Last season during conference games, Southern Utah was ninth in the Big Sky in offensive efficiency, scoring 0.99 points per possession. Among the culprits - they shot a league low 42.7% on two point shot attempts, and had a 20.0 TO Rate, worst in the conference. Essentially, they could grab offensive rebounds, but arguably because they had so much experience at trying to rebound missed shots!
To make bad news worse for head coach Nick Robinson, gone are the Thunderbirds top four scorers, most notably Jackson Stevenett (17.6 PPG) and Damon Heuir (15.5 PPG).
Obviously, this is all leading up to the big question - where does Southern Utah get their scoring from? Here are a few of the most likely ones to provide the scoring punch:
- AJ Hess - The 6'6'' wing man got better as his freshman year went along, finishing with an average of 5.8 PPG, but scoring 24 points against Eastern Washington, 15 points against Montana, and 16 points against North Dakota, all within the final seven games of the year. Clearly, he got more comfortable as the year went along, and took on the role of third fiddle in the offense after Wade Collie was dismissed. He has a solid outside shot (33%), and is great from the line. The development of Hess is probably the TBirds best bet to have a true number one option this season.
- Chris Nsenki - Nsenki only averaged 2.3 PPG last season, but there weren't always a ton of minutes to be had behind Heuir. He scored eight points in 31 minutes in the Big Sky tournament loss to UND, so he could have a bigger role waiting for him. He shot 30.5% from downtown on 59 attempts last season.
- Jayson Cheesman - He is known primarily for his defense and rebounding (where he is one of the best in the conference), but he is the team's leading returning scorer, at 6.8 PPG. He wasn't efficient at all, shooting just 40%, but got buckets with his offensive rebounding ability. He needs to be more selective this season. He doesn't really have much in the way of post moves, but that is not his game.
- Juwan Major - He comes in from Las Vegas High, where he led that team with over 14 PPG. He is a lefty with a good first step and the ability to score off the dribble. With the TBirds looking for a spark, Major could provide one as a freshman, as his ceiling is arguably higher than almost everyone else on the roster.
- Trey Kennedy - He is a guy that I really like. While scoring isn't even necessarily his calling card (last year, he averaged 12.7 PPG, 6.3 RPG, and 4.7 APG for Bishop Gorman), he has a lot of ability and versatility. He has experience playing a variety of roles (as a junior he came off the bench, as all of the starters were top 150 recruits), and has shown an ability to help his team in whatever way needed. Scoring will be needed this season, and Kennedy could provide it.
- Race Parsons - Another freshman, Parsons averaged over 27 PPG for his high school while getting some interest from Weber State and Utah State. He is a 6'4'' guard with a knack for scoring. In Utah high school basketball history, he is sixth in scoring, sixth in rebounding, and fourth in three-pointers made for his career. Not a bad pedigree.
Who else do you think will be in the mix to score for Southern Utah?
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Showing posts with label Jackson Stevenett. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jackson Stevenett. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Top Departing #3: Jackson Stevenett
I am counting down the top 20 players that are departing the Big Sky via graduation, transfer, or any other way.
With Southern Utah entering their first season in the Big Sky last year, it was hard to know how to project how Jackson Stevenett would project. He had shown flashes of being an efficient offensive player, but it was still going to be completely new competition.
He was just fine, thank you very much.
Stevenett capped off a stellar career with an excellent senior year, one that saw him average 17.6 PPG and 6.1 RPG. While he never became an outside sharpshooter, his offensive game inside the arc was about as good as anyone else in the conference.
He shot 48% on twos last year, down from 53% as a junior. However, he did get better at getting to the free throw line (he shot about five per game), shooting a sparkling 87% when he got there. All in all, his 109.1 ORtg was one of the best in the conference, especially for a player with his usage (his shot percentage was in the top 150 nationally).
He also took better care of the ball in his senior year, with a TO Rate of 13.8, also excellent for a player with his usage rates. While he was not a great rebounder, he was certainly above average for someone that is 6'4'', giving him a nice all-around game.
Nick Robinson got a nice blessing when Stevenett was a senior in year one of his regime. Though he will be very tough to replace, he helped lead the Thunderbirds to a lot better finish than many (myself included) thought they would have in year one.
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With Southern Utah entering their first season in the Big Sky last year, it was hard to know how to project how Jackson Stevenett would project. He had shown flashes of being an efficient offensive player, but it was still going to be completely new competition.
He was just fine, thank you very much.
Stevenett capped off a stellar career with an excellent senior year, one that saw him average 17.6 PPG and 6.1 RPG. While he never became an outside sharpshooter, his offensive game inside the arc was about as good as anyone else in the conference.
He shot 48% on twos last year, down from 53% as a junior. However, he did get better at getting to the free throw line (he shot about five per game), shooting a sparkling 87% when he got there. All in all, his 109.1 ORtg was one of the best in the conference, especially for a player with his usage (his shot percentage was in the top 150 nationally).
He also took better care of the ball in his senior year, with a TO Rate of 13.8, also excellent for a player with his usage rates. While he was not a great rebounder, he was certainly above average for someone that is 6'4'', giving him a nice all-around game.
Nick Robinson got a nice blessing when Stevenett was a senior in year one of his regime. Though he will be very tough to replace, he helped lead the Thunderbirds to a lot better finish than many (myself included) thought they would have in year one.
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Thursday, March 7, 2013
Northern Colorado Punches Ticket
- On Monday night against Montana, SUU PG Damon Heuir had 29 points, and kept the TBirds alive in the second half. In this game, he was 0/1 and scoreless at half, and finished with four points on 2/8 shooting. How did the Bears do it? It wasn't just that Heuir had an off night - he simply had no openings.
Tevin Svihovec was really solid, it was the best defensive game I have seen him play. UNC switched every screen where Heuir had the ball, knowing that he has a quick first step and the ability to angle past defenders and use his strength to get to the lane. So they switched and made sure that Heuir did not have anywhere to go right off the screen (SUU like to screen for him at the top of the key). Of course, it's tough to say that this strategy would have worked as well as it did if Derrick Barden wasn't frequently the guy switching. As good as he is in other areas (18 points, 10 rebounds), his defense gets overlooked. He can guard basically anyone in the Big Sky, from ones to most fives. UNC was keyed by their defense in this game, which is not a statement that has been said a lot the past two years.
- It was my first chance to watch Jackson Stevenett in person, and boy, he is impressive and fun to watch. He finished with 25 points and 7 rebounds, even though he was battling some foul trouble throughout the game. He has such a high release that it seems like he can get off a shot off almost anytime that he wants. Nobody in the Big Sky uses the backboard as well as he does, and it's not even close. His midrange jumper is really good, and he has a knack for getting an open look. It is too bad that the Big Sky only got to enjoy him for one season.
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Tuesday, February 26, 2013
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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Thursday, February 7, 2013
Southern Utah Is Alone In Third Place
It wasn't the most pretty game, but that's not how Southern Utah likes to win anyway. The Thunderbirds were able to go into Pocatello and grind out an 81-79 road win over Idaho State, which, when combined with Montana State's loss, leaves SUU alone in third place in the Big Sky at 8-5.
The Thunderbirds have been accused of being a two man offense, but they won on a night when Jackson Stevenett (7/17, 22 points) and Damon Heuir (6/15, 17 points) did not have their best games. Three other players scored in double figures, the the TBirds shot a blistering 25/28 from the charity stripe, including hitting their last four in the final ten seconds.
Southern Utah also overcame 22 turnovers. This was a big problem for them earlier in the year, but they had gotten better over the last few weeks. Needless to say, they have a chance to be the third best team in the conference when they take care of the basketball. When they don't, they can lose to anyone.
Idaho State put four guys in double figures, but it wasn't enough to get the win. They shot 41% for the game, turning it over 16 times themselves. They played hard and gave themselves a chance to win.
Southern Utah moves to 8-5 in the conference and is almost a lock for the conference tournament. Idaho State falls to 3-10 in Big Sky play, and seems to almost be a lock not to make the conference tournament.
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The Thunderbirds have been accused of being a two man offense, but they won on a night when Jackson Stevenett (7/17, 22 points) and Damon Heuir (6/15, 17 points) did not have their best games. Three other players scored in double figures, the the TBirds shot a blistering 25/28 from the charity stripe, including hitting their last four in the final ten seconds.
Southern Utah also overcame 22 turnovers. This was a big problem for them earlier in the year, but they had gotten better over the last few weeks. Needless to say, they have a chance to be the third best team in the conference when they take care of the basketball. When they don't, they can lose to anyone.
Idaho State put four guys in double figures, but it wasn't enough to get the win. They shot 41% for the game, turning it over 16 times themselves. They played hard and gave themselves a chance to win.
Southern Utah moves to 8-5 in the conference and is almost a lock for the conference tournament. Idaho State falls to 3-10 in Big Sky play, and seems to almost be a lock not to make the conference tournament.
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Monday, January 21, 2013
Montana State Evens Record With Win Over Southern Utah
In a battle between 3-4 Big Sky teams, it was Montana State beating Southern Utah on Monday night to even their Big Sky record at 4-4 and move into a third place tie in the Big Sky.
It was a bit of a grinding game (as Southern Utah games often are), and remained tight for most of the night. The reffing was uneven at times, and the game got physical. But it seemed like whenever Montana State needed a big shot, Christian Moon was there to provide. The senior guard scored a career high 24 points, shooting 9/13 from the field. He also added five rebounds.
One interesting story was the return of Antonio Biglow, who had been suspended. He didn't put up big numbers (5 points, 1 assist) in his playing time, but I thought he had a positive impact. He showed good quickness and didn't seem to force a lot of shots. His season has not gone very smoothly so far, but the ceiling of MSU is higher when he is in there.
Damon Heuir led the Thunderbirds with 20 points, though it took him 20 shots to get there. Jackson Stevenett was his usual solid self, with 19 points on 8/14 shooting. Jayson Cheesman had 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks, but missed a key layup late in the game that got close to sealing it for the Bobcats.
Montana State is now tied with North Dakota for third at 4-4. Southern Utah is tied for fifth place in the Big Sky with five other teams. So it goes early in the Big Sky season.
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It was a bit of a grinding game (as Southern Utah games often are), and remained tight for most of the night. The reffing was uneven at times, and the game got physical. But it seemed like whenever Montana State needed a big shot, Christian Moon was there to provide. The senior guard scored a career high 24 points, shooting 9/13 from the field. He also added five rebounds.
One interesting story was the return of Antonio Biglow, who had been suspended. He didn't put up big numbers (5 points, 1 assist) in his playing time, but I thought he had a positive impact. He showed good quickness and didn't seem to force a lot of shots. His season has not gone very smoothly so far, but the ceiling of MSU is higher when he is in there.
Damon Heuir led the Thunderbirds with 20 points, though it took him 20 shots to get there. Jackson Stevenett was his usual solid self, with 19 points on 8/14 shooting. Jayson Cheesman had 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks, but missed a key layup late in the game that got close to sealing it for the Bobcats.
Montana State is now tied with North Dakota for third at 4-4. Southern Utah is tied for fifth place in the Big Sky with five other teams. So it goes early in the Big Sky season.
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Friday, January 11, 2013
Random Big Sky Thoughts on Thursday Night
I was at the Northern Colorado/Montana State game last night, so I didn't actually get to watch any of the other games... but here are some thoughts based on the box scores and things I read about them.
- It was a good night for freshmen. Joel Bolomboy for Weber State got perhaps his biggest role of the year in a win over Southern Utah, and he made the most of it. He had 13 points (on three FG attempts), 17 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Venky Jois for Eastern Washington is leading the conference in rebounding, and had another big day, going for 14 and 14 in a win over Northern Arizona. It wasn't DeWayne Russell's fault that NAU lost - he had 17 points on 5/11 shooting, and grabbed seven steals to boot. Did I mention these guys are all freshmen?
- On Monday night, Southern Utah's opponent (Sacramento State) shot 55 free throws. Yesterday, their opponent (Weber State) only shot 49 free throws. I guess that's progress?
- I said that if I had to pick a midseason all-conference team, Jackson Stevenett would likely be on it. He made that prediction look good, scoring an efficient 29 points in the Thunderbirds loss.
- Even with a 3-0 Big Sky start, I (and I'm not alone here) have been slow to buy in on Southern Utah this year. But, they were impressive in defeat. At this point, you have to say they are a very legitimate contender for the third spot in the conference.
- Gabe Rogers finished 3/15 for Northern Arizona, and is shooting 30.6% from the field. That is why, even though NAU is much improved from last season, they are going to struggle to make the Big Sky tournament in Jack Murphy's first season. You just wonder where they are going to get enough offense night in and night out.
- Collin Chiverton with 22 points in 20 minutes (and four rebounds, three assists, two steals, three blocks). When he is on, not many guys in the Big Sky are capable of matching his scoring prowess. It is good to see him fully back into things, and he makes the Eagles a dangerous team.
- He only played 13 minutes, but interesting to see that Andy Martin got the start for Montana in their win over North Dakota. You get the sense that Wayne Tinkle is open to anything up front. Mathias Ward was the star of that game, scoring 27 points on 11/16 shooting. I don't know that there is a better midrange shooter in the Big Sky.
- North Dakota looks really limited offensively with the exception of Troy Huff. They have their work cut out for them if they want to make the conference tournament, because they really are not playing good basketball right now.
- I will see Montana in person on Saturday and I am excited for that. Even though they are 5-0 there are questions. Who gets the tough rebound for them when it matters? Who can they count on for production other than Cherry/Ward/Jamar?
- Portland State has not exactly been known for their three point shooting the last couple years, but it was key for them in a home win over Sacramento State. They hit seven of them over a three and a half minute stretch, and finished the game 12/18 from deep. Combine that with the nice inside duo of Aaron Moore and Renado Parker, and slowly things are coming together for the Vikings.
- The Hornets have to be wondering what has happened to Joe Eberhard. He was quietly one of the best players in the Big Sky last season, but his scoring has dropped four points per game and his shooting has dropped 10 percentage points. They need him.
- As always, the logjam after Montana and Weber State is still there. I hope everyone at the Big Sky is familiar with the tiebreaker rules, because I have a feeling there will be a lot of logjams in the 3-11 spots at the end of the season.
Anything else you saw?
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- It was a good night for freshmen. Joel Bolomboy for Weber State got perhaps his biggest role of the year in a win over Southern Utah, and he made the most of it. He had 13 points (on three FG attempts), 17 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Venky Jois for Eastern Washington is leading the conference in rebounding, and had another big day, going for 14 and 14 in a win over Northern Arizona. It wasn't DeWayne Russell's fault that NAU lost - he had 17 points on 5/11 shooting, and grabbed seven steals to boot. Did I mention these guys are all freshmen?
- On Monday night, Southern Utah's opponent (Sacramento State) shot 55 free throws. Yesterday, their opponent (Weber State) only shot 49 free throws. I guess that's progress?
- I said that if I had to pick a midseason all-conference team, Jackson Stevenett would likely be on it. He made that prediction look good, scoring an efficient 29 points in the Thunderbirds loss.
- Even with a 3-0 Big Sky start, I (and I'm not alone here) have been slow to buy in on Southern Utah this year. But, they were impressive in defeat. At this point, you have to say they are a very legitimate contender for the third spot in the conference.
- Gabe Rogers finished 3/15 for Northern Arizona, and is shooting 30.6% from the field. That is why, even though NAU is much improved from last season, they are going to struggle to make the Big Sky tournament in Jack Murphy's first season. You just wonder where they are going to get enough offense night in and night out.
- Collin Chiverton with 22 points in 20 minutes (and four rebounds, three assists, two steals, three blocks). When he is on, not many guys in the Big Sky are capable of matching his scoring prowess. It is good to see him fully back into things, and he makes the Eagles a dangerous team.
- He only played 13 minutes, but interesting to see that Andy Martin got the start for Montana in their win over North Dakota. You get the sense that Wayne Tinkle is open to anything up front. Mathias Ward was the star of that game, scoring 27 points on 11/16 shooting. I don't know that there is a better midrange shooter in the Big Sky.
- North Dakota looks really limited offensively with the exception of Troy Huff. They have their work cut out for them if they want to make the conference tournament, because they really are not playing good basketball right now.
- I will see Montana in person on Saturday and I am excited for that. Even though they are 5-0 there are questions. Who gets the tough rebound for them when it matters? Who can they count on for production other than Cherry/Ward/Jamar?
- Portland State has not exactly been known for their three point shooting the last couple years, but it was key for them in a home win over Sacramento State. They hit seven of them over a three and a half minute stretch, and finished the game 12/18 from deep. Combine that with the nice inside duo of Aaron Moore and Renado Parker, and slowly things are coming together for the Vikings.
- The Hornets have to be wondering what has happened to Joe Eberhard. He was quietly one of the best players in the Big Sky last season, but his scoring has dropped four points per game and his shooting has dropped 10 percentage points. They need him.
- As always, the logjam after Montana and Weber State is still there. I hope everyone at the Big Sky is familiar with the tiebreaker rules, because I have a feeling there will be a lot of logjams in the 3-11 spots at the end of the season.
Anything else you saw?
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Thursday, January 10, 2013
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.
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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BIG SKYThey 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.
G: Dewayne Russell (Northern Arizona)
G: Justin Crosgile (Eastern Washington)
G: Kareem Jamar (Montana)
F: John Dickson (Sacramento State)
F: Venky Jois (Eastern Washington)
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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Monday, December 17, 2012
Southern Utah Beats North Dakota in Battle of Newcomers
It was the first Big Sky game for both Southern Utah and North Dakota, with the Thunderbirds starting off conference play on the right foot. SUU rode 12 blocks on their way to a 79-67 over North Dakota on Monday night.
The Thunderbirds led early and never gave it up, though North Dakota did have the deficit as low as 62-59 late in the second half. However, SUU just wouldn't let them get easy shots, and they hit just enough big ones themselves to get the victory.
Jackson Stevenett led the way with 21 points in 37 minutes, shooting 9/19 from the floor. He also had 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals, showing that he is one of the best and most complete players in the conference when he is on his game. Wade Collie had a career high 18 as well, and showcased a pretty good offensive game.
The Thunderbirds have been average blocking shots all year, but 12 of them in this game was obviously huge. Big man Jayson Cheesman could be in the running for defensive player of the year in the conference... he came into the game with a 14.0 Block Rate (12th in the country), and had three more tonight. He is a stout defender and rebounder (22.7 DR%), and he really was a great recruiting get for head coach Nick Robinson.
For North Dakota, they simply weren't getting many looks. The guard play was supposed to be the strength of the team, but they miss Troy Huff a lot. In particular, Jamal Webb continues to give them poor play. He was 2/9 from the court, finishing with four points and five turnovers. His ORtg was already a dismal 74.1, and it could go down after this game. He has been a turnover machine, which I don't have to tell you is not a great trait for your starting PG.
Southern Utah is 1-0 in conference play, while North Dakota is 0-1. UND is now 2-20 on the road over the past two years.
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The Thunderbirds led early and never gave it up, though North Dakota did have the deficit as low as 62-59 late in the second half. However, SUU just wouldn't let them get easy shots, and they hit just enough big ones themselves to get the victory.
Jackson Stevenett led the way with 21 points in 37 minutes, shooting 9/19 from the floor. He also had 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals, showing that he is one of the best and most complete players in the conference when he is on his game. Wade Collie had a career high 18 as well, and showcased a pretty good offensive game.
The Thunderbirds have been average blocking shots all year, but 12 of them in this game was obviously huge. Big man Jayson Cheesman could be in the running for defensive player of the year in the conference... he came into the game with a 14.0 Block Rate (12th in the country), and had three more tonight. He is a stout defender and rebounder (22.7 DR%), and he really was a great recruiting get for head coach Nick Robinson.
For North Dakota, they simply weren't getting many looks. The guard play was supposed to be the strength of the team, but they miss Troy Huff a lot. In particular, Jamal Webb continues to give them poor play. He was 2/9 from the court, finishing with four points and five turnovers. His ORtg was already a dismal 74.1, and it could go down after this game. He has been a turnover machine, which I don't have to tell you is not a great trait for your starting PG.
Southern Utah is 1-0 in conference play, while North Dakota is 0-1. UND is now 2-20 on the road over the past two years.
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Friday, December 7, 2012
A Look at Southern Utah (With Help Of KenPom)
I will be honest, the team I know the least about in the Big Sky is Southern Utah. My guess is that among Big Sky fans, I am not alone. So I decided to take a look at the Thunderbirds, with the help of kenpom.com.
Through their first eight games, SUU is 316th in the country in offensive efficiencyy (89.6), and 282nd in defensive efficiency (104.7). In the Big Sky, that makes them tenth best offensively, but sixth best defensively.
On offense, their problem has been twofold. For one, they have turned the ball over far too often. Their TO Rate is 28.6, which is 342nd in the country (out of 347). PG Damon Heuir had a 23.5 TO Rate, but the frontcourt has been a big part of the problem. Starting forwards Wade Collie (35.4) and Jaren Jeffery (36.1) have sky high rates. Jackson Stevenett is one of the lone exceptions, as he has taken care of the ball despite a high usage rate.
Their other offensive problem is outside shooting, where they have hit just 25.8% from downtown. That is a tough thing to overcome, as it clogs the middle, as well as not allowing you to reap the benefits of threes. This is not a big part of their offense attempts-wise, but it would be big if someone can become a threat from out there.
Defensively, teams are shooting the lights out against them, as opponents have a 45% three-point percentage against SUU. I don't expect that will continue unless the TBirds are extremely unlucky, so that should be an outlier that will slowly adjust closer to the mean. They have struggled to force turnovers as well, as opponents have a 16.0 TO Rate, 325th in the nation. That discrepancy between how many TOs they commit versus how many they force is a big reason why they are 2-6.
Two things they do well is rebound the basketball defensively and block shots. Jayson Cheesman has been particularly solid in both areas, and has been a great signing by Nick Robinson. Cheesman has a 22.7 DR% and a 14.0 Block % (which is 13th in the country). The big guys are mostly unheralded, but they do a nice job of protecting the rim, which will further be a boost for their defense when teams stop hitting so many threes against them.
Southern Utah or Big Sky fans, anything else to add about them?
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Through their first eight games, SUU is 316th in the country in offensive efficiencyy (89.6), and 282nd in defensive efficiency (104.7). In the Big Sky, that makes them tenth best offensively, but sixth best defensively.
On offense, their problem has been twofold. For one, they have turned the ball over far too often. Their TO Rate is 28.6, which is 342nd in the country (out of 347). PG Damon Heuir had a 23.5 TO Rate, but the frontcourt has been a big part of the problem. Starting forwards Wade Collie (35.4) and Jaren Jeffery (36.1) have sky high rates. Jackson Stevenett is one of the lone exceptions, as he has taken care of the ball despite a high usage rate.
Their other offensive problem is outside shooting, where they have hit just 25.8% from downtown. That is a tough thing to overcome, as it clogs the middle, as well as not allowing you to reap the benefits of threes. This is not a big part of their offense attempts-wise, but it would be big if someone can become a threat from out there.
Defensively, teams are shooting the lights out against them, as opponents have a 45% three-point percentage against SUU. I don't expect that will continue unless the TBirds are extremely unlucky, so that should be an outlier that will slowly adjust closer to the mean. They have struggled to force turnovers as well, as opponents have a 16.0 TO Rate, 325th in the nation. That discrepancy between how many TOs they commit versus how many they force is a big reason why they are 2-6.
Two things they do well is rebound the basketball defensively and block shots. Jayson Cheesman has been particularly solid in both areas, and has been a great signing by Nick Robinson. Cheesman has a 22.7 DR% and a 14.0 Block % (which is 13th in the country). The big guys are mostly unheralded, but they do a nice job of protecting the rim, which will further be a boost for their defense when teams stop hitting so many threes against them.
Southern Utah or Big Sky fans, anything else to add about them?
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Friday, November 30, 2012
Southern Utah and Montana State Lose Close Games
If you just look at the box score, you see that Southern Utah lost to TCU by nine points and Montana State lost to Pepperdine by ten points. However, both games were tight deep into the second half before the Big Sky teams fell back at the stretch.
Southern Utah stayed in the game thanks to a huge day from guard Damon Heuir. He finished with 25 points on 7/14 shooting, including an impressive 9/12 from the line. The rest of the team was just a combined 11-41 from the floor. Jayson Cheesman had 9 points and 13 rebounds for the TBirds.
They lost in part because of an uncharacteristically poor game from Jackson Stevenett, who simply couldn't get the ball to go down. He was 0/10 from the floor, and finished with just one rebound and two assists in 26 minutes.
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Meanwhile, Montana State trailed by ten at the half before making the game very interesting late. It seems they used too much energy getting back into the game, and couldn't muster enough down the stretch. From the Bozeman Daily Chronicle:
Xavier Blount led the team with 19 points, while Jamie Stewart had 14 points. They struggled a bit with forcing some shots against the Pepperdine zone, which was not helped by an ankle injury to Flavien Davis, their best scorer inside.
The losses dropped Montana State to 1-4, while Southern Utah is 1-5.
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Southern Utah stayed in the game thanks to a huge day from guard Damon Heuir. He finished with 25 points on 7/14 shooting, including an impressive 9/12 from the line. The rest of the team was just a combined 11-41 from the floor. Jayson Cheesman had 9 points and 13 rebounds for the TBirds.
They lost in part because of an uncharacteristically poor game from Jackson Stevenett, who simply couldn't get the ball to go down. He was 0/10 from the floor, and finished with just one rebound and two assists in 26 minutes.
"Jackson didn't see the first couple of shots go through the net and he struggled tonight; a couple of them rimmed in and out, maybe three or four of those shots, and a lot of those were good shots, a lot were contested, but those are shots he's made before," Robinson pointed out. "I'm not worried about that, we had other guys chip in, Jayson was able to get some pretty good looks, Wade [Collie] made a couple of shots for us, and Tyson played extremely well."Stevenett will have plenty of big games this year where he is the biggest reason that SUU wins, but that probably won't make him feel better in this one. The Thunderbirds led by a point midway through the second half before TCU went on a 24-15 run over the final ten minutes.
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Meanwhile, Montana State trailed by ten at the half before making the game very interesting late. It seems they used too much energy getting back into the game, and couldn't muster enough down the stretch. From the Bozeman Daily Chronicle:
The Bobcats tied the game at 59 and trailed by two at the 2:47 mark, but they just couldn't make anything at the end of the game. They missed seven shots in the final 1:59 of the game.
“The difference was being down 10 at half,” Huse said. “They’re a hard team to come back on – we fought to get to where we were at and it comes down to a free-throw block out, a loose ball or something crazy. They converted, got a two possession lead and we couldn’t find the bottom of the net.
Xavier Blount led the team with 19 points, while Jamie Stewart had 14 points. They struggled a bit with forcing some shots against the Pepperdine zone, which was not helped by an ankle injury to Flavien Davis, their best scorer inside.
The losses dropped Montana State to 1-4, while Southern Utah is 1-5.
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Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Martin Seiferth is the Big Sky POTW
Martin Seiferth was named the Big Sky Player of the Week, winning the first weekly award of the season. In two games he averaged 14.5 points, 10 rebounds, and 4.5 blocks, a stellar start to the year.
He mostly won this award on the basis of his play on Monday, when he had a line of 27 points, 17 rebounds, and 7 blocks in a loss to CS Northridge. The seven blocks were a school record.
Seiferth is a sophomore who transferred to Eastern Washington from Oregon.
Of the other candidates, Jackson Stevenett of Southern Utah also would have been a good choice, as he scored an effficient 29 points in a loss to Gonzaga. However, no arguing the choice of Seiferth, as he had one of the best stat lines we might see all year.
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He mostly won this award on the basis of his play on Monday, when he had a line of 27 points, 17 rebounds, and 7 blocks in a loss to CS Northridge. The seven blocks were a school record.
Seiferth is a sophomore who transferred to Eastern Washington from Oregon.
Of the other candidates, Jackson Stevenett of Southern Utah also would have been a good choice, as he scored an effficient 29 points in a loss to Gonzaga. However, no arguing the choice of Seiferth, as he had one of the best stat lines we might see all year.
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Thursday, October 11, 2012
Learning About Southern Utah: Jackson Stevenett
After taking a look at North Dakota's best player Troy Huff, it's time to take a look at the star for Southern Utah, Jackson Stevenett. This is all part of learning about the new teams entering the Big Sky!
Jackson Stevenett (Southern Utah):
There is no doubt that Stevenett will be asked to shoulder a big load in his senior season, and he appears up to the task. With the Thunderbirds losing three starters, he will be key in their quest to remain competitive in their first season in the Big Sky.
Last year, he averaged 14.1 points and 5.7 rebounds, but that only tells part of the story. He did it efficiently and knows his game. He is 6'4'', but he is a bit of a hybrid between and a guard and forward. He is extremely efficient inside the arc, which is where he spends most of his time. He made 53% of his twos last year (and 55% the year before), and took over 90% of his shots there. Combined with a good percentage at the free throw line, and he had a true shooting percentage of 56.9%, which is very solid.
He is not a great three-point shooter, and so he doesn't take a lot of them. He took 27 last year (making 9), after taking just four in his first two seasons. This is a relatively easy concept to understand in theory - if you are not as good at shooting outside, don't shoot outside that much - but it is amazing how many guys don't follow it. Stevenett does.
He also posted solid rebounding rates of 14.9% defensively last year, playing on a team that had other decent rebounders. He can help the team even if he is not scoring a bunch. He can also be counted on to play a lot of minutes... he played 32.5 per game last year. That will be key on a team that might be searching for depth early on.
Stevenett is not a guy that will blow you away with his numbers, but he is a solid contributor that will be relied on heavily by the Thunderbirds in their first season in the Big Sky. He could be one of the top scorers in the Big Sky, and will likely earn some all-conference mentions.
Has anyone seen him play more than I have that can add to his resume?
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Jackson Stevenett (Southern Utah):
There is no doubt that Stevenett will be asked to shoulder a big load in his senior season, and he appears up to the task. With the Thunderbirds losing three starters, he will be key in their quest to remain competitive in their first season in the Big Sky.
Last year, he averaged 14.1 points and 5.7 rebounds, but that only tells part of the story. He did it efficiently and knows his game. He is 6'4'', but he is a bit of a hybrid between and a guard and forward. He is extremely efficient inside the arc, which is where he spends most of his time. He made 53% of his twos last year (and 55% the year before), and took over 90% of his shots there. Combined with a good percentage at the free throw line, and he had a true shooting percentage of 56.9%, which is very solid.
He is not a great three-point shooter, and so he doesn't take a lot of them. He took 27 last year (making 9), after taking just four in his first two seasons. This is a relatively easy concept to understand in theory - if you are not as good at shooting outside, don't shoot outside that much - but it is amazing how many guys don't follow it. Stevenett does.
He also posted solid rebounding rates of 14.9% defensively last year, playing on a team that had other decent rebounders. He can help the team even if he is not scoring a bunch. He can also be counted on to play a lot of minutes... he played 32.5 per game last year. That will be key on a team that might be searching for depth early on.
Stevenett is not a guy that will blow you away with his numbers, but he is a solid contributor that will be relied on heavily by the Thunderbirds in their first season in the Big Sky. He could be one of the top scorers in the Big Sky, and will likely earn some all-conference mentions.
Has anyone seen him play more than I have that can add to his resume?
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Thursday, October 4, 2012
Projecting the Big Sky Starters, Part 4
It is time for our final installment looking at the potential starters for the Big Sky teams, with two teams remaining.
SOUTHERN UTAH
G - Damon Heuir
G - Jordan Johnson
F - Jackson Stevenett
F - Tyson Koehler
F - Jaren Jeffery
FG - Chris Nsenki
FB - Wade Collie
Comments: I have said all offseason I don't have a great feel yet for Southern Utah, and it is especially true with three starters graduating from last season's team. Stevenett will be their rock, and he is good enough to be an all-conference player in his first year in the Big Sky. Heuir is the only other returning starter, having played over 31 minutes per game last year. He took excellent care of the ball last year. The frontcourt is less settled, but Koehler and Jeffery played well in limited minutes last season. I would love to hear more thoughts on SUU.
WEBER STATE
G - Jordan Richardson
G - Scott Bamforth
F - Davion Berry
F - Byron Fulton
F - Kyle Tresnak
FG - Gelaun Wheelwright
FB - Joel Bolomboy
Comments: I think by the end of the year there is a good chance that Gelaun Wheelwright will be starting at the point, but I think the more experienced Richardson will get the nod right away. There is still enough talent on this team to win the Big Sky, as they will have nice balance and depth at all positions. If Wheelwright can take the starting job and start to scratch the surface of his potential, it will surprise nobody if the Wildcats win the Big Sky. Scott Bamforth is a stud at the two spot, and will score tons of points. I will have more on Davion Berry soon, but it seems those in the know don't have enough good things to say about his ability. The frontcourt will be deep, as both Frank Otis and James Hajek will see playing time as well. Bolomboy is so talented he should see some time right away.
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SOUTHERN UTAH
G - Damon Heuir
G - Jordan Johnson
F - Jackson Stevenett
F - Tyson Koehler
F - Jaren Jeffery
FG - Chris Nsenki
FB - Wade Collie
Comments: I have said all offseason I don't have a great feel yet for Southern Utah, and it is especially true with three starters graduating from last season's team. Stevenett will be their rock, and he is good enough to be an all-conference player in his first year in the Big Sky. Heuir is the only other returning starter, having played over 31 minutes per game last year. He took excellent care of the ball last year. The frontcourt is less settled, but Koehler and Jeffery played well in limited minutes last season. I would love to hear more thoughts on SUU.
WEBER STATE
G - Jordan Richardson
G - Scott Bamforth
F - Davion Berry
F - Byron Fulton
F - Kyle Tresnak
FG - Gelaun Wheelwright
FB - Joel Bolomboy
Comments: I think by the end of the year there is a good chance that Gelaun Wheelwright will be starting at the point, but I think the more experienced Richardson will get the nod right away. There is still enough talent on this team to win the Big Sky, as they will have nice balance and depth at all positions. If Wheelwright can take the starting job and start to scratch the surface of his potential, it will surprise nobody if the Wildcats win the Big Sky. Scott Bamforth is a stud at the two spot, and will score tons of points. I will have more on Davion Berry soon, but it seems those in the know don't have enough good things to say about his ability. The frontcourt will be deep, as both Frank Otis and James Hajek will see playing time as well. Bolomboy is so talented he should see some time right away.
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Thursday, March 8, 2012
Southern Utah Coach Roger Reid Retires
There will be three new head coaches in the Big Sky next season. Bill Evans will be the head coach at Idaho State, Northern Arizona is in the hunt for a new coach, and now Southern Utah will be as well.
Southern Utah will be joining the Big Sky next season, and should return a lot of talent. They finished sixth in a very competitive Summit League this year, and will return at least two starters. The best among them is Jackson Stevenett, an efficient shooting guard.
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After almost forty years of coaching basketball, Coach Roger Reid has announced his retirement as head men's basketball coach at Southern Utah University. With eleven squad members returning next year, including all-league selection Jackson Stevenett and two more players with starting experience, Coach Reid leaves behind a Thunderbird program poised for success in the Big Sky, which SUU will join for the 2012-13 season.Reid had a career Division I record of 205-173, including going 54-97 in his time at Southern Utah. He also had a career record of 152-76 as the head coach of BYU.
"I will miss this great group of young men," Coach Reid said. "I have coached so many fine players in my career, and this group ranks up there with the best of them. They have worked their tails off on the floor, they have performed in the classroom, and they will certainly make noise in the Big Sky. This program is in great shape and this team can win a lot of games."
Southern Utah will be joining the Big Sky next season, and should return a lot of talent. They finished sixth in a very competitive Summit League this year, and will return at least two starters. The best among them is Jackson Stevenett, an efficient shooting guard.
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Friday, September 23, 2011
Southern Utah's Top Returners
Last season, Southern Utah finished 11-19, 7-11 in the Summit League. For their last year in the Summit League, they would certainly love to go out with a bang and build some momentum for their entrance into the Big Sky.
Their best returner is probably Matt Massey, a 6'9'' C that will be a senior. He is an efficient scorer, as he shot 57% from the field and 73% from the line (and got to the FT line at a decent rate). His rebounding rates were poor for a center, but he brings a lot of offensive skill to the table.
A lot of the rebounding was done by Kyle Davis, (who had a great freshman year, but is not listed on their roster... anyone have any ideas where he went).... and Matt Hodgson (who transferred), so that leaves a big void in the rebounding department. Ramell Taylor might be their best returning scorer, but he is a 6'5'' SF. Still, with his 13.5 DR%, he could see a lot of time. Tyson Koehler will also be counted on, as he is a big body and efficient scorer.
In the backcourt, they return some guys that got a lot of time. One is Ray Jones, who will be a senior PG. He had a 24.0 ARate, but he needs to cut down on his turnovers. A guy that could be a potential difference maker for them is guard Jackson Stevenett, who showed a lot of flashes as a sophomore. He got 55% from the field and 74% from the Line. He also posted decent rebound and assist rates. He could be a solid player for the Thunderbirds.
It could be tough sledding for Southern Utah to finish in the upper half of the Summit League in the final year, but they are not void of talent. It will be interesting to see how things go for them before the enter the Big Sky.
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