With the throes of the offseason all around us, I thought it would be fun to take a look at the 20 best players that are departing from the Big Sky, either due to graduating, declaring for the draft, or transferring.
The first part of Charles Odum's game that made him unique was the fact that he was a 6'0'' shooting guard. He could play PG for stretches, but he was most effective playing off the ball. The second thing that made him unique was that even though he was a an undersized two guard, he was so good at getting into the lane and scoring.
As a junior, he shot 58% on two-pointers. Last year, as a senior, he bumped that up to 61.4% inside the arc. Those are the percentages of an efficient big man, and the fact that he did that at his size was really remarkable and spoke to his great efficiency. From the outside, he shot 34% on threes - good enough to keep defenses honest.
Along with being able to score in the lane, he was great at getting to the free throw lone and converting. His FT rate was 59th in the country, and he was 3rd in the Big Sky in fouls drawn per 40 minutes. He made 83% of his freebies once he got to the line. Added all up, he was an extremely efficient player in his time at Portland State, and his TS% of 64.9% was good for 20th in the country.
Odum was a unique player, and he was a focal point for the Vikings as they got back to the Big Sky Tournament. He was one of the most efficient guys in the Big Sky, particularly remarkable for his great work inside the lane. That is why he winds up at number three on this list.
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Showing posts with label Charles Odum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Charles Odum. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Portland State Ends The Season With a Loss
Portland State had one game left on their schedule after the Big Sky Tournament, as they traveled to Seattle on Saturday. Earlier in the year, they beat them 66-65, but things didn't go as well this time around, as they lost 94-83 to the Redhawks.
It is hard to imagine that PSU was incredibly motivated for this game after losing in the Big Sky tournament last week, and it showed. They allowed Seattle to shoot over 50%, and they were outrebounded 47-27.
Vikings fans did get a glimpse of next season, however. Renado Parker led the team with 20 points off the bench, shooting 8/13 from the field. He could be one of the best inside scorers in the conference next year, and we will talk plenty about him in the offseason. Gary Winston also had 19 points (including five treys) off the bench,, and the freshman has a bright future. He should step into Charles Odum's starting spot next year.
For Odum, the end comes with 19 points in his final collegiate game. Chehales Tapscott had 10 points, seven rebounds, and four assists to end a great two-year career. Both players were first- team conference players.
Portland State ends the year with a record of 17-15.
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It is hard to imagine that PSU was incredibly motivated for this game after losing in the Big Sky tournament last week, and it showed. They allowed Seattle to shoot over 50%, and they were outrebounded 47-27.
Vikings fans did get a glimpse of next season, however. Renado Parker led the team with 20 points off the bench, shooting 8/13 from the field. He could be one of the best inside scorers in the conference next year, and we will talk plenty about him in the offseason. Gary Winston also had 19 points (including five treys) off the bench,, and the freshman has a bright future. He should step into Charles Odum's starting spot next year.
For Odum, the end comes with 19 points in his final collegiate game. Chehales Tapscott had 10 points, seven rebounds, and four assists to end a great two-year career. Both players were first- team conference players.
Portland State ends the year with a record of 17-15.
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Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Weber State Escapes With 69-63 Win
Portland State controlled the game for 35 minutes. Damian Lillard controlled the game for the last five.
It wasn't easy and it wasn't pretty, but Weber State will be going to the Big Sky championship game after beating Portland State 69-63 Tuesday night in Missoula. Some takeaways from the game:
- Weber State continued to have major troubles with the zone, far too often settling for jumpshots instead of taking the ball inside. When they did get more aggressive at the end of the game, Gelaun Wheelwright and Damian Lillard were able to get into the lane and to the free throw line, which may have been the difference in the game. Lillard was fantastic down the stretch, and was doing all he could to will them to victory.
- Gelaun Wheelwright was absolutely huge tonight. He had 15 points on 6/10 shooting, and had some really big buckets for them tonight. He clearly was not overwhelmed by the moment, which is big for a freshman. Weber State fans have a right to be excited about him. Jordan Richardson also gave them big minutes down the stretch. He hit a key three with Weber State down by eight, and played great defense.
- Charles Odum and Chehales Tapscott showed why they are Big Sky first-teamers. Odum had 24 points on 10/19 shooting. It did seem like he was letting the refs get in his head a bit at the end of the game. He reacted strongly to every close call against him. Have to let that stuff go. Tapscott had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and also played excellent defense. He can do it all on the court, and will be missed. Not many players I like watching play more than him.
- It was interesting to see Wheelwright and Richardson getting late playing time over Scott Bamforth and Kyle Bullinger. Good call by Randy Rahe to go with what was working, rather than simply what was more conventional.
- Portland State shot 8/14 from downtown which is excellent, but WSU still did what they could to take away from the Vikings getting in the lane. They did a nice job on Odum late in the game. PSU also hit the offensive glass very well. They played a good game, but they just didn't have enough in this one.
Weber State is not looking for style points obviously, so they will take this game every day of the week. At the end of the week, all that matters is that they are going to the Big Sky championship game. The Damian Lillard Show continues for at least one more night.
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It wasn't easy and it wasn't pretty, but Weber State will be going to the Big Sky championship game after beating Portland State 69-63 Tuesday night in Missoula. Some takeaways from the game:
- Weber State continued to have major troubles with the zone, far too often settling for jumpshots instead of taking the ball inside. When they did get more aggressive at the end of the game, Gelaun Wheelwright and Damian Lillard were able to get into the lane and to the free throw line, which may have been the difference in the game. Lillard was fantastic down the stretch, and was doing all he could to will them to victory.
- Gelaun Wheelwright was absolutely huge tonight. He had 15 points on 6/10 shooting, and had some really big buckets for them tonight. He clearly was not overwhelmed by the moment, which is big for a freshman. Weber State fans have a right to be excited about him. Jordan Richardson also gave them big minutes down the stretch. He hit a key three with Weber State down by eight, and played great defense.
- Charles Odum and Chehales Tapscott showed why they are Big Sky first-teamers. Odum had 24 points on 10/19 shooting. It did seem like he was letting the refs get in his head a bit at the end of the game. He reacted strongly to every close call against him. Have to let that stuff go. Tapscott had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and also played excellent defense. He can do it all on the court, and will be missed. Not many players I like watching play more than him.
- It was interesting to see Wheelwright and Richardson getting late playing time over Scott Bamforth and Kyle Bullinger. Good call by Randy Rahe to go with what was working, rather than simply what was more conventional.
- Portland State shot 8/14 from downtown which is excellent, but WSU still did what they could to take away from the Vikings getting in the lane. They did a nice job on Odum late in the game. PSU also hit the offensive glass very well. They played a good game, but they just didn't have enough in this one.
Weber State is not looking for style points obviously, so they will take this game every day of the week. At the end of the week, all that matters is that they are going to the Big Sky championship game. The Damian Lillard Show continues for at least one more night.
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Monday, March 5, 2012
Three Keys For Each Big Sky Team To Win
With three Big Sky games to go, let’s take a look at the keys for each of the teams remaining. Here are the Tuesday night games –
(1) Montana vs (4) Eastern Washington
(2) Weber State vs (3) Portland State
What does each team need to do to win?
THREE KEYS FOR MONTANA TO BEAT EASTERN WASHINGTON
1. Get the big guys involved – Montana’s offense is helped when guys like Mathias Ward and Derek Selvig are a part of things offensively, because both have varied offensive games. They can create space with their outside shot, which opens up the lane for Will Cherry and Kareem Jamar. Another big thing is that EWU’s big are prone to foul the opposition, which makes it even more important for Selvig and Ward to be aggressive. Ward had his best game of the season in these team’s first matchup, scoring 28 points in a victory.
2. Go right at Eastern Washington’s defense – As mentioned, Eastern Washington has put their opponents on the free throw line more than anyone else this year, which makes it imperative for the opposition not to settle for jumpers. This is part of the reason that Idaho State lost to EWU three times… they didn’t try to force anything or get to the line, and they were content to shoot jumpshots. That is not the best way to take down the Eagles.
3. Guard everyone on the perimeter – EWU is not afraid to shoot from the perimeter, and just about everyone (except Laron Griffin) will fire away at any time. You have to make sure to guard them at all times, because if they get hot from there they can beat anyone. It is probably preferable to let guys like Cliff Colimon, Collin Chiverton, and Parker Kelly drive rather than get an open look, which Montana has to watch for.
THREE KEYS FOR WEBER STATE TO BEAT PORTLAND STATE
1. Get Kyle Tresnak involved early – Everybody knows what Damian Lillard and Scott Bamforth can do offensively, but a big key for the Wildcats is Kyle Tresnak. He has shown himself to be one of the best scoring big men in the Big Sky, as long as he is getting touches and staying out of foul trouble (which derailed him against Montana). He has a nice baby hook and low post game, and should have a size advantage over most PSU guys (except Nate Lozeau). It will be key to get him involved.
2. Stay aggressive – Against Montana, they were content to launch deep threes against Montana’s zone, and I am sure PSU will see this on tape. It won’t be a surprise if the Vikings play a lot of zone defense, and if that’s the case, Weber State needs to stay aggressive. Work to get the ball inside, take the ball to the basket, and push it in transition.
3. Keep Portland State out of the paint – The Vikings are an efficient offensive team because they are so good at taking good shots. Charles Odum is one of the best in the conference at getting in the paint, and shoots a great percentage because of it. Chehales Tapscott and Renado Parker are great inside, using crafty moves to score points. If you can make PSU beat you from the outside, chances are that they won’t beat you.
THREE KEYS FOR PORTLAND STATE TO BEAT WEBER STATE
1. Keep Damian Lillard in check – In two games against PSU this year, Lillard has averaged almost 40 points per game, and has absolutely dominated both games. Obviously, that can’t happen again if the Vikings want to pull the upset. While WSU has other players that are very capable offensively (Bamforth, Tresnak, Bullinger), Portland State would be wise to make those guys beat them. Certainly this is easier said than done.
2. Hit some outside shots – Their offense is predicated on getting into the paint, but to be a very good team they need to be able to keep defenses honest. Charles Odum, Lateef McMullan, and Michael Harthun all need to hit a couple shots from the outside, which will open up their lanes to drive to the basket or get better shots for Chehales Tapscott and Renado Parker. If they can hit from the outside, they are tough to stop.
3. Hit the offensive glass – This is a way for them to get some easy baskets, which will be needed to keep up with Weber’s offense. Chehales Tapscott is a solid offensive rebounder, and had some very nice putbacks in their game against Montana State. This would relieve some pressure on their halfcourt offense if they are able to get some second half points.
THREE KEYS FOR EASTERN WASHINGTON TO BEAT MONTANA
1. Get some contributions from Collin Chiverton – He won the Big Sky Newcomer of the Year award, but he has been battling some inconsistency and injuries all season long. When he is on, he is a deadly long-range shooter that can put up 20 points on you, as well as get some buckets in transition with his athleticism. When he is not on, he will take a lot of bad shots, and can be a ball-stopper in their offense. To beat an elite team like Montana, they need him to be the guy that was the top newcomer in the Big Sky, and not the one that has scored 12 points in their last four games. That might depend on his health.
2. Take care of the ball – This has been a strength for the Eagles all year, but will be especially important against Will Cherry and Montana. Montana can rack up easy points off turnovers (especially out of their 1-2-2 zone press), and that’s why it’s key for EWU. It is hard enough to beat the Grizzlies even if you are not giving them easy points.
3. Stop Will Cherry’s penetration – Cherry is one of the best penetrators in the conference, and has great quickness going to the basket. This can get good looks either for himself or his teammates. EWU needs to cut that off at the point of attack, and make him be more of a jump shooter. Even though he has improved in that aspect, it is a better proposition than allowing him to get into the lane.
Any other keys for the games?
For any live updates or discussion during the games tomorrow, make sure to follow me on Twitter.
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(1) Montana vs (4) Eastern Washington
(2) Weber State vs (3) Portland State
What does each team need to do to win?
1. Get the big guys involved – Montana’s offense is helped when guys like Mathias Ward and Derek Selvig are a part of things offensively, because both have varied offensive games. They can create space with their outside shot, which opens up the lane for Will Cherry and Kareem Jamar. Another big thing is that EWU’s big are prone to foul the opposition, which makes it even more important for Selvig and Ward to be aggressive. Ward had his best game of the season in these team’s first matchup, scoring 28 points in a victory.
2. Go right at Eastern Washington’s defense – As mentioned, Eastern Washington has put their opponents on the free throw line more than anyone else this year, which makes it imperative for the opposition not to settle for jumpers. This is part of the reason that Idaho State lost to EWU three times… they didn’t try to force anything or get to the line, and they were content to shoot jumpshots. That is not the best way to take down the Eagles.
3. Guard everyone on the perimeter – EWU is not afraid to shoot from the perimeter, and just about everyone (except Laron Griffin) will fire away at any time. You have to make sure to guard them at all times, because if they get hot from there they can beat anyone. It is probably preferable to let guys like Cliff Colimon, Collin Chiverton, and Parker Kelly drive rather than get an open look, which Montana has to watch for.
1. Get Kyle Tresnak involved early – Everybody knows what Damian Lillard and Scott Bamforth can do offensively, but a big key for the Wildcats is Kyle Tresnak. He has shown himself to be one of the best scoring big men in the Big Sky, as long as he is getting touches and staying out of foul trouble (which derailed him against Montana). He has a nice baby hook and low post game, and should have a size advantage over most PSU guys (except Nate Lozeau). It will be key to get him involved.
2. Stay aggressive – Against Montana, they were content to launch deep threes against Montana’s zone, and I am sure PSU will see this on tape. It won’t be a surprise if the Vikings play a lot of zone defense, and if that’s the case, Weber State needs to stay aggressive. Work to get the ball inside, take the ball to the basket, and push it in transition.
3. Keep Portland State out of the paint – The Vikings are an efficient offensive team because they are so good at taking good shots. Charles Odum is one of the best in the conference at getting in the paint, and shoots a great percentage because of it. Chehales Tapscott and Renado Parker are great inside, using crafty moves to score points. If you can make PSU beat you from the outside, chances are that they won’t beat you.
1. Keep Damian Lillard in check – In two games against PSU this year, Lillard has averaged almost 40 points per game, and has absolutely dominated both games. Obviously, that can’t happen again if the Vikings want to pull the upset. While WSU has other players that are very capable offensively (Bamforth, Tresnak, Bullinger), Portland State would be wise to make those guys beat them. Certainly this is easier said than done.
2. Hit some outside shots – Their offense is predicated on getting into the paint, but to be a very good team they need to be able to keep defenses honest. Charles Odum, Lateef McMullan, and Michael Harthun all need to hit a couple shots from the outside, which will open up their lanes to drive to the basket or get better shots for Chehales Tapscott and Renado Parker. If they can hit from the outside, they are tough to stop.
3. Hit the offensive glass – This is a way for them to get some easy baskets, which will be needed to keep up with Weber’s offense. Chehales Tapscott is a solid offensive rebounder, and had some very nice putbacks in their game against Montana State. This would relieve some pressure on their halfcourt offense if they are able to get some second half points.
1. Get some contributions from Collin Chiverton – He won the Big Sky Newcomer of the Year award, but he has been battling some inconsistency and injuries all season long. When he is on, he is a deadly long-range shooter that can put up 20 points on you, as well as get some buckets in transition with his athleticism. When he is not on, he will take a lot of bad shots, and can be a ball-stopper in their offense. To beat an elite team like Montana, they need him to be the guy that was the top newcomer in the Big Sky, and not the one that has scored 12 points in their last four games. That might depend on his health.
2. Take care of the ball – This has been a strength for the Eagles all year, but will be especially important against Will Cherry and Montana. Montana can rack up easy points off turnovers (especially out of their 1-2-2 zone press), and that’s why it’s key for EWU. It is hard enough to beat the Grizzlies even if you are not giving them easy points.
3. Stop Will Cherry’s penetration – Cherry is one of the best penetrators in the conference, and has great quickness going to the basket. This can get good looks either for himself or his teammates. EWU needs to cut that off at the point of attack, and make him be more of a jump shooter. Even though he has improved in that aspect, it is a better proposition than allowing him to get into the lane.
Any other keys for the games?
For any live updates or discussion during the games tomorrow, make sure to follow me on Twitter.
Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball
Sunday, March 4, 2012
The Four Guards
Four lead guards made the Big Sky first-team this season, and not coincidentally, the teams for those guards are the ones still standing as we enter the semifinals of the Big Sky tournament. Let's take a look at each of them, and what makes them so good.
Cliff Colimon (Eastern Washington) - We knew before the year that Colimon was going to get big minutes, but I'm not sure anyone predicted he would be this good for the Eagles. He has been better in all categories this year, most notably bumping his scoring (10.4 PPG to 15.9 PPG), and assists (1.8 APG and 17.8 ARate last year, 5.0 APG and 31.6 ARate this year). He is still not the most efficient scorer (shoots just 39%), but he has become of the best playmakers in the conference. He has been a great senior leader for Eastern Washington, and they rely on him a lot to take care of the ball and make good decisions.
Charles Odum (Portland State) - Odum is second in the conference in scoring, and like the leader (Lillard), he does it with great efficiency. He increased his scoring from 14 PPG to 19 PPG this year. He is a master at getting into the lane, and either getting a great look on a nice runner, or getting to the free throw line. He shoots over 61% on 2-pointers and 84% from the line, and is able to keep defenses honest from behind the arc (34%). His true shooting percentage is 20th in America, and he sports a 119.1 ORtg. He is a fun guy to watch, because even though he is a great scorer, he doesn't force things on offense.
Will Cherry (Montana) - He is the defensive player of the year in the Big Sky, and is the rare player that changes the game as much (more more) on the defensive end as he does on the offensive side of the ball. You can tell how hard he has worked on his games by his shooting percentages... his freshman year he was 6/35 from 3-point land, last year he shot 22.5%, and this year he is up to 38.4%. He is on pace to become the conference's all-time leader in steals, and will likely enter next season as the POY favorite. He has also shown a killer instinct this year, which is a big reason why Montana is so tough to beat.
Damian Lillard (Weber State) - I have written a lot about him obviously this year, but he has been sensational all year long, despite being in the spotlight nationally (as he led the country in scoring for much of the year) and from NBA scouts coming to most of the Wildcats games. I wrote extensively about his attributes here, but in short, he is a great and efficient offensive player, can hurt you in a variety of ways, gets teammates involved, and takes great care of the basketball. He has topped 40 points twice this year, and 30 points eight times. I have a feeling he has some good stuff up his sleeve for us the rest of the tournament.
Anything I missed about these guys?
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Cliff Colimon (Eastern Washington) - We knew before the year that Colimon was going to get big minutes, but I'm not sure anyone predicted he would be this good for the Eagles. He has been better in all categories this year, most notably bumping his scoring (10.4 PPG to 15.9 PPG), and assists (1.8 APG and 17.8 ARate last year, 5.0 APG and 31.6 ARate this year). He is still not the most efficient scorer (shoots just 39%), but he has become of the best playmakers in the conference. He has been a great senior leader for Eastern Washington, and they rely on him a lot to take care of the ball and make good decisions.
Charles Odum (Portland State) - Odum is second in the conference in scoring, and like the leader (Lillard), he does it with great efficiency. He increased his scoring from 14 PPG to 19 PPG this year. He is a master at getting into the lane, and either getting a great look on a nice runner, or getting to the free throw line. He shoots over 61% on 2-pointers and 84% from the line, and is able to keep defenses honest from behind the arc (34%). His true shooting percentage is 20th in America, and he sports a 119.1 ORtg. He is a fun guy to watch, because even though he is a great scorer, he doesn't force things on offense.
Damian Lillard (Weber State) - I have written a lot about him obviously this year, but he has been sensational all year long, despite being in the spotlight nationally (as he led the country in scoring for much of the year) and from NBA scouts coming to most of the Wildcats games. I wrote extensively about his attributes here, but in short, he is a great and efficient offensive player, can hurt you in a variety of ways, gets teammates involved, and takes great care of the basketball. He has topped 40 points twice this year, and 30 points eight times. I have a feeling he has some good stuff up his sleeve for us the rest of the tournament.
Anything I missed about these guys?
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Saturday, March 3, 2012
Semifinals Are Set as Portland State Rolls to Victory
I knew Montana State was going to have trouble scoring enough to keep up with Portland State. I also knew that the teams were coming in with opposite momentum. However, I didn't expect PSU to dominate the game like they did on Saturday night, beating the Bobcats 75-53 in the Big Sky quarterfinals.
It was a familiar script for Portland State. Excellent production from their stars, Chehales Tapscott (20 points, 12 rebounds) and Charles Odum (16 points, seven rebounds); and solid efforts from a couple of role players, Lateef McMullan (14 points, four assists, and Renado Parker (13 points, nine rebounds off the bench). More or less, this is what they have done all season long.
Montana State came out of the gate playing pretty well because of their defense. They ran multiple zone looks, and it confused the Vikings early. PSU turned the ball over often early on, and MSU was able to get some easy baskets. That was big for them, and it was an eight point deficit at the break, as the Viks were unable to create a ton of separation in the first half.
However, PSU began to figure out the zone in the second half, and Montana State simply didn't have the weapons to respond. They needed a big day from Shawn Reid, but he was held to four points on 2/10 shooting. Simply put, the Bobcats were unable to consistently get good looks from their half-court offense. They weren't hitting anything from the outside (3/16 threes), and they weren't able to aggressively attack the rim (11 free throws). They simply didn't have the personnel to score effectively or consistently in the half court offense, and once they stopped forcing turnovers, PSU ran away from them.
It ends a disappointing season for Montana State. After a 6-2 start to the Big Sky season, their world ends with a whimper. Montana State fans have seen this movie before, and I am not sure how much longer they will tolerate it. Obviously we will look at everything more in depth in the offseason, but safe to say Brad Huse probably doesn't head into next season feeling too comfortable about job security.
For Portland State, the dream lives on. They get Weber State in a neutral court game, and if they can find a way to slow down Damian Lillard (who has torched them this season), they will have a chance. They have the offensive talent, it is all about digging in defensively. They will meet on 5:30pm Tuesday night, in what should be an outstanding game.
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Friday, March 2, 2012
Montana State @ Portland State Quarterfinal Preview and Prediction
The Big Sky Tournament is finally upon us! On Saturday, there will be two quarterfinal games being played. In the three vs six matchup, we will see Montana State travel to take on Portland State. Let's break it down and offer up a prediction.
PREVIOUS MATCHUPS
You wouldn't guess this, but it has been Montana State that has swept the season series. They beat Portland State 86-73 in late December, and then 70-65 in late January.
BACKCOURT
Portland State is led by all-conference player Charles Odum, who is second in the conference in scoring. He is an excellent offensive player, and he shoots 62% from inside the arc, an astounding number for a 6'0'' guard. He is a master at getting in the lane and to the line, where he has shot more than seven FTs per game (making 83% of them). He is flanked by Lateef McMullan, who struggled early in the year but has had some nice moments. They need more consistent play from him, but he is capable of producing. Michael Harthun is in the wing spot, and he has been a quietly efficient player. He shoots 43% from downtown, and doesn't take much off the table.
Montana State has been hurt by attrition. Jamie Stewart was academically ineligible, and of course Xavier Blount got injured in an off-court incident. That has stretched their depth. Rod Singleton is their (much-maligned, by fans) senior leader and PG, but he turns it over more than he gets assists. Shawn Reid has stepped into the lineup in Blount's absense and been probably their best player over the last month. He is a guy they look to as their go-to scorer. Christian Moon is a nice outside shooter, but he has been slumping a bit. If he starts to hit some shots, they will have a chance.
EDGE: I give the edge to Portland State simply because they have Charles Odum. He is a difference-maker.
FRONTCOURT
MSU usually starts Mohammed Fall and Tre Johnson in the post, two guys that have different skill sets. Fall is an athletic guy, solid defender and rebounder, and a guy that cleans up on the offensive glass with putbacks. He is one of the best shot blockers in the conference, and a guy that can cause teams problems down low. Tre Johnson is more offensive minded, and is a little bit better at creating shots.
For PSU, they are led by Chehales Tapscott, another first teamer and probably the best frontcourt player in the Big Sky. He does it all for the Viks. He is a solid scorer, the best rebounder in the Big Sky, one of the best shot blockers, and also gets his fair share of steals. He is a fun guy to watch, and the conference will miss him. He is joined in the frontcourt by Nate Lozeau, a guy that started out the year very strong, but has had less of impact as the season has gone on. Still, he is a big man that rebounds and shoots a very nice percentage.
EDGE: I give Portland State a slight edge in this one, because Tapscott is just that good.
BENCH
Portland State has the best bench player in the game and one of the best in the conference in Renado Parker, an adept scorer and rebounder. He has a chance to be a 15/8 player next year and forms a formidable offensive duo with Tapscott. Gary Winston has been a nice player in the backcourt for them, showing a nice outside touch. He is a likely starter next year and can be a solid bench player for them.
Montana State, as we've said, struggles with depth because of their personnel losses. Mike Dison is their lone backcourt sub that gets a lot of time, but he struggles to make an impact as a freshman. In the frontcourt, Jeff Budinich is a nice player. He has a sneaky solid outside shot, and his high release means he can get shots off almost whenever he wants. Jourdain Allou is a solid, athletic big that is a good offensive rebounder and efficient scorer.
EDGE: This one is too close to call, so I will say even. Each team has one or two guys that can make plays off the bench, but they are not very deep. The starters will decide this game.
WHO WINS
These are two teams trending in opposite directions. The Vikings have won six straight conference games, while the Bobcats have won once in their last nine games. As I have been saying (including on a podcast with Gidal), MSU relies heavily on Shawn Reid and Christian Moon for their scoring, but they are not necessarily ready for those roles.
Portland State, meanwhile, is well defined in that they have their two stars (Odum and Tapscott), and then everyone else falls in after that. They will be the two best players on the court, and combined with the fact that this game is in Portland, I like the Vikings to win this game.
PORTLAND STATE 80, MONTANA STATE 70
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PREVIOUS MATCHUPS
You wouldn't guess this, but it has been Montana State that has swept the season series. They beat Portland State 86-73 in late December, and then 70-65 in late January.
Portland State is led by all-conference player Charles Odum, who is second in the conference in scoring. He is an excellent offensive player, and he shoots 62% from inside the arc, an astounding number for a 6'0'' guard. He is a master at getting in the lane and to the line, where he has shot more than seven FTs per game (making 83% of them). He is flanked by Lateef McMullan, who struggled early in the year but has had some nice moments. They need more consistent play from him, but he is capable of producing. Michael Harthun is in the wing spot, and he has been a quietly efficient player. He shoots 43% from downtown, and doesn't take much off the table.
Montana State has been hurt by attrition. Jamie Stewart was academically ineligible, and of course Xavier Blount got injured in an off-court incident. That has stretched their depth. Rod Singleton is their (much-maligned, by fans) senior leader and PG, but he turns it over more than he gets assists. Shawn Reid has stepped into the lineup in Blount's absense and been probably their best player over the last month. He is a guy they look to as their go-to scorer. Christian Moon is a nice outside shooter, but he has been slumping a bit. If he starts to hit some shots, they will have a chance.
EDGE: I give the edge to Portland State simply because they have Charles Odum. He is a difference-maker.
MSU usually starts Mohammed Fall and Tre Johnson in the post, two guys that have different skill sets. Fall is an athletic guy, solid defender and rebounder, and a guy that cleans up on the offensive glass with putbacks. He is one of the best shot blockers in the conference, and a guy that can cause teams problems down low. Tre Johnson is more offensive minded, and is a little bit better at creating shots.
For PSU, they are led by Chehales Tapscott, another first teamer and probably the best frontcourt player in the Big Sky. He does it all for the Viks. He is a solid scorer, the best rebounder in the Big Sky, one of the best shot blockers, and also gets his fair share of steals. He is a fun guy to watch, and the conference will miss him. He is joined in the frontcourt by Nate Lozeau, a guy that started out the year very strong, but has had less of impact as the season has gone on. Still, he is a big man that rebounds and shoots a very nice percentage.
EDGE: I give Portland State a slight edge in this one, because Tapscott is just that good.
BENCH
Portland State has the best bench player in the game and one of the best in the conference in Renado Parker, an adept scorer and rebounder. He has a chance to be a 15/8 player next year and forms a formidable offensive duo with Tapscott. Gary Winston has been a nice player in the backcourt for them, showing a nice outside touch. He is a likely starter next year and can be a solid bench player for them.
Montana State, as we've said, struggles with depth because of their personnel losses. Mike Dison is their lone backcourt sub that gets a lot of time, but he struggles to make an impact as a freshman. In the frontcourt, Jeff Budinich is a nice player. He has a sneaky solid outside shot, and his high release means he can get shots off almost whenever he wants. Jourdain Allou is a solid, athletic big that is a good offensive rebounder and efficient scorer.
EDGE: This one is too close to call, so I will say even. Each team has one or two guys that can make plays off the bench, but they are not very deep. The starters will decide this game.
WHO WINS
These are two teams trending in opposite directions. The Vikings have won six straight conference games, while the Bobcats have won once in their last nine games. As I have been saying (including on a podcast with Gidal), MSU relies heavily on Shawn Reid and Christian Moon for their scoring, but they are not necessarily ready for those roles.
Portland State, meanwhile, is well defined in that they have their two stars (Odum and Tapscott), and then everyone else falls in after that. They will be the two best players on the court, and combined with the fact that this game is in Portland, I like the Vikings to win this game.
PORTLAND STATE 80, MONTANA STATE 70
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Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Damian Lillard is the Big Sky POW
It's deja vu all over again.
For the fifth time this season, Damian Lillard has been named the Big Sky POW. It is no surprise, as he had an incredible past two games.
Other candidates were: Cliff Ederaine (EWU), Kenny McGowen (ISU), Kareem Jamar (MT), Jourdaine Allou (MSU), Tate Unruh (UNC), Charles Odum (PSU), Joe Eberhard (CSUS)
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For the fifth time this season, Damian Lillard has been named the Big Sky POW. It is no surprise, as he had an incredible past two games.
The 6-foot-3 junior guard from Oakland, Calif., averaged 37.5 points, five assists, two rebounds and one steal per game as the Wildcats earned home wins over Portland State and Northern Colorado. Lillard shot 69.7 percent from the field, 64.7 percent from 3-point range, and 70 percent from the free-throw line. He also scored his 1,700th career point and moved into 12th place on the Big Sky’s all-time scoring list.Certainly very well deserved. Lillard was also named Andy Katz of ESPN's Co-Player of the Week.
Other candidates were: Cliff Ederaine (EWU), Kenny McGowen (ISU), Kareem Jamar (MT), Jourdaine Allou (MSU), Tate Unruh (UNC), Charles Odum (PSU), Joe Eberhard (CSUS)
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Sunday, February 5, 2012
Big Sky Weekend Recap
With four more games on Saturday, a quick look at everything that went on in the Big Sky.
The biggest storyline in the Big Sky is that Weber State and Montana continue to be neck and neck, both looking to grab hold of the regular season conference title and the all-important home-court advantage in the conference tournament that comes along with it.
Nationally, the biggest story will continue to be Damian Lillard, as he followed up a 40 point effort on Thursday by scoring 35 points against Northern Colorado, as Weber State won 92-81. The Wildcats led throughout the game, leading by as many as 26 points in the second half. Lillard was against extremely efficient, shooting 12/18 from the field, including 5/9 from the charity stripe. He also had 5 assists, 3 rebounds, and 3 steals. It was the seventh time this season that he is over 30 points in a game, and he is now at 25.5 PPG per game.
After the game, BJ Hill uttered the line that has so often been said of great players, "You're not going to stop him; you have to try the best you can to contain him."
Also in double figures were Scott Bamforth (again) with 18, Gelaun Wheelwright with an efficient 11, and Byron Fulton with 10. Northern Colorado also had five guys in double figures. With the win, WSU is now 10-1 in the Big Sky and clinched a spot in the conference tournament (not that there was any doubt), while Northern Colorado falls to 4-7, still a game out of conference tournament contention. With their schedule, the odds are suddenly looking long that they will participate in postseason play.
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The other guys with one loss had a big game of their own, as Montana handled their intra-state rival, taking down Montana State 67-58. The Grizzlies built up a nine point halftime lead, but MSU cut it to three with 4:33 to play. After that, the Grizzlies closed strong, outscoring the Bobcats 11-5 the rest of the way.
Montana won despite Derek Selvig, Art Steward and Will Cherry (21 mins) getting in some foul trouble. The star was Kareem Jamar, who continues to grow into one of the best players in the conference and a possible first-teamer. He finished with 21 points (including 4 treys) and 3 assists, stepping up big-time when Cherry was out of the game. Selvig also had 15 points and 5 rebounds.
More than anything, Montana won by shutting down the outside shot of MSU. Their offense can rely heavily on hitting the three ball, but they were just 2/16 in this game. Jourdain Allou led the team with 15 points. The story of the game for the Bobcats was basically this:
Xavier Blount: 2/12 FG, 0/5 3pt, 4 points
Christian Moon: 3/10 FGm 2/7 3pt, 8 points
Shawn Reid: 2/10 FG, 0/5 3pt, 9 points
To beat good teams, they need two of those three guys to play well offensively, and it just didn't happen in this game. They are now 6-5, traveling to take on a suddenly hot Sacramento State team and Northern Colorado. With six conference wins it is difficult to see them missing the Big Sky tournament, but certainly not impossible.
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Sacramento State got their third straight win, improving to 3-8 in the Big Sky after starting 0-8. They did it by going on the road and beating Eastern Washington. Their first two conference wins (against NAU and UNC) were nice, but this one is legitimately a very nice win. The Hornets got off to a big start, and led by 19 at the break.
They continued to lead by 18 midway through the second half, when Eastern Washington finally woke up. They went on an 11-0 run to cut the lead to seven with four minutes to play, but the Hornets hit free throw after free throw to secure the win. EWU cut the lead to three with 35 seconds left, the Hornets then went 9/10 from the stripe, culminating with freshman Dylan Garrity burying two with two seconds left for the final points of the day. Joe Eberhard led the team with 21 points, while John Dickson threw in 20. Cliff Colimon led the Eagles with 25 points, but they were only able to get 10 unproductive minutes from leading scorer Collin Chiverton.
The win was big in that the Hornets got a road win against a team they are chasing for that last tournament spot. They sit two behind Eastern Washington and Portland State.
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The Vikings took care of business with a road win over Northern Arizona, beating the Lumberjacks by the score of 76-65, in a game that wasn't even that close. Charles Odum led the way with 20 points on just 11 shots, while the Viks had four other players in double figures.
NAU got good performances form Ephraim Ekanem (18 and 8) and Gaellan Bewernick (12 and 10), but not a lot of help from everyone else. The rest of the team shot just 15/39 from the field.
Portland State now moves to 5-6 in the Big Sky, tied with EWU for the fifth spot. Northern Arizona falls to 1-11 in the Big Sky. They are not yet mathematically eliminated, but I am afraid it is only a matter of time.
What were everyone's thoughts on what happened?
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The biggest storyline in the Big Sky is that Weber State and Montana continue to be neck and neck, both looking to grab hold of the regular season conference title and the all-important home-court advantage in the conference tournament that comes along with it.
After the game, BJ Hill uttered the line that has so often been said of great players, "You're not going to stop him; you have to try the best you can to contain him."
Also in double figures were Scott Bamforth (again) with 18, Gelaun Wheelwright with an efficient 11, and Byron Fulton with 10. Northern Colorado also had five guys in double figures. With the win, WSU is now 10-1 in the Big Sky and clinched a spot in the conference tournament (not that there was any doubt), while Northern Colorado falls to 4-7, still a game out of conference tournament contention. With their schedule, the odds are suddenly looking long that they will participate in postseason play.
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Montana won despite Derek Selvig, Art Steward and Will Cherry (21 mins) getting in some foul trouble. The star was Kareem Jamar, who continues to grow into one of the best players in the conference and a possible first-teamer. He finished with 21 points (including 4 treys) and 3 assists, stepping up big-time when Cherry was out of the game. Selvig also had 15 points and 5 rebounds.
More than anything, Montana won by shutting down the outside shot of MSU. Their offense can rely heavily on hitting the three ball, but they were just 2/16 in this game. Jourdain Allou led the team with 15 points. The story of the game for the Bobcats was basically this:
Xavier Blount: 2/12 FG, 0/5 3pt, 4 points
Christian Moon: 3/10 FGm 2/7 3pt, 8 points
Shawn Reid: 2/10 FG, 0/5 3pt, 9 points
To beat good teams, they need two of those three guys to play well offensively, and it just didn't happen in this game. They are now 6-5, traveling to take on a suddenly hot Sacramento State team and Northern Colorado. With six conference wins it is difficult to see them missing the Big Sky tournament, but certainly not impossible.
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They continued to lead by 18 midway through the second half, when Eastern Washington finally woke up. They went on an 11-0 run to cut the lead to seven with four minutes to play, but the Hornets hit free throw after free throw to secure the win. EWU cut the lead to three with 35 seconds left, the Hornets then went 9/10 from the stripe, culminating with freshman Dylan Garrity burying two with two seconds left for the final points of the day. Joe Eberhard led the team with 21 points, while John Dickson threw in 20. Cliff Colimon led the Eagles with 25 points, but they were only able to get 10 unproductive minutes from leading scorer Collin Chiverton.
The win was big in that the Hornets got a road win against a team they are chasing for that last tournament spot. They sit two behind Eastern Washington and Portland State.
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NAU got good performances form Ephraim Ekanem (18 and 8) and Gaellan Bewernick (12 and 10), but not a lot of help from everyone else. The rest of the team shot just 15/39 from the field.
Portland State now moves to 5-6 in the Big Sky, tied with EWU for the fifth spot. Northern Arizona falls to 1-11 in the Big Sky. They are not yet mathematically eliminated, but I am afraid it is only a matter of time.
What were everyone's thoughts on what happened?
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Friday, February 3, 2012
The Return of the Damian Lillard Show
For the last few games, Damian Lillard had merely been very good, as opposed to the All-American level he played at earlier in the year. On Thursday night, he returned to that All-American level.
Lillard finished with 40 points in Weber State's 92-79 win over Portland State, and it seemed like he was simply not going to allow them to lose. He was 13/18 from the field (and that was AFTER he missed his final three shots), 6/8 from downtown, and 8/10 from the FT line. He also finished with five assists against two turnovers.
It was about as efficient of a performance as you can get. In two games against the Vikings this year, Lillard is averaging 39 PPG. It is safe to say that he owns them. As PSU writer Mike Lund put it, the Viks will not be sad to see him go if he leaves for the NBA Draft. Lillard is first NCAA player this season to score 40+ points in two games this year.
The game wasn't all about Lillard though, as Scott Bamforth also chipped in 16 points, including some big early threes. Seven other guys scored between 3 and 8 points, showing they are getting some contributions from everyone. It really showcased how deep they can be.
For Portland State, Charles Odum continued his stellar and efficient season, scoring 26 points on 9/12 shooting. From the guard spot he excels at getting into the lane for easy baskets. Chehales Tapscott had 15 and 8, and kept them in it early. Gary Winston had 14 to chip in.
With the win, Weber State improves to 9-1 in the Big Sky, a half game ahead of Montana. Portland State drops to 4-6, and is now tied with Northern Colorado for that all-important sixth spot. The Wildcats also re-established themselves as the team most dangerous from the Big Sky if they make it in the tournament, thanks to the presence of one Damian Lillard.
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Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Thursday Night Big Sky Preview (Part 2)
Earlier we started our Big Sky preview for the four games on Thursday night, and now let's take a look at the last two.
Montana State @ Portland State
How MSU can win: They are a very balanced team, as noted by Gidal Kaiser, and that is key to their success. They don't have a star (though Xavier Blount can play like one at times), and so having multiple guys step up is critical to their success. Another key is to keep PSU out of the lane. They are efficient at getting easy shots, so they need to force PSU into jumpshots.
How PSU can win: Guard the three. MSU does not have a lot of consistent inside scorers, and they rely on the outside shot and their guard play to score points. If PSU can take that away, they have a great chance. MSU made 13 threes last week against Northern Colorado, so stopping that should be high on their priority list. The other thing is to be aggressive and get to the line. That has been key to PSU's offensive success this year - they get to the line a lot and they are good foul shooters when they get there.
Who will win: Montana State won the first meeting between these teams, but PSU is a better team at home than they are on the road (not a surprise). In Portland, I think they are the better team. MSU will have trouble slowing them down, particularly with the roll that Charles Odum is on. PORTLAND STATE 81, MONTANA STATE 74
Weber State @ Sacramento State
How WSU can win: Simply put, avoid making big mistakes, and just play their game. Weber State is clearly the better and more talented team, and as long as they can avoid turning the ball over often and making boneheaded plays, they will win this game.
How Sac State can win: They have not been great about making threes this year, but that can be a big equalizer in games like this. They need to hit some outside shots to keep pace with WSU. If they can force some turnovers, that will be key as well. The other thing is to slow the game down. WSU is great at forcing turnovers and getting easy baskets, and that is something that the Hornets cannot allow. Weber State's offense is potent enough, any easy baskets you give them, and it is going to make it very tough to pull the upset.
Who will win: Sacramento State has shown they can stay in some games against better competition, but I don't believe they have the firepower or the confidence to win this game. Damian Lillard should have a field day, and he has been getting a lot of help lately from Scott Bamforth and Kyle Tresnak. It will be too much for Sac State to contend with. WEBER STATE 82, SACRAMENTO STATE 61
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How MSU can win: They are a very balanced team, as noted by Gidal Kaiser, and that is key to their success. They don't have a star (though Xavier Blount can play like one at times), and so having multiple guys step up is critical to their success. Another key is to keep PSU out of the lane. They are efficient at getting easy shots, so they need to force PSU into jumpshots.
How PSU can win: Guard the three. MSU does not have a lot of consistent inside scorers, and they rely on the outside shot and their guard play to score points. If PSU can take that away, they have a great chance. MSU made 13 threes last week against Northern Colorado, so stopping that should be high on their priority list. The other thing is to be aggressive and get to the line. That has been key to PSU's offensive success this year - they get to the line a lot and they are good foul shooters when they get there.
Who will win: Montana State won the first meeting between these teams, but PSU is a better team at home than they are on the road (not a surprise). In Portland, I think they are the better team. MSU will have trouble slowing them down, particularly with the roll that Charles Odum is on. PORTLAND STATE 81, MONTANA STATE 74
How WSU can win: Simply put, avoid making big mistakes, and just play their game. Weber State is clearly the better and more talented team, and as long as they can avoid turning the ball over often and making boneheaded plays, they will win this game.
How Sac State can win: They have not been great about making threes this year, but that can be a big equalizer in games like this. They need to hit some outside shots to keep pace with WSU. If they can force some turnovers, that will be key as well. The other thing is to slow the game down. WSU is great at forcing turnovers and getting easy baskets, and that is something that the Hornets cannot allow. Weber State's offense is potent enough, any easy baskets you give them, and it is going to make it very tough to pull the upset.
Who will win: Sacramento State has shown they can stay in some games against better competition, but I don't believe they have the firepower or the confidence to win this game. Damian Lillard should have a field day, and he has been getting a lot of help lately from Scott Bamforth and Kyle Tresnak. It will be too much for Sac State to contend with. WEBER STATE 82, SACRAMENTO STATE 61
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Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Charles Odum Named Big Sky POW Again
Damian Lillard has some competition for most Big Sky POW awards this year. For the second straight week, Charles Odum of Portland State has been named the conference Player of the Week.
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Odum scored a career-high 29 points with four rebounds, two assists and a steal in an 80-68 win over Idaho State on Monday. Odum connected on 10-of-18 from the floor, was 3-of-5 from 3-point range, and 6-of-7 from the free-throw line.Other candidates were: Tremayne Johnson (EWU), Chase Grabau (ISU), Will Cherry (MT), Tre Johnson (MSU), Michael Dunn (NAU), Mike Proctor (UNC), and Kyle Tresnak (WSU)
Odum scored 20 points with four rebounds, two steals and one assists in the Vikings’ 78-76 overtime win at Eastern Washington on Saturday. With the game tied at 76-76, Odum hit the game-winning shot with two seconds remaining on a contested 12-footer in the lane.
Odum ranks second in the Big Sky and 35th in the nation in scoring with an average of 18.3 points per game. In conference play, Odum is netting 21.1 points per game and shooting 59.7 percent from the field.
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Sunday, January 22, 2012
Charles Odum The Hero As Portland State Beats Eastern Washington
I thought that the game between Portland State and Eastern Washington would be the best game of Saturday night, and it proved me right. In a game that was tight throughout, Portland State won 78-76 in overtime.
Near the end of regulation, Portland State had the ball, trailing by three (in part thanks to a missed free throw by EWU). They found guard Lateef McMullan, who nailed a three from the corner and got fouled (but missed the free throw, robbing the Big Sky of potentially have two game-winning four point plays within one week). On the ensuing possession, Tremayne Johnson drove to the hoop, but had his shot blocked by Chehales Tapscott, sending the game to extra minutes.
In overtime, the drama continued. Late in the game, it was Eastern Washington trailing by three, taking the ball out from under their basket with about 35 seconds left. EWU ran a nice play to get Collin Chiverton free, and he banked in a three from the wing with 30 seconds to play. Portland State did not call timeout, and they simply ran the clock down, and ran a four-low isolation play for Charles Odum, who got into the lane and hit a 12 footer with 2 seconds left. The Eagles got a desperation attempt up, but Odum's shot was the game-winner.
Odum finished with 20 points, but he was just one hero among a few for the Vikings. Chehales Tapscott had 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 blocks, and made tons of big plays. Lateef McMullan hit the big three at the end of regulation, and finished with 18 points on the game. His emergence becoming a reliable offensive threat has made the team that much more dangerous.
At some point you have to stop looking at the refs and start looking in the mirror.
Suddenly, EWU is sitting at 3-4 in the Big Sky with Montana and Montana State coming to town. They desperately need some wins, especially with Idaho State playing better and better. For Portland State, they are 4-3 and host Montana State on Thursday. With a win, they will be tied for third in the conference.
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Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Charles Odum Named Big Sky POW
Charles Odum has broken Damian Lillard's streak! Odum was named the Big Sky Player of the Week for his performance against Northern Colorado in a road win.
Other candidates were: Collin Chiverton (Eastern Washington), Kenny McGowen (Idaho State), Kareem Jamar (Montana), Shawn Reid (Montana State), Mike Proctor (Northern Colorado), and Scott Bamforth (Weber State).
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Odum, a 6-foot, 205-pound senior guard from Lakewood, Calif, scored 22 points with five assists and four rebounds as the Vikings beat Northern Colorado 86-75 on Thursday, Jan. 12, to record their first road win of the season. Odum made 7-of-9 field goals, was 4-of-6 from 3-point range, and 4-of-5 from the free-throw line. It was his sixth 20-point game of the year.Odum is averaging a solid 17.2 PPG this year.
Other candidates were: Collin Chiverton (Eastern Washington), Kenny McGowen (Idaho State), Kareem Jamar (Montana), Shawn Reid (Montana State), Mike Proctor (Northern Colorado), and Scott Bamforth (Weber State).
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Portland State Evens Big Sky Record
After Idaho State's thrilling comeback over Sacramento State on Saturday, they had a lot of confidence.They started out this game playing well, jumping out to a 9-2 lead, and it looked like they may have found some magic. However, Portland State regained their composure, kept it close for a while, and then made a big second half run, eventually winning 70-62.
The star for the Vikings was guard Charles Odum, who finished with a career-high 29 points. As has been the case most of the season, it was an efficient scoring output, as he was 10/18 from the field (including 3/5 from downtown) and 6/7 from the stripe. Off the heels of being named Big Sky Player of the Week, he had an impressive outing.
Chehales Tapscott also filled the stat sheet for the Vikings as usual. He had an efficient 15 points, six rebounds, five steals, and four blocks. There is no doubt that he is one of the more versatile guys in the nation. Lateef McMullan and Renado Parker also contributed with 10 points each in the win.
For Idaho State, they didn't play too poorly, they just didn't have the firepower. Chase Grabau continued his excellent senior season with 18 points, eight rebounds, and four assists, and Kenny McGowen also chipped in 20. However, they just didn't have the talent to keep pace with the Vikings on their home court.
Portland State moves to 9-9 on the year, 3-3 in the Big Sky, while Idaho State drops to 4-14 and 2-4 in the Big Sky. PSU will take on Eastern Washington on Saturday in what should be a fantastic matchup, as both teams currently sit tied for fifth in the Big Sky.
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Friday, January 13, 2012
Portland State Tops Northern Colorado
In a game between two of the best offenses in the Big Sky, Portland State was able to come to Greeley and get a huge road win over Northern Colorado, beating the Bears 86-75. The Vikings jumped out to a 49-36 halftime lead and never let go in the second half, improving to 2-3 in the Big Sky.
Interestingly, the Vikings have relied on getting inside all year, but they won this game with their outside shooting.
Portland State entered the game as the best shooting team in the Big Sky Conference at .480 from the field, but the worst three-point shooting team in the Big Sky at .292. The most threes the Vikings had made in any game all season was seven. But they reached that mark within the first 15 minutes and made 13 for the night. PSU shot .619 from distance and .617 overall.They got a great effort from the guards tonight, as all of them were rolling. Charles Odum had 22 points (7/9 shooting, 2/4 3PT), Lateef McMullan had the best game of his Division I career with 20 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds. Michael Harthun threw in 18 points, and Gary Winston even threw in 11 points (and 3 threes) off the bench. It was a group effort, and the potent offense shows the rest of the Big Sky that they are still capable of beating anyone.
Northern Colorado was simply above average offensively, which unfortunately for them was not enough to get it done. They had great balance, as both Mike Proctor and Connor Osborne led the way with 16 points. Surprising that UNC was able to control the inside. Elliott Lloyd (13) and Tevin Svihovec (11) were also in double figures for the Bears.
With the win, PSU has some momentum, and are showing that they might be able to fulfill some of that preseason promise. UNC lost, but they can't be too discouraged after this one (except maybe with their defensive effort). They ran into a team that made 13/21 from downtown even though they aren't much of an outside shooting team. They should be okay as well.
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Thursday, January 5, 2012
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Montana State Beats Portland State, Moves To 1-1
Montana State had been struggling a bit offensively, but they found out something I think a few times will find out this year - a game against Portland State cures some offensive ills.
The Bobcats hit their first 9 shots en route to an 86-74 victory at home over the Vikings, improving to 1-1 in conference play, dropping PSU to 0-2. For the game, MSU shot 53%, including knocking down 9 threes. Xavier Blount got back to being their go-to guy, scoring 24 points and showing a lot of good aggressiveness. He got the line 10 times, which shows he was going to the hoop often in this game.
Christian Moon is showing he might be the best 6th man in the Big Sky, as he finished with a cool 21 points on 6/8 from downtown. He is challenging Scott Bamforth to be considered the best shooter in the conference at this point. He keeps getting better and better. Other Bobcats in double figures were Shawn Reid (14) and Mohammed Fall (12).
For the Vikings, Charles Odum continued his extremely efficient year, as he had 20 points on 7/8 shooting. He has been an excellent scorer for them this year, as he has a knack for getting into the lane. Chehales Tapscott had an excellent day as well, with 15 and 11.
For PSU, the story of the game (and their season so far) could be found in the game notes on PSU's website. In their last seven games, the Vikings have given up an average of 88 points per game, and their opponents are shooting 52% from the floor. It doesn't matter how good your offense is (and make no mistake, PSU has some good talent), that tough of defensive deficiency is hard to overcome.
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The Bobcats hit their first 9 shots en route to an 86-74 victory at home over the Vikings, improving to 1-1 in conference play, dropping PSU to 0-2. For the game, MSU shot 53%, including knocking down 9 threes. Xavier Blount got back to being their go-to guy, scoring 24 points and showing a lot of good aggressiveness. He got the line 10 times, which shows he was going to the hoop often in this game.
Christian Moon is showing he might be the best 6th man in the Big Sky, as he finished with a cool 21 points on 6/8 from downtown. He is challenging Scott Bamforth to be considered the best shooter in the conference at this point. He keeps getting better and better. Other Bobcats in double figures were Shawn Reid (14) and Mohammed Fall (12).
For the Vikings, Charles Odum continued his extremely efficient year, as he had 20 points on 7/8 shooting. He has been an excellent scorer for them this year, as he has a knack for getting into the lane. Chehales Tapscott had an excellent day as well, with 15 and 11.
For PSU, the story of the game (and their season so far) could be found in the game notes on PSU's website. In their last seven games, the Vikings have given up an average of 88 points per game, and their opponents are shooting 52% from the floor. It doesn't matter how good your offense is (and make no mistake, PSU has some good talent), that tough of defensive deficiency is hard to overcome.
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Thursday, December 29, 2011
Montana Holds Court Over Portland State
Montana shot 58% in the first half (including 7/9 from beyond the arc), which enabled them to get a 19 point lead going into the break. Portland State had a couple solid runs in the second half to cut the deficit down a bit, but they never really made it too interesting.
Kareem Jamar led the team with 17 points, also contributing 4 rebounds and 4 assists. He had a couple of great looks that led the easy baskets for the Griz, and he is really growing to be a great playmaker for them. The announcers of the game were heaping a lot of praise on Jamar near the end of the game, and it was hard to argue with anything. He is very talented offensively, and very advanced for being a sophomore.
Will Cherry also played well, with 15 points, including knocking down some outside shots, which is huge for him. He also had the play of the day... on a fast break, he threw up a beautiful alley oop that was completed by Art Steward (who also had 15) for an athletic finish (highlights can be found here). Cherry had a cramp later in the game, but should be fine for Friday. Cherry opposing Lateef McMullan (0/7, 0 points) was a huge mismatch in this game.
Derek Selvig and Eric Hutchison did not contribute a bunch offensively, but they were very sound defensively against a strong offensive frontcourt of PSU. In particular they played outstanding defense against Nate Lozeau.
It will not be a game Lozeau will want to remember. Coming into the day he was shooting 64%, but he was just 1/8 from the floor for 4 points and 3 rebounds, while also battling foul trouble. Chehales Tapscott didn't do much better offensively with 7 points, but he did have 12 rebounds and is just very active on the glass. Renado Parker had another great effort (16 points, 8 rebounds), and is one heck of a player down low, but it was not enough.
The bright spot for PSU was Charles Odum, who had a very efficient 27 points, taking only 13 shots. He got to the line well, and got into the lane for some easy shots. He is really an excellent player, though some of the points did come in garbage time.
Montana came out firing and played great, setting up an early season game against Eastern Washington to determine who will be #2 in the perception of those following the league. Meanwhile, PSU falls to 0-7 on the road this year, and has to turn around in 2 days to take on Montana State. It is a win they could definitely use.
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Friday, December 23, 2011
Three Other Big Sky Teams Fall Thursday
We looked at Sacramento State's loss last night, but three other Big Sky teams fell on Thursday night, leaving some bad tastes in their mouth heading into the Christmas break (soon hopefully to be filled by the taste of a delicious Christmas dinner).
Portland State continued their trend of mixing a great offensive performance with a bad defensive one, as they fell 92-86 to Cal State Fullerton. Amazingly, it was the fourth time in five games that Portland State has given up 85 points in a game, which is something that Tyler Geving needs to clean up. The Titans shot 49% from the field and made 11 three-pointers in this game.
PSU had a stellar offensive game in their own right, finishing with 6 guys in double figures. Charles Odum had another efficient game, finishing with 19 points. Chehales Tapscott also had a nice all-around day, with 12 points, 7 boards, and 6 assists. They are still not getting much play-making from Lateef McMullan, who had 14 points, but only 3 assists against 3 turnovers. They need him to get others involved.
Portland State is a team that doesn't force turnovers (they are absolutely one of the worst in America), and their defensive efficiency could soon be among the worst in the country. Their talent states that they should be one of the top 4 teams in the Big Sky, but to do so, they will need to get some steps at key moments in games, and they have yet to show that they are capable of that. One thing is for sure, they will be an exciting team, and you can bet that lots of points will be put on the board in their games.
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Northern Colorado took on Colorado State, a nice rivalry since the schools are about 20 minutes apart, but they simply could not stop the Rams on Thursday night, losing 92-78. Dorian Green for CSU had a career-high 36 points in this game, which boggles my mind a little bit.
It is not like Northern Colorado is void of good players, they are simply too young right now to get it done every night, as they have shown so far this season. They are a team that does not bring it defensively every night, and it shows. Offensively, they are their own worst enemy. They are an excellent outside shooting team but they turn the ball over a ton.
Their schedule has potentially set them up to get off to a quick start in conference play, as they begin with home games against Northern Arizona and Idaho State. Based on the way they have played this year, no outcome in these games would surprise me.
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Idaho State was hoping that the coaching change would provide a spark, but it did not such thing against Wyoming, as they fell 80-56. The loss drops the Bengals to 2-9, while Wyoming continues their quietly impressive year, improving to 12-2.
Kenny McGowen led the team with 23 points, while no other Bengal was in double figures.
Anything else you guys noticed from these three games?
Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball
Portland State continued their trend of mixing a great offensive performance with a bad defensive one, as they fell 92-86 to Cal State Fullerton. Amazingly, it was the fourth time in five games that Portland State has given up 85 points in a game, which is something that Tyler Geving needs to clean up. The Titans shot 49% from the field and made 11 three-pointers in this game.
Portland State is a team that doesn't force turnovers (they are absolutely one of the worst in America), and their defensive efficiency could soon be among the worst in the country. Their talent states that they should be one of the top 4 teams in the Big Sky, but to do so, they will need to get some steps at key moments in games, and they have yet to show that they are capable of that. One thing is for sure, they will be an exciting team, and you can bet that lots of points will be put on the board in their games.
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Northern Colorado took on Colorado State, a nice rivalry since the schools are about 20 minutes apart, but they simply could not stop the Rams on Thursday night, losing 92-78. Dorian Green for CSU had a career-high 36 points in this game, which boggles my mind a little bit.
"They're just not focused on [defense]. They just don't understand the importance of it," Hill said. "We have two guys in this program (Mike Proctor and Elliott Lloyd) who played any type of significant minutes on that team last year or the year before. I know Emmanuel [Addo] was on that team; I know Tate [Unruh] was on the team; I know Tevin [Svihovec] was around in practice. But unless you have a significant role in those seasons, you don't understand what it takes. And they don't understand right now. They have to be baptized and get it on their own, because that's what kids have to do.The loss drops UNC to 3-8, and there is some talk about how much the Bears struggled last season before going on a run in conference play, but this has the look of a much different ballclub.
It is not like Northern Colorado is void of good players, they are simply too young right now to get it done every night, as they have shown so far this season. They are a team that does not bring it defensively every night, and it shows. Offensively, they are their own worst enemy. They are an excellent outside shooting team but they turn the ball over a ton.
Their schedule has potentially set them up to get off to a quick start in conference play, as they begin with home games against Northern Arizona and Idaho State. Based on the way they have played this year, no outcome in these games would surprise me.
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Idaho State was hoping that the coaching change would provide a spark, but it did not such thing against Wyoming, as they fell 80-56. The loss drops the Bengals to 2-9, while Wyoming continues their quietly impressive year, improving to 12-2.
Kenny McGowen led the team with 23 points, while no other Bengal was in double figures.
“It was more of the same thing pretty much. We come out. We play through stretches for a while and then it just all goes kaput at some point. Offensively I told the team that I don't know if there is an offense we can scheme up to go out and make the shot for you. At some point you have to go out and make the play. We did pretty good defensively against them. We get them down to the shot clock at under 10 seconds I don't know how many times. They come off a ball screen and go make a play."Looking at the way things have ended in non-conference play, it is tough to make an argument that Idaho State will be anywhere but the cellar. They need to start getting full team efforts on both ends of the court, as they just can't seem to put a full game together.
Anything else you guys noticed from these three games?
Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball
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