Predicting the Best Games Of The Week

There is some quality Big Sky action this week as always, so let's take a look at best game in the week ahead.

@ Utah 62, Idaho State 54 (12/6)
This won't be a sight for sore eyes, as both teams have struggled this year. Idaho State got their first Division I win on Saturday against North Dakota, while Utah is still looking for theirs. The Utes would be a mediocre Big Sky team, and they might not win a conference game all year. This is a game Idaho State can win if they can hit a few outside shots, but I don't see it happening.

@ BYU 77, Weber State 73 (12/7)
Damian Lillard is fresh off scoring 41 points against San Jose State, but the Wildcats will miss senior Kyle Bullinger, who will miss the first start of his career after injuring his elbow. Weber State doesn't have a natural fit to replace him, and there is some worry that they have become a little dependent on Lillard for scoring. Hopefully Scott Bamforth can get free for some good looks. I would pick Weber if Bullinger was healthy, but this is tough for the first game without him.

@ Montana 67, Nevada 62 (12/8)
Montana badly needs a win, as they haven't look all that good at 4-4. They will know they have a nice opportunity for a quality win against a pretty good Nevada team. Montana has the talent, but they have not been consistent yet this year. It will be interesting to see how much Wayne Tinkle plays guys like Keron DeShields and Kevin Henderson (more talent and athletic but less experienced) compared to guys like Shawn Stockton and Jordan Wood (less talented but more experience).

@ Weber State 75, Southern Utah 62 (12/10)
This will be a Big Sky game next season, but the Thunderbirds are not at the caliber of Weber State. They are 4-4 on the year, but their best win is against UC Davis. Damian Lillard should have another big day. Opponents are shooting 56% from 2-point range against Southern Utah, meaning Lillard should be able to get to the rim. Look for big man Kyle Tresnak to continue his ascent to being one of the better bigs in the Big Sky.

@ Montana State 69, UC Riverside 64 (12/11)
Brad Huse's biggest concern with all of the newcomers was how they would mesh defensively, and so far his concerns have come to fruition. The Bobcats have not been very good defensively. Fortunately, they've been pretty solid offensively, led by PG Rod Singleton, who has been a leader for them. Christian Moon has also been really solid, as he knows his role and plays it very well. His ORtg is excellent, thanks to a nice outside touch and an ability to take care of the basketball.

Eastern Washington 71, @ Cal State Fullerton 70 (12/11)
Eastern Washington has been really good this year because they take care of the ball offensively, and force turnovers defensively. On the other hand, Cal State Fullerton has been one of the worst teams in the country at taking care of the basketball. Sometimes it's that simple. EWU needs to shoot the three ball, but if they can knock a few down they could get this road win.

Season Record: 12-5

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Some BYU/Northern Arizona Information

A little bit of info on the game courtesy of BYU's official site.

Also an interesting NAU nugget from BYU broadcaster Greg Wrubell:

BYU's Wed night foe Northern Arizona has played six games--none in front of a crowd larger than 1,565; three audiences of 547 or smaller.

It is certainly going to be a tough test for the Lumberjacks.

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Weber State Needs to Beat Utah State

Weber State thinks they are the best team in Utah, and the case could certainly be argued. They have a ton of returning talent, the best player in the Big Sky, and huge expectations heading into the year.

The good thing about college basketball is that these arguments are not simply academic, but they get settled on the court. The first test for Weber State comes Tuesday night against Utah State, who will be coming to the Dee Events Center. Last season, Utah State won 77-65 in Logan. This time, Weber State gets the chance to play them in Ogden.

If Weber State wants to be seen as the best team in Utah, they have three games to prove it:

- Tonight against the Aggies
- On December 7th they travel to Provo to take on BYU (who Utah State just beat)
- On December 10th Southern Utah comes to Ogden
- On December 22nd they get the Utah Utes at home

It is a big game for the Wildcats for a couple of reasons. One, it is always a big game agaisnt the Aggies, there is certainly no love lost between the schools. Two, Weber State's goal this year should not simply be to win the Big Sky, but to represent themselves in the postseason. To do that, it helps to have a higher seeding, and to do that, you need non-conference victories that stand out.

Beating Utah State less than a week after they took out BYU would be a huge first step. And it is vital for them to stake the claim to being the best team in the state. To do it, they will need to slow down Brockeith Pane, who might be the best player in the WAC. If they do that, they will have a great shot in this one

Game on.

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Introducing... The Lumberjack Classic

Northern Arizona announced the Lumberjack Classic, a game featuring Northern Arizona vs. BYU, taking place in Prescott, AZ (which, if you are wondering, is about a couple hours SW of Flagstaff).

The event is so big for the Lumberjacks that they have their own logo for it (which is cool because the text is written in lumber, which looks pretty cool). The reason for the excitement on the Lumberjack side can be seen with this quote from the article announcing the event:

The Lumberjacks haven't played a game of this magnitude so close to home since 1990 when they fell to the second ranked Arizona Wildcats in Flagstaff.

"We are excited to play in Prescott for the second consecutive season against a quality BYU team that had a great run in the NCAA Tournament this past year," said Adras. "It should be a great game for us to play a school that has a lot of fans in the state of Arizona. It will be an exciting game in a beautiful venue."

BYU has become a huge draw in the Post-Jimmer Era, and so this should draw a good crowd gathering, especially with the promoting he seems they are doing for the event. In an environment where it is tough for Big Sky teams to schedule solid home games, this should be one of the more-interesting non-conferences games of the season for Big Sky teams.

An Early Look at Weber State's Schedule

A few teams have released their schedule for the 2011-2012 schedule, with Weber State being one of those teams. As they are the early favorite in the Big Sky, let's take a look at some of the notable games.

From head coach Randy Rahe:

"Once again we have a very difficult and challenging schedule this year," said WSU head coach Randy Rahe who will enter his sixth season with the Wildcats this fall. "We are always looking to play as tough a schedule as we can and this year is no exception. We have a great opportunity to play several teams from Utah which is always a difficult test. Our preseason schedule always prepares us for the Big Sky schedule and the Big Sky, just like in other years, will be very difficult this season."

Their first test of the season will come against Utah St at home, which should be an extremely intriguing matchup. The Aggies obviously had a huge year last season, winning 30 games before bowing out in the NCAA Tournament, but they lose all-everything Taj Wesley. The Aggies have traditionally had a weak schedule, but they have beefed it up this year, and Weber St. will be a big part of that.

The early to mid part of December brings two very good road games which will be a great test for the the Wildcats. First is a game at California on December 7, who should be a fringe Tourney team out of the Pac-12 (led by Jorge Gutierrez, who I think we will all get to know better this year). Then, on December 16 they head to Provo to take on BYU. BYU obviously loses Jimmer, but they will have plenty of firepower to make it an interesting game.

Other non-conference games of note include the St. Mary's Classic in Moraga, CA at the end of November. They also have home slates against future Big Sky member Southern Utah on December 10, and against Utah (coached by former Montana head man Larry Krystowiak) on December 22. Finally, they will get a chance near the end of the year with a home Bracket Busters game on February 18.

Weber State believes itself to be the best team in Utah, and they will have a chance to prove it this season. With a home game against Utah St and Utah, and a road game against BYU, they will have perhaps the most intriguing non-conference schedule in the Big Sky.