Top Departing Players #13: Kenny McGowen

 

With the throes of the offseason all around us, I thought it would be fun to take a look at the 20 best players that are departing from the Big Sky, either due to graduating, declaring for the draft, or transferring.

During Idaho State's magical run in the middle of the season, it was Kenny McGowen that seemed to hit clutch shot after clutch shot. He hit game-winning shots in multiple games, and had a game of 37 points this year (and a couple games with 30+ points).

So why isn't he higher on this list? Well, when he was hot, he was as dangerous almost as anyone in the conference. When he wasn't shooting well, he appeared to be a bit more of a reckless gunner. He shot 32.5% from downtown, but took nearly seven of them per game. He was not too bad at getting to the line, and shot a nice percentage from there. But his game was clearly predicated on shooting threes (and interim coach Deane Martin gave him the green light), but sometimes that meant he was not effective if the shots weren't falling.

He didn't impact the game in a big way getting others involved, was not a great defensive player, and he did not help on the glass. That was not what he was asked to do. I try to look at a guy irrespective of what team they're on, and in that light I think McGowen doesn't stand out quite as much as some others. On ISU, a team without a ton of scorers, he got the green light whenever he wanted, and at times this made him look like a star. But other times, he simply didn't impact the game quite enough.

A team will always miss a guy with the ability to heat up like McGowen, and someone that was never afraid of the moment. With his game-winner to beat Weber State, he had a hand in perhaps the most dramatic moment of the Big Sky season.

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Eastern Washington Advances to Semifinals

In the first quarterfinal of the day, it was Eastern Washington winning a hard fought game over Idaho State, 81-75 to advance to the quarterfinals. Who they play next depends on the outcome of the Portland State/Montana State tilt.

Eastern Washington won because it got some big performances all-around. First-teamer Cliff Colimon played great, finishing with 22 points and seven assists. He got plenty of help though. Laron Griffin scored a career-high 21 points, and also had 11 rebounds. Jeffrey Forbes had a season high 21 points, and made some big plays in the final minute. Those were not the guys you would expect to have huge impacts, but that is what you need to advance in conference tournaments.

For ISU, the gameplan was simply... fire away. They made 14 threes (in 33 attempts). Kenny McGowen finished with 28 points, but he was just 9/28 from the field, and 5/19 from downtown. Defensively, you will take that. I talked about how EWU had been prone to putting opponents on the line, but I thought they would win because ISU is content to shoot jumpshots... that was true today, as the Bengals shot just eight free throws.

It is Eastern Washington's first trip to the semifinals since 2006, and is at least making the ending of an up and down season more positive for Eastern Washington fans. They have the talent and athleticism to pull a shocker in the semifinals, so I can guarantee you that Montana or Weber State will not be caught sleeping when they take on the Eagles Tuesday night.

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Idaho State @ Eastern Washington Quarterfinal Preview and Prediction

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

EDGE: Eastern Washington has the decided frontcourt edge.

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

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

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

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

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

EASTERN WASHINGTON 76, IDAHO STATE 67

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Kenny McGowen Carries Idaho State to Third Place

Without Chase Grabau, I thought ISU might get a case of the upset bug against Northern Arizona. However, senior Kenny McGowen was not about to let that happen.

McGowen scored a career-high 37 points in Idaho State's 79-73 road win over Northern Arizona, a win that puts ISU alone in third place in the Big Sky at 7-6.

“I was taking what they were giving me,” McGowen said. “It wasn't just me. My teammates did a good job of running the floor. We are not just a one-man team. The entire team did a lot to help us get the win. This team keeps battling and fighting until the buzzer sounds at the end.”

McGowen was 12/22 from the field, including 7/12 from downtown., though he played just 30 minutes since he had some foul trouble. Idaho State only got two points from their bench, showcasing a concerning lack of depth. But on this night, it did not matter.

Gabe Rogers had a season-high 25 points for the Lumberjacks, but was just 1/9 from beyond the arc, where he used to make a living. Durrell Norman had 15 points, while Michael Dunn had 12 for NAU.

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Damian Lillard is the Big Sky POW

It's deja vu all over again.

For the fifth time this season, Damian Lillard has been named the Big Sky POW. It is no surprise, as he had an incredible past two games.

The 6-foot-3 junior guard from Oakland, Calif., averaged 37.5 points, five assists, two rebounds and one steal per game as the Wildcats earned home wins over Portland State and Northern Colorado. Lillard shot 69.7 percent from the field, 64.7 percent from 3-point range, and 70 percent from the free-throw line. He also scored his 1,700th career point and moved into 12th place on the Big Sky’s all-time scoring list.

Certainly very well deserved. Lillard was also named Andy Katz of ESPN's Co-Player of the Week.

Other candidates were: Cliff Ederaine (EWU), Kenny McGowen (ISU), Kareem Jamar (MT), Jourdaine Allou (MSU), Tate Unruh (UNC), Charles Odum (PSU), Joe Eberhard (CSUS)

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Montana Rolls Over Idaho State

It is not a surprise that Montana beat Idaho State. I predicted them to win, and they are the better team. However, it is a surprise that they beat them by 36, particularly when the Bengals came into the game on as good of a roll as anyone in the Big Sky.

Simply put, Montana dominated in all facets of this game. It started with their defense, where the Grizzlies gave another signature performance. They held ISU to 24.6% shooting from the field, allowing just 40 points in the 76-40 victory. Kenny McGowen had been playing as well as anyone, but Will Cherry showed why he is the best defensive player in the conference, holding McGowen to 9 points. Derek Selvig contributed with a career-high six blocks.

The Grizzlies didn't have a lot of problems on offense either. Cherry was 8/10 from the field for 21 points, continuing his climb up the Montana record books (he is now 24th career scoring for Montana). Art Steward had 14 and Kareem Jamar had 13, each guy also rebounding the ball well. Selvig chipped in 8 assists, and Cherry called him "the best passer on our team."

Montana moves again into a tie with Weber State at 10-1, and they have at least one believer that they are the class of the conference in ISU coach Deane Martin:

"I told them, I think one through five they're the best team in the league, there's no question," Martin said. "Weber State might have a little more depth, but one through five I'd take what (Montana) has out there."

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One-Minute Montana vs Idaho State Prediction

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

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

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

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

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

MONTANA 74, IDAHO STATE 67

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Kenny McGowen is Mr. Clutch

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Basketball sure is great.

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Kenny McGowen Named Big Sky POW

Kenny McGowen of Idaho State was able to break Charles Odum's two-week POW streak, winning the award for the first time his career.

McGowen scored 18 points with five steals, four assists and three rebounds and five steals as the Bengals beat Northern Colorado 99-94 in double overtime on Thursday, Jan. 26.

McGowen converted a 3-point play with 29 seconds remaining in the first overtime to tie the game and send it to a second overtime.

McGowen scored a game-high 19 points and hit the game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer as the Bengals beat Weber State 64-62, handing the Wildcats their first conference loss and ending their 10-game winning streak. McGowen was 7-of-14 from the floor, and 4-of-9 from 3-point range. He also had two assists, a steal and a rebound in 37 minutes of action.

Certainly a well deserved award.

Other Candidates: Laron Griffin (EWU), Will Cherry (Montana), Shawn Reid (MSU), Tevin Svihovec (UNC), Chehales Tapscott (PSU), Jackson Carbajal (Sac), Damian Lillard (WSU)

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A Huge Weekend in the Big Sky (Part 1)

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

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

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

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IDAHO STATE
- WOW!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Portland State Evens Big Sky Record

After Idaho State's thrilling comeback over Sacramento State on Saturday, they had a lot of confidence.They started out this game playing well, jumping out to a 9-2 lead, and it looked like they may have found some magic. However, Portland State regained their composure, kept it close for a while, and then made a big second half run, eventually winning 70-62.

The star for the Vikings was guard Charles Odum, who finished with a career-high 29 points. As has been the case most of the season, it was an efficient scoring output, as he was 10/18 from the field (including 3/5 from downtown) and 6/7 from the stripe. Off the heels of being named Big Sky Player of the Week, he had an impressive outing.

Chehales Tapscott also filled the stat sheet for the Vikings as usual. He had an efficient 15 points, six rebounds, five steals, and four blocks. There is no doubt that he is one of the more versatile guys in the nation. Lateef McMullan and Renado Parker also contributed with 10 points each in the win.

For Idaho State, they didn't play too poorly, they just didn't have the firepower. Chase Grabau continued his excellent senior season with 18 points, eight rebounds, and four assists, and Kenny McGowen also chipped in 20. However, they just didn't have the talent to keep pace with the Vikings on their home court.

Portland State moves to 9-9 on the year, 3-3 in the Big Sky, while Idaho State drops to 4-14 and 2-4 in the Big Sky. PSU will take on Eastern Washington on Saturday in what should be a fantastic matchup, as both teams currently sit tied for fifth in the Big Sky.

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Idaho State Tops UNC; Both Teams 1-1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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How Will Idaho St Replace Broderick Gilchrist and Deividas Busma?

We are talking about replacing stars this week, and the next team to look at is Idaho State. They had one of the worst teams in the Big Sky last season, finishing 9-20 on the year with a 4-12 conference record. They accomplished this by being one of the worst defensive teams in the country (Opponents had an ORtg of 111.7 against, 311th worst in the nation), and being not that much better offensively (44.6 EFG%, 318th in the country).

To add insult to ineffectiveness, they will be losing arguably their two players in Broderick Gilchrist and Deividas Busma, both Big Sky Honorable Mention selections a season ago. So how will they replace them and fill their event space?

Gilchrist was their leader last year, playing a team high 35. minutes per game, though he had a bit of a disappointing senior year after a stellar junior campaign. He was not a very efficient player, shooting 45.6% on 2s and 32.9% from 3s. He dominated the ball but had more turnovers than assists. But he will be important to replace simply because he played so much.

The onus on replacing him, it seems, will fall on two different guys. One is Kenny McGowen. McGowen had the second highest shot rate on the team, so he will be able to take over that role for Gilchrest! He also needs to improve efficiency in all facets offensively... he had very similar ARate and TORate to Gilchrest, and his shooting percentages were slightly lower. He shot more 3s than 2s, so it will be interesting to see if he can get into the paint more next year.

The other guy is newcomer Melvin Morgan, a JUCO Transfer from Mississippi. Morgan averaed 15.9 PPG while dishing out 3.4 APG, and looks to have a great chance to start from Day 1. Says coach Joe O'Brien:

“Melvin gives us our best true point guard we've recruited since we've been here,” O'Brien said. “He is a guy we have been watching since high school and someone who looks to pass first and score second. His stock really went up this year.”

Look for Morgan to take over primary ball-handling responsibilities, and the fate of the Bengals may rest in his hands.

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Busma was a 7-footer, so it will be a little more difficult to find someone to replicate that. He led the team in rebounding per game, and was one of the better shot blockers in the conference (with 56 on the season).

Abner Moreira will be counted on to pick up a lot of the rebounding slack, and he seems to be up to the ask. At 6'9'', he had the best rebounding rate on the team last season. He was also solid at getting to the FT line, and was an 80% shooter once he got there. He will be heavily relied on down low in his senior season.

After that, there is uncertainty. Brandon Glanz redshirted last year and should be in the mix, but at 6'6'' is a bit of a tweener. Jakub Kusmeriak sat out last year after transferring from Central Florida, and at 7'4'' figures to get some good run. In his last year at UCF, he averaged 1.8 PPG and 1.3 RPG in 6 MPG. He will likely be in line for some solid minutes. Incoming players Dejan Kotsur and Garrett Swanson could have a role, but I am not sure how that will play out.

The good news for Idaho State is that things can't get much worse than last season. The bad news is that I'm not sure they're going to get a whole lot better.

Would love to hear any Idaho State fans chime in on how they see these guys getting replaced.