Weber State Battles, But Falls to Arizona

In the end, Weber State was not to be the first 16 seed to topple a one seed, but it wasn't for lack of trying. Wildcats of Weber State battled down to the final buzzer, losing to Arizona 68-59 to end the Big Sky season. We talked about how Arizona is possibly the best defensive team in the country - and that was shown in this game - but Weber State was not intimidated, and even managed to make things interesting down the stretch.

Weber State shot 30% from the floor, and still found a way to make Arizona sweat. They should be proud of their efforts.

Weber State got off to an early 7-0 run, but Arizona moved quickly to take back the lead, going on a 32-13 run the rest of the first half. For long stretches, Weber State was just not able to get enough buckets to stay in the game. However, they just kept attacking. Davion Berry was just 5/20 FG, but he made shots down the stretch, and stayed aggressive going to the hoop, finishing with 10 free throw attempts. It was a nice end to a great two year career in purple for him, as he was clearly not afraid of the big stage.

Another guy that showcased himself was big man Joel Bolomboy, who finished with 16 rebounds, seven of them offensive. As we have said really since he got to Weber State - his offensive game is not polished, but he is an NBA level rebounder and athlete in the frontcourt. Arizona coach Sean Miller said after the game he thought Bolomboy would be an NBA player, and it's hard to disagree.

It was an up and down year for the Big Sky, as evidenced by the 16 seed that Weber State received. However, the Wildcats represented themselves and the Big Sky well, playing a great team very tough, never backing down, and never letting up, even when the Arizona lead grew in the second half. It was a great learning experience for the young guys (Jeremy Senglin was the freshman of the year in the conference, but fellow freshman Richaud Gittens could be an all-conference player very soon), and a great showcase for the program, especially after they came up just short the last couple of seasons.

In the end, perhaps the highest praise came from Miller, who said this after the game:

"Weber is one of the best teams we've played all season," Miller said. "We've played some of the great teams in college basketball and I don't care what the name of their conference is or what they say on their shirt."

Great game, and an excellent season for a great program.

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What Can Weber State Do To Have a Chance?

Obviously, you know that a 16 seed has never beaten a 1 seed. The odds are not just stacked against Weber State, they would have to make history to advance and beat Arizona. On paper, certainly, Arizona is the heavy favorite, but that's why they play the games. Here are some keys for the game that would help give Weber State a puncher's chance:

- Make outside shots - This is key for anyone trying to pull off a big upset - you have to be able to hit shots. Arizona is perhaps the best defensive team in the country - you are not going to break them down and get to the rim. Weber State is a very athletic team, but Arizona is even more athletic. Teams shoot 40.5% on twos against Arizona, second lowest rate in the country. To have a shot, Weber needs to make some threes, and they do have the shooters to be able to do that.

-  Force Arizona bigs into foul trouble - Without Brandon Ashley, Arizona is perhaps most susceptible if you can get their big men into foul trouble (especially Kaleb Tarczewski and Aaron Gordon). Weber is a good team at drawing fouls, especially Davion Berry. I know I said they need to make a lot of threes, but they could also benefit from Berry trying to get to the rim, and ideally forcing some fouls.

- Don't let Arizona get second chance shots - Weber State is not a team that forces turnovers, and that will not change today.But, they are a good defensive rebounding team, and that trait needs to hold today. Once they force a miss, they HAVE to get the defensive rebound - you can't give up free baskets to teams as good as Arizona. Joel Bolomboy is one of the best rebounders in the nation, and he'll have to show it today.

- Survive the first ten minutes - I know that Weber State is confident they can go in there and shock the world - you simply wouldn't be a competitor if you didn't believe that no matter the odds. But if Arizona gets off to a big start right away, some of that belief could fade a little bit. They have to start out strong, and be at least even or close to it after the first ten minutes. Build up a little momentum, and the crowd will be on your side, at least the neutral fans that are in the house.

That is the anatomy of a Weber State upset. Ken Pomeroy's odds give them a 4% chance to win the game. If they are going to shock the world, these four keys will likely be a big part of it.

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Weber State Is Going Dancing

In their third straight Big Sky Championship game, Weber State was just not going to be denied. After their overtime win over Northern Colorado in the semifinals, there was some thought that they might be a little tired after having to go an extra frame in a physical game. However, they put any notions of that to rest very quickly.

Weber State beat North Dakota 88-67, and they are your Big Sky champions.

The Wildcats came out firing in this game, hitting their first six shots and 10 of their first 11. Before UND knew what hit them, the score was 18-6 and the crowd was very much in the game. North Dakota did a really good job of hanging around, but they could just never full recover, and were forced to play from behind the whole game.

Weber State got things going by hitting their outside shot, and that stayed with them the whole way. They finished 10/21 from behind the arc, and always seemed to have a big shot in them whenever one was needed. The defining moment of the game may have been at the end of the first half... UND scratched and clawed to get the game back to 41-34, only to see Davion Berry drain the three at the buzzer, and turn around to have Damian Lillard, sitting in the front row, there to high-five. It was that kind of night for Berry (19 points) and the Wildcats.

In the second half, with UND forced to respect the outside shot, it became the Kyle Tresnak show. He was unstoppable in the second half, playing perhaps the best game of his career. He scored a career high 27 points on 11/15 FG, and 5/5 from the charity stripe. He was great.

For North Dakota, it's a tough end for a great group of seniors who accomplished so much, but won't get a taste of the NCAA Tournament. Guys like Troy Huff, Aaron Anderson, Jamal Webb, Josh Schuler, and Brandon Brekke (though he battled injury problems) really lifted the program to another level. They have a lot to be proud of. In this one, Josh Schuler and Jamal Webb didn't play (well, Webb very sparingly) and that hurt them, but I'm not sure it would have made a difference with the way Weber State was playing.

Weber State had 55 wins the past two seasons but couldn't get over the hump in the championship game. This year, they did it emphatically. At 19-11, Weber State is going to the NCAA Tournament. They are a great program, and you have to be happy for those guys and the coaching staff! Now let's go win an NCAA Tournament game!

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Weber State Outlasts Northern Colorado

At times in the second half, it looked like Weber State was in control of the game. At the final media timeout, an and-1 by Richaud Gittens put Weber State up 55-48, and the light seemed to be closing on Northern Colorado. However, they scored the next seven points of regulation, and had the chance to win on a last second shot, but Tate Unruh's jumper rimmed out.

Overtime basically followed the same pattern. Davion Berry led with five straight points, and the Bears were playing from behind again. Just when things started to look bleak, down seven with a little over a minute left, they clawed back. Derrick Barden hit a three. After Jordan Richardson hit one of two, Barden scored again. Tevin Svihovec forced a turnover, and then hit a bucket. Just like that, it was 64-63.

But then Berry showed why he is the Big Sky Player of the Year... he hit an acrobatic driving shot, giving the Wildcats the 66-63 lead with 10 seconds left. On the ensuing possession, the Wildcats did a great job at denying Unruh the ball, and Jordan Wilson's prayer at the buzzer went unanswered. 66-63, Weber State headed to the Big Sky championship.

There are many stars for UNC (Cody McDavis playing the best game of his career), but a quick word on Tate Unruh and Derrick Barden. Since I live a little over an hour from Greeley, I've seen them in person 20 times over the last three years. Each of these guys had great UNC careers. Barden's athletic ability was almost unreal at times, and Unruh had the purest shooting stroke I've seen. I'll miss watching those guys.

For Weber State, I'm sure they'll be the first to tell you it wasn't their best game. They couldn't get buckets inside in the second half (Kyle Tresnak was scoreless after halftime), but it's all about surviving and advancing. Freshmen like Richaud Gittens and Kyndahl Hill made big plays, and they'll be great players sooner rather than later. Berry made the plays when it counted. In the end, all that matters and all they care about is they are playing in the title game on their home court, with a trip to the Big Dance on the line.

It is games like this where you are reminded that sports is a zero sum game. Northern Colorado deserves better than a loss and a heartbreaking end to their season, but that is unfortunately what they get, because somebody always has to lose. There are no moral victories in March, but eventually they will be proud of the effort they gave in this game.

That was a heck of basketball game.

Saturday night - North Dakota vs Weber State. Everything the teams have been working for, all comes down to that game. Can't wait to get it started!

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Sacramento State Beats Weber State At The Buzzer

A lot happened before the final 15 seconds of this game, but they weren't nearly as exciting as the final 15 seconds. Let's run down the scene:

- Weber State had the ball, trailing 71-70. Davion Berry had the ball up top, and they called a handcheck foul on Sacramento State (which did seem to be a weak call). Sac State coach Brian Katz protested on the sideline, and got called for the quickest technical I've seen in a while. With the technical and the foul call, Davion Berry went to the line shooting 4.

- Berry missed the two technical foul shots, but then made the two foul shots. 72-71, 15 seconds left.

- The Hornets took the ball down to the other end, and tried to do a handoff at the top of the key. The ball was fumbled, and there was a scramble on the floor, and the whistles blew. I am still not totally sure what the actual call was. Anyway, Randy Rahe started protesting, and he got whistled for a technical foul call that was as quick as the one on Katz. Additionally, Weber State called a timeout when they had no timeouts, resulting in another technical.

- For the second time in 10 seconds, someone was shooting four free throws. This time, it was Mikh McKinney, who made all four. Hornets led 75-72 with just over 6 seconds left.

- Davion Berry got the ball for Weber State, and with 0.7 seconds left on the clock, he drained a 30 footer to tie the game at 75, presumably sending it to double OT.

- Dylan Garrity said not so fast, draining the 75 footer.



Amazing.

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What Happened to Weber State Against Colorado State?

When Montana lost their season opener to Minnesota, I took a look at some of their potential problems and issues, saying that while it was way too early to panic, it wasn't too early to take a look at some negative trends and potential problems areas for them. After Weber State's game on Saturday - an 88-67 loss in a game that many (myself included) thought they may be capable of winning - it's time to do the same for Weber State.

Over their first two losses, the place to start is on the defensive side of the ball. In the opener against BYU, they allowed 1.07 PPP. Against Colorado State, that number was up to (close your eyes, Weber State fans) 1.29 PPP, which is not good. Most notably, CSU shot 25/39 on two-point shots, which has to be disturbing for the Wildcats staff. It's one thing if a team catches fire from deep, but the way the Rams physically dominated the game is disconcerting, to say the last.

CSU scored 44 of their 88 points in the paint, led by JJ Avila, who scored 30 points, going 10/19 from the floor (9/13 inside the arc) and 9/9 from the free throw line. Center Gerson Santo was also 5/5 from the floor, as the Rams got almost anything they wanted.

Weber was great at stopping the three-ball last year, and surprisingly (with the results of their two games), they have actually been excellent in that area so far this year, with their two opponents hitting 8/26 from downtown in the two games. One thing the Wildcats are not doing is forcing turnovers. BYU had seven turnovers, while CSU only had 4. Not forcing turnovers and allowing opponents good looks have been the big areas of concern defensively.

Offensively, Davion Berry has struggled a bit (2/10 against CSU), but he will be fine. Probably the biggest concern has been Jordan Richardson at the two guard, as he has struggled in his transition to that role. It's only two games, but he has seven points in 57 minutes, and has two made field goals this season. That spot was occupied by Scott Bamforth last season, and it's been a big drop-off so far. Again, Richardson has a good track record of being a good player, but they need him to grow into that role during the non-conference season, as Jeremy Senglin seems to have entrenched himself as the point guard.

Like Montana last week, it's obviously far too early to panic (and Montana followed up a rough opening game with an impressive road win over South Dakota State), but these are definitely areas of concern for Weber State. They will have plenty of things to work on before the home opener against Utah State on November 26.

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Comparing the Three POY Favorites

Going into the season, three guys seem to be the forerunners in the early race for the favorite to be Player of the Year in the Big Sky Conference. There is the reigning champion, Kareem Jamar of Montana. There is the best player on the best team, Davion Berry of Weber State. And there is the most explosive player, Troy Huff of North Dakota.

You could pretty easily make an argument that any of these guys should be the favorite going into the season, and you wouldn't necessarily be wrong. So, let's take a look at these guys' case.

Kareem Jamar
Argument for: He does more things well than anyone else in the conference. This season, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Jamar lead the Grizzlies in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. He has always been a good three-point shooter in his career, and he supplements that by being a very good post player. He is one of the best passers in the conference, and had a 26.1 Assist Rate last season. He is a solid rebounder who had a 16.3 DR%. He is an efficient scorer that takes good shots, and had a 58.8 True Shooting percentage last season.

Argument against: He can sometimes be so unselfish that he can blend in a bit. Last year when Will Cherry was out to start the year, they arguably needed Jamar to score more, but his game stayed the same and he was not more assertive offensively. I'm not sure yet how he will do as the main focal point of the offense without guys like Will Cherry or Mathias Ward around him. His TO Rate last year was 20.9, which is a little bit high for an elite guy.

Davion Berry
Argument for: Like Jamar, Berry excels in many areas. He shot 52% on twos and 41% on threes last year, while also getting to the line a ton, making him one of the best and more complete scorers in the conference. He has an excellent midrange game. He posted a 23.1 Assist Rate last year, and his 15.7 TO Rate was solid. He is a solid defender. With the talent around him, he seems to have a good knack for knowing when to get his own shot and when to find a teammate. He is the best player on the most talented team in the conference.

Argument against: He is the worst rebounder of the three (1.7 OR%, 13.1 DR%), though he is the only one that has someone like Joel Bolomboy snatching up all available rebounds. He struggled against Montana in the Big Sky title game, shooting 4/10 from the floor and 3/6 from the line while turning it over five times, which some voters might remember (it's worth noting he had some excellent games in the postseason after that Montana game). With the talent around him, he doesn't have to do as much, which could be a reason his efficiency numbers are as good as they are.

Troy Huff
Argument for: He might be the most athletic player in the conference (just watch this), and can do things that Berry and Jamar cannot do. He bumped up his three-point shooting percentage from 20% to 36%, and another bump would make him extremely difficult to guard offensively. He excels in transition. He may be the best rebounder of the three, or at least on par with Jamar. His TO Rate of 13.2 is excellent, meaning he takes care of the ball very well. His steal percentage of 4.4% led the conference, and he could be a defensive POY candidate.

Argument against: Even though he scored more points per game than the other guys, that was more a product of volume than efficiency. His true shooting percentage of 52.6% was far lower than Jamar and Berry, as he only shot 66% from the free throw line. He is also not nearly the passer that the other two are, with a 10.1 Assist Rate (note: it was 16.3 his sophomore year).

If I had to rank them, I would probably go:
1. Kareem Jamar
2. Davion Berry
3. Troy Huff

However, as you can see, a reasonable argument could certainly be made for any of these guys. How do you see them?

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Gelaun Wheelwright Will Reportedly Transfer From Weber State

Weber State was dealt a big blow when it was announced that junior guard Gelaun Wheelwright would be transferring from the Wildcats.

@_shawnyBOY yeah
— GeLaun Wheelwright (@WebState0) September 4, 2013

Wheelwright originally committed to USC before coming to Weber State. He had his ups and downs over the first two years of his career, but he looked to be a good bet to start the next couple of years in the backcourt. He was lacking in polish, but had excellent physical skills - he was perhaps the fastest player in the Big Sky. With that in mind, it seems like Weber State was the ideal spot for him - they developed Damian Lillard into a national star, and Jordan Richardson into one of the best PGs in the conference.

Arguably, there are few better spots to become a better PG, but it just never clicked for Wheelwright to become a star that his talent suggested he may be.

Last year, he shot 51.5% from twos and 33% from downtown, but struggled with ball security and initiating the offense. He had an assist rate of 13.4 and TO Rate of 27.3. While he has the size for the one, he was more of an undersized two guard.

His absence poses some interesting questions and thoughts for Weber State.

First is, who starts next to Jordan Richardson in the backcourt? Of the returners, Royce Williams seems like he could handle more minutes. In limited time last season, he was an efficient offensive scorer, shooting 50% both inside and outside the arc. Another option could see the Wildcats going big, with a lineup like:

PG Jordan Richardson
SG Davion Berry
SF Kyndahl Hill
PF Joel Bolomboy
C Kyle Tresnak

The amount of length and athleticism on that roster would be ridiculous.

In my opinion, the most intriguing option would have freshman Jeremy Senglin starting at the two guard, as there has been nothing but great things said about him. I suspect he will have a great chance at the starting spot if he has a great fall. Though with the lack of depth that this may cause, it may be better to have Senglin off the bench.

The second question is - who handles the ball when Richardson is out? There is no natural backup PG on the roster now, which is a concern this year and in the future for the Wildcats. Davion Berry is a guy that will probably be handling the ball a lot more this season.

In the end, it seemed like Wheelwright was coming into a great situation, but things never clicked 100%. At times, it seemed like he wanted to do his own thing, or make the fancy play rather than the simple one. However, he's very talented, and his absence will test the great depth the Wildcats would have enjoyed. It's not an insurmountable loss, but it's a blow for Randy Rahe.

Thoughts?

EDIT: Per Roy Burton, Coach Randy Rahe said, "We both decided it was time for (Wheelwright) to have a change of environment and move on to a different situation.”

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Weber State Loses CIT Title Game on Buzzer Beater

Weber State got a home game for the CIT Finals, but it wasn't enough for them to bring home the championship. In a wild game, East Carolina got a buzzer beating three pointer from Akeem Richmond to snatch the 77-74 victory.

Weber State trailed by seven at halftime, but they had a lot of chances down the stretch. The Wildcats had a 71-65 with 2:30 left to play, but struggled to put the game away at the line. They finished just 9/19 from the charity stripe, including six free throws in the final three minutes. Davion Berry (76% FT shooter) was 4/6, Kyle Tresnak (72%) was 2/7, and even Scott Bamforth (87%) missed a free throw down the stretch.

Weber State finishes the season 30-7, the most wins in school history. It was a great season for them, and they have a lot to be proud about. They had a nice postseason run, and that should pay dividends for a lot of their young guys.

Seniors Frank Otis and Bamforth ended their careers with outstanding games. Otis was 8/12 for 16 points and 8 rebounds, while Bamforth had 19 points, including four more three-pointers. They had great senior years, and they will be missed next year.

With the end of this game, it means that the offseason is officially upon us for all Big Sky teams.

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Weber State Moves to CIT Finals

After initial reports suggested that Weber State would be at home for the CIT semifinal, they wound up traveling to take on Northern Iowa in the semifinals. It turns out, it didn't matter where the game was, because Weber State went into UNI and got the win to advance to the CIT Finals.

It was a back and forth game throughout the second half, with the Panthers leading 53-49 late in the second half, and then tying the game at 55. However, it was Davion Berry hitting a jumper with 4:12 to play to give the Wildcats the lead that they would hold the rest of the day, eventually winning 59-56.

“This was an extremely tough game against a really physical and talented team in a tough environment,” said WSU head coach Randy Rahe who returned to his home state of Iowa and picked up his 150th career win. “We played really tough and really hard and I was so proud of how we fought. We missed some shots but kept fighting and found a way to do it against a really tough opponent. I’m so proud of our team for not giving up. It’s been a remarkable run and 30 wins is a phenomenal accomplishment.”

Frank Otis led the way in this game with 13 points (on 5/8 shooting) and 11 rebounds, ensuring that he has one game left to play in his career. Scott Bamforth had 14 as well (including four more treys), and Davion Berry scored 15 points. The Wildcats held UNi to just 38% shooting, including 3/18 from downtown.

30 wins is a great accomplishment, as is the fact that they have continued to play hard even after the disappointment of the Big Sky tournament.  By my count, just seven other teams, gotten to the 30 win mark this year. Let's hope they can make it to 31!

The CIT finals will be in Ogden on Tuesday, where Weber State will take on East Carolina.

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Weber State Beats Oral Roberts to Advance to CIT Semifinals

For the second time this season, Weber State has beaten Oral Roberts. The first time, it was during Bracket Busters. This time, it was to advance to the semifinals of the CIT. Weber State led the whole way, but it was close throughout, as the Wildcats won it by a final score of 83-74.

Weber State was led by a huge performance from Davion Berry, who finished with 27 points, 10 assists, and 7 rebounds. He had some help also from Kyle Tresnak (19 points, 8 rebounds) and Scott Bamforth (18 points). Those three guys have been playing at a high level lately, and Tresnak is showing more consistency as the excellent big man that his talent suggests he can be.

“I couldn’t be more proud of how our team fought and played together against a really good team,” said WSU head coach Randy Rahe. “The whole team really stepped up and we had lots of guys contribute. We came out with really good energy in the second half.”

Weber State moves to 29-6 on the year, which is pretty remarkable! They will try to reach the 30 win mark on Friday, as they head to take on Northern Iowa on the road in the CIT semifinals. If they win, they would play the winner of East Carolina and Evansville.


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Weber State Wins in the Best Big Sky Game of the Year

Our dream Big Sky finals matchup awaits us: Montana vs Weber State, part 3. How did they get there? On Friday night, the road wasn't as easy as some might have expected, especially for Weber State.

In one of the most exciting games of the Big Sky season, Weber State clawed back from a 12 point second half deficit to beat North Dakota 76-74 and clinch their spot in the Big Sky championship. It was everything you would want in a game of this magnitute. North Dakota played their best game of the year, but just couldn't pull it out, thanks to Weber State making a ton of plays down the stretch, as you would expect them to do.

UND pulled up 52-40 at the 17 minute mark, though you need the Wildcats would not go away. That they did not was in large part due to the play of Davion Berry and freshman Joel Bolomboy. To me, Bolomboy was the player of the game. He had 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 blocks, continually making an impact on both ends of the court. He showed more post moves than he has all season, and showed more of the potential that he has hinted at this year. He was outstanding.

Berry paced the Wildcats with 25 points, though he was just 7/19 from the floor. He attacked relentlessly, earning himself 12 trips to the free throw line. He also pulled down six rebounds.

In the last minute and a half, though, it was neither of those guys making the big plays for Weber State. Scott Bamforth had a quiet 10 points before hitting a corner three to tie the game late. That was just a senior making a huge shot when his team needed it the most. Then, on the Wildcats last possession, with the game tied at 74, they went inside to Kyle Tresnak, who had a nice baby hook for what wound up being the game-winner. Tresnak played 18 minutes because of foul trouble, but he was the man that Randy Rahe trusted with the final shot, and he delivered.

North Dakota certainly has nothing to hang their heads about, as they gave a really good team everything they could handle and then some. Troy Huff led the way with 22 points and 8 rebounds, getting a head start on his 2014 Big Sky POY campaign. He was seemingly everywhere. Guys like Aaron Anderson, Brandon Brekke, Mitch Willmer, and Jamal Webb also had solid games, but UND just wasn't able to finish it out. They turned it over just five times in the game, but struggled to get good looks at times in the second half, with a lot of credit for that going to WSU.

North Dakota finishes the year at 16-16, though there is a chance they could make it into a small tournament. Weber State moves to 26-5 as they prepare for the Big Sky title bout.

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Dissecting the Big Sky's Top Scorers

Before the year started, I thought Collin Chiverton would be the leading scorer in the Big Sky, for a variety of reasons. Things obviously haven't quite worked out that, but there is a good race going on for the scoring title. There are three realistic contenders for the scoring title during conference games, but let's take a look at the top six right now, and go through a quick dissection of where they are at their best.


1. Jackson Stevenett (Southern Utah) - 19.9 PPG
Stevenett has been his normal self, as this is right in line with what he has done throughout his career. This is his highest scoring output, but that is only because he is a bigger part of the offense than ever - he has remained his efficient self. He shoots over 50% on his twos, and has a three-point shot that at least has to be respected (20/61 on the year). He is also good at getting to the line, and has shot a remarkable 120/135 (88.9%) from the line this year. For as much as he does for them, his efficiency and ability to pick his spots is fun to watch. He should get consideration to the conference POY.

2. Gabe Rogers (Northern Arizona) - 19.5 PPG
Rogers fires up eight threes per game - 215 total on the year - which, shockingly, isn't even in the top ten in attempts. He shoots 34.4%, which is not great, but not bad at all. Rogers is in a spot where sometimes he is forced to take a lot of shots, because (other than himself and DeWayne Russell), NAU guys struggles to create their own shots at times. He is 13th in the country in % of his team's shots he takes while he's out there, at 33.8%. He doesn't have a great game going to the hoop and scoring inside (41.7% inside the arc, which remarkably is a huge improvement on last year's 31.1%), and doesn't draw a lot of trips to the line.

3. Troy Huff (North Dakota) - 19.3 PPG
Huff is fifth in the country in % shots taken, at 35.8%. He might be the most athletic player in the conference, and is the most likely (along with Joel Bolomboy of Weber State) to throw down a highlight reel dunk, which he has done on multiple occasions this season. He has been amazingly consistent on his two-point percentage in his career - 48.6% (2011), 48.6% (2012), and 48.4% (2013). He is not a great outside shooter, though much better than last season. He doesn't get to the stripe a lot, and only shoots 68% when he gets there. If he can work on his three-point shot and/or free throw shooting this offseason, he can be a major force next year.

4. Damon Heuir (Southern Utah) - 17.3 PPG
Unlike his teammate Stevenett, Heuir is a little bit more of a gunner than an efficient offensive machine. He shoots the same percentage as Stevenett from three, but he has taken more than twice as many, hoisting up six per game. Inside the arc he is only at 41.2%, which is not great. He is solid at getting to the FT line, where he shoots a solid 78%. I think all of his shooting is at least partially due to the fact that SUU is not teeming with a lot of guys that can create their own shot, which can force Heuir to try to make something out of nothing. There is no denying that even though his percentages aren't great, he is a key cog in their offense this year.

5. Davion Berry (Weber State) - 15.2 PPG
Berry has matched the hype, becoming the top scoring option for a deep Weber State team. He doesn't force thing, and will pass the ball if someone else has a better look or if he is just having an off day (22.5 ARate). He has shot 53.5% from inside the arc, and 43.5% outside it, both of which are excellent marks. He has been good but not great at getting to the line, but is only shooting 71% from there. Room for improvement. He has been everything Randy Rahe could have asked for, and more.

6. Aaron Anderson (North Dakota) - 15.2 PPG
Anderson has been asked to do more than ever this year, and while his shooting percentage from three has dropped (48.1% down to 41.1%), he has made it up it with a better assist rate and lower turnover rate. But alas, this is about his scoring ability. Even though the three point shooting it down a little, 41.1% is still really solid. He has really improved in his ability to get to the line, which is especially important since he shoots 85% from the stripe. Before the year, I thought Anderson's ceiling might be a good role player. I was wrong. He has shown he can be a really good #2 scoring option. He might be the most improved player in the Big Sky.

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Derrick Barden and Davion Berry Share Big Sky POW

Coming into the year, we knew that Davion Berry and Derrick Barden would be two of the best newcomers in the Big Sky. This week, they shared the honor of the best player in the Big Sky.

Berry, a 6-foot-4 junior guard/forward from Oakland, Calif., averaged 17.0 points, four assists, 3.3 rebounds and two steals per game in the three wins. Berry shot .643 percent from the field, .500 percent from 3-point range, and .769 percent from the free-throw line in three wins.

Barden, a 6-5 junior forward from Detroit, Mich., led the Bears to two important home wins to get his team into a tie for fifth place in the league standings. He averaged 21 points and 10 rebounds per game, shooting .720 percent from the field.

After the game Saturday night, I called Derrick Barden a star, as he has really become one of the most dangerous weapons in the conference. Before the season, I said that he would lead the conference in rebounding... if I had put that on any sports betting sites, I could be doing good right now. For the season, Barden is second in the conference in rebounding (9.0 per game), but when looking at conference games only, he leads the Big Sky with ten boards per game.

Congrats to both guys, who should be among the top contenders for player of the year next season.

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Weber State Is The Best Team in the Big Sky

The standings will show that Montana is 14-1, while Weber State is 13-2. The Grizzlies still have Will Cherry and Kareem Jamar, who might be the two best players in the conference. They still have Wayne Tinkle, the best coach in the Big Sky. But on Thursday night, Weber State clearly looked like the best team in the Big Sky.

The Wildcats beat Montana 87-63 on Thursday night in Ogden, and the game was never really in doubt from about midway through the first half and on. Montana's record-setting winning streak ended with a thud, as they had no answer for Weber on either end of the court.

Weber has been the best defensive team in the Big Sky this year, so it was appropriate that they got started in this game defensively. Montana scored just 24 first half points, because the Wildcats were using their athleticism to shut down everything. Kareem Jamar had no room to operate (finishing with 4 points), and that caused Will Cherry to press a bit. The Grizzlies turned the ball over early, and WSU just got more and more aggressive.

Offensively, Weber State aggressively pounded the ball down low, and they got whatever they wanted. Kyle Tresnak had 19 points on 8/10 shooting, and Frank Otis had 14 points on 5/7 shooting. This is a winning blueprint for Weber, because the Grizzlies don't have the size to match up. Put it this way... when Tresnak or Otis have the ball down low, Montana does not even have one guy to match up defensively with them them, let alone a defender for each guy. They got anything they wanted inside, and that was not a fluke.

WSU also got big games from Gelaun Wheelwright (14 points, 4/4 from downtown) and Davion Berry (16 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals), as those two guys seemed to have an answer for Montana often in the second half.  Anytime the Grizzlies threatened to threaten (it would be a stretch to say they threatened in the second half), there was an answer.

On the year, Weber State has been the better offensive team by a smidgen, while being much better defensively. The fact that they lost by 2 to Montana and slipped against Montana State (which the Grizzlies almost did as well) does not change the fact that on a neutral court, Weber State is the better team.

However, that is the ace in Montana's hand. If they win out, they have home-cpurt advantage in the Big Sky tournament, meaning that if the teams meet again, it would be in Missoula. The Grizzlies have a tough schedule down the stretch, but with Tinkle at the helm and a leader like Will Cherry on the court, it would not surprise anyone if the Big Sky will still go through Montana.

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Weber State Cruises to 85-64 Victory

Northern Colorado scored the first basket of the game, but Weber State was in control the rest of the way. At the half, Weber State led 45-25, shooting 62.1% from the floor (while holding UNC to 32.3%), prompting Bears coach BJ Hill to bring out his second unit to start the second half. However, there was no tactic that was going to work for UNC in this game - Weber State was just dominant on both ends of the floor.

On offense, the Wildcats were a model of efficiency in this game. They shot 60.8% from the floor for the game, including 8/17 from downtown and 15/18 from the stripe. They are unselfish with the ball, and can hurt you in so many ways. Five guys were in double figures tonight. Among the ways they hurt you:

- Scott Bamforth is so good. He is one of the top two shooters in the Big Sky (if not the best), but he is also really good handling the ball and always in control. If he gets a split second (and they are good at getting him that time), look out.
- Davion Berry is so smooth. He has a beautiful jumper, and is a good passer as well. He doesn't force things, but seems to be able to get a good look whenever he wants to. Very versatile offensive player.
- Frank Otis, a guy that really impressed tonight. He was 6/6 from the field, and is now shooting 68.1% from the floor over the season (72% in Big Sky games). He is another guy that doesn't force things, and he even had a sweet spin move tonight. He's a senior who has seen a lot of things in his college career, and it shows.
- The two-headed PG monster of Jordan Richardson and Gelaun Wheelwright is really good, and combined for 17 in this game. Richardson  does everything well, while Wheelwright is a little more up and down, but more prone to make a spectacular play. In this one, it was a sick stepback three that nobody could have guarded.
- Finally, there is Kyle Tresnak in the post. When matched up against UNC's second line, he simply had his way down low.
- Also, Joel Bolomboy is not a dangerous weapon offensively per se, but he is very good at getting second chances for the team, and had a monster putback jam in this game. There are not a lot of guys more fun to watch than him.

Defensively, Weber State is really tough. First, they are the best team in the country at not allowing their opponents to shoot threes. This is a very real and very important skill. When opponents do get off three-point attempts, they aren't that good, which is why opponents shoot less than 28% against them. If you try to go down low, guys like Tresnak and Joel Bolomboy are there to block you. They have made huge strides on the defensive end of the floor.

Here is the difference between Weber State and most other teams in the Big Sky (and this was evident tonight). When the game speeds up and intensity rises, most other teams in the conference get out of control, and look a bit out of sorts, making bad decisions. These Wildcats stay within themselves and more often than not, make the right play.

A couple positives for UNC... Emmanuel Addo looked solid. He was aggressive, finishing with 11 points. This is big for UNC, because Addo and Paul Garnica are the only consistent scorers on the second unit. Greg Tucker continues to come along as well. He made some freshman mistakes early, but overall was a nice contributor for the Bears.

Here is my takeaway from the game... I understand that Montana is a lot better now even than they were three weeks ago when I saw them in Greeley. But so far this year, Weber State is the best Big Sky team I have seen. The Grizzlies have the two best players in the conference... but Weber State is the deepest team. We have at least one more game between these two teams coming up, and I am hoping for two more.

* Photos courtesy of my lovely wife!

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Weber State Improves to 6-0 in Big Sky Play

Idaho State kept things tight for a half, but eventually Weber State's powerful and varied offensive personnel was too much for the Bengals. WSU erupted for 42 second half points, shooting 60% from downtown in the second half, to win 70-54 and move to 6-0 in Big Sky play.

Things did not start out pretty for the Wildcats. They had 10 turnovers in the first half, and struggled with Idaho State's zone. The Bengals were controlling the tempo, and WSU seemed a bit lost, and there was a lot of cross court lobs coming from them. They simply didn't look comfortable against the zone, and that is something they will have to fix.

However, they got a big boost in the second half from senior Scott Bamforth, who scored all 17 of his points in the second frame. Davion Berry also finished in double figures with 16 on the night, and he was big in the first half. Also key in the first half was Royce Williams, who had 9 points on 4/4 shooting in 9 minutes. Williams is a guy that plays 12 minutes a night for the Wildcats... and I am convinced he could start at least five Big Sky teams. That is how deep Weber State is right now.

The Bengals drop to 2-4 in Big Sky play, and there is no magic similar to last year - when they knocked off then undefeated Weber State on a last second three ball. ISU got a nice night from Chris Hansen, who finished with 15 points and showed some nice offensive versatility in the first half, but it wasn't enough. Melvin Morgan was 2/10 from the field for eight points, and when he has those types of games, it's very difficult for ISU to win. That is especially true when ISU is playing without Tomas Sanchez (out due to injury), who is their best player right now.

Highlights of the game can be found here.

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Midseason All-Conference Picks

A site called College Hoops Daily put out their midseason all-conference picks for every conference in the country, so I thought it'd be fun to take a very brief look at what they are thinking for the Big Sky.

BIG SKY
G: Dewayne Russell (Northern Arizona)
G: Justin Crosgile (Eastern Washington)
G: Kareem Jamar (Montana)
F: John Dickson (Sacramento State)
F: Venky Jois (Eastern Washington)

They bolded Justin Crogsile of Eastern Washington as the best player in the conference so far, an award which he obviously wouldn't win since he is no longer on the team.

It's tough to take a crack at it without going too deep into it, but here is my quick selections for what I would say is the all-conference team at midseason.

G: DeWayne Russell (Northern Arizona)
G: Kareem Jamar (Montana)
G: Jackson Stevenett (Southern Utah)
F: Davion Berry (Weber State)
F: Venky Jois (Eastern Washington)

Ask me again tomorrow, and it's possible I have different picks!

I would love to hear where everyone agrees or disagrees...

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Weber State's Balance is Their Strength

Last year, Weber State had Damian Lillard (one of the best players in the country) and a bunch of guys they hoped would contribute around him, with a roster that was hit very hard by injuries. This year, this is no one star, but their strength is that they have a lot of guys that contribute.

Nine guys average in double digits in minutes played, and a tenth (Byron Fulton) will likely join that club as he gets healthier. They have a lot of guys that pitch in, which was never more evident than their Big Sky opener.

They beat Eastern Washington 74-53, as ten guys played double figure minutes. Seven players scored at least seven points, with nobody above 15 points. Jordan Richardson led the team with 15 points... before the year, many thought he would be coming off the bench behind Gelaun Wheelwright.

 The leading scorer on the season is Davion Berry, at 13.6 PPG. Fresh off a 25 point game against BYU, he had just nine points...but pitched in seven assists. Their leading rebounder was freshman Joel Bolomboy. In 22 minutes, he had 9 points, 12 rebounders, and 4 blocks. He is already one of the best defensive rebounders in the country (his DR% of 29.5 is sixth in the country), and he is a good offensive rebounder as well. He is already a high impact player whose biggest problem is difficult finding minutes because of WSU's depth up front.

Speaking of Bolomboy, he is a poster boy for what looks to be a trend in the Big Sky - Weber State is recruiting better athletes than everyone else. With him, Kyndahl Hill, Royce Williams, Richaud Gittens, and Jeremy Senglin among the recruits brought in over the past couple of seasons, it is soon going to be extremely difficult for any team in the conference to match up with the Wildcats athletically.

The Wildcats are 5-3 overall and 1-0 in Big Sky play, but I have a feeling (and I am sure the coaching staff does as well) that they will do a lot of improving this year. There is no elite team in the Big Sky yet this year, but WSU has a chance to be one by the end of the season.

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Notes From The Past Few Days

Over the past week I have had the pleasure of both being really sick (I missed two days of work and should have missed more... I am still fighting it), and having a really busy week of work (hence why I did not miss more time), which has led to slower posting here than I would normally like. So, let's get caught up on some of the action over the past few days that I have missed.

- The one thing I didn't miss was Sacramento State's 3-0 start, including two wins over Division I teams. Dylan Garrity is making an early case for All-Conference honors, with 15.3 ppg and seven assists per contest early in the year.

- Northern Colorado turned in a historically great offensive performance in their first game of the year, but couldn't replicate that in their second game, losing 64-53 to Cal Poly. They shot just 3/18 from downtown, which is a big stat for them. The difference in the game was the free throws... UNC was 6/13, Cal Poly was 22/30.

- I predicted Derrick Barden to be the rebounding champ in the conference, and he pulled down nine in the game. However, he was just 2/6 from the field for seven points. They will need some more offense from him, and I expect he will be just fine. It just takes a little time to find your place in the offense.

- Weber State lost 68-67 in OT to San Jose State, with two guys widely expected to be all-conference players struggling for them. Kyle Tresnak was 0/8 with two points, and Scott Bamforth was 3/10 for 11 points. Needless to say, they need those guys.

- Two newcomers did step up for WSU... Davion Berry scored 21 points on 8/17 shooting, while Joel Bolomboy had 11 rebounds. Everyone expected Berry to be good, but he looks like he will lead the team in scoring easily. Bolomboy was expected to be more of a role player this year, but he might be too talented not to get a bunch of minutes.

- Nick Robinson may have a bigger rebuilding job on his hands than he might have expected. Southern Utah lost 66-54 to Green Bay, and 112-69 to CS Fullerton. None of their three games have been easy, but they haven't been particularly competitive either.

- It wasn't always pretty, but Montana got a 66-63 win over Idaho. The young guards are showing they are talented but inconsistent (Gregory/DeShields: 14 points, 3 assists, 4 turnovers), but the Grizzlies got enough from their stars. Kareem Jamar had 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists, while Mathias Ward pitched in 16. Spencer Coleman had nine points and five rebounds, including a big three late. At this stage of the year, a win is a win.

- North Dakota continued their road struggles, getting blown out 72-47 at Northern Iowa. They were playing with Troy Huff, missing his second straight game after breaking his jaw. Aaron Anderson led the team with 12 points, but he was unusually inefficient doing it. Alzono Traylor had nine points and four rebounds, and I was impressed with him. He had a nice move near the basket, and showed good touch on a 15 footer. It will be big for them if he is able to become a consistent contributor.

- We went to the Nuggets/Heat game last Thursday night, and I would recommend for any basketball fan to go watch LeBron James play in person. He is incredible to watch. The athleticism, the presence, the passing ability.... it is incredible how many wide open looks his teammates get after passes from him. If you get the chance to watch him, you should take the opportunity.

Anything I missed?

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