Eight games into the conference schedule and we officially have a frontrunner.
The Montana State Bobcats are streaking. Winners of six straight, including four on the road, the Bobcats are 7-1 and one game clear of second-place Montana.
Whether MSU can put any distance between itself and everyone else in the Big Sky depends heavily on Saturday’s matchup with Idaho State in Reed Gym.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. First, the rankings. Remember, don’t fret over a ranking too high or low. The list is fluid and not set in stone like Lance Armstrong’s ruined reputation.
Without further ado.
1. Montana State 13-4, 7-1
Last week: No. 2
The Cats traveled to Southern Utah and won 65-59 and then beat Montana 58-49 in Missoula.
If, indeed, Montana State is the best team in the Big Sky — and we have a long way to go before that answer is known — then how good is Division II Montana State-Billings?
You know, the team that beat the Cats 57-54 in Bozeman Dec. 29, the precursor that rocketed MSU onto its current winning streak (I can’t let that loss go. It’s astounding to me. Basketball never ceases to amaze.).
2. Montana 12-5, 6-2
Last week: No. 1
Montana fell at home for only the second time this season, a 58-49 setback to Montana State. Then the Griz traveled to Cedar City, Utah, and banged home 12 3-pointers to beat Southern Utah 78-63 Monday.
In the beatdown of the Thunderbirds, senior Kenzie De Boer hit nine of her 12 shots, including 5-of-7 3-point attempts for 27 points in 25 minutes.
Now the question becomes can Montana — which entering the SUU matchup averages 5.1 3-pointers a game — carry its electric-hot shooting to Reed Gym Thursday night against ISU?
3. Eastern Washington 10-8, 6-3
Last week: No. 7
The Eagles make a big jump in the rankings after beating North Dakota 75-72 and Northern Colorado 63-38 in Cheney, and then knocking out Portland State 68-56 in Portland Monday night.
Eastern is a little like Tony Romo: you never know what you’re getting week from week. After starting Big Sky action with three straight wins — most notably upsetting ISU on the road and Montana at home — EWU lost its next three.
But the squad responded with three big wins in the past week. Some of the credit has to go to redshirt freshman Hayley Hodgins. In her first career start against Northern Colorado, she finished 7-of-7 from the floor and had a career-high 17 points.
And it wasn’t just the one game. She had 16 against North Dakota and 22 against Portland State. In fact, Hodgins has set new career highs in points scored in three consecutive games.
Where has she been all season? Two regular rotation players for EWU — sophomore Melissa Williams and junior Laura Hughes — were hurt and that provided an opening for Hodgins.
4. Idaho State 10-7, 5-3
Last week: No. 5
On the road, ISU beat Sacramento State 62-52 and Northern Arizona 52-48.
At the end of a long few days (Idaho State started its week-long road trip at Weber State Jan. 14), the Bengals were down four at half to NAU. There were 470 people at the game and Kaela Oakes had food poisoning the night before.
Idaho State had excuses to lay down and drop a conference game on the road. But instead, the Bengals held Northern Arizona to 19 percent shooting in the second half, and Amy Patton, the Big Sky’s leading scorer, had 8 points for the night — a season low.
And it all sets up a big week for ISU with the league’s top two teams, Montana and Montana State, visiting Reed Gym.
5. Northern Colorado 7-9, 4-3
Last week: No. 4
The Bears beat Portland State 67-42 on the road and then fell to Eastern Washington 63-38.
Against Eastern, Northern Colorado was 0-for-22 from beyond the 3-point line. That’s really an astounding number, right?
And while the Bears were shooting from the field with the finesse of Shaq during his heyday, the Eagles nailed seven 3-pointers of their own (sound familiar Bengal fans?) to pull off the win.
So take loathsome shooting from one team, add EWU’s shot-making ability and Northern Colorado has now lost three of its last four.
But the Bears are back at home this week — where they’ve yet to lose — welcoming Northern Arizona and Sacramento State.
6. Sacramento State 9-7, 4-3
Last week: No. 3
Sacramento State suffered its first loss at home in “The Nest” to Idaho State (62-52). After scoring 52 points, 20 below their average, the Hornets whooped wretched Weber State 103-60.
Against Weber, Sacramento State led by 34 at half and by as much as 48 before the final buzzer mercifully put a stop to the massacre.
7. Southern Utah 9-8, 3-4
Last week: No. 6
Despite losing to Montana State (65-59) and Montana (78-63) at home, the Thunderbirds (I’m not joking here, seriously, what is a Thunderbird?) only drop one spot.
What’s really hurting SUU is its turnovers. The T-Birds are averaging a league-worst 21 a game. Against UM — a contest Southern Utah led 34-33 at half — 25 SUU turnovers led to 24 Grizzly points.
At 3-4, SUU is tied for seventh and now the Thunderbirds play their next four games on the road, starting with Portland State Thursday and Eastern Washington Saturday.
8. Portland State 9-9, 3-6
Last week: No. 9
In Portland, the Vikings lost to Northern Colorado 67-42, and then PSU beat North Dakota 73-66 before losing to Eastern Washington 68-56.
Portland State started conference play a disappointing 2-4 but it was heading into a four-game homestand with a chance to rescue some of its preseason promise.
But losses to the Bears and Eagles leave PSU three games below .500 in the Big Sky, and that stretch at home is about to end with only Southern Utah traveling to Portland Thursday.
After that, PSU travels to Montana to play the Cats and Grizzlies. In fact, after the SUU game Thursday, the Vikings finish with six of their last 10 games on the road.
That’s a tough draw for a club currently looking at the postseason tournament from the outside, as of today.
9. Northern Arizona 4-12, 3-4
Last week: No. 10
At home, Northern Arizona clubbed Weber State 76-55 and lost to the Bengals 52-48.
For ISU fans, players and coaches, the four-point escape from last Saturday was a grinding, gritty victory. But for the Lumberjacks, it had to feel like a lost opportunity.
NAU had the halftime lead, the homecourt advantage and momentum, but was unable to finish off Idaho State. The loss could prove to be devastating because now Northern Arizona hits the pavement to play five of its next six on the road.
10. North Dakota 7-10, 2-6
Last week: No. 8
Mascot-less North Dakota fell to Eastern Washington 75-72 and Portland State 73-66 on the road.
As a reminder of the depth in the Big Sky this season, 10th-ranked UND beat Utah. I’ll repeat myself. A team that’s 2-6 in the Big Sky, and has lost its last four, beat Pac-12 member Utah.
I don’t care that Utah is 1-5 in its own conference, it speaks to the idea that almost any team can beat anyone else every single night.
11. Weber State 0-17, 0-8
Last week: No. 11
Weber State fell at Northern Arizona by 21 and to Sacramento State by 43.
In this week’s “The March to History” watch, the Wildcats move ever so closer to setting the Big Sky’s all-time losing streak, possibly usurping Sacramento State’s 44 straight defeats.
Dating back to Dec. 15, 2011, WSU has now lost 36 straight.
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