Big Sky Teams Take Big Losses

The two early games in the Big Sky on Tuesday night did not turn out so well.

We hoped Northern Arizona would carry some momentum from their win against Arizona State into the game against Sam Houston State, but it simply did not happen. The Lumberjacks got blown out 73-49, as they were undone by a halftime score of 38-16. NAU struggled offensively (SHSU shot 52%) and offensively (shooting just 31.5%), losing a winnable game to a mediocre opponent.

NAU got a solid game out of Durrell Norman (18 and 13), but beyond that, it is easy to see why they struggled so much. Gabe Rogers struggled mightily in his second game back, shooting just 1/10 and scoring 2 points in 26 minutes. Stallon Saldivar, fresh off of the best game of his career, was 1/5, scoring 3 points to go with 4 assists. Those are their two big leaders, and they need them to be there if NAU is going to be competitive.

The Bearkats improve to 4-7, while NAU drops to 4-8. After a great start under interim coach Dave Brown, they will have to go into the Christmas break with this taste in their mouth.

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I did not expect Montana State to go into New Mexico and beat the Lobos, but I did think they would keep it reasonably competitive. No such luck, as they fell 91-46 in Albuquerque, including getting outscored 53-16 in the first half (!). Combining this with their loss to Pepperdine, and it is has not been a very good week for MSU.

It is tough to find bright spots for Montana State. They shot 30% from the field, even worse from downtown, and allowed New Mexico to play a brutally efficient offensive game. If you look deep enough, you can see that Tre Johnson had a nice night with 16 points and 6 rebounds, and Christian Moon hit four threes, but those are about the lone bright spots.

For Montana State, it was not long ago that I was wondering if they were the second best team in the Big Sky. Suddenly, they look like a fringe Big Sky tournament team.

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Idaho State Coach Joe O'Brien Resigns

It seems like the biggest news in the Big Sky happens when I am the busiest! In the middle of a 15 hour workday yesterday, Idaho State head coach Joe O'Brien resigned, and was replaced by assistant coach Dean Martin.

“In coaching you need to know when it is time to walk way,” O'Brien said. “I know it is time. For a number of reasons in my life it is time. This basketball team has a chance and they have proven they can compete with people. A different voice will make a difference in this program. It is time for me to do something different.”

O'Brien had been a bit on the hot seat heading into the season, and the Bengals had fallen to 2-8 this year, dropping his career record at Idaho State to 56-105. If he had lasted the year, O'Brien likely would not have had his contract renewed after the season, so he decided to go out on his own terms.

Since I began this blog 5 or so months ago, I have heard a lot of Idaho State fans complain that they wanted a coaching change, and were looking forward to a fresh start at the top. However, as a testament to Coach O'Brien, I have not heard a single one of them say anything negatively about his character (which can happen sometimes with upset fans), which is a kudos to both himself and Bengals fans.

I wish O'Brien the best, and from all I read about the type of person that he has, he seems likely to land solidly on his feet somewhere.

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Predicting the Best Games Of The Week

It will be a bit of a quiet week in the Big Sky, with Christmas almost upon us, but there will still be a few games worth watching this week. Here are some thoughts on some of the intriguing matchups.

@ St. Mary's 74, Eastern Washington 64 (12/19)
This will depend on which Eagles team shows up. If it is the team that was solid this year at forcing turnovers and hitting outside shots, this is a game they can win. But they have been a little too inconsistent of late, last week putting up an anemic offensive performance against UCLA before sneaking by Pacific Lutheran. St. Mary's is simply the better team at this point in the year.

@ New Mexico 77, Montana State 63 (12/20)
It is a very difficult team to go into New Mexico and win in The Pit, and the Bobcats don't quite have that talent level. It will be a nice test for them heading into the Big Sky season, to go into a hostile environment and play. Xavier Blount is emerging as a great weapon for them, and they will need him to be a star to stay in this game.

@ Weber State 74, Utah 54 (12/22)
Weber State is banged up and coming off of a tough game against California, but they should win this game big. They are the better, more talented team, and playing in Ogden. Damian Lillard will look to get back on track after a surprisingly poor performance against Cal. Hopefully this is a game for the Wildcats to get back in sync.

Wyoming 75, @ Idaho State 61 (12/22)
Wyoming is a solid club this year, as they sit at 11-1 and have the look of being in the upper half of the Moutain West. They have been efficient offensively and one of the best defensive teams in the country. That is bad news for Idaho State, who looks like they might be one of the worst Division I teams out there after their 12 point loss to Utah. Chase Grabau is a real nice player, but there are not a lot of other positive for Jim O'Brien.

Colorado State 69, @ Northern Colorado 65 (12/22)
This should be a pretty competitive game. The Rams are solid, but they are not as talented as they were last season. UNC can definitely win this game, but I think they will come up a little short. They are a young team that is still learning how to win games. It will be a battle of the guards, and the Bears need Paul Garnica and Tate Unruh to hit some outside shots.

Portland State 87, @ Cal State Fullerton 84 (12/22)
The Vikings are doing some good things offensively, but they have been bad defensively, there is no other way to say it. Cal State Fullerton is similar in that they are good offensively but have had their struggles on defense. Expect a high-scoring, entertaining game, with the Vikings having a little bit more in them.

Last Week: 6-2
Season Record: 20-10

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Other Saturday Big Sky Action

We looked at NAU's stunner over Arizona State, but a brief look at the other action in the Big Sky yesterday.

Northern Colorado went to Marquette and predictably lost 93-72, but there were a couple of bright spots for the Bears. First was guard sophomore Tate Unruh, who scored a career high 25 points to lead the team. He was 10/18 from the floor and hit five from downtown, showing his excellent shooting range. Early in the year it looked like Paul Garnica was morphing into "The Guy" for the Bears, but Unruh has really come on. He has one of the purest strokes in the conference, and is becoming a heck of a player for UNC.

Another bright spot was freshman Tim Huskisson, who continued his strong play. I ranked him as the 4th best freshmen in the conference so far, but he is trying to move up the list. He scored 17 points in 20 minutes for the Bears (including 10/11 from the line), and is one of the big reasons why the future is bright for the Bears even with their struggles this season.

UNC lost to Marquette, but that is an understandable loss. Marquette is a real good team and will win a lot of games. But BJ Hill still has to be happy with a few bright spots coming from this game, most notably Unruh and Huskisson.

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The other Big Sky game on Saturday featured Montana taking on Portland. The Grizzlies hadn't played since their loss to Nevada, but they came out with fresh legs in this one, winning 80-65 on the road. The big thing was that the Grizzlies three best guys all came to play in this game.

Derek Selvig had 15 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 blocks in this game, showing a nice inside game both on the glass and defensively, which is huge for this team. No matter how many points he scores, if he can rebound and be a factor down low defensively, it will be successful for him. Will Cherry did not shoot the ball particularly well, but he had a nice all-around impact. He finished with 20 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals.

The other star is Kareem Jamar, who finished with 15 points and 7 assists. He has really become a great playmaker for them, and in my mind is the biggest reason the Grizzlies probably should still be seen as the second best team in the Big Sky. The Grizzlies made 9 threes compared to 2 for the Pilots, and got 20 more attempts from the FT line, which was the difference in this one.

Any other thoughts on these two games?

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Northern Arizona Stuns Arizona State

Photo courtesy of Northern Arizona News.

About 10 days ago, Northern Arizona was sitting at 2-7. They hadn't beaten a Division I team, and they were coming off of a 49-40 loss to Pepperdine. Their long-time coach Mike Adras was about to resign in a situation where all of the details still aren't known. They would promote the 70 year old radio announcer to be the head coach, and it seemed like they were the best candidate to finish last in the Big Sky.

It is funny how things change. In the first two games since the chance in coaching, Northern Arizona finally beat a Division I team with an 80-67 win over Cal State Bakersfield. Amazingly, they topped that last night, with a 69-68 victory over Pac-12 Arizona State, getting a buzzer beater from Stallon Saldivar to shock the Sun Devils.

"I had planned that we would hit it to win it and told them that," said Interim Head Coach Dave Brown of the final play. "The guy was going to miss one free throw and we were going to get our chance. That is one thing we try to do to reinforce confidence. It is important and we want shooters to shoot."

If you haven't heard the audio of the game-winner, click here.

For NAU, a couple big storylines in this game. First, was simply the brilliance of Stallon Saldivar. The junior guard's performance was sublime in this game. He shot 7/12 (and 6/8 from downtown), finishing with 24 points. He always displayed his normal solid decision-making, finishing with 9 assists compared to 2 turnovers. To top it off, he pulled down 5 rebounds. He has been counted on to the stabilizing force for them this year, and in this game he looked like one of the best players in the conference. This is certainly a game he will remember for a long time.

The other big story was the return of Gabe Rogers from injury. He didn't have a huge impact in this game, shooting 2/7 for 4 points in 15 minutes, but the mere fact that he is back on the court is huge for the Lumberjacks. He was expected to be their leader and best player this year, but then he suffered a preseason shoulder injury. If Rogers can get back to full health, he is one of the best shooters in the Big Sky (and in the country) and a huge difference-maker for NAU.

Not long ago, NAU was looking like a pushover. Now, suddenly, a three-guard lineup with Saldivar, Rogers, and James Douglas is something that no Big Sky team is going to want to face. Can they keep this up? I'm not sure, but for the first time this year, this are signs of life in Flagstaff.

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Audio of Stallon Saldivar Game-Winner

I will have more to say on this game tomorrow, but for now, audio of Stallon Saldivar's game-winning three with 0.8 seconds left, as Northern Arizona took down Arizona State for a thrilling road upset.

The audio can be found here.

If you like excited audio calls of game-winners (and who doesn't), you best click that link.

BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG!

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Tweets From Californa/Weber State

I watched the game between California and Weber State on Friday night, and it was sad. The Wildcats simply could not get it going (other than for a few minutes at the beginning of the second half), and they could not slow down the Bears either. It was a poor showing from the best team in the Big Sky.

Further, Damian Lillard struggled with one of the worst games in his career. He pressed a bit, and he was shut down by Jorge Gutierrez, and elite defender for the Bears.

Anyway, instead of writing a recap, let me just paste tweets I made throughout the game. It was a depressing game to watch, and there is no need to further prolong the torture by writing a recap in addition to the tweeting. Without further ado, from @bigskybball:

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- Cal 18, Weber State 9 early on... Fulton hit a big 3, Wildcats will need lots of balance to hang in this game

- Lillard forces a 3... might be a little tight, over 100 friends and family in the stands

- Fulton loves that fadeaway in the post, but needs to learn to take it strong to the hoop. Not a very effective move for him

- Bamforth with a rare missed FT, fitting end to the first half. Bears lead Weber State 32-18 at the half @WeberHoops

- [Tweet from Roy Burton) @WeberState is 6-for-35 from the field in first half (17.1 percent). Lillard, nation's leading scorer, is 1-10, 0-5 from 3pt range. 4 pts

- Bamforth with another 3! 6 3s in the 2nd half for WSU, keeping them with a beating pulse #BigSkyMBB

- Lillard has carried Weber State all year, but he is off tonight while Bamforth/Fulton keeping them in it offensively #BigSkyMBB

- Weber State really missing Otis and Bullinger, they are the 2 best rebounders for @WeberStateMBB #BigSkyMBB

- Not a night Damian Lillard will remember fondly. To say J Gutierrez has outplayed him would be too kind of a way to put it

- Plays like that rebound, coast-to-coast transition layup in traffic show how good Lillard is (even if it was a foul before the basket)

- When his shot is falling, nobody has a shot that looks better than Scott Bamforth #BigSkyMBB

- (Tweet from Weber State) Final score - California 77, Weber State 57. Scott Bamforth leads the 'Cats with 19 points. Byron Fulton adds a season-high 13 points.

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All in all, a night Weber State and the rest of the Big Sky will try to forget...

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Eastern Washington Hangs On To Beat Pacific Lutheran

You can understand why it would have been tough for Eastern Washington to get up for this game. They were coming off a game against UCLA, it was a Friday night game against a lower level opponent, and the crowd at the Reese Center was sparse (to be generous). Still, the game had to be a little closer than Jim Hayford would have liked.

Eastern Washington managed to win the game 83-72, but the game was in doubt until the final minute. The Lutes shot the ball well, and EWU just could not put them away until the very end of the game.

The best player on the court for the Eagles was Cliff Colimon, who finished with a season-high 26 points. He also finished with 7 assists and 5 rebounds while playing all 40 minutes, so he certainly put in a full day's work. He did have 7 turnovers though, which is a big flag. This has not been a big problem for him this year though, so it could be a one game aberration.

Collin Chiverton also had 26 points, and he had an efficient day from the field. He was 10/19 from the field while making 4 treys. Cliff Ederaine was the only other Eagle in double figures, as he had 12 points. Overall, EWU shot 57% from the field and made 11/22 from downtown. After a poor offensive showing the other night, this had to be good to see, no matter the opponent.

This was Eastern Washington's last game before conference play. They open the Big Sky season December 28th with a trip to Bozeman to take on Montana State.

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North Dakota Gets A Nice Win

I haven't been able to follow North Dakota and Southern Utah as much as I would have wanted this season, but did want to pass along a nice victory by the Fighting Sioux.

Forward Patrick Mitchell (Des Moines, Iowa) scored a season-high 22 points, connecting on his first six 3-pointers of the contest to lead North Dakota past South Dakota State 89-70 on Thursday at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.

With the victory North Dakota evens their record at 5-5.

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Dlan Garrity Leads All Freshmen In Assists

From CBS Sports:

The top freshman rebounder is Oakland’s Corey Petros (11.3 rpg) and the top assist man is Sacramento State’s Dylan Garrity (6.3 apg).

That is the biggest reason I think he has been the best freshman in the Big Sky so far this season.

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Story on Former EWU Guard Glen Dean

Whenever the words brain surgery are in the title of a story, you know it is scary.

Point guard Glen Dean underwent successful brain surgery Wednesday at University Hospital to repair an undisclosed condition. The Spokesman Review, in Spokane, Wash., reported that Dean suffered a ruptured blood vessel in his brain.

Best wishes to Dean for a full and speedy recovery, hopefully we will see him back out on the court.

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Damian Lillard Leads The Nation In ORtg

Perhaps even more impressive than Damian Lillard leading the nation in scoring at 26.9 PPG, is the fact that he leads the country in ORtg at 131.3. ORtg, or Offensive Rating is a stat from stats guru Ken Pomeroy and Dean Oliver. From KenPom:

Offensive rating (ORtg): A measure of personal offensive efficiency developed by Dean Oliver. The formula is very complicated, but accurate. For a detailed explanation, buy Basketball on Paper.

There are many ways to show how good Lillard has been this year, and this is one of them. Lillard has been efficient in every sense of the word on the offensive side of the ball, as he is shooting the ball very well, getting his teammates good shots, and getting to the foul line.

His true shooting percentage is 67.7%, good for 38th in the country. This is because he has made 55% of his twos and 45$ of his threes. He has also already taken more three-pointers than he did all of last season, so his percentage is not a sample size issue. If he continues at this rate, it is fair to say he is the most dangerous offensive player in the country, as an inconsistent outside shot was his biggest offensive question mark.

He has a great assist: turnover ratio. His ARate of 27.7% is very good; when contrasted with a turnover rate of 11.1%, it looks even better. Simply put, he gets guys involved and takes good care of the basketball. Both numbers are better than he put up last year, further showing his improvement.

His athleticism is shown by drawing fouls and getting to the line. He is 24th in the country at drawing fouls, and he is a great foul shooter (88%) when he does get to the line. He is a complete offensive player.

Anybody that has not seen Damian Lillard play yet needs to do so. He is the total package and will be a future pro. He has the athleticism to match any guard in the country, he is quietly developing a very dangerous outside shot, he takes care of the ball, and is good at getting teammates involved. Damian Lillard is the total package.

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Northern Colorado/Denver Recap

Excellent stuff from Brendan Loy of Mile High Mids with his writeup for The Mid-Majority 800 Games Project, who wrote about Northern Colorado's tight loss to Denver on Wednesday night.

This game, though, was a Tale of Two Halves -- and I showed up at just the right time. (Or perhaps, as I suggested via Twitter, either I or my companions were good-luck charms.) While I was walking to my seat, Brian Stafford hit a #superhoop to cut the lead to 31-29. As I was sitting down, Rob Lewis hit another to make it 32-31 -- Denver's first lead of the night. Northern Colorado would never lead again.

Give it a read, Mr. Loy is always a great spot to go for good, entertaining writing (even if he is an attorney...)

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Montana Recruit Jake Wiley

Just happened to run across a few articles on Montana recruit Jake Wiley and some his high school games. He certainly has been impressive.

December 4:

Newport 77, Priest River 63: Jake Wiley had 31 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Grizzlies (2-0) to a win over the visiting Spartans (0-3).

December 7:

Newport 67, Medical Lake 60: Jake Wiley had 25 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks to lead the Grizzlies (3-0) past the visiting Cardinals (0-3).

December 10:

Deer Park 69, Newport 60: Zach Mohr hit five 3-pointers and finished with 24 points as the Stags (3-0) remained unbeaten with a win over the host Grizzlies (3-1). Blake Starbuck added 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Stags. Jake Wiley led Newport with 22 points.

Also happened to see a little on Montana State recruit Marcus Colbert:

Post Falls 45, Pullman 37: Michael Hillman had 15 points and eight rebounds to lead the Trojans (2-0) past the host Greyhounds (1-1). Seth Anderson and Marcus Colbert each added 11 points for Post Falls. Austin Drake led Pullman with 15 points and seven boards.

There will be some solid talent coming to the state of Montana next season.

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Jackson Carbajal Back At Practice For Sacramento State

From Sac State Sports:

The Sacramento State men’s basketball team is one giant step closer to being healthy for the first time since their season-opening game against Menlo.

Sophomore guard Jackson Carbajal practiced for the first time since injuring his knee during that game.

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Carbajal appeared in all 28 games last year for the Hornets, including 16 starts as a true freshman, averaging 6.5 points per game shooting 40.9 percent (63-154) from the field.

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Damian Lillard Named Big Sky POW (Again)

No, this story is not a week late... Damian Lillard has just been named the Big Sky Player of the Week for the second straight week.

Lillard, a 6-foot-3, 195-pound junior guard from Oakland, Calif., averaged 23 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game as the Wildcats beat Southern Utah and lost at Brigham Young.

Lillard scored 31 points and dished out a career-high nine assists in Weber State’s 84-66 home victory over Southern Utah on Saturday. Lillard made 9-of-15 shots from the floor, was 5-of-8 from 3-point range, and 8-of-9 from the free-throw line. He also had three rebounds and a steal.

I have the strange feeling this won't be the last time Lillard wins the award this season.

Other candidates were Cliff Colimon (EWU), Kenny McGowen (IdSt), Kareem Jamar (MT), Xavier Blount (MtSt), James Douglas (NAU), Chehales Tapscott (PSU), and John Dickson (CSUS).

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Does Anyone Want To Be Second Best In Big Sky?

So far this season, I think everyone can agree on one thing in the Big Sky - Weber State was the team to beat going into the season, and they still are at this point. Beyond that, it's tough to say who is #2. Teams have had chances to step into that spot, but it seems like nobody really wants it at this point. Let's take a look at the contenders:

- Montana - They started the year ranked 2nd, but they already have 5 losses this season. They don't have any terrible losses, as their worst is to a North Dakota team that should finish on the right side of .500, but they have missed some good opportunities. They lost to San Francisco and Nevada at home, and got smoked by Oregon State on the road. Obviously none of those losses are terrible, but they are games a team can win (especially the home games) if they are a true #2 in the Big Sky. In addition, they have looked completely uninspiring in too-close-for-comfort wins over Great Falls and Montana Tech.

Simply put, they have been mediocre offensively. Will Cherry was expected to be the man offensively, and we are learning that is not a role he is suited for at this point in his career. Derek Selvig was the leader of the frontcourt and he has been pretty bad offensively so far (though I do think he will pick it up, based on his career performance). I think if the coaches were polled today, Montana would still be picked #2, but it wouldn't be nearly as unanimous as before.

- Eastern Washington - At one point, they looked poised to seize control of the 2nd spot in the Big Sky, but they have had a couple of poor losses within the last couple of weeks. First, they got blown out by a Washington State team that is not very good, losing 75-49. Then they lost by 13 to Cal-State Fullerton. They have been a solid offensive team, but they need to create turnovers defensively to be successful.

In the frontcourt they have some solid players, but their difference-makers are in the backcourt. Collin Chiverton is supremely athletic and takes care of the ball, but he needs to be more efficient. Cliff Colimon is a great playmaker, but his shooting percentage is down. Jeffrey Forbes is a guy you might not really notice, but he is a solid player on both ends of the court that doesn't make a lot of mistakes. EWU should be in the thick of things all season long.

- Portland State - They are another team that seemed like they had a chance to be in control of #2, as they were just sitting at 5-2, but they are on a 2 game losing streak also. They allowed 93 points to a Utah Valley offense that isn't all that good, and then followed up with a good game, but still a loss to Oregon. Their best win this season is probably against Seattle, but that is not a huge notch in their favor.

They are one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the country, and there is no bigger culprit than Charles Odum (though he might be their best player). He is really struggling with his outside shot, but is making up for it with great efficiency in other areas. They might have the most talented offensive frontcourt in the Big Sky, with a trio of Chehales Tapscott, Nate Lozeau, and now Renado Parker. That will be tough for anyone in the conference to match up against.

- Montana State - They have to be considered among the contenders for their stellar play so far this season. If not for a miraculous shot by UC Riverside, the Bobcats would be 6-3. They have decent wins over Utah, San Jose State, and Cal State Bakersfield, so they have beat some DI teams.

Offensively, they are beginning to form an identity, and it begins with Xavier Blount. He is turning into one of the better scorers in the Big Sky, and should soon be a guy that everyone in the conference knows. Defensively they have struggled, and they will need Mohammed Fall to be an anchor for them. If they can figure out how to stop people, they have the offensive weapons to be a contender.

While Northern Colorado, Sacramento State, Idaho State, and Northern Arizona have had their moments this year, I don't believe any of them has a real argument to be considered a top 2 team in the Big Sky.

Who do you think is #2? How would you rank them? Would love to hear some thoughts and arguments.

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Article on Abner Moreira

There was a nice article in the Idaho State Sports Journal about senior F Abner Moreira:

Abner Moreira never picked up a basketball until he was 15 years old.

Growing up in Brazil, he spent his time swimming, playing hand ball and soccer. The now 6-foot-9 senior forward for Idaho State played goal keeper during his time on the pitch.

Over the course of time, his friends eventually talked him into picking up hoops. That move has turned out to pay dividends for Moreira as basketball has allowed him to get an education in the United States.

Check out the whole article and learn about one of the best rebounders in the Big Sky.

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More on Montana State's Loss to UC Riverside

Montana State lost a tough one to UC Riverside on Sunday afternoon, but am just seeing some excellent stuff from Gidal Kaiser on the game, including video and interviews.

Of it all, I think this paragraph has the biggest impact on the future for the Bobcats, talking about Xavier Blount:

2. When in doubt, count on X
Seven straight free throws to end the first half. The near-game-changing 3-pointer to give the Bobcats the lead, then another 3 to give MSU a four-point edge later and a jumper to keep it at four with 2 minutes to go. Of the four transfers, Blount seems like he’s developed the most. Of course, I said the same thing about Christian Moon a week or so ago. Blount’s finally gotten absorbed into Huse’s system and is really tasking to it on both sides. Doesn’t show up on the defensive stats as much as he should, but his presence is felt there.

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Weber State Ranked 13th in Mid-Major Top 25

The Wildcats have fallen two spots this week in the Mid-Major top 25, dropping from 11th to 13th.

Once again, no other Big Sky teams received any votes, and it is tough to argue with that. Nobody else has really stepped up and taken over the #2 spot in the Big Sky.

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