Top Departing #5: Chase Grabau

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.

One of my favorite players to watch in the Big Sky this year was Chase Grabau for Idaho State. He was one of the most versatile guys in the conference, and really had some big games (especially during the Bengals nice win streak during the middle of the year).

He is not a guy that jumps out at you athletically or with any one skill. That is not his game. What he did well was everything... he was a solid and efficient scorer when needed, he rebounded well, was an above average passer, and he made things happen on the defensive end. Next to perhaps Portland State big man Chehales Tapscott, he was the premier stat-sheet stuffer in the conference.

He averaged 12.3 PPG, and did it nicely. He shot 58% from twos, and 37% from threes. He made 76% from the charity stripe, and shot over four per game. Simply put, he was a great complementary piece on offense (and occasional focal point), because defenses had to account for him at all times, and he did not take bad shots. His true shooting percentage was a stellar 61.9%.

He averaged 5.2 rebounds per game, with a 13.6 DR%. That is solid for a 6'5'' wing man. On a team without a lot of great rebounding big man, he was huge helping in this department. Another thing that the team lacked at times was guys that could generate offense for others, and he helped there also. He posted a 21.1 ARate, getting over three dimes per game. Defensively, he had almost two steals per game.

Grabau was never a guy that would overwhelm you or take over a game the way a guy like Damian Lillard did. But he was a guy that you knew every night what you were going to get. Even if he wasn't shooting the ball well, he would find ways to impact the game. On a team without much depth, Grabau was huge for them all year long.

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Idaho State @ Eastern Washington Quarterfinal Preview and Prediction

The Big Sky Tournament is finally upon us! On Saturday, there will be two quarterfinal games being played. In the four vs five matchup, we will see Idaho State travel to Cheney to take on Eastern Washington. Let's break it down.

PREVIOUS MATCHUPS
They actually have played twice in the past week. Last Thursday, Eastern Washington won 85-78 in Idaho, and on Tuesday night they won 77-64 in Cheney.

BACKCOURT
I look at this as the 1-2-3 positions for these teams. For Idaho State, they have two Big Sky second teamers in Chase Grabau and Kenny McGowen. Grabau is a do it all guy that has been one of the most versatile players in the conference. He gets to the line, is very efficient offensively, is a very good passer, and can even stretch the floor. Defensively, he makes plays happen. Kenny McGowen has had some really big moments as well this year. He hasn't been an overly efficient player, but when he gets hot he can make teams pay. Rounding out the lineup is Melvin Morgan, who like McGowen is kind of a streaky player. When they are on, they can beat anyone in the conference.

EWU is led by first-teamer Cliff Colimon, who has been one of the best point guards in the Big Sky this year. He is a very solid passer, and can also put up 20 points on you. He gets to the line, and shoots well enough that you always have to account for him. Joining him in the backcourt is Jeffrey Forbes, who is unheralded but has a role on this team. He is a very solid defender, and again helps to keep defenses honest. Collin Chiverton has had an interesting season. He can be a bit of a ball stopper, but he does shoot 41% from downtown. He is the rare guy that may be wise to stop shooting so many twos, as he only makes 33% of them.

EDGE: I will cop out and call it even. Both backcourts are very streaky, with one guy (Colimon, Grabau) for each that really stands out.

FRONTCOURT
Eastern Washington starts two seniors up front, and both have been consistent, solid players for them. Cliff Ederaine is a bit more versatile, as he is a really good passer and surprisingly deft ballhandler for his size. Laron Griffin is a more traditional banger. He is a solid rebounder, and efficient offensive player around the hoop.

ISU's frontcourt is led by Abner Moreira, one of the best rebounder and interior defenders in the Big Sky. He doesn't add a whole lot offensively, but he sets the standard for toughness for the Bengals. He is flanked by Andre Hatchett, who is only 6'4'' but plays a lot of minutes in the frontcourt.

EDGE: Eastern Washington has the decided frontcourt edge.

BENCH
Idaho State has struggled with a thin bench all year long, as their bench plays just 24.4% of the team's minutes, 301st in the country. Even more, not many of those guys have contributed. Sherrod Baldwin and Garrett Swanson can make some plays, but neither guy has really been a consistent player for them.

Eastern Washington gets 28.3% of their minutes from the bench, just 229th in the country, but they have a lot more talent and depth. Tremayne Johnson is a versatile forward that can step in at either spot. Jordan Hickert keeps teams honest with his shooting. Perhaps most importantly, Parker Kelly has developed into a big-time weapon for them off the bench, and has even been a guy they have looked for in crunch time. He has been one of the most pleasant surprises in the conference.

EDGE: Eastern Washington has better players off the bench, and more of them.

WHO WINS
The truism is that it is tough to beat a team three times in one season, and this is even more true if we are talking about three times in a nine day stretch. However, I simply think Eastern Washington is the better team. They are more athletic, they are better shooters, and they are deeper. Idaho State has had some nice moments this year, and you know they are going to come out thinking they can win, but I have a hard time seeing it.

One way to exploit EWU is by getting to the foul line, and that is not something ISU is very good at, as they are more of a jump shooting team. The Eagles are susceptible to losing at anytime, because they are so reliant on the three-point shot, but I think they have a lot more options and weapons than the Bengals. The third time will not be the charm for Idaho State.

EASTERN WASHINGTON 76, IDAHO STATE 67

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Thursday 2/23 Predictions (Part 2)

Yesterday we did the first part of our predictions for Thursday's games, and now it is time to take a look at the other two games that will be on tap.

Weber State @ Northern Colorado
This is a must-win game for the Bears, as a loss will make things very difficult for them to make the tournament. They have been playing pretty solid basketball lately, but they have lost a couple tough games that they had a great chance of winning. They need to take care of the ball, as that has been a big problem for them this season. It is not known for sure yet whether Tate Unruh will play, but I have a feeling that he will be on the court, which is a nice boost for the Bears.

For Weber State, they have to be careful not to look ahead to their finale against Montana. UNC is only 5-9 in conference, but they have a lot of talent and will have plenty of motivation. Damian Lillard should have a big day, because the Bears sometime struggle with athletic players. It will be interesting to see what types of defenses the teams play. Weber State had trouble with UT-Arlington's different looks, and the Bears have used the press effectively at times. The Bears have also struggled offensively to take care of the ball, so we may see more pressure from the Wildcats in this game. I think this will be a lot closer than people think, but Lillard is the difference. WEBER STATE 79, NORTHERN COLORADO 74

Eastern Washington @ Idaho State
This is perhaps the biggest game of the day. With a win, Idaho State can basically clinch a first-round home game, an idea that would have been unthinkable two months ago. Eastern Washington, on the other hand, still needs wins to guarantee that they make the Big Sky tournament.  They need Cliff Colimon and Collin Chiverton to both play well in the same game, which hasn't always happened for them this year. They will try to get up and down the court, as they are a little deeper than the Bengals and should be able to tire them out.

ISU got Chase Grabau back last game, and that is a huge boost for them. He is one of the most versatile guys in the league, and adds a lot to them on both sides of the ball. We know what he will bring, and Kenny McGowen has also been a consistent threat for them, but a key is Melvin Morgan. At his best, he is a dangerous offensive player with tons of range. When he's not at his best, he can turn the ball over and take bad shots.

This should be a tight game, but I think there is something positive about Idaho State this year. They seem to have more confidence than EWU does right now, which will serve them well at home. IDAHO STATE 72, EASTERN WASHINGTON 70

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Logjam in the Middle of the Big Sky

Before the night, in order for an optimal logjam in the middle of the Big Sky, you would have said two things needed to happen. One, Sacramento State would have to beat Montana State, which would move the Hornets closer to conference tournament play, and keep the Bobcats at six wins. The other thing would be for Portland State to beat Idaho State, since that would move both teams to 6-6 and tied with MSU for third place.

Check and check.

In the first game, it was Sacramento State getting their fourth win in a row, 86-76 over Montana State. They were led by freshman Dylan Garrity, who finished with a Sacramento State record of 16 assists (while also chipping in 14 points). He already led all freshmen in assists, and that number will only increase. It was a superb effort to be sure. He got help in those assists by guys knocking down guys, especially Joe Eberhard, who had 23 points, including going 5/5 from downtown. As a team, the Hornets were 11/19 from three point land.

For MSU, both Xavier Blount and Christian Moon were neutralized, and that usually spells trouble for the Bobcats. They were held to 15 points on 4/15 shooting, which makes it tough for them to win. Tre Johnson led the team with 17 points and 7 rebounds.

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In the other game, Portland State coasted to a relatively easy 67-54 win over Idaho State. They jumped out to an early 10 point lead, and that never dropped to below 7 the rest of the way.

Chehales Tapscott was the star, going for 15 points and 16 rebounds to help secure the road win. He was 7/11 from the line and just had a very nice all-around game. Charles Odum also contributed 18 points on just 9 shots.

Idaho State was playing without Chase Grabau. He got a concussion in the Montana game that was not discovered until after the team got back to Pocatello. He will likely be out on Saturday as well. An already thin team struggles to put up points with Grabau, who does a little bit of everything for the Bengals. Melvin Morgan led them with 18 points.

With these games, the middle of the Big Sky now looks like this:

Montana State: 6-6
Portland State: 6-6
Idaho State: 6-6
Eastern Washington: 5-6
Sacramento State: 4-8
Northern Colorado: 4-8

With four of those teams moving on to the conference tournament, it should be a fun couple of weeks.

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One-Minute Montana vs Idaho State Prediction

We are blessed with a big game in the Big Sky on Monday night, as second-ranked Montana hosts third-ranked Idaho State (in case you just woke up from a two month nap, that is not a typo -- Idaho State is alone in third place).

Both teams enter playing great basketball. The Grizzlies have won 5 in a row and 11 of their last 12, while the Bengals have won 4 in a row and 5 of their last 6. I'm not sure any team is playing with more confidence than ISU is at this moment.

One reason for ISU's resurgence is that they are playing loose, and with the attitude that they have nothing to lose. They are showing teams a full-court press look, and have not been afraid to fire from anywhere on the court. They have been averaging 10 made threes per game in their winning streak, and Kenny McGowen (AKA Mr. Clutch) is averaging 19.7 PPG in his last six, including two game-winners.

Montana, meanwhile is doing it on both sides of the court. They are once again the best defensive team in the conference (even after losing Brian Qvale), and they can hurt you a lot of different ways offensively. Kareem Jamar and Will Cherry is a very complete backcourt, that should have an edge over ISU.

The point spread in this game is 15.5 points, but I think it will be a lot closer than that. Idaho State is playing like they have nothing to lose, and they never seem to be out of a game. However, I think Montana is a little deeper, and they have answers for ISU's strengths. The key will be containing Chase Grabau... ISU needs him to have a huge day, but I think the Grizzlies will slow him down.

MONTANA 74, IDAHO STATE 67

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Kenny McGowen is Mr. Clutch

Within a week, Kenny McGowen has transformed from being a solid senior guard for Idaho State to a guy that the other team does not want to see with the ball in his hands late in the game.

Last Saturday he hit the buzzer beater to shock Weber State, and on Thursday night against Montana State, he was up to it again.

In regulation, it was McGowen that drained a 27 footer with 15 seconds left to give ISU a 77-75 lead. On the ensuing possession, Rod Singleton found Tre Johnson for a dunk, tying the game and eventually sending it into overtime. In the extra frame, with the Bengals trailing 86-85, it was McGowen that drove to the lane and scored a reverse layup with 10.3 seconds left to give ISU the 87-86 lead.

Then, it was almost MSU's chance for magic:

The Bobcats got a desperation last chance at the win: an inbounds play under their own basket with one-tenth of a second left in the game. Sophomore forward Tre Johnson, whose dunk with 4.2 seconds left took the game into overtime, rose up for the inbounds pass and tapped it toward the rim.

The ball went towards the orange cylinder, arcing ever so slightly. Then the Bobcats' golden egg broke as the ball hit the back of the rim and bounded out, giving the Bengals an 87-86 victory.

It ended a wild game in Bozeman that saw Idaho State open up a 20 point lead in the first half, MSU crawl back to have a five-point lead with 2:48 to go in regulation, and lead by as many as four in overtime. It was a back-and-forth, thrilling game, which has become the norm for Idaho State recently.

McGowen led the Bengals with 30 points, including making 7/14 from downtown. Chase Grabau chipped in 16 points, while Abner Moreira had 14 and 7.

For the Bobcats, they struggled at the line (20/31) and in getting stops at key moments. But they did have some players make big plays. Xavier Blount led the team with 24 points and 8 rebounds, while Christian Moon chipped in 22 points (and 6 treys), as he was excellent in the second half. Tre Johnson (11 and 9) and Jourdain Allou (13 and 12) had their names called very often, as they were active throughout the game.

Montana State falls to 11-10 overall, 6-4 in the Big Sky, while Idaho State improbably improves to 8-14 overall, and also 6-4 overall. The team that everyone thought would finish at the bottom of the Big Sky (myself included), has now won four straight games, is tied for third in the conference, and has become must-see viewing for followers of the Big Sky.

Basketball sure is great.

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A Huge Weekend in the Big Sky (Part 1)

Following a short sabattical, I missed a lot in the Big Sky. From the fantastic games Thursday night the upset of the year on Saturday night, and a barnburner on Sunday (not to mention some off the court happenings), it was a very interesting weekend. Let's take a quick peek at the biggest stories for each team (Note: I planned on just making this one post... but it got a bit long, so let's turn it into a couple!)

EASTERN WASHINGTON
- Things got off to a rocky start on Thursday, as Montana was simply the better team than EWU.The Grizzlies jumped out to a big first half lead, and even though EWU made some runs in the second half, they could not overcome Montana, losing 74-60. A few guys had a nice day (such as Collin Chiverton, Cliff Ederaine, and Laron Griffin, but Cliff Colimon struggled again. He finished with 7 points on 2/12 shooting, turning it over 7 times. He needs to be an above average PG for them.

- EWU was able to bounce back on Saturday, as they beat previously 6-2 Montana State by 17 at home, really putting together an outstanding defensive performance. The Bobcats had been playing great basketball, so this was big for the Eagles. They were led by the big guys - Cliff Ederaine had 17 points and 8 rebounds, Laron Griffin had 12 points and 14 rebounds, and Tremayne Johnson threw in 11 and 8 off the bench. This has been seen as kind of a guard-oriented team, but the frontcourt has been producing.

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IDAHO STATE
- WOW!

- I thought they would win a tight one over Northern Colorado, and that is what happened. What I didn't expect was for it to really be one of the most entertaining games of the whole Big Sky season. The last 8 minutes plus both overtimes were back and forth and high action, eventually ending with ISU winning 99-94 in double OT to improve to .500 in conference play. Chase Grabau continued his incredible play, finishing with 30 points on 11/15 shooting before fouling out. He wasn't alone. Melvin Morgan has 22, and Kenny McGowen had 18. Even Sherrod Baldwin stepped up and hit a huge shot down the stretch.

- Of course, the excitement of winning that game only lasted for two days... when it was replaced by even bigger excitement! Idaho State pulled off the upset of the year in the Big Sky, shocking Weber State and the college basketball world by winning 64-62 on a last second three. If you have not yet, go to Big Sky TV and watch the ending of this one, you will not be disappointed. With Weber State up 62-61 with the ball and just over a minute left, the Wildcats got two good looks at the basket. Kyle Tresnak missed an open 16 footer, but the rebound came out to Damian Lillard. He eventually got a good look at a straight on three, but was way short. ISU got the ball and worked it around, eventually having the ball in Chase Grabau hands with just a few seconds left. He looked like he was going to go up and shoot a tough, double pumper shot, but at the last moment passed it over to senior Kenny McGowen, who was alone in the corner. The rest is history, as McGowen buried it as time expired.

- Coach Deane Martin said, " We knew if we could get it into Kenny's hand or Mel's hand we could get off a ball screen and make something happen. We got fortunate that Kenny got loose to get the shot at the end. You had to let players be players and let them make plays.”

- The fans are starting to come out as well, as their attendance of 3,309 was the most they have had since 2008. They certainly have reason to be excited, as they have won three straight, including doing what nobody else in the Big Sky has been able to do - beat Weber State.

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MONTANA
- Going to Eastern Washington and Portland State is a tough road trip, but the Grizzlies handled it with aplomb. They started off by giving Wayne Tinkle a nice birthday present, going into Cheney and playing some really solid basketball. The Eagles played well in the second half, but the Griz simply made too many plays. Art Steward was the star, playing all forty minutes and going off for 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists. Will Cherry struggled offensively but contributed in other ways, including defensively, where he was instrumental in shutting down Cliff Colimon. Finally, Kareem Jamar was a star again, with an excellent all-around game of 15 points, 7 assists, and 6 rebounds, also playing the full game.

- Sunday followed a similar script, but it was a little tighter for the Griz. They led by as many as 14 points in the second half, but had to hold on for dear life for a 69-67 win over Portland State. After Mathias Ward made one of two with four seconds left, the Grizzlies played great defense to stop Gary Winston from getting off a shot, sealing another road win. Wayne Tinkle used mainly a 6-man rotation, and they were led by Will Cherry's 20 points (putting him over 1,000 on his career). Ward also had 18.

- The win was big for the Grizzlies because they are now in a tie for first place, by virtue of Weber State losing to Idaho State. Montana is now 8-1 in the Big Sky and 14-6 overall.

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MONTANA STATE
- I thought the Bobcats should be pretty satisfied with a split in their road trip, and that is what happened. They started things with a thrilling come-from-behind win on Thursday night in Portland. The Bobcats trailed by 15 with under 12 to play, but came back thanks to a great defensive effort.

The Bobcats fixed the situation, answering Portland State's 18-2 run to open the second half with an 11-0 spurt over the next eight minutes to trim the lead to 58-54. In fact, from the point of PSU's 58-43 lead with 11:39 to play, Montana State outscored the Vikings 27-7.

It was a big win for MSU, sweeping the season series over the Vikings. The biggest play of the game was made by Shawn Reid, who made a "No no no yes yes yes!" three-pointer with 29 seconds left to give the Bobcats the 67-65 lead, which they would not relinquish. But really, the biggest was the fact that the defense, which has struggled at times, was outstanding at the end of the game. That is the biggest reason they got this win.

- On Saturday, they had a bit of a letdown, going into Cheney and getting beat soundly by a desperate Eastern Washington team. MSU shot 25% in the second half and turned the ball over 20 times, which is a great recipe for getting blown out. They are still 6-3 in conference play, and have to be feeling good about themselves.

The next part will be coming soon! What are your guys' thoughts on what went down?

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Thursday Night Big Sky Preview (Part 1)

With four Big Sky games on Thursday, I'll break up the previews into two parts! Look for part two on Wednesday night or Thursday morning (hopefully you will be able to contain your excitement!)

Northern Colorado @ Idaho State
How UNC can win: Hit their outside shots. Simply put, the Bears are one of the best three-point shooting teams in the country, and ISU is one of the worst at stopping the three-ball. Their other key isto never leave Chase Grabau. Simply put, not a lot of guys in the Big Sky make as many plays as Grabau.
How ISU can win: Conversely from UNC's key, ISU needs to stop the three. They have to make sure the perimeter is covered at all times, because UNC can be deadly from out there. The other thing defensively is to force turnovers, which they have actually been pretty good at. UNC likes to give the ball away, and they can be rattled with their youth. Offense, they need Kenny McGowen and Melvin Morgan to score in double figures. That is vital to their offense.
Who will win: There is something interesting going on in Pocatello right now. I never would have guessed this, but they have a great chance to be 4-4 in the Big Sky. After the Sacramento State game, it seems like they have some new confidence. They hung with PSU in Portland, and then beat NAU soundly. I think this is a game they EXPECT to win, and that has not been a common occurrence for them. I think UNC's road woes continue. IDAHO STATE 73, NORTHERN COLORADO 70

Montana @ Eastern Washington
How MT can win: They beat EWU once this year (a hard-fought 79-71 win), in part thanks to a career day from Mathias Ward. I doubt they will be able to count on that again. They key to beating EWU is to remain aggressive... EWU's foul problems are well documented, which should be music to the ears of Will Cherry, Kareem Jamar, and Art Steward (who are all good at drawing fouls). The other key is to take care of the ball... EWU is solid at forcing opponents to give the ball up, and that gives them some easy baskets. Montana needs to have a solid handle on it.
How EWU can win: Obviously, avoid foul trouble. That has been their Achilles heel all year long, and they can't keep giving opponents 40+ free throws in a game. Another key for them will be to maintain their composure and make smart plays at the end of the game. Two straight games they have been ahead in the final 30 seconds, and both times they have lost. This game is likely to be close as well, and they need to execute at the end of the game.
Who will win: On paper, I think Eastern Washington should win a tight one since this is in Cheney. However, they need a bit of a confidence boost after two straight heartbreaking losses, and it might start to get in their heads. Montana, on the other hand, is playing their best basketball of the year. Other than their loss to Weber State, they are mauling opponents right now (get it?), and I think they can go into Cheney and steal one. MONTANA 77, EASTERN WASHINGTON 72

Your thoughts? Who do you have winning these games?

(Tomorrow's previews: Weber State @ Sacramento State / Montana State @ Portland State)

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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.

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.

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.

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)

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Idaho State, Montana Get Victories on Saturday Night

Having looked at Portland State and Montana State getting huge wins, let's take a look at the last two Big Sky games of the weekend.

It was a big day for Idaho State, who knew that they needed a win at home to stay in the thick of things for the Big Sky tournament. Northern Arizona jumped out to an 11 point lead in the first half, but it was all Bengals after that, as they won 78-62.

ISU was led again by Chase Grabau, who is becoming one of the best players in the Big Sky to follow. He had 19 points, 9 assists, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals, as he simply does it all.

“You never have to worry about Chase,” ISU Interim Head Coach Deane Martin said. “Chase is going to get shots. He doesn't do crazy stuff. He comes off screens hard, he sets good screens and a lot of times when you set good screens you just happen to be the man open. Chase has it figured out. He takes the ball to the basket, he gets fouled, he takes easy shots and when he doesn't have a good shot he dishes it out to his teammates. He plays hard and he plays the game the right way on both ends of the floor.”

Melvin Morgan and Kenny McGowen were also in double figures with 14 and 12 points respectively.

Idaho State now improves to 3-4 in the Big Sky, in a tie with Eastern Washington and Northern Colorado for fifth place. They welcome UNC to Pocatello on Thursday, in what is surprisingly a key game. For Northern Arizona, they fall to 1-6 in the Big Sky and things are looking dire. They got a spark with the coaching change last month, but they are going to need another spark to compete in the conference tournament.

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In the other game, it was Montana jumping all over Sacramento State for an 85-56 victory. There is not a lot that needs to be said... Montana is clearly the better team, and they showed it, as the Hornets were never really in the game.

Art Steward led the team with 20 points, and Kareem Jamar also played an excellent game. The Grizzlies dominated in all facets of the game, and they move to 6-1 in the Big Sky, maintaining their second place status. Sacramento State falls to 0-7, and they are now three games behind everyone else for a chance to go to the Big Sky tournament. They need to turn things around in a hurry. Many fans are already becoming disenchanted with Brian Katz (just read their message boards), but if they don't get some victories, even the diehard Katz supporters may start to have their doubts.

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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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Idaho State Tops UNC; Both Teams 1-1

Northern Colorado had a great chance to move to 2-0 in the Big Sky on Monday night, as they had a home game against Idaho State, a team most expect to finish at the bottom of the Big Sky. Instead, their youthful inconsistency showed through again, as Idaho State won 57-55, evening both team's conference record to 1-1.

“For some reason we came out flat but we just kept grinding away and we were able to get ourselves back in the game and finish it off,” Idaho State Interim Head Coach Deane Martin said. “If you can just stay in games and keep grinding away you will have a chance to win games.”

Chase Grabau was the star once again for the Bengals, as he is getting better as the season goes on. He followed up his big game against Weber State by scoring 18 points, dishing out 6 assists, and grabbing 3 rebounds, while playing all 40 minutes. He is slowly becoming one of the better, more versatile guys in the Big Sky.

Kenny McGowen (16 points) and Melvin Morgan (11 points) joined Grabau in double figures, as the team shot 48% from the field.

For UNC, they were plagued by turnovers, as well as an ankle injury to guard Tate Unruh. He played just 7 minutes before leaving with a left ankle injury (no word on severity), which hurt them a lot, as he has been a key guy for them.

The Bears shot 50% from the field, but turned it over 17 times. Mike Proctor scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, but added 7 turnovers. Guard Paul Garnica also turned it over 6 times. UNC jumped out to an 11-2 lead in this game, but ISU outscored them 55-44 the rest of the way. The Bears had a chance to tie in the closing seconds, but Elliott Lloyd missed a driving layup, and Tim Huskisson was unable to put it back in at the buzzer.

The Bengals improve to 3-10 overall, 1-1 in the BSC, while Northern Colorado drops to 4-9, 1-1 in the conference.

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Weber State, Northern Arizona Start 1-0

I didn't have a chance to write about the games, but wanted to quickly talk about the two Thursday night games.

In the first game, Northern Arizona held off Sacramento State in an entertaining contest, with a final of 73-64. It was an interesting battle of contrasting styles, as NAU has no real post game, while Sac State tried to pound it down low.

For NAU, the star was freshman guard James Douglas, who had 22 points, including 4 treys. He seems to benefit from the addition of Gabe Rogers, who is a guy that defenses must account for at all times. Rogers had an inefficient 17 points (5/16 shooting), but you can bet he is a big help to the offense just by his presence out there.

Stallon Saldivar had 2 points and 5 assists, but it is apparent to me that he is clearly the best passer in the Big Sky. I know Dylan Garrity is leading the conference in assists, but I would take Saldivar over him at this point. Finally, even though he is 6'4'', Durrell Norman is the de facto big man for NAU a lot of the time, and I love watching him play. He is a definite scrapper, finishing with 15 points and 9 boards. He uses his body well.

For the Hornets, they might have been undone by their FT shooting, where they were an abysmal 8/21 from the stripe. Konnor Veteto had a nice 17 and 8 game, but was just 1/6 from the line. With a little better shooting, this would have been a different game. It is a tough road loss for the Hornets in a game that was very tight throughout the second half, but in the end they are in the familiar position of being on the wrong side of .500.

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In the other game, I expected Weber State to blow out Idaho State, and it kind of played out that way. The game was never really in doubt, with a 78-64 final, but ISU kept it competitive thanks to the great game by Chase Grabau.

Grabau was 9/13 from the field and 10/11 from the line, scoring a career-high 31 points to go with 7 rebounds. He has been their best all-around player this year, but this was certainly the best performance we have seen from him. He single-handedly kept them close, and hopefully they can build on that.

For Weber State, there were two stars. One was Damian Lillard, who was right at about his average, scoring 26 points in this game to go along with 3 assists. As usual, it was a very efficient night, as he was 8/13 from the field and 8/8 from the line. He makes great decisions and runs the offense very well. The big key for them was Scott Bamforth's play. He has been struggling a little bit at different times this year, but he got open and knocked down some shots, scoring 21 points. If he can become a reliable #2 scorer, Weber State is the best team in the Big Sky.

For Weber State and Northern Arizosna, 1-0 is a beautiful thing.

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Idaho State Falls in Boise

Idaho State will play 2 games in 2 days, but they started the stretch on a poor note, losing 79-55 to Boise State.

The Broncos are a solid team at 7-1, but it would have been nice to see the Bengals be a little more competitive and carry forward some momentum after beating North Dakota. With the loss, Idaho State drops to 2-6.

In big games, Idaho State needs production from Melvin Morgan, and they didn't get it in this game. He was 0-5, and finished with more turnovers than points or assists. Chase Grabau led them with 12 points, but it wasn't nearly enough.

Idaho State travels to Utah on Tuesday night to take on the Utes in a winnable game.

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Chase Grabau

Idaho State is full of uncertainty and question marks, and they will likely have some new faces in big roles. One of the holdovers is Chase Grabau, who will be one of the Bengals key players as a senior.

In his first year at Idaho State (after spending two years at North Platte CC, the 6'5'' G showed a nice, versatile game for the Bengals. In 27 minutes, he averaged 6.3 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 2.0 APG. He was a very solid role player for them, but they hope he can take the next step and become a solid starter.

His best attribute is his versatility. He is a solid rebounder for his size, as he had a respectable 13.4% DR%. He can also make some plays for others, as his 15.6% ARate (along with the fact that he averaged 5 assists per game his sophomore year in Junior College) would attest. Finally, he makes things happen defensively, snaring 1.4 steals per game and a steal percentage that ranked 177th in the country last year.

He is efficient offensively. He shot 37% from downtown, which is enough to keep defenses honest. He shot nearly 50% inside the arc. He is certainly not going to be a main option for Idaho State offensively, but he does enough that he is not a liability scoring the ball. Combined with his playmaking ability, and he is a nice guy to have out there.

Joe O'Brien is looking for a solid season to try to save his job. If that is going to happen, he will need big minutes from Chase Grabau, and for him to step up and become a solid starter for the Bengals. He will have a key role for this team as a senior and as a guy that can play some different positions.