there isn't a lot he can't do.

There are other weapons too. Jabril Trawick can score inside or out, and shot 55% on two-point attempts this year. Freshman Isaac Copeland is a future pro. Aaron Bowen shoots 60% on twos and comes off the bench. They are going to be tough to cover. Everyone knows about the Princeton offense, and EWU will need to be very disciplined defensively.

For as good as Georgetown can be offensively, they are even better on the defensive end of the court. They simply don't give you anything inside - teams shoot 42.7% inside the arc, the 21st best defensive mark in the nation. They force turnovers, and they block a lot of shots. They have been susceptible at times to three-point shooting teams, as opponents have shot 35.9% from downtown against them. This could play into EWU's hands, but we'll get into that later in the week. The Hoyas have also had a tendency to put their opponents on the foul line, though that is something that EWU will have a harder time to naturally take advantage of in their offense.

The anchor for Georgetown's defense is 6'9'' senior Michael Hopkins. He is 60th in the NCAA in block rate, and can get some steals as well. He is solid on the defensive glass as well. He is a big part of the reason why the lane can be a tough place to do much against Georgetown.

That's a quick look at the Hoyas... later in the week we'll come back with some ways that Eastern Washington might attack them, and what might be needed for an upset to occur.

After the brackets were unveiled, a lot of people pointed to the Hoyas being overseeded, and this being one of the most picked upsets. But make no mistake - This is a really good Georgetown team, and upset will still be an uphill battle.

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Sunday, March 15, 2015

Montana, Northern Arizona, and Sac State in Postseason Tournaments

Eastern Washington is not the only team that will be dancing, as Montana, Northern Arizona, and Sac State also received invites to postseason tournaments.

Montana, by virtue of being the Big Sky regular season champion, got an automatic berth into the NIT. They will take on Texas A&M in the opening round, with their game on Tuesday night on ESPNU.

Meanwhile, Sac State will travel to Portland to take on the Pilots on Wednesday night in the CIT. In the same tournament, Northern Arizona will travel to take on Grand Canyon, also on Wednesday night.

Hopefully both will be able to extend their seasons and get a few more basketball games in!

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Eastern Washington a 13 Seed, Will Face Georgetown

After much speculation throughout the year that the Big Sky winner may be relegated to the play-in game, the conference got a little break from a seeding standpoint when Eastern Washington, who had the best non-conference resume of anyone in the conference, won the tournament and got the auto bid.

The projections I saw had them around a 15 seed, but they wind up getting a 13 seed, and they will take on the #4 seed Georgetown in the first round of the Big Dance.

Already, many people are calling them a potential upset, and it wouldn't be a surprise if they are one of the most picked upset teams in the tournament. For one, they have shown they can win big games, like when they beat Indiana and San Francisco on the road earlier this season. Two, a lot of people feel that Georgetown got over-seeded, as they finished the year 21-10, losing in the Big East tournament to Xavier. To that end, it's probably the best possible draw that EWU could have hoped for.

However, it's still going to be an uphill battle, as Georgetown is still a very good team and will be heavily favored. On KenPom's ratings, they are the 22nd best team in the country, and his system projects a 80-69 Georgetown win. We will talk a lot more about them as the week goes on, but it will be a battle.

The good news is that the Eagles have shown a lot of resiliency this year, and they'll have the ability to score a lot of points on the Hoyas. It will be a fun one.

The game is the last one on Thursday night, with a scheduled tip of 7:57 mountain time on TruTV, which is good news for those of us with day jobs! Check back here throughout the week for plenty more thoughts on the game.

Happy March Madness everybody!

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Saturday, March 14, 2015

Eastern Washington Is The Big Sky Champion

It was a classic Big Sky title game, with both teams looking to be in control at different times. In the end, it was Eastern Washington making a stunning comeback in the final five minutes to beat Montana and take home the Big Sky title.

Early on, Eastern Washington looked like the team with more energy, and they got off to a nice start, building an early 14-7 lead. They had some missed chances early, but were active defensively, and really attacking the basket, especially going right at Martin Breunig (trying to get him in foul trouble). However, Montana weathered the storm, and took a 30-29 lead into the half.

In the second half, it was the Mike Weisner show, as he had a career high 18 points. He hit big shots throughout the second half, and at times found himself guarding Tyler Harvey, and doing a good job. He was really outstanding. Martin Breunig was also really great all game long. He finished with 23 points, 17 rebounds, and did a nice job defensively as well. If Montana had help on to win, he would be the one getting all the accolades, and rightfully so. He was outstanding.

At the 6:18 mark, Montana hit a basket to go up 59-48, and the crowd was going nuts. It was then that Eastern Washington went into a full-court press, which seemed to fluster Montana. The score was 61-52 at around the four minute mark. Then, Drew Brandon got a bucket, and Montana was called for a five second call after the couldn't get the ball in. After the TV timeout, Tyler Harvey hit a three, and suddenly it was a four point game and Montana was reeling. All told, EWU went on a 21-4 run to close the game out, save for the garbage time bucket by the Grizzlies with a second left.

Tyler Harvey, the nation's leading scorer, was at his best down the stretch. At the six minute mark, he had just ten points, and didn't seem to have any openings (many kudos have to go to Mario Dunn of Montana, who was sensational defensively). He had eight points down the stretch, including an and-1 on a 15 footer from the baseline, which gave EWU a four point lead with 43 seconds left, and the Grizzlies were never able to get any closer.

Montana has had trouble closing out opponents this year - Against both Sac State and Idaho, they had win probabilities of 97%+ in the final three minutes. I mentioned this in one of my previews coming into the tournament, and it turned out to be the Achilles heel for the Grizzlies. That's a tough way to lose.

Two other EWU players should be noted in a recap about the game. One is Bogdan Bliznyuk, as the freshman was outstanding, finishing with 13 points and 5 rebounds. At times, he was the only Eagle capable of getting buckets, and he kept the game close early in the second half. His future is very bright, obviously. The other guy is Drew Brandon, who finished with 16 points and 7 rebounds. His shooting has been unsteady this year, but it was on point in this game. One other Montana player to note is Jordan Gregory, who was getting to the basket all night. What a Big Sky tournament he had.

From an NCAA tournament standpoint, Eastern Washington had the best resume in the Big Sky conference, which should hopefully push them up a few lines when the brackets are announced. It has been a wildly successful season for the Eagles, who capture their second Big Sky championship, and could be even better next season.

What a classic.

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Friday, March 13, 2015

Big Sky Statement on NAU/Montana Postgame Scuffle

After the postgame scuffle between Montana and Northern Arizona, the Big Sky has issued a postgame statement:

“First thing, I want to compliment the players,’’ Fullerton said. “The players as we watch them, there are no punches thrown, and they are breaking it up. They absolutely did a good job, both sets of players. The one thing people want to know about is (Montana coach) Travis (DeCuire). I see absolutely no action by Travis that would cause us to suspend him or cause any problems for Travis tomorrow. We’re still reviewing the head coach at Northern Arizona.’’

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Eastern Washington and Montana Advance to Big Sky Title Game

For the second straight day, we had some great games in the Big Sky tournament. First, the less complicated game, which was Eastern Washington taking down Sacramento State, winning their second straight game by a score of 91-83.

The EWU offense was as good as they have been at any point all year. In the first half, Sac State focused on Tyler Harvey, and held him to 0 points. The problem was that everyone else for EWU was firing on all cylinders. Felix Van Hofe hit five first half threes before finishing with 23 points. Bodgan Bliznyuk had 16 off the bench, and Venky Jois had 19.

Eastern Washington was 15/25 from downtown in this game, and finished with 1.25 PPP. You're going to win a lot of games like that. I said before the conference tournament that EWU had the highest ceiling of any team in the Big Sky, and they showed it in this game. If they play like that, they can and will beat Montana.

For Sac State, it's a bittersweet end to the season, but they have plenty to be proud about. They finish the best season in school history, Mikh McKinney was the league MVP, and Brian Katz the co- Coach of the Year. The senior class has elevated the program to a level that probably would have been unthinkable four years ago.

The Hornets were beaten by a better team on this day, but what a season it was.

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In the other semifinal game, Montana escaped for the second straight day, this time hanging on to beat Northern Arizona 61-59 on a game-winner from Jordan Gregory with 0.4 seconds left.

Kris Yanku hit two free throws to tie the game with 8.2 seconds left, and Gregory got the ball and went coast to coast, driving right by Quinton Upshur (who looked more concerned with not fouling than with stopping Gregory) for the tough lay-in. This has gotten lost a bit in all of the happenings post-game (we'll get to it in a moment), but what a great play by Gregory.

He knew just how much time he had, he didn't settle for an outside shot, and he got a good look at the rim. That is textbook. It's a shame it got overshadowed a bit, but we need to give him his due.

However, as mentioned, after the shot, pandemonium broke out. College Basketball Talk has the video and image, but after the shot, 0.4 seconds remained on the clock. However, a Montana assistant ran on the court, realized there was time left on the clock, ran back and literally dove back to the bench. The play was reviewed (either for that or to see how much time was left), and 0.4 seconds was put on the clock, but no technical foul was called.

In my opinion, the Grizzlies were very lucky to get out of there with no technical. To my eye, a technical foul should have been called. From that CBT article, here is the rule that potentially applies:

Assistant coaches and bench personnel. All bench personnel, with the exception of the head coach, are required to be seated on the bench while the ball is live except to react spontaneously to an outstanding play and then to immediately return to sitting on the bench. Violations by players, especially assistant coaches, should not be tolerated by officials. When assistant coaches or bench personnel are violating bench decorum rules in a minor way, the official shall inform the head coach and request that he handle the situation. This is an official warning. Any further violation by bench personnel shall result in a technical foul assessed to the offender. Egregious (blatant) conduct violations by assistant coaches or bench personnel need no warning and shall immediately result in a technical foul. A tehnical foul assessed to bench personnel is also assessed as a CLASS B technical foul to the head coach.
I understand that it ultimately did not impact the game, which is the explanation that was given to Coach Jack Murphy. However, the only reason it didn't impact the game was because NAU happened to not throw the ball in right away (perhaps because there was an assistant coach on the floor?) To my eye, that crosses the arbitrary standard of being an egregious or blatant violation.

I understand you don't want a game to end in that way, or be impacted like that, but a rule is a rule. A technical foul should have been assessed. In talking to others around the league, I am not alone in this thinking.

EDIT: One report does say it was not an assistant coach, but a player who is sitting out this season that ran onto the court. That does seem to be the case. It doesn't change my mind on the play, but I should note that distinction.

EDIT 2: The Big Sky commissioner Doug Fullerton made a statement after the game saying that Travis DeCuire will not be suspended for anything, but that they are still looking into the actions of NAU coach Jack Murphy.

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So, I've said my part! Once again, it's a shame this is taking away from the game itself a bit, because it has nothing to do with the Grizzlies players. They deserved to win this game, and for the second straight day, they made enough plays down the stretch to get the win and advance.

This sets up a dream Big Sky championship matchup between Montana and Eastern Washington, who are the two best teams in the Big Sky for my money. The teams split their season series, and each won on the other team's home court. We'll be in for a classic.

Preview to come tomorrow.

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Thursday, March 12, 2015

Northern Arizona and Montana Survive to Advance

For all of the parity in the Big Sky this year, all of the top seeds will advance to the semifinals. However, it certainly wasn't easy!

Northern Arizona's win over Northern Colorado didn't generate any style points, but they controlled the game defensively to get the 63-57 victory and advance to the Big Sky semifinals.

UNC had just 0.97 PPP, as they shot 15/39 inside the arc and 5/22 beyond it. Good looks were nowhere to be had, even as they grabbed 17 offensive rebounds. Tim Huskisson had 15 and 10 in his final career game, but Tevin Svihovec was held to 13 points on 4/17 shooting, and the Bears didn't have enough scorers to pick up the slack.

The game was tight the whole way, but it always felt like NAU had things under control. It was a power game, as they had 14 offensive rebounds themselves, consistently looking to get the ball inside. Jordyn Martin had 4 offensive rebounds, but the real star down low was Len Springs, who finished with 8 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 blocks. He was a force down low on both ends.

But the star of the second half for NAU, I thought, was Aaseem Dixon, who always seemed to hit a big bucket when the Jacks needed one. He finished the game with 16 points, including hitting four threes.

In the first two games of the day, it was the stars that took over and powered their teams. In this game, it was a full team effort as NAU does what they couldn't do last year - beat Northern Colorado in the opening round of the Big Sky tournament.

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In the nightcap, we got a classic battle between Montana and Weber State, though the refs seemed to do everything they could to slow the flow of the game. 47 fouls were called in this game, many of the ticky tack variety. The topper was in OT, where Ryan Richardson may have slightly bumped Mike Weisner 25 feet from the basket, and was called for his fifth foul. Both coaches got warnings from the refs by the end of the first half, and things were inconsistent throughout. The silver lining is that both teams had plenty of reason to be miffed many times over, so it's not like one team was consistently favored. And that is the last I will say about the reffing.

First, let's talk about Weber State, who played their best game of the year, putting all they had into this one but coming up just short. Jeremy Senglin missed a month with a broken jaw, and played a wonderful game, finishing with 25 points, many of them in big spots. Joel Bolomboy had 18 and 10, and battled Martin Brenig all game.

The Wildcats played great defense in the second half, making the Grizzlies work for everything. It would have been enough too, if it weren't for a tough loose ball foul on Bolomboy which sent Jordan Gregory to the foul line with 3.2 seconds left (re: that call... it was an unfortunate call on Weber, but I'm not sure it could have been called any other way).

For Montana, they survive and advance, which is the name of the game. They battled foul trouble for much of the second half, with Mario Dunn fouling out, and Breunig playing much of the end of the game with four fouls.

Still, Breunig was excellent in this game, finishing with 24 points and 12 rebounds. despite getting a ton of Weber attention. His offensive game is so diverse and impressive. He is a star.

Gregory struggled to get many good looks, but it is a testament to him that when he was fouled, down 2, with 3.2 seconds left, there was no doubt as to whether he was going to hit the shots. He did.

Weber State got Montana out of their game - the Grizzlies were 3/17 from downtown, and struggled to get contributions from many of their role players (Brandon Gfeller had 2 points on 0/5 FG), but they come away with the win. That sets up an NAU/Montana game which should be fascinating. They are the two best defensive teams in the Big Sky, and will look to attach each other in different ways. Hopefully it is a worthy follow up to this classic.

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Eastern Washington and Sacramento State Advance in Big Sky Tournament

Through two games in the Big Sky Tournament, the favorites have advanced on the backs of their stars.

The first game of the day was an entertaining, back and forth affair between Eastern Washington and Idaho. Points came in flurries, with the Eagles eventually prevailing 91-83 to move on.

They were led by Tyler Harvey, who was simply sensational, tying a Big Sky tournament record with 42 points. He was 13/20 from the field, and hit eight threes in the victory. It wasn't a case of Idaho losing track of him either... Harvey hit stepback jumpers with guys in his face. He was essentially unguardable at times, and it was a lot of fun to watch. Mikh McKinney was a rightful MVP winner, but Harvey showed that at his best, he was the toughest guy to guard.

At times, it looked like EWU wasn't going to get enough from everyone else to get the win (other than Harvey, the Eagles were 5/20 from downtown), but they got just enough plays down the stretch. Venky Jois got a lot of defensive attention, but he eventually finished with 10 points and 14 rebounds. Ognjen Miljkovic made enough shots to be dangerous, and finished with 13. Bogdan Bliznyuk made some plays down the stretch. They got just enough from everyone else.

Idaho was almost not going to be denied, as they put on an offensive clinic of their own. The star was Connor Hill, who finished with 23 points and looked like a senior doing everything he could to prolong his career. At times, it looked like his range was unlimited. Perrion Callandret played perhaps the best game of his career, and gives them hope that they will have a great backcourt next year (along with Sekou Wiggs). Ark Mkrtchyan did his thing, as always. In the end, they just couldn't get the stops they needed. They were a fun team to watch, with a lot of offensive talent and the ability to raise their game against good opponents, but they just never found that elite level defensively.

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The Eagles opponent in the semifinals will be Sacramento State, who held off a pesky Portland State team to get the 70-60 win.

Portland State took care of the ball, and they were patient against the Sacramento State zone, but they just couldn't find enough good shots, as they were just 22/61 from the field. The Hornets were very disciplined in the zone, always staying in position and never overpursuing.

On the other end, the Hornets were powered by their starts. Dylan Garrity had 22 points and was 8/8 inside the arc, Mikh McKinney had 24 points, and Cody Demps finished with 13 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists. The trio combined for 55 of the Hornets 70 points, showing why they are arguably the best trio in the Big Sky.

For the Vikings, Gary Winston was excellent, as the senior finished with 26 points, but the Vikings had no balance in this game. Tiegbe Bamba and DaShaun Wiggins both had their moments, but nobody else was able to get anything done against the Hornets zone. In the end, Sac State won this game with their defense, which is not a phrase we would expect to write about them this year.

The Eagles won an entertaining affair, while the Hornets slowly strangled the Vikings into submission. In the end, both styles get you into the Big Sky semifinals. The Eagles win will get a few more headlines because it was more visually appealing, but the Hornets arguably looked better in their victory.

We'll get a matchup that many expected to see in the title game for much of the season. It will be an even matchup, as both teams split in the regular season. It will come down to the stars - Harvey and Jois on one side, McKinney and Garrity on the other. We are all in for a real treat!

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Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Big Sky Tournament Predictions

After looking at all of the teams yesterday, and their respective chances to win the Big Sky tournmament, let's get to something more concrete - previews of the games themselves, along with some predictions.

I'll go into more detail on the quartefinal games, and then give me predictions for the subsequent rounds in less detail (since there's no need to go deep in depth for matchups that may or may not happen). Without further ado...

Quarterfinals

#1 Montana vs #8 Weber State
Previous Meeting(s): Weber won 68-60 in Ogden, Montana won 74-63 in Missoula
Thoughts: Jeremy Senglin missed the second meeting, so Weber State's best chance will be to follow what happened in the first meeting. In that game, Martin Breunig was dominant (31 points on 14/18 shooting), but the Wildcats did a good job containing everyone else. The rest of the team shot 10/37 for 29 points, including a 4/18 effort from Jordan Gregory. Breunig has abused Weber in both games, so they may not have a easy time stopping him. Their best bet may be to just single him up with Joel Bolomboy, and stick to the rest of Montana's shooters as close as they can. A guy like Brandon Gfeller can rack up some points in a hurry if he gets good looks, and that could be the type of thing Weber State can't come back from.

The bigger factor, I think, will be the other end of the court, where Weber State doesn't figure to have a ton of success against the Montana defense. Nobody has been better at forcing turnovers in the Big Sky, but WSU has been the second most generous team in giving them up. Getting Senglin back could help that, but he's also had a tendency to turn it over. As I mentioned yesterday, the easiest way to beat Montana could be to get Breunig into foul trouble, and Bolomboy has had some success drawing fouls this year (he takes over 5.5 FTs per game). However, I just don't see the Wildcats getting enough open looks against the Griz, especially since this game is in Missoula.

Montana 71, Weber State 60

#4 Northern Arizona vs #5 Northern Colorado
Previous Meeting(s): NAU won 65-60 in Flagstaff, UNC won 76-74 in Greeley
Thoughts: I watched these two teams in Greeley a couple weeks ago and it was a great game, so it will be fun to watch again. When UNC has the ball, it will come down to who is able to play more to their strengths. NAU doesn't give you good looks in the paint, and they typically rebound the ball well. On the other hand, UNC excels in the midrange and using their quickness to get good shots at the rim, and they can be terrors on the offensive glass. In Greeley, they snagged 14 offensive rebounds, which Jack Murphy believed to be the difference in the game. In the first meeting, they only had six. That is a key thing to watch.

On the other end, The Bears have had trouble containing Kris Yanku, and that will likely continue. UNC is at its best with either Jordan Wilson or Cody Spence out there (or even both, at times), but both guys struggle with the height of Yanku. On the other hand, someone like Tevin Svihovec doesn't have the quickness to stay in front of him. If the Bears collapse on him in the paint, Yanku has the vision and passing skills to take advantage, with shooters on the outside, and guys capable of finishing strong at the rim. It will be a pick your poison type of scenario for UNC, and I expect Yanku to put up big numbers either way.

This should be a great game, as both teams are capable of going on runs and winning this game. However, I trust NAU just a little bit more.

Northern Arizona 73, Northern Colorado 69

#2 Eastern Washington vs #7 Idaho
Previous Meetings(s): EWU won 89-86 in Moscow, and 98-95 in Cheney
Thoughts: As you can tell from the previous game scores, we should be in for a fun, fast paced game. Where teams like Northern Colorado or Sacramento State are great offensively but don't try to push the pace, both the Eagles and Vandals are excellent scoring the ball AND like to push it as fast as they can. Plus, they can have their defensive struggles at times as well (though one more than the other).

The Vandals keeping both meetings close points to the fact that they can win this game, but the Eagles are clearly the favorite as they have more consistently played at a high level. EWU is primarily seen a three-point bombing team, but they have been better this year when they've gotten the ball inside, with guys like Venky Jois and Bogdan Bliznyuk being elite scorers down low. Idaho is also not intimidating down low either, as while guys like Bira Seck and Ark Mkrtychyan are good players, they aren't rim protectors. Look for EWU to get the ball inside as much as they can.

When Idaho has the ball, they need to be hitting outside shots, especially against an Eagles front line that has the best shot blockers in the conference. Fortunately for them, they are certainly capable of doing that, as they shot 40.9% from downtown during Big Sky play, third in the conference. The Vandals aren't going to force many turnovers, but they should look for easy options off of EWU misses, as easy baskets will be important. However, I'm not sure they'll get enough stops to be able to keep up.

Eastern Washington 88, Idaho 83

#3 Sacramento State vs #6 Portland State
Previous Meeting(s): Sac State won 64-60 in Sacramento, and 73-60 in Portland
Thoughts: The availability of Braxton Tucker will be important here, as he scored 18 in the first meeting, but missed the second game. A front line with Tucker and Tiegbe Bamba could be a huge weapon for the Vikings. Collin Spickerman can do some nice things for the Vikings (namely, block shots and crash the offensive glass), but the other two guys are the front line scorers. Tucker has missed the last three games with a knee contusion, and should probably be considered questionable. Another key for them is to take care of the basketball. PSU has been good at protecting the ball, but have struggled against Sac State, where they have turned it over 17 times in both meetings. There are scoring opportunities to be had against the Hornets, but they are also good at forcing TOs, so that will be a key.

When Sac State has the ball, they are an interesting team in that they have the best three-point shooting team in the conference, but they don't look to take a ton of threes. Everything starts with Mikh McKinney, who does it all for the Hornets. McKinney will get his, but they can't let him get great looks for everyone else. The Vikings aren't going to force a lot of turnovers, so it comes down to closing in on shooters such as Dylan Garrity, and cutting off the penetration of McKinney and Cody Demps. All three guys are capable of scoring 20.

In the end, if I was a betting man, I think the most likely scenario is that Sac State wins a close game. However, I think at least one of the lower seeds win (with how even this league has been all year), and I think this is the most likely game. If PSU can take care of the ball (again, has been an issue against the Hornets), they can score enough to win this game. It should be fun.

Portland State 69, Sacramento State 68

Semifinals

#1 Montana vs #4 Northern Arizona
This would be a slugfest of a semifinal, featuring the two best defensive teams in the Big Sky. During their only meeting in late January, NAU scored 0.89 PPP, while Montana mustered 1.00 PPP thanks to 31 points from Jordan Gregory. NAU has the horses down low (including Big Sky Defensive POY Jordyn Martin) to slow down Martin Breunig, but Montana has Mario Dunn to help contain Kris Yanku. Once again, I like the home court to triumph, and I'd take Montana.

#2 Eastern Washington vs #6 Portland State
These teams split during the regular season, so it's a closer game than the seeds might show. However, Venky Jois missed the second meeting (when PSU won), and we are starting to realize he may be the Eagles most important player with his offensive scoring and shot blocking ability. That would make the difference in the third meeting, and I like Eastern Washington in this theoretical matchup.

Championship

#1 Montana vs #2 Eastern Washington
In terms of entertainment factor, this is probably our dream finals matchup. The two teams split their meetings, winning on each other's home courts. As mentioned, Montana is the favorite with their home-court advantage, but EWU is a team that can combat the strengths of the Grizzlies. Venky Jois is down low, and he bothered Breunig in their first matchup (in fairness, Breunig was a force in the rematch). The other thing is that, as we've mentioned, Montana excels at forcing turnovers, but EWU is predicated on taking care of the ball... Their 19 turnovers in the two meetings combined is not bad. So, they can score on the Grizzlies.

However, I just can't shake the feeling that Montana is the best team in the Big Sky right now. Jordan Gregory is the go to guy late in games, and it's nice to have that pecking order. We've talked about Breunig. Mario Dunn could be a future defensive POY. Guys like Brandon Gfeller, Fabijan Krslovic, and Mike Weisner all fill their roles. Everything is coming up Montana for me, and that's why I think they will be the Big Sky champions.

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