Future Big Sky Member Beats Current Big Sky Member

Idaho State traveled to Grand Forks to take on the University of North Dakota on Tuesday night, and the future Big Sky member had their way with the current Big Sky member. The Fighting Sioux won 63-47 in a defensive battle.

Aaron Anderson led the Sioux with 17 points, including getting to the line for 9 FT attempts. Jamal Webb, a guy I believe has the potential to be one of the best mid-major PGs in America, contribued 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. It was a night when UND's most talented player, Troy Huff, contributed just 8 points, but the rest of the team was more than able to pick up the slack.

For the Bengals, it was an ugly performance. They shot 36% from the field, 14/27 from the foul line, and made just three 3-pointers. For the second straight game Melvin Morgan did not play well, this time going scoreless in 11 minutes. Jakub Kusmieruk was their best player when he was on the floor (as he should have been - UND does not have a strong or deep front line), but he only played 23 minutes.

For Joe O'Brien and the Bengals, the near upset of Oklahoma suddenly seems very far away.

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Montana Escapes With 60-59 Win Over Great Falls

Didn't watch the game and don't have time to go deep into it, but it is not a good sign for Montana that they narrowly beat Great Falls 60-59 at home.

From reports, Griz led by 11 at halftime and as much as 15 in the second half, but Great Falls came back to take a three point lead with 6:49 to play. It should be a good learning experience for the Griz. Kareem Jamar led the team with 14 and 14, and Billy Reader also had a nice game.

Montana fans, what happened?

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An Oklahoma Article on the Idaho State Game

Moving Without The Ball, who I had an interview with last week, posted an excellent recap on the Idaho State/Oklahoma game from Friday night. As you would expect, it is more thorough on Oklahoma coverage, but he has some nice stuff on the Bengals.

The two impact transfers into the Bengals' program this season--Melvin Morgan and Jakub Kusmieruk--had a lot of variation in their opening games. Morgan, like Sam Grooms, is a JUCO point. Like Grooms, he's fast; unlike Grooms, he played too fast at times. Kusmieruk, at the other end of the height scale, showed a raw offensive game but was not hopeless, though he did shoot perhaps the ugliest turnaround jumper I've ever witnessed. The Bengals' best player was Chase Grabau (10/8/9). He did a particularly good job breaking the press, refusing to be driven to the baseline, keeping his dribble alive and keeping the ball in the middle.

Definitely worth a read.

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New Mexico State Too Athletic For Northern Colorado

I had the chance to attend the game between New Mexico State and Northern Colorado on Saturday, a fast paced game won by the Aggies 89-75. Some thoughts and observations from the game.

- Paul Garnica looked good, as he was 6/10 for 14 points. He drained a couple of 3s which was impressive... if he can knock those down consistently he will be the Bears best player. Garnica is also the best on the team at getting to the basket, he really had some nice drives. In addition, he has quick hands defensively, and wound up with 2 steals (though they were in part due to someone else deflecting the ball. I did think he struggled a bit with the press, as did the whole team.

- The biggest key to the game was the athleticism of New Mexico State. They are one of the top teams in the WAC, and they showed it. They put on a press all night, and forced UNC into 20 turnovers. Their athleticism also allowed them to be the aggressor, which is why they got 41 free throws compared to 15 for the Bears. They forced UNC to play too fast, and it caused them to take some quick shots. In the first half, Northern Colorado was lethal from downtown, and that kept them in it, but they cooled off a bit in the second half.

- Tate Unruh had an impressive game, finishing with 15 points, 3 assists, and 3 steals. He has a quick, pure release, and he will drain a lot of treys this year. He is also a good passer, and made some nice decisions passing the ball in this game. His handle is decent. He seemed to really favor going to the right, and will need to work on his left hand. Unruh and Garnica were the two Bears that most impressed me.

- I was a little surprised to see true freshman Tim Huskisson get the start, but he handled himself well. His stat line didn't stand out - 5 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, but his athleticism was apparent. On a team without a lot of great athletes, Huskisson will be a nice piece. Another recruit, Aaron Hawk-Harris, is a guy that they said brings intangibles and toughness, and I liked what I saw from him. He is a solid defender and does enough offensively that he is not a liability. Another guard Tevin Svihovec was solid but didn't stand out. He is a solid shooter and is fundamentally sound, but didn't really make a big impact.

- The frontcourt has some nice pieces, but nobody really stepped up in a big way. Connor Osborne looked the best to me, as he had 8 points and 7 rebounds in 23 minutes (and a couple thunderous dunks), but he still looks like he is getting into playing shape. I like his skillset a lot though. Mike Proctor played decent defensively and deflected a couple of balls, but tried to do a little too much with a couple things offensively. On the glass, he only had 3 rebounds in 24 minutes. Emmanual Addo is the most athletic of the big men, and you can see his talent as a sophomore. He had 6 points and 5 rebounds in 19 minutes, and showed some good footwork around the basket. I like his future. Brendan Keane got 11 minutes of action, but against an athletic Aggies frontline he looked a bit overmatched. He had 0 rebounds in his time, and you could tell it was his first collegiate game. I have no doubt he will be a fine player, but he did not add much in his first game.

- Once again, photo above taken by my beautiful wife!

Overall, Northern Colorado is definitely a talented team, and they are stocked with shooters. I like their backcourt, and I think their frontcourt will get there. However, after watching them Saturday night, I still like my original preseason analysis - they are a talented team, and they will beat some good teams in the Big Sky this year. But, I do think they are a year away from being true contenders in the Conference, and I see them settling in anywhere from 4th-6th in the Big Sky.

What is everyone else's thoughts? I'd particularly like to hear from the UNC fans that had a chance to watch the game, what did you see?

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Montana, Tinkle Talking Contract Extension

From Montana's official site, it appears that the Grizzlies and Coach Wayne Tinkle are in talks to extend his contract for three more years.

“We’ve been visiting with the president about it and he has some ideas, I have some ideas and Wayne has some ideas,” O’Day said. “We’re just trying to put it all together. It would be another three-year extension.”

A new deal has been in the works ever since Fresno State interviewed Tinkle for its vacant head coaching position last spring. That job would have paid Tinkle in the neighborhood of $500,00 a year.

With the Grizzlies looking to be near the top of the Big Sky, it is likely that Tinkle will continue to get looks from other teams as he did from Fresno State this offseason. That is why it is imperative that they can get something done. As we all know, a contract extension doesn't necessarily mean that a coach is staying, but it certainly helps.

Tinkle has continued Montana's winning tradition, and the Grizzlies have been a consistent winner under his watch, as he has a 91-64 record. Hopefully he is in the Big Sky Conference for a long time.

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Day of Almosts In The Big Sky

We already went over Montana losing to Colorado State, but it's time to take a look at the rest of the Big Sky action from an eventful Friday. It was a day of almosts for the Big Sky, with some really good performances, and some disappointing ones. Let's go over the games:

THE GOOD
- Eastern Washington had an impressive debut against Gonzaga, leading midway through the 2nd half before losing 77-69. The big difference was fouls and free throws. Eastern Washington had 33 fouls (and 5 players foul out), while Gonzaga committed 11 fouls. As a result, Gonzaga shot 51 free throws compared to 11 for Eastern Washington. From what I hear, Eastern Washington settled for a lot of jumpers (they took 29 3s), while Gonzaga was more aggressive going to the hoop.

The stars for Eastern Washington were Cliff Colimon and Collin Chiverton (Hayford would apparently do well to only recruit players with C.C. initials). Colimon hit 3 3s, and finished with 17 points and 8 assists in 33 minutes. He only turned it over twice, which I know is key for Jim Hayford. Chiverton had an ugly shooting line (8/24), but I heard nothing but positive reviews. He buried 6 treys, and looked every bit the athletic specimen he was said to be. I picked him on the 2nd team Big Sky before the year, but it is clear he has the talent to be a first teamer. The good thing for the Eagles is that there are not a lot of front lines like Gonzaga's in the Big Sky, which is where they got outmuscled. All in all, the faithful are very pleased with this performance, as they should be.

- Montana State had a good effort against the Pac-12 Arizona State Sun Devils, losing 78-72. Brad Huse said he would have a more dynamic and balanced offense, and it is hard to argue that point after a 51 point 2nd half (though you have to ignore the 18% shooting in the first half). The star for the Bobcats was sophomore Shawn Reid, who had 19 points and 7 rebounds in 33 minutes. The Bobcats did a good job of forcing TOs, which helped keep them in the game, since they shot just 34% from the field. Xavier Johnson-Blount was 2/9 from downtown. They need more from Mohammed Fall, whose only stat line was 2 misses and 4 fouls, otherwise he had no impact in 11 minutes.

- Expectations externally are low for Idaho State, but they came to play on opening night, losing by 4 to Oklahoma. Granted, Oklahoma is one of the worst major conference programs out there, but when you are projected last in the conference and you go down to the wire on the road to a Big 12 game, that is a moral victory. They were extremely balanced, with 5 players scoring between 9 and 14 points. The star was Chase Grabau, who almost had a triple double, notching 10 points, 9 assists, and 8 rebounds. Joe O'Brien had to love his playmaking ability. Jakub Kusmieruk had 9 points and 5 rebounds in 22 minutes, but finished with 4 fouls. They need a better shooting effort out of Melvin Morgan, as he can be their most explosive player. Dejan Kostur was a nice piece off the bench, with 12 points in 21 productive minutes.

- Sacramento State and Weber State took care of business against low-level teams. The Hornets beat Menlo 70-56 in a game that was tied at halftime, but thankfully they woke up in the second half. Walter Jackson was a bright spot with 19 points on an efficient 7/10 from the floor. Not a win to write home about but a win is a win. Weber State had no such troubles putting Northern New Mexico away, and they won 109-50. Damian Lillard led the way with 25 points, but Frank Otis may have stolen the show with 17 rebounds. All in all, 6 'Cats were in double figures and they were 17-29 from downtown. Hope they saved some of that for Utah State.

THE BAD
- We knew Northern Arizona was going to struggle a bit out of the gate, but it has been a rough start. On Friday they lost 83-66 to Louisiana (formerly Louisiana-Lafayette), a game that they were down 13 at half. Freshman James Douglas had 21 off the bench, but the Ragin' Cajuns shot 62% from the field. Ouch! On Saturday, things didn't get better, as the Lumberjacks fell to San Francisco 69-50, getting pounded in the second half. The bright spot in this one was the emergence of Danny Cheek, who had 13 points in 15 minutes. For a team that appears it will struggle to score, that is huge. Stallon Saldivar has had two games he would like to forget - 10 points, 5 assists, 6 turnovers in 2 games. They will try to salvage the Hilltop Challenge with a game against North Dakota State.

- A loss against Denver was not entirely unexpected for Portland State, but they have to be a bit disappointed. Chehales Tapscott was as good as advertised, with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Nate Lozeau was better than advertised, as he had 19 and 7 in his time. But the guards were a big disappointment. Charles Odum was just 4/11 from the field, and highly touted JUCO Lateef McMullan and transfer Michael Harthun were a combined 0/16 from the field, and had 3 points. Yikes! Only one player off the bench had more than 6 minutes, so it is clear that depth is an issue. They were missing Marvin Whitmore, one of their best outside shooters, but it was not an encouraging start for a team that is expected to be much improved this year.

What did you notice this weekend?
Note: I attended the Northern Colorado/New Mexico State game, so I will have a write up of that tomorrow.

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11/11/11 Montana vs. Colorado State Photos

A few photos that were taken by my beautiful wife at last night's game!

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Montana Falls to Colorado State 64-58

I made the trek up to Ft. Collins on Friday night to watch Montana take on Colorado State, and was treated to a defensive slugfest. The Grizzlies shot 41% from the field, the Rams shot 40%, and neither team was in sync offensively (no doubt with help from the opposing defenses). Here are some of the notes from the game that I jotted down.

- The biggest factor in the game was the huge rebounding disparity. CSU outrebounded the Griz 43-24, including 11 offensive rebounds to 3. The biggest of the game was with about 35 seconds left. CSU was up 3 with the ball, and the shot clock was winding down. They had to force a shot, and because of a switch Will Cherry was stuck trying to box out Pierce Hornung (who finished with 12 rebounds), and Hornung rebounded the miss, and that was essentially the ballgame. At the end of the ballgame, the Griz lineup looked like: Cherry-Stockton-Jamar-Steward-Weisner.

- Of the big guys we talked about stepping in, Mathias Ward probably had the best game. He was 4/5 from the field and displayed good range on his jumpshot out to 18 feet. However, I suspect he was on the bench in crunch time because he only had 1 rebound in 20 minutes. Eric Hutchison was solid defensively in his 22 minutes of action, with 5 rebounds and 2 blocks. He is not very skilled offensively, but he did use his body well to get a couple easy buckets. Billy Reader his a nice jump hook on the block early in the first half, but then essentially disappeared the rest of the game. He strangely is not appearing the box score that I got, but he definitely played (trust me!). He was simply not a factor.

- Will Cherry definitely still is inconsistent on his jump shot, which I thought was the biggest thing he needed to work on. He was 1/5 from beyond the arc, and all were good looks. He did hit a big 3 midway through the 2nd half, but missed an open one with the Griz down 59-56 with 2 minutes to play. He struggled a bit with his midrange jumper as well, as he missed a couple of good looks. I suspect that will come in time. He played almost the whole game and drew a tough defensive assignment, so I'm not sure if fatigue was a factor at all. He was assertive at the end of the game, and got to the foul line a couple times late to keep the game tight. I believe his first rest came with about 10 minutes left to play in the second half, and his absence was felt immediately. With Montana down 48-39, he sat on the bench and Montana immediately turned it over before they even got in their set. On the other end, Jesse Carr hit an open 3, and all of a sudden it was 51-39.

- Art Steward and Kareem Jamar were both plagued with first half foul trouble, and that was a big factor. Montana struggled to get good looks without them in there, and the lack of Derek Selvig was definitely felt. They weren't able to get open shots, and it didn't seem like anyone other than Cherry was able to get a shot for himself or for a teammate. It almost seemed at times like the offense was running through Shawn Stockton.

- Kareem Jamar played an excellent second half, and he is a guy that can create shots. He is athletic, and good range on his jumper, and gets down low and battles for rebounds. They also effectively got him the ball on the block, and he showed an ability to score on smaller defenders down there. He was the best on the team last night at getting his own shot. He finished 5/10 with 12 points, and also had 5 rebounds and 3 assists.

- Two guys hit big 3s. With Montana down 30-20, Michael Weisner hit a big 3 to make it 30-23 going into the break, which had to be a nice lift (CSU coach Tim Miles said after the game... "33 hit a big shot at the end of the half... I don't even know his name"). Near the end of the game, Art Steward his a huge 3 to cut the lead to 58-56, and it looked like the Griz had momentum. Unfortunately, Wes Eikmeier responded with an NBA range 3 on the next possession, and Montana would never cut it to 2 again.

- Of the freshman, Kevin Henderson was the first to see action. He played two minutes but had little to no impact. Jordan Gregory played 6 minutes but also was unable to provide any type of spark. Keron DeShields did not play, but he was the guy that is always trying to sit closer to the coach on the bench to get noticed. It didn't work in this game, but I liked his attitude!

- The above photo of Coach Tinkle in the huddle talking to the guys was snapped by my lovely wife! Selvig was off to the left in the black sweatsuit. He was walking gingerly but his limp from the sprain was not too bad.

All in all, it is a disappointing loss but not a bad loss. I think it is definitely a game Montana thinks they could have won, but they were definitely impacted by the loss of Selvig, both in rebounding and in creating some shots for teammates. Miles said that Montana, "Came in a man down and really did a great job," but the Griz won't be taking a moral victory here. They had a chance to win a game on the road against a quality opponent and just came up a little bit short.

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18 Questions About The Big Sky Headed Into The Season

With the games officially about to begin for the Big Sky, I have two questions (and my attempt at answers) for each team. Without further ado:

How quickly can the Eastern Washington players pick up Jim Hayford's system?
Hayford is in his first year after moving up from Division III Whitworth University, and he has some talented players on the roster. If they are able to quickly pick up his offensive and defensive system, they will be a threat in the Big Sky. They will find out a lot about themselves quickly, as they have perhaps the most challenging non-conference schedule in the conference.

How good can Collin Chiverton be?
Chiverton is a high-flying wing man out of San Francisco, where he had a very successful JUCO career. He is extremely athletic and skilled offensively, scoring 19 ppg last year. After he signed Coach Hayford said that Chiverton, "is an extremely athletic player and has a great dribble-drive game. He has extreme range in his outside shooting ability, and is a very, very strong offensive player.”

Where will Idaho State get their points from?
The Bengals lost two of their top offensive players in G Borderick Gilchrest and F Deividas Busma, and they weren't exactly a potent offensive team last year anyway. They return some experience, but not the in the way of offensive explosion. They need big things from JUCO PG Melvin Morgan, who will be the leader of the team right away. He needs to get easy shots for others, and knock down a few jumpers of his own each game.

What does Joe O'Brien need to do to save his job?
The fans are ready for the end of O'Brien's tenure (just read an Idaho State message board), so he needs to have success early and often this year. He has had two straight seasons of single digit victories, and a third might be his last in Pocatello.

Can Will Cherry take the next step?
He was on the first-team All-Conference last season, and his role will be even bigger this year. He is one of the best perimeter defenders in the country, and will be among the nation's leaders in steals. The biggest thing for him will be improving his outside shot. He is a solid offensive player even without a great one (22.5% shooting from 3-point range) but he can be the Player of the Year if he can consistently knock down outside jumpshots.

How do they replace Brian Qvale?
This has been a question mark for them all offseason, and they will be hurting even more with the likelihood that Derek Selvig will miss a little bit of the time to start the year with an ankle injury. Junior Mathias Ward will be a starter, and they need him to produce, especially rebounding the ball (not his speciality). Behind Ward and Selvig, sophomore Eric Hutchinson and freshman Billy Reader will be heavily relied on. Their development will determine whether Montana is a serious threat to win the regular season title.

How quickly can Montana State find an offensive identity?
They are bringing in a lot of new guys, and they will have to quickly fit into the system. How quickly Brad Huse finds a rotation he is comfortable with, and how the players work together will be of key importance. They should be pretty versatile, so they could be difficult to match up with and gameplan against.

How good are Montana State's JUCO wings?
Xavier Johnson-Blount and Jamie Stewart are very talented, as they were both JUCO All-Americans last season. They will also have sophomore Shawn Reid in the mix, a trio that Brad Huse has to be extremely excited to throw out there. If they are as good as advertised, Montana State will be a matchup problem for everyone in the Big Sky.

Where will Northern Arizona get frontcourt production?
Northern Arizona is very thin up front, and that was even before Austin Smith quit the team (Smith was their most experienced returnee). They don't really have any other experienced returnees in the frontcourt. One guy likely to get a lot of time Max Jacobsen, a JUCO guy that posted 22 and 8 last year.

Who steps up on the wings for the Lumberjacks?
Similarly, the inexperience is plaguing them on the wings, especially with the injury to Gabe Rogers. They are young and have not had any consistency in the preseason, according to Coach Adras. Senior Durrell Norman is the one guy we know about, and there is a lot of opportunity for the guys behind him. It seems junior Michael Dunn will get the start in the opener, but I think Danny Cheek and Jywrell Wilson will get a lot of looks also.

Can someone step up and be "the guy" for Northern Colorado?
Last year, Devon Beitzel was the MVP of the Big Sky and a guy they could go to in the clutch. This year, it's tough to say who that guy will be. Best guess might be redshirt freshman Tevin Svihovec, who looked good in the exhibition. A couple other possibles are Elliott Lloyd (lone holdover starter from last year), Paul Garnica, or Tate Unruh. They have talent, but it's tough to see how the rotation will shake out and how guys will fit in their roles.

Can BJ Hill make Northern Colorado a consistent winner?
Hill certainly had a fantastic debut, leading the Bears to their first ever NCAA Tournament berth. However, year two will likely provide an even greater insight on how well he will lead the program going forward. He was playing with all of Tad Boyle's guys last year, and now has a class of his own recruits, as well as the ability to remake the roster somewhat. If he can lead UNC to a top 4 finish, Bears will have to be very encouraged.

Does Portland State have the depth to contend?
They should have a solid starting lineup, but depth will be an issue. They will eagerly awaiting the eligibility of Renado Parker, as they expect him to be a solid contributor in the second semester after he becomes eligible. He is in the mold of Chehales Tapscott, an undersized big man that can score down low and should be a solid rebounder. Their rotation should be about 8 deep, so they can't afford any other guys to miss time.

Can Portland State improve defensively?
The last couple of seasons they have been bad defensively, an area that needs to improve significantly. One reason for hope is that they will be eligible for postseason play this year, unlike last season. A lot of times, defense can be about desire, and they should be more motivated this season. If they can be an average defensive team, they have the offensive firepower to be a threat.

How good can Dylan Garrity for Sacramento State be?
The Hornets don't have a ton of talent, but Garrity has the potential to be very good in the Big Sky. He had an accomplished high school career, and put up 9 assists in their exhibition win. If he can take over the PG role and take over the offense, Sacramento State should be better off in the short and long run. His development will be a big storyline.

When does Brian Katz enter the hot seat?
Katz has won 18 games in three seasons, and that is not a good record no matter what program you are coaching. This will be an experienced team, and the Hornets need to get off to a good start with a pretty easy non-conference schedule. If he has another single digit winning season, it will certainly be a disappointment, as their goal is to finish over .500. If things don't improve he will certainly start to feel the pressure, as he has also experienced quite a few guys leaving the program early in his tenure.

Will Weber State come through in the Big Sky Tournament?
The Wildcats have consistently been near the top of the Big Sky for the regular season, but recently that has not translated into success in the Big Sky Tournament (you might remember the Anthony Johnson Game a couple years ago). There is no reason for this team to miss the Tournament, as they are the most talented and experienced in the Conference. Anything less than an NCAA Tournament appearance will be a disappointment.

How good is Damian Lillard?
Lillard has been getting a lot of publicity this offseason (more than you would usually see from a Big Sky player), and reports on his rehab are exceedingly positive. When healthy is the best player in the conference and has the potential to be a first round NBA draft pick, something the Big Sky hasn't had since Rodney Stuckey. He will be relied on heavily, even though he has a talented supporting cast.

What are your thoughts? Any other burning Big Sky questions?

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Billy Hutchinson Will Start If Derek Selvig Can't Play

We took a look at what Montana's frontcourt looks like without Derek Selvig, and now there is an article from Montana Kaimin that confirms that Eric Hutchinson would get the start against Colorado State if Derek Selvig can't play.

"We're bringing him on the trip," Tinkle said. "I know it's probably unlikely he'll play, but I'm not ruling it out. If he's not ready, he's not ready. We're not going to make him play injured."

If the 7-foot, 230-pound Selvig is unable to play, Tinkle said it is likely 6-foot-9, 230-pound sophomore Eric Hutchison would start in his place.

It is a little interesting, as I thought Billy Reader would have gotten the start, since he played more minutes in their exhibition game, but Tinkle must have liked the strong rebounding ability of Hutchinson. Either way, Reader will certainly get a lot of minutes.

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Links From Team Sites

A look at what all of the official sites of the teams have to say heading into the first games of the year...

- Eastern Washington opens on the road at Gonzaga and then at home against South Dakota. EWU is 1-17 all-time against ranked teams... if they get win #2 Jim Hayford will be a hero in Cheney after one game.

- Idaho State travels to Oklahoma for a road test, in what will be Lon Kruger's first game as Sooners coach. What I'll be watching for the Bengals is the play of Melvin Morgan and Jakub Kusmieruk.

- Montana has some unfinished business, and they will start that by traveling to Fort Collins to take on Colorado State. Yours truly will be in attendance and could not be more excited, I think it will be a barnburner!

- Montana State doesn't have an article on the game against Arizona State but rather an article on new recruit Marcus Colbert. He is a PG that will add some nice depth to that position.

- Northern Arizona will play three games in three days, starting with Louisiana, then taking on San Francisco, and ending with North Dakota State. More than anyone else, we will learn about the Lumberjacks this season.

- Getting to know the sophomores of North Dakota, the hope for the future of the program.

- Sacramento State opens at home against Menlo College, a game they should win handily. If you knew Menlo College was located in Atherton, CA, you are either an alum or you are a lot more knowledgeable about California schools than me!

- Portland State takes on Denver to start the year, traveling to the Mile High country for Friday's game. The Vikings are 3-8 all-time against Sun Belt members.

- Southern Utah will be headed to San Diego for the Basketball Travelers Classic. They will take on UC Davis on Friday, San Diego State on Saturday night, and Bryant University on Sunday.

- Weber State is staying home to take on Northern New Mexico. The Wildcats scored 101 in their exhibition game, and they should put up a similar high score against an NAIA team. This should be a drama-free game for them.

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Reminder: Watch Games on Big Sky TV

Just a reminder that all of the games played in Big Sky arenas can be watched for free at Big Sky TV.

If you are so inclined, here are the games that you can watch (local site times for games):

Friday, November 11
Menlo @ Sacramento State - 7:35pm
Northern New Mexico @ Weber State - 8:05pm

Saturday, November 12
New Mexico State @ Northern Colorado - 7:05pm

Sunday, November 13
Central Arkansas @ Sacramento State - 1:05pm
Northern New Mexico @ Montana State - 7:05pm

Monday, November 14
Great Falls @ Montana - 7:05pm

This is a great perk of Big Sky Basketball, and one hopefully all of you will take advantage of this season!

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My Q&A On Idaho State Basketball

Matthew over at Moving Without The Ball (a blog about Oklahoma basketball) interviewed me about Idaho State, who take on the Sooners tomorrow.

If you are interested, the interview can be found here. Give it a look and let me know what you think!

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Optimism in Sacramento

The Sacramento Bee has an article on the Hornets and some optimism heading into the season, fueled by some returning experience and a light non-conference schedule.

Katz expects significant improvement following last season's 7-21 record.

"I like our group," he said. "We have some experience. We haven't really had any since I've been here. We have nine guys back who clearly know what they're doing, and I think the four guys we brought in are basketball-bright."

The shocking part of the article is that Sacramento State hasn't had a winning season since 1988-89, when they were in Division II! It would be quite a feat if they can get to the .500 mark.

They begin the year with this stretch - Menlo, Central Arkansas, @ Washington State, @ UC Davis, McNeese State, @ Col Poly. If they are going to be a decent ballclub this year, 4-5 out of that stretch is necessary. Brian Katz finally has a team of all of his guys, and he seems to be excited about it. Their drive for .500 begins tomorrow with what should be a gimme.

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Big Sky 2012-13 Recruits

With signing day on Wednesday, let's take a look at players committed to the Big Sky entering the 2012-13 season. I will update this as the season goes along. If you have any information on a recruit I'm not mentioning, please send it my way!

Eastern Washington
- Danny Powell (6'6'' F) - My article
- Daniel Hill (5'9'' PG)
- Venky Jois (6'7'' F)
- Frederik Jorg (7'1'' C)
- Thomas Reuter (6'6'' F)
- Ivan Dorsey (6'0'' G) - My article

Idaho State
- Chris Hansen (6'4'' G) - My article
- Nnamdi Ezenwa (6'5'' F) - My article
- Tomas Sanchez (6'3'' G) - My article 
- Ayibakuro Preh (6'9'' F) - My article
- Naveij Walters (6'6'' F) - My article

Montana
- Andy Martin (7'0'' C) - My article
- Jake Wiley (6'7'' F)
- Marko Kovacevic (6'11'' C) - My article
- Spencer Coleman (6'7'' F) - My article 

Montana State
- Marcus Colbert (5'10'' G)
- Ryan Shannon (6'7'' F)- My article
- Flavien Davis (6'5'' F) - My article
- Danny Robison (6'8'' F) - My article 
- Paul Egwuonwu (6'9'' F) - My article
- Calen Coleman (6'4'' G) - My article
- Eric Norman (6'9'' F) - transfer from SMU - My article

Northern Arizona
- Jordyn Martin (6'7'' F) - My article 
- Blake Hamilton (6'5'' F) - My article
- Cameron Forte (6'6'' F) - transfer from Texas Tech - My article
- DeWayne Russell (5'10'' G) - My article
- Bryce Gosar (6'1'' G) - walk-on - My article
-  Len Springs (6'10'' C)

Northern Colorado
- Greg Tucker (6'2'' G)
- Cody McDavis (6'8'' F) - My article
- Derrick Barden (6'5'' F) - My article

North Dakota
- Alonzo Traylor (6'7'' F) - My article
- Ryan Salmonson (6'10'' F) - My article
- Jaron Nash (6'8'' F) - transfer from Texas Tech - My article
- Dustin Hobaugh (6'4'' G) - transfer from Houston Baptist

Portland State
- Lamont Prosser (6'8'' F) - My article
- Marcus Hall (6'4'' G) - My article
- Aaron Moore (6'8'' F) - My article
- Tim Douglas (5'10'' G) - transfer from Portland - My article

Sacramento State
- Cody Demps (6'4'' G) - My article
- Jordan Salley (6'6'' F) - My article
- Mikh McKinney (6'1'' G) - My article
- Ryan Okwudibonye (6'8'' C) - My article
- Dreon Bartlett (6'2'' G) - My article
- Joey Quigley (6'8'' F) - My article
- Alex Tiffin (6'9'' G) - transfer from UC Davis - My article

Southern Utah
- Austin Waddoups (6'1'' G) - My article
- Drake Thomas (6'0'' G) - My article
- Zach Ghormley (6'4'' G) - My article
- Jayson Cheesman (6'11'' C) - My article
- AJ Hess (6'6'' G) - My article

Weber State
- Joel Bolomboy (6'8'' C) - My article
- Kyndahl Hill (6'7'' F) - My article
- Abdulsamad Zaid (6'2'' G) - My article
- Royce Williams (6'5'' F) - My article
- Wayne Bradford (6'3'' G) - My article 

Anyone I am missing? Please let me know.

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ESPN article on Damian Lillard

It is always good when Big Sky players and coaches get some run on the national sites, so I must point out a nice article from ESPN on Damian Lillard.

Weber State guard Damian Lillard returned to action earlier this week from a foot injury that ended his 2010-2011 campaign. Yes, it was only an exhibition game, but for one of the nation's top mid-major stars, it was a great sign as he racked up 16 points, four assists and four steals on Monday. It was the first sign his offseason had paid off.

Lillard entered last season the Big Sky's reigning MVP, but only lasted nine games before needing foot surgery that would force a medical redshirt. After getting cleared May 1, he worked out at 100 percent a month later. Now he might be better than before.

Hopefully we will see a lot more Big Sky posts as the season progresses.

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Montana's Frontcourt Without Derek Selvig

The biggest question mark for Montana heading into the season was their frontcourt after the loss of Brian Qvale, and that frontcourt will have a little less depth for the opener on Friday. Derek Selvig, who hurt his ankle in their exhibition game, is a game-time decision according to Griz Central, but I have a hard time believing he will be ready to play.

In case he is not, Wayne Tinkle is going to have to improvise. The guy that will be most relied on is Mathias Ward, a skilled offensive player at 6'7''. Ward had 11 points in 23 minutes against Lewis-Clark State, and looks to be the top option in the post. He is not a great rebounder but he will provide some scoring inside.

A couple other guys that will see significant minutes are Billy Reader and Eric Hutchinson. Hutchinson is a sophomore that is a bit raw, but has a lot of upside as a defender and rebounder. In the exhibition he had 4 rebounds in 6 minutes. I think Reader will get the start, and he has a lot of upside. He is a redshirt freshman, but is offensively skilled.

Colorado State is not deep in the post, and that is a good thing for Montana. Beyond those three guys, the Grizzlies do not have a lot of places to turn to for help. I suspect we will see more than a couple four guard sets, with Art Steward, Kareem Jamar, or Kevin Henderson at the 4.

Safe to say that whether Selvig is able to play a bit or not, we will quickly learn a lot about the rest of the post men for Wayne Tinkle's ballclub.

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Quick Look at Arizona State

ESPN's blog had a little post on Arizona State, who will take on Montana State on Friday.

The past two years have not been kind to the Arizona State Sun Devils. Since 2008-09, when forward James Harden took Herb Sendek's team to the NCAA tournament, the program has failed to reach it again. Its only postseason visit, a 2010 trip to the NIT, ended in a first-round loss to Jacksonville. In 2011, Arizona State finished 12-19 overall, capping the season with a last place finish in the Pac-12, behind the likes of Oregon State and Stanford.

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The Most Comprehensive Big Sky Preview You'll Ever Read

Everything you wanted to know about the Big Sky heading into the 2011-12 season. If you have any questions, put them in the comments or send me an email – bigskybball AT gmail.com . If you want to follow me on Twitter, @bigskybball . Enjoy your increased knowledge on all things Big Sky.

PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
This looks a bit different than it would have looked a couple weeks or a month ago, but here is my final predicted order for the Big Sky.

1. Weber State (13-3)
2. Montana (11-5)
3. Portland State (10-6)
4. Eastern Washington (10-6)
5. Montana State (9-7)
6. Northern Colorado (7-9)
7. Northern Arizona (7-9)
8. Sacramento State (4-12)
9. Idaho State (3-13)

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ALL-CONFERENCE PREDICTIONS:

FIRST TEAM:
(* denotes Player of the Year)
- G Damian Lillard (Weber State)* – 17.7 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.4 SPG – Lillard is the most explosive player in the Conference when healthy, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him take home some hardware. Plus, the Wildcats have a lot of options – opponents won’t be able to simply key in on Lillard, which should open things up for him. I have him as the Player of the Year in the Big Sky, which would be the second time he has won the award. Simply put, he is the most talented guy in the Big Sky.
- G Will Cherry (Montana) – 14.1 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 4.3 APG, 2.6 SPG – Cherry is regarded in many circles to be the best defensive player in the Big Sky, as his steal rates are up near the top in the country. If his jumper is more consistent, he could take the crown from Lillard as the best player in the Big Sky.
- G Charles Odum (Portland State) – 14.0 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.8 APG – Odum had a nice debut in Portland last season, but more will be expected with increased expectations. If he becomes the leader, the Vikings are a darkhorse in the Big Sky. He is an efficient scorer and a solid distributor, and should be helped by the addition of JUCO transfer Lateef McMullan.
- F Chehales Tapscott (Portland State) – 11.8 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.9 APG – Tapscott might be the best post man in the Big Sky and he is certainly the most versatile. He is a bit undersized, but is an excellent Mid-Major rebounder, complemented by his skilled offensive game and defensive timing.
- F Kyle Bullinger (Weber State) – 11.2 PPG, 6.3 RPG – Bullinger took up a lot of the load with Lillard’s injury last year, as he shot 42.9% from beyond the stripe. He also had a 21.2 DR%, one of the best in the Big Sky. It is not a one-man show in Ogden. Bullinger does all the little things right for the Wildcats.

SECOND TEAM:
- G Scott Bamforth (Weber State) – Bamforth was unreal as a shooter last year, shooting over 50% from downtown in Big Sky play (even though Coach Randy Rahe said that at times his injured shoulder would get so numb in the second half of games that they would exclude him from the offense). The combo of Bamforth-Lillard gives Weber State the best backcourt in the Conference.
- G Kareem Jamar (Montana) – Jamar was very good as a freshman last year, providing an all-around game that was beyond his years. He was a solid scorer (though he needs to improve at the stripe), takes care of the basketball, and is a good help rebounding (which will be key after the loss of Brian Qvale). He missed some games last year with a broken finger, but he should be dynamic this year. I would take Weber State’s backcourt as the best in Conference, but an argument could be made for Montana.
- F Collin Chiverton (Eastern Washington) – The best incoming player in the Big Sky, he will be instrumental in Jim Hayford’s first season, especially after the transfer of first-teamer Glen Dean to Utah (Hayford said if trades could be made in college basketball, he would have traded Dean for Chiverton). He will instantly became one of the most athletic players in the BSC, and has a nice outside shot to go along with it. He will see big minutes in his first year in Cheney.

- F Tremayne Johnson (Eastern Washington) – He doesn’t get a lot of publicity, but I think he is the X Factor for Eastern Washington this year. He should stop shooting from the outside (30%) but he is a good athlete, solid scorer and rebounder, and one of the best shot blockers in the Big Sky (5.4 Block%, best among returning players). He was battling a thumb injury last season, and if he is healthy he will be a pleasant surprise.
- F Derek Selvig (Montana) – At first glance, it seems that Selvig would replace Brian Qvale down low, but they have vastly different games. While Qvale was a traditional big, Selvig is a guard trapped in a 7-footer’s body. He is a good outside shooter that made 39% of threes last year, and had an impressive 19.8% ARate. They need him to be a little better rebounding and being a defensive presence, but he is one of the most talented guys in the League.

THIRD TEAM:
- G Gabe Rogers (Northern Arizona) – Rogers would merit first or second team Big Sky honors, but he got injured and will miss a good portion of the season. When healthy, it is a race between Rogers and Bamforth for honors of being the best shooter in the Conference. He is one of the few veteran holdovers for the Lumberjacks, so they need him back healthy ASAP. He is the leader of the team and capable of leading the Conference in scoring.
- G Elliott Lloyd (Northern Colorado) – Lloyd is the only returning starter from last year’s conference champions, and his steadiness will go a long way in determining how far UNC drops this year. He shooters much better on 3s (42%) than 2s (35%), but needs to get a little more efficient inside the arc. He is a solid distributor, but will have to work extra hard on that this season, as Devon Beitzel is not going to be on the receiving end of his passes this time around.
- G Dylan Garrity (Sacramento State) – Garrity is a man that will be relied on heavily in his freshman year for the Hornets, as they look to climb into respectability. He is probably the best recruit Brian Katz has had in Sacramento, and brings a solid resume to the Big Sky. Look for him to get major minutes at the guard spot immediately. If Sacramento State is going to make the Big Sky tournament, Garrity is going to have a big part of it.
- F Xavier Johnson-Blount (Montana State) - Johnson-Blount is a JUCO All-American with a lot of talent on the wing. He averaged 22 and 5 last year in the JUCO ranks, and is a good athlete with a versatile offensive repertoire. He will have some competition to start (more on that later), but he figures to make an impact sooner rather than later.

- F John Dickson (Sacramento State) – Dickson is the most experienced player returning for the Hornets, and he will be counted on to provide offense. If he sticks to his game (and doesn’t shoot 3s, as he was 5/39 from there last year), he will be a solid all-around player. Coach Katz said he is stronger, more versatile, and just better heading into this season.

FOURTH TEAM:
- G Melvin Morgan (Idaho State) – He has been receiving high praise since he signed with the team, and he will be the key cog for the Bengals this year. Coach O’Brien says he is the best passing PG that he has had at Idaho State, and has helped to change the chemistry of the ballclub for the better. They are going to need him to do all that and more.
- G Danny Cheek (Northern Arizona) – He is perhaps the highest ranked recruit entering the Big Sky, and he should have plenty of chance for playing time if he goes and grabs it. All-time leading scorer Cameron Jones is graduated, and top returning scorer Gabe Rogers could miss most of the year. That opens the door for a guy like Cheek, an athletic off guard that can bring it on both ends.

- G Paul Garnica (Northern Colorado) – Garnica will be part of the committee that looks to replace Devon Beitzel, but he has a unique game. He was not a great scorer last year but he did a lot of other things well. He had a good assist rate (though turned it over too much) and has the potential to be one of the most disruptive defenders in the Big Sky. He needs to play well to distinguish himself from a crowded backcourt in Greeley.
- F Frank Otis (Weber State) – Otis is a transfer from SMU that should have a nice role in the frontcourt rotation. He is an athletic guy that is skilled offensively, and that should bode well for him in a Weber State offense that has a lot of offensive weapons. He will be another guy that defenses have to worry about.
- F Mike Proctor (Northern Colorado) – Proctor is their most experienced big man returning, and he will be asked to do a lot. He led the team in scoring and rebounding during their exhibition game, which was a good sign. He is a solid rebounder, but needs to be more efficient offensively.

FIFTH TEAM:
- G Rod Singleton (Montana State) – On a roster depleted of experience by graduation, Singleton is a stabilizing force. He distributes the ball well, and scores enough to keep defenses honest. He needs to play well to keep his minutes, because freshman Mike Dison has looked strong in the preseason.
- G Cliff Colimon (Eastern Washington) – In a crowded EWU backcourt (they have three guys returning under 6’ that played big minutes last year), Colimon should be the senior leader of the group. He came on strong at the end of last season, and Jim Hayford has been singing his praises. Plus, he knows he has to bring it every night, because they have a lot of depth back there.
- G Jamie Stewart (Montana State) – One of the transfers that makes Brad Huse think this year’s Bobcats squad will be more dynamic and versatile this year. He is a JUCO All-American, and a guy that does a little bit of everything. Between him, Johnson-Blount, and returning Shawn Reid, MSU can hurt you a lot of different ways on the wings.

- F Jakub Kusmeriak (Idaho State) – At 7’4’’, he is the tallest guy in the Big Sky, but there are still a lot of unknowns about his game. What will he contribute offensively? Is he in good enough shape to play 25 minutes a game? Can he stay out of foul trouble? One thing is for sure – he should be a disruptive force on the defensive end with his size.
- F Byron Fulton (Weber State) – Last year’s freshman of the year in the Big Sky, he is another guy that brings an outside shooting presence to Weber State. He shot 48% from threes last year, and also chips in with strong defensive rebounding. The fact that Fulton is maybe the fifth best offensive weapon for Weber State tells you all you need to know about how good they are.

TOUGHEST OMISSIONS – G Lateef McMullan (Portland State), F Cliff Ederaine (Eastern Washington), G Willie Hankins (Eastern Washington), F Abner Moreira (Idaho State), F Art Steward (Montana), G Stallon Saldivar (Northern Arizona), F Emmanuel Addo (Northern Colorado)

Player of the Year: Damian Lillard (Weber State)
Defensive Player of the Year: Will Cherry (Montana)
Newcomer of the Year: Collin Chiverton (Eastern Washington)
Freshman of the Year: Dylan Garrity (Sacramento State)

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MODERATELY SHORT TEAM PREVIEWS:
EASTERN WASHINGTON – Jim Hayford is preaching “possession and percentage” basketball, and he has Eastern Washington fans very excited for this year and beyond. Kirk Earlywine left the cupboard well stocked, and they have the talent to be in the top half of the Conference. Their backcourt is deep with a variety of skill sets, so the key will be coaxing production out of the frontcourt. One help will be if Tremayne Johnson stays healthy, I think he could be one of the more underrated players in the Big Sky. I think Hayford lays the foundation here with a top 4 finish and an eye on even bigger things next season, where he has a couple former DI transfers becoming eligible. The future is bright in Cheney (shades optional).

IDAHO STATE – If you ask Bengals fans, they are already looking for the next head coach, as O’Brien could be a dead man walking unless Idaho State surprises. On paper, they don’t have the horses to compete with the rest of the Conference, and there is a reason that they are picked 9th by both the coaches and media. A lot of their hopes rest on two guys – Melvin Morgan at PG and Jakub Kusmieruk at C. Both guys have the potential to be difference-makers if everything goes right. But I don’t see enough talent on the roster to reasonably expect anything but a best-case scenario of eighth place in the Big Sky.

MONTANA – They return everyone except Brian Qvale from a team that went to their second straight Big Sky title game, and expectations are high. The biggest reason for that is Will Cherry, who is very good offensively in addition to being my pick for the defensive player of the year. He is flanked by athletic wing men, including starters Kareem Jamar and Art Stewart, and some athletic freshman that could play early. They question mark definitely is down low, where they are still figuring out how to replace Qvale, the best defensive player in the Conference and their leading scorer. Derek Selvig is the guy that will be relied on most, but he has not been a true post player for his whole career. They will go as far as guys like Mathias Ward and Billy Reader will allow them to go.

MONTANA STATE – The Bobcats are like a new team this year, having lost of a lot of their production to graduation. However, that may not be a bad thing, as they finished 13-18 and may have needed some changes. Insert a ton of new junior college players, and Brad Huse is excited about how versatile and balanced this group will be. They appear to have talent offensively, so the key will be how well they mesh defensively. I see them struggling early but things clicking by the end of the year, making them a team nobody will want to play. If they don’t have a lot of attrition they could be very good next season.

NORTHERN ARIZONA – It will be an interesting year in Flagstaff. They lost 2 of their top 3 players last year to graduation, and the other one (Gabe Rogers) has a torn labrum and could be back in January or late February, depending on who you believe. Their roster configuration consists of 5 guards and 10 forwards, and Coach Adras sounds a little frustrated by their lack of consistency in the preseason. It is a young group, but Adras always seems to get the best out of his players, especially when they are a bit overlooked. It will take them awhile to find their stride and their rotation (Adras said there is only one position he is comfortable with right now – PG with Stallon Saldivar and James Douglas), but if they do they will be an interesting team because of the style of play they will have to have. I see them somewhere in the 5-7 range, with a lot of guys getting valuable experience.

NORTHERN COLORADO – More than anyone else, I have seen varying opinions of UNC this year. They are definitely still talented, but they lost a ton obviously, including 4 starters and the Conference POY. They have the talent to finish as high as third this year, but with their lack of experience and lack of a go-to player, I see them as struggling to make the Big Sky Tournament. They have some talent along the perimeter, and that should be the strength of their team. They still need to settle on a rotation there, but they have some talented players. The question is, who is going to step up on a nightly basis down low? Mike Proctor and Emmanuel Addo were solid role players a year ago, but can they make the step up to solid starters? Like a lot of the Big Sky, I see them improving a lot as the year goes on and carrying a lot of talent into next year. They could surprise, but I think there will be a few more growing pains than UNC fans seem to realize.

PORTLAND STATE – Portland State was ineligible for the Big Sky Tournament last season due to APR violations committed under Ken Bone, but Tyler Geving has cleaned things up a bit. Their APR is on the way up and they are eligible for postseason play (as well as getting a couple scholarships back). They bring back a team that is a darkhorse in the Conference, led by a couple potential first-teamers in Charles Odum and Chehales Tapscott. They have added a lot of new pieces as well, including some transfers (Michael Harthun and Renaldo Parker), redshirts (such as Brandon Cataldo), and a solid JUCO in Lateef McMullan. If the pieces click, don’t sleep on the Vikings.

SACRAMENTO STATE – Brian Katz is losing confidence in his fan base after three seasons and 18 wins, so it is imperative that the Hornets experience some success this year. They have put together a relatively easy non-conference schedule, which should be a nice confidence booster and help them experience some winning right away. New players will be key for the Hornets, especially freshman Dylan Garrity and JUCO Joe Eberhard, who looks like the real deal after a solid showing in their exhibition. Anything approaching .500 would have to be seen as real progress this season. If Sacramento State goes through another single digit win season, the pressure on Katz is going to heat up.

WEBER STATE – They are the best and most talented team in the Conference, and you will hardly find anyone that disagrees with that notion. They are led by Damian Lillard, who seems bigger, stronger, and quicker than he was before he injured his foot last year (and all he did before that was be the reigning Player of the Year). They are stocked with shooters and balance, and any of a number of different guys can hurt you. They could place three guys on the first-team All-Conference, and that’s not even counting some talented post players that they have. Weber State is the Conference’s best hope for a high seed (read: 13) and a chance at a first round upset. The only thing making people leery is Randy Rahe’s less than stellar postseason tournament record.

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TOP INCOMING PLAYERS:
Guys that I see having the biggest impact in the Big Sky this season. I have already talked about them at length in the All-Conference awards, but a brief blurb here.

- Collin Chiverton (Eastern Washington) – My pick for the Big Sky Newcomer of the Year. He is immediately one of the most athletic players in the Big Sky.

- Melvin Morgan (Idaho State) – On a team without a lot of offensive weapons, they need him to score and distribute very well.
- Xavier Johnson-Blount (Montana State) – JUCO All-American that will be a lot of fun to watch. Can put up 20 on any given night.
- Danny Cheek (Northern Arizona) – Extremely talented… He will have a big impact on NAU by the time he is done.
- Lateef McMullan (Portland State) – The true PG that Coach Geving was looking for, he should make everyone on a sneakily talented Vikings team a little bit better.
- Dylan Garrity (Sacramento State) - My pick for Freshman of the Year, I think he will have to carry a big load from the opening tip.

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BEST NON-CONFERENCE OPPORTUNITIES:
Here are ten games that the Big Sky could have a chance of winning which would provide a nice boost for the Conference. I would expect the teams to at least be competitive in all of these games, and have a good chance of winning at least half of these games.

- November 11 – Montana @ Colorado State – CSU loses their top two inside scorers, so this could be a battle of backcourts. If that is the case, Will Cherry will be the best player on the court, and he could help lead them to a nice non-conference win to begin the year. Something to watch is the availability of Derek Selvig, as he may be battling an ankle injury.
- November 15 – Utah State @ Weber State - The Wildcats think they are the best team in the state of Utah, but to start they need to beat the Aggies at home. Utah State has some key personnel losses. Combined that with the fact that this is at the Dee Events Center, and Weber State should be the favorite. Weber State starts with Northern New Mexico so this will be our first real look at them.
- November 19 – Montana State @ Utah – Montana State believes they will be more athletic and dynamic than last season, and if that is true they will have a chance to steal a game against a down Utah team. Brad Huse needs his JUCO wings Xavier Johnson-Blount and Jamie Stewart to grow up fast. If they do, the Bobcats can beat a Pac-12 team.
- November 20 – Northern Colorado @ Northern Iowa – Northern Colorado wants to show that they will still be a contender in the Conference, and this will be a good barometer. Northern Iowa will be a solid contender in the MVC, and their bruising style will be tough for a team that could be a bit guard oriented. If they can win this game, we will have to look at them as being in the upper echelon of the Big Sky.
- November 30 – BYU vs. Northern Arizona - This is a “neutral court” game, though it will be played in Prescott, Arizona, an hour or so away from Flagstaff. BYU has a national following and will still be solid post-Jimmer, but this is a great chance for the Lumberjacks to announce that they will again be players in the Big Sky.
- December 3 – Eastern Washington @ Washington State - Washington State lost some good talent, meaning this is a game that the Eagles could steal. If they do, we will know that Eastern Washington will be legitimate contenders in the Big Sky. Jim Hayford’s team has a few chances to make a statement out of conference, but this is the most winnable opportunity.
- December 7 – Weber State @ BYU – Once again, a big game for Weber State if they are going to be seen as the best team in the state of Utah (and they have the talent to be). It’s always tough to win at BYU (in part because, if Weber fans are to be believed, they are taking on more than just the BYU players if you know what I mean), but they will have a great chance. BYU is talented but Damian Lillard will be the best player on the court.
- December 10 – Nevada @ Montana – it is tough for Big Sky teams to get quality opponents at home, so this is a big game for the Conference. The Wolfpack have had a couple of down years, but they should be back among the top teams in the WAC this year.
- December 16 – Weber State @ California – Cal is one of the darkhorse candidates to win the Pac-12, but Weber State can play with them. They are deep enough to play with a solid team like the Bears, and this would do wonders for their resume.
- December 18 – Portland State @ Oregon State – Oregon State has dreams to make the Tournament this year, but they will face a challenge against a resurgent Portland State program. They have a couple of All Big Sky caliber players, and they will be anxious to show it on a bigger stage. Don’t be surprised to see the Vikings come out with at least one win against either Oregon (December 12) or this one against the Beavers.

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COACHING PRIMER
1-2 paragraphs on the Big Sky coaches and how I would rank them in terms of the guy I would want coaching my team.

9. Joe O'Brien (Idaho St)
It has been a tough 5 seasons for O'Brien as head coach of the Bengals, as he currently sports a career record of 54-97. He has a solid head coaching track record at lower levels, but simply hasn't been able to recruit enough to have a successful D-1 team. Word is that he is still recruiting guys to play this season. In the final year of his contract, it seems unlikely O'Brien will be back next season barring a miracle turnaround. Fan support is on life support, as attendance dropped last season, and seems unlikely to improve much this year.

8. Brian Katz (Sacramento St)
This will be Katz 4th year in Sacramento, and he has a record there of 18-69. To be fair, he inherited a program that was in a mess, and has built them back to semi-respectability. Like O'Brien, he has a strong history in the junior college ranks, but has yet to see that pay off for his alma mater. His teams have consistently been near the bottom of the NCAA in terms of offensive and defensive efficiency. He will be given a couple more seasons at least (I think) since the program he inherited was in rough shape, but it would be a good start to reach the double digit win mark.

7. Brad Huse (Montana St)
Here is where the rankings get tough. Huse coached previously at Jamestown College (ND), and as an assistant with Montana St and Montana, but has struggled to consistently find success in Bozeman. Despite the presence of two All-Conference performers in Bobby Howard and Erik Rush for much of his tenure, Huse has a career Bobcat record of 69-83 in 5 seasons, taking over a program that was a game over .500 in the 3 seasons before his arrival. Huse has put together a couple of solid offensive teams, but Montana St has consistently been poor defensively since his arrival. He has a lot of new recruits this year, so it will be interesting to see if they can turn the program around. If not, Huse might start to feel the heat.

6. Tyler Geving (Portland St)
This will be an important year for Geving. His first two seasons have not gone very well, but he was handed a program that lost a lot of players and was under some NCAA sanctions after the departure of Ken Bone. While his teams have been some of the worst defensively the NCAA has seen, he has still managed to get them towards the middle of the Big Sky. He has also had some success recruiting (especially in JUCO and with transfers), that could pay dividends this year as Portland St looks to get back towards the top of the Big Sky. It will take a little more time, but I suspect if I redo this list in a year we might Geving a little higher up.

5. Jim Hayford (Eastern Washington)
Hayford obviously has not coached a game for the Eagles, so this is based on how I think he will do. At Division III Whitworth, he compiled a .792 winning percentage in 10 seasons, which tells me he can coach basketball and get his players to respond to him. I don't care what level of basketball it is, that is an impressive coaching record. He has also been able to get and retain solid recruits, as shown with his pickup of Collin Chiverton. At only 43, he could have a bright future ahead of him.

4. Mike Adras (Northern Arizona)
Adras has been at the helm for the Lumberjacks for 11 years, an impressive run no matter the program. While NAU has had a couple of down years in his tenure, they have experienced more solid seasons since he became the head coach, including back-to-back Big Sky Conference regular season titles in the middle of the 2000's. Earlier in his career, his teams got the ball up and down the court quickly, but for the past few years he has slowed the tempo down a bit. His teams are better offensively than defensively, and he seems to make it a priority to recruit solid outside shooters, though his teams don't shoot a ton of 3s.

3. BJ Hill (Northern Colorado)
He has had only one season as head coach of the Bears, making it tough to evaluate him, but it's tough to argue with the success of making the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. Hill had spent all of his career as an assistant coach, and at age 38 has a reputation of being a solid recruiter (his first full class looks to be good, with 5 members led by Brandon Keane). The worst case scenario for them is probably similar to NDSU, where Saul Phillips took over for head coach Tim Miles and led a team built by Miles to the NCAA Tournament, but has struggled since. I think Hill has a little better pedigree and should see more success. It will be interesting to see how the Bears fare this year after facing a lot of roster turnover.

2. Wayne Tinkle (Montana)
Tinkle has a career record of 91-64 (51-29 in the Big Sky), and briefly flirted with the Fresno St. job this offseason. Tinkle is a former Grizzlies player and Montana alum, so they are all hoping he will stick around for a while (and not follow in the footsteps of Larry Krystowiak). His teams have a reputation for hard-nosed defense, as they were easily the best defensive team in the BSC last year (with thanks due to Brian Qvale). He has also put together some solid offensive teams, but it is hard to notice because his teams play a slow, grinding pace. But if he keeps winning like he has to start his career, it doesn't matter what pace his teams play, just that it continues to work.

1. Randy Rahe (Weber St)
It was tough to choose between Rahe and Tinkle, but I think Rahe has been a little more successful than Tinkle and has done a little better recruiting. His career record is 95-61 (60-20 in conference play). He has been named the Coach of the Year in the BSC 3 times, and 3 times he has had the Conference POY. Almost as importantly, he has gotten the fan base fired up about the Wildcats, as attendance has increased during his tenure, and Weber State leads the Big Sky in attendance. Like Tinkle, he has flirted with other jobs as well, and WSU fans are always a little nervous that he could leave. One thing is for sure, as long as Rahe is around, it seems the Wildcats will be contenders, and they are one of the favorites again this season.

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FUTURE OF THE BIG SKY:
The Big Sky will be getting two new members next season in North Dakota (spending their last year in the Great West Conference) and Southern Utah (in their final season of the Summit League), which will bring the basketball side of things to eleven teams. With all of the rumors on realignment, there was talk of the WAC poaching any number of teams, from Montana and Montana State to Sacramento State. So far, everyone has stayed put, and the Big Sky has some nice stability as a Division I basketball conference and FCS football conference.

One recurring problem for the Big Sky is attendance. They were 20th out of 31 conferences in attendance last year, and three schools averaged fewer than 1,000 fans per game. Better product and better scheduling will draw more fans, but that is easier said than done (especially on the scheduling side of things). All in all, the Big Sky is one of the most stable conferences in America, but as we have seen, things can sometimes change in an instant.

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BRIEF FINAL THOUGHTS:
On the court, the Big Sky will be balanced and deep with seven quality teams. There is a ton of youth in the Conference as well, and 2012-13 should be even better. If you are looking for a Cinderella bandwagon to jump on, there is still time for Weber State. With a legitimate star (Lillard), great shooters (Bamforth, Bullinger, etc) and a deep frontcourt, the Wildcats will become the first Big Sky team to win an NCAA Tournament game since Montana in 2006. Hopefully you will be watching.

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LINKS FOR EACH TEAM:
I have written a lot about the Big Sky over the past few months... and here are a few of the articles for each team (and Conference) that you can read if you want to go a little bit further in depth.

BIG SKY CONFERENCE
- Predicting the season openers
- Notes from the Preseason Coaches Conference Call
- A look at the Preseason Coaches and Media Poll
- Does the Big Sky have an attendance problem?
- A look at Big Sky efficiency numbers for the past five seasons
- Potential breakout sophomores in the Big Sky

EASTERN WASHINGTON
- Notes on the team as they started practice
- Looking at Danny Powell, a 2012-13 recruit
- Taking a look at G Kevin Winford
- The X Factor for EWU, F Tremayne Johnson
- How will Eastern Washington replace Glen Dean?

IDAHO STATE
- The importance of Jakub Kusmieruk
- Taking a look a wing man Chase Grabau
- Where will Idaho State get frontcourt production?
- How will the Bengals replace Broderick Gilchrist and Deividas Busma?

MONTANA
- A rundown of their preseason scrimmage
- Could Will Cherry be the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year?
- How will Montana replace Brian Qvale?
- A look at the Grizzlies non-conference schedule

MONTANA STATE
- One of the Bobcats top recruits, Antonio Biglow, will miss the start of the year
- Highlight video of recruit Jamie Stewart
- How will Montana State replace Bobby Howard and Erik Rush?
- A look at Montana State's non-conference schedule

NORTHERN ARIZONA
- The Lumberjacks will be playing their home games at the Rolle Activity Center
- Looking at the loss of Gabe Rogers to injury
- Taking a look at NAU's recruiting class
- Where will NAU get frontcourt production? (My feeling is not even Mike Adras knows)
- How will the Lumberjacks replace Cameron Jones?

NORTHERN COLORADO
- A look at UNC's exhibition win over Chadron State
- The importance and potential of G Tate Unruh
- How will the Bears replace Devon Beitzel?
- A look at Northern Colorado's recruiting class

PORTLAND STATE
- A look at the Vikings as they started practice
- Lamont Prosser is a Vikings recruit for 2012-13
- A look at Portland State's schedule
- Lateef McMullan is a guy that will be heavily relied on this year
- Chehales Tapscott could be the best post player in the Big Sky

SACRAMENTO STATE
- JUCO recruit Anthony Costetino left the program before playing a single game
- A look at the Hornets as they began practice
- Where will Sac State get their offense?
- Taking a look at their recruiting class
- A look at the Hornets non-conference schedule

WEBER STATE
- A look at freshman Gelaun Wheelwright
- A video from Weber State showing some action of Damian Lillard's rehab
- Weber State secured a nice commitment from Joel Bolomboy for the 2012-13 class
- The other star in Ogden is F Kyle Bullinger
- The Wilcats have a deep stable of shooters


What do you think of the Big Sky this season? Anything you would add to this preview? Please let me know what you think in the comments or via twitter or email!

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