North Dakota Outlook

It's time to get ready for the Big Sky season again with some overviews of each team this month, and then eventually we'll get into more detailed looks at everything.

What They Lost: North Dakota made the Big Sky championship game in their second season, but unfortunately it will be tough to build on that success right away, as they lost most of the key pieces from that team.

Troy Huff was one of the elite performers in the conference, and athletic matchup nightmare that caused a lot of turnovers, and could score 25 points or grab 10 rebounds any night. He dominated possessions for them at a fairly efficient rate, and will be impossible to replace. Another guy that may have been just as valuable was Aaron Anderson, a perennially underrated guard. Anderson was a great shooter and driver who got to the line often. He also took care of the ball and had a solid assist rate.

Jamal Webb was a guy that had his strengths and weaknesses, but he was a good defender in the backcourt that could distribute the ball. Josh Schuler missed some time with injuries, but at his best he was a good third or fourth scorer and glue guy. Alonzo Traylor was a surprisingly good big man that shot 61% from the floor and rebounded well. I would also be remiss not to mention Brandon Brekke, who missed all of last season due to injury was an integral part of building the program with his steady work down low. Simply put, nobody is even close to losing as much production as UND has lost.

Who Returns: The best news of the offseason came when the NCAA announced that Jaron Nash would be eligible to play another season. At 6'8'', Nash had major conference athleticism, even though he showcased some inconsistency at times. At his best, he is a capable inside scorer (57% on two-pointers), and a good enough three-point shooter to keep teams honest (20/59 last year). He also made just 33% of free throws. He plays the four spot, but doesn't necessarily have the bulk to play that position defensively. However, he can be a difference maker, and UND will call on him often.

Another big returnee is guard Quinton Hooker, who started many games last year as a true freshman. He did not necessarily showcase himself to be a great scorer (41.9% EFG) or distributor (17.5 ARate compared to 22.4 TO Rate), but he was steady, and I expect the experience will be a big plus for him. Also in the backcourt, Cole Stefan got some time in his first year as a junior, and should have an expanded role. He profiles as a shooting specialist, having made 21 threes. Lenny Antwi is a senior, but it's still unclear if he can be an average guard off the bench. He was an amazing 3/20 from inside the arc last year (not a misprint). Shane Benton is also back, and despite a fair amount of PT his first two years, he also has struggled to make an impact.

Upfront, Chad Calcaterra and Ryan Salmonsen return for their senior years. Both guys had their moments last year and potentially average scoring threats, but will be called on to do much more. Dustin Hobaugh played in nine games last year and played well, but it was in a too small sample of 71 minutes.

Newcomers: Estan Tyler could have the biggest impact right away, as he sat out last season after transferring from Kansas City. He averaged 11.4 PPG as a sophomore and looks to be a very good outside shooter. He should be a solid addition to the backcourt for his final two seasons. Carson Shanks is a redshirt freshman big man who will be eligible in the second semester after transferring from Utah State. He should get plenty of chances to play once he is eligible.

Depending on how ready he is physically, Kraig Shields could get immediate playing time right away after averaging a double double as a senior in high school in Texas. Bryce Cashman is another freshman big man. Josiah Coleman is at UND after two years at Iowa Western CC, but he averaged just 7 and 4 last season. Geno Crandall is a nice prospect in the backcourt after a nice high school career in Minneapolis, but I'm not sure how much run he'll get right away in a crowded backcourt. Finally, Terrel de Rouen is a transfer from New Mexico State who is eligible to play right away. He should add to a strong backcourt, and it would not be a surprise to see UND run a lot of three and even four guard lineups out there.

General Outlook: After a nice year last season, UND will likely take a big step back just because of the sheer amount of talent that graduated. Their defensive identity will likely change, and it's unclear where their offense will come from with the departures of Huff and Anderson. If they are going to compete for a tournament spot, they need Jaron Nash to be a star for them, and guys like Hooker, Stefan, and Estan to morph into an above average backcourt. These things are not out of the question, but I wouldn't bet on it either. I would expect UND to be in the bottom four this year, but to get a lot of young guys good experience.

Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball

Jaron Nash Granted Extra Year of Eligibility

When I created my early rankings, North Dakota came in at number 11, thanks to losing much of their scoring and experience. However, that spot should jump a bit on news that forward Jaron Nash has secured an extra year of eligibility.*

"This has been a long process and we are obviously thrilled to learn that we will get Jaron back for one more season," UND head coach Brian Jones said. "There are a lot of people to thank for their efforts, including Kara Helmig and her compliance staff along with our entire athletic administration.

"I also want to thank the NCAA and its review committee because now Jaron will be able to turn his college experience into a positive one. He's gone through a tough road to get here with his father's illness and dealling with some of his own injuries, but this decision will enable him to build upon his future and hopefully lift his family's spirits."

Nash applied for a waiver to play right away when he first transferred, but it was denied by the NCAA and he had to sit out his first year in Grand Forks. Thankfully, the NCAA has made the logical choice and reversed course.

Nash will be the leading returning scorer, as he averaged 10.8 PPG and 4.5 RPG last season. He's an extremely athletic forward who shot 57% on twos and 37% on threes last year, though he needs to improve on an abysmal 33% on free throws last season. He is a solid rebounder as well, grabbing about 8% of available offensive rebounds and 16% of defensive rebounds last year.

All in all, he brings much needed experience and explosiveness to the frontcourt, and should help bridge North Dakota as they transition from their great group of seniors last year. It's a big development for UND, and a nice way to end things for Jaron Nash.

* They also hope New Mexico State transfer Terrell de Rouen will be eligible to play right away.

Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball

North Dakota Advances to Big Sky Title Game

In their second year in the Big Sky, and second year of full DI eligibility, North Dakota will be playing for a spot in the Big Dance. In the first semifinal, they beat Portland State 79-63, jumping out to an early lead and never looking back.

UND jumped out of the gates by pounding the ball inside with great efficiency, and hitting the glass whenever they missed. They couldn't hit outside shots all game (1/9 from three), but they still scored 79 by getting it down low, and grabbing 18 offensive rebounds. Early, it was Jaron Nash (13 points, 6 rebounds and Alonzo Traylor (8 points - all early) that led the way, getting UND a big start.

As the game wore on, PSU had a tough time containing Aaron Anderson, who was brilliant once again. He had 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists, constantly getting to the bucket with his quick acceleration. Troy Huff struggled from the floor again (3/14 FG), but his aggressive attacking at the basket led to a 12/15 night from the charity stripe.

All night, North Dakota never let up offensively. Though their field goal percentage doesn't look great, their offensive rebounding and free throw totals tell the story. They were constantly attacking the basket and getting it inside, and PSU just couldn't find ways to slow them down with their four-guard lineups.

It's a tough end to the season for Portland State, thought there are still many reasons to be proud. When they were sitting at 6-8 in the conference with a tough schedule down the stretch, I'm not sure anyone expected that their season would end in the Big Sky semifinals. Though they need to find some frontcourt players, they will still return a lot of talent next season.

But this was North Dakota's day. They played without key reserve Josh Schuler (out after McKinney's foul last night), but it didn't matter. On Saturday night, they play for their first ever trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball

Northern Colorado Makes Big Statement in Victory Over North Dakota

Northern Colorado has had an impressive season so far, knocking off Kansas State on the road, and giving New Mexico State and Colorado State all they could handle on the road. But their most impressive game of the season came on Sunday in the Big Sky opener, as they took down North Dakota 84-66.

It was an impressive effort that saw UNC take care of business in all facets of the game. They shot 60% from the floor while holding UND to 39% shooting. They outrebounded UND by 16. At one point in the first half, they turned an 11-7 deficit into a 32-11 lead thanks to a 25-0 run. Their gameplan was sound, and they executed it perfectly.

North Dakota came into the game allowing opponents to shoot 57% on two-pointers, and they showed today that was not a fluke. They constantly took chances defensively (and to their credit, they did force 20 turnovers), but when they didn't cause a steal, it would often result in open lanes for the Bears, who got a ton of easy looks. At times, North Dakota looked hopeless on help defense, and guys would drive from the three-point line all the way in for an open layup, which simply shouldn't happen. The Bears shot 22/36 inside the arc.

On the contrary, Northern Colorado played excellent defense all day, holding the powerful duo of Aaron Anderson and Troy Huff to 20 points on 5/21 FG. They switched all ball screens, which is a luxury BJ Hill has with big men as agile as Derrick Barden and Dominique Lee, who were both outstanding. North Dakota got some open looks outside, but they are at their best when they are able to attack the rim and score in transition, and the Bears packed things in so that UND wasn't able to get to the rim often. It was a great defensive performance, and at times UND simply had no answers in the half-court offense.

Another nice thing that UNC showed was a three-quarter court trapping press, similar to one that Montana uses. While they didn't really force a lot of turnovers, it really slowed North Dakota down and made them take a lot of time to get into their sets.

Derrick Barden was the star of the day, with 18 points and 14 rebounds, five of them offensive. He made great decisions all day, and was just relentless on the glass, as always. A guy his size should not be able to rebound the way that he does, but he is a special player at the Big Sky level.

One bright spot for North Dakota was the play of Jaron Nash, who consistently finished well at the rim, as he was able to create angles using his athleticism. He finished with 22 points on 10/14 shooting.

North Dakota will have better days than this for sure, but for one day at the start of the conference season, Northern Colorado looked every bit the conference title contender that the non-conference season showed that they could be. It's back to the drawing board for UND, especially defensively, but for now, Northern Colorado will wake up on Monday morning as the Big Sky leaders.

Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball

North Dakota Takes Down Rival NDSU

Every North Dakota fan or alum will tell you that there is nothing better than beating NDSU. Though we all know that the University of North Dakota has the superior athletic program(!), NDSU fans like to claim that their football success and NCAA Tournament appearance makes it more of a discussion. So, it always feels good to beat NDSU. In this case, it felt especially good to beat a good NDSU team by 18 points, scoring a blistering 1.25 PPP.

UND won this game by simply being excellent offensively. They made 24/39 shots from two-point range, and got to the line an astounding 41 times (making 33 of them, which is no small thing for a team that has struggled at the line the past couple of seasons). (It should also be noted that NDSU made 36 trips to the free throw line themselves).

The star was Troy Huff, who was fantastic again. He followed up his 39 points, 9 rebound performance against Wisconsin with 32 points and 10 rebounds in this game. He was 8/12 from the floor and 13/17 from the foul line. He had three steals. He led the team in scoring and rebounding, and was efficient from downtown (3/6). So far, has looks like every bit the Big Sky POY contender that everyone thought he would be, and then some.

Aaron Anderson once again was his efficient self, scoring 18 points despite taking four field goal attempts. (He was 10/12 from the FT line). Jaron Nash scored 12 points, Chad Calcaterra had 11 off the bench, and Jamal Webb was creating plays for other guys. They got production from their bench, which is another thing that hasn't always been there for UND.

Defensively, UND shut down guys who weren't named Taylor Braun (the NDSU star scored 34 points). All other Bison players were 17/43 from the floor, and 8/14 from the stripe.

UND moves to 2-1 on the year, but this is a win they will feel good about it, especially since NDSU beat them by 20 in Fargo last season. This game, along with the play of Northern Colorado and Eastern Washington, has shown us that the Big Sky is going to be very competitive at the top. North Dakota finished last season strong, and they appear to have picked up right where they left off.

Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball

A Look at North Dakota's Jaron Nash

After last season, Texas Tech forward Jaron Nash transferred to The University of North Dakota so he could be closer to his father, who is suffering from MS. Remarkably, for a reason that certainly only the NCAA knows, he was twice denied his request to get immediate eligibility. Rachel George of the USA Today wrote a really nice article on Nash and his relationship with his father.

While Nash spent his first semester at North Dakota hoping the NCAA would waive a transfer rule that requires him to sit out a year before he can play – his request was denied twice – his grades suffered and in December he was ruled academically ineligible. After transferring from a major program to be closer to home, the weight of his father's illness wore on him.

"When I found out I wouldn't be able to play (because of the NCAA's rulings on the waiver), it kind of took a toll on me," Jaron says.

Molded by those old VHS tapes of his father's college days and a group of friends, men Jerry trusted to teach his son what he could not, Jaron grew into a lithe 6-8 forward with ball-handling skills. They helped him follow in his father's footsteps to earn a Division I scholarship.

Jaron says he is on track to be eligible for his senior season and is focused on his last chance to play in front of his father. For Jaron, it has been a difficult year – he's had to learn to fight like Jerry.

Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball

North Dakota Begins Practice

From the Grand Forks Herald UND Sports Blog. One of the more interesting notes:

Expect Texas Tech transfer Jaron Nash to join those four in the starting lineup if the NCAA clears his eligibility. Nash is a lanky athlete who can cause mismatch problems on offense and cover a variety of style of players on defense.

If you are not familiar with him, Nash transferred to North Dakota from Texas Tech to be closer to his father, who is ill. It seems like a pretty clear cut case for him to be made eligible right away. Unfortunately, the NCAA doesn't always base their decisions strictly on logic.

Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball

North Dakota Signs Texas Tech Transfer Jaron Nash

This happened a few days, but I am just able to sit down and write about. Due to senior Nick Haugen reportedly not returning to the team next season, North Dakota had a third scholarship available. It was used to sign Texas Tech transfer forward Jaron Nash, a 6'8'' F who will have two years of eligibility remaining.

Nash is transferring to be closer to his father, who has multiple sclerosis, according to the Grand Forks Herald. Because of this, he is appealing to the NCAA to be eligible to play this season for North Dakota.

Nash played in 27 games for the Red Raiders last year, averaging about eight minutes per game. He averaged 2.5 points and 1.5 rebounds per game. He shot 52.8% from inside the arc, but a dreadful 12/43 (27.9% from the free throw line). He had pretty average rebounding rates, and turned the ball over a lot more times than he got assists.

All that said, it is clear that if he is able to play this year, he will compete for a starting spot right away. There are four guys likely etched into the starting lineup - Jamal Webb, Aaron Anderson, Troy Huff, and Brandon Brekke - but the other spot is clearly up for grabs. The most likely candidate to step in was probably JUCO big man Alonzo Traylor, but he would have stiff competition from Nash.

Going into the offseason, frontcourt depth was a huge issue for UND. After the spring signing period, it is clear that North Dakota has done a lot to clear up their biggest weakness.

Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball