We’re a month away from the start of the Big Sky postseason tournament and apart from Weber State and Southern Utah, the committee (of one) has no idea who’s going to be there.
Sure, we have our suspicions. Like despite the fact that Northern Colorado is in a tailspin after a four-game road trip, we favor the Bears’ chance to make the postseason. And both Montana and North Dakota look like each is finding itself after unexpected slow starts.
But, shoot, it’s the wild, wild west out there otherwise. Without further ado.
1. Weber State 13-7, 10-2
Last week: No. 1
Last week, Weber State subdued North Dakota 84-72 and overwhelmed Northern Colorado 79-65.
Sophomore forward Joel Bolomboy was terrific. A bundle of talent and possibility, Bolomboy averaged 16 points and 11.5 rebounds against UNC and UND, two of the Big Sky’s top contenders.
Along with senior center Kyle Tresnak, Weber State has the most talented frontcourt in the Big Sky. They rebound and provide rim protection, allowing Weber’s guards to get out on the perimeter and apply heavy ball pressure. And surprise, surprise, the Wildcats have overtaken Northern Colorado as the conference’s top scoring defense.
The question now becomes: Can anyone beat Weber State in Ogden, Utah, during the postseason tournament where the ’Cats have won 26 straight Big Sky regular season games?
2. Montana 12-9, 7-5
Last week: No. 4
Montana outlasted Portland State 82-76 in overtime and then outscored Eastern Washington 82-77.
The Grizzlies have won four straight after starting league play 3-5. And for all the talk of how teams in the Big Sky can’t win games on the road, at 3-3, Montana has the most wins away from home court in the conference. The Griz still have issues (rebounding and frontcourt depth) but their stellar guard play is finding a way to navigate those shortcomings.
3. North Dakota 10-12, 7-5
Last week: No. 3
North Dakota lost at Weber State 84-72 before knocking off Idaho State 80-75.
UND’s win against Idaho State last Saturday was weird for two overarching reasons. The Bengals dominated the glass, collecting 47 rebounds (26 of those offensive) to North Dakota’s 19 boards. Yet, the mascot-less found a way to win.
Second, North Dakota’s Troy Huff — perhaps the league’s most prolific scorer — had 18 points by half and finished with 22. To a degree, Huff was passive in the final 20 minutes, which we found perplexing, especially after he started the game nailing his first four 3-point attempts.
The committee (of one) would have expected Huff’s aggressiveness to kick up a notch. Instead, he (largely) didn’t look for his shot. But here’s the thing, maybe that’s good. After the game, head coach Brian Jones lauded the way his team played together.
“We’re starting to share the ball and make the extra pass,” Jones said.
That alone might be the biggest reason why North Dakota has won five of its last seven.
4. Sacramento State 10-11, 6-6
Last week: No. 7
At home, the Hornets stung — I couldn’t resist — Northern Arizona 87-70 and Southern Utah 68-56.
The committee (of one) wants to take a moment to explain our ranking process. We rank teams based on how they’re playing today. Win four straight (like Sacramento State), we’ll take notice and that team will rise in the rankings. Lose four straight (hello, Northern Colorado) and, well, down you go.
Sac State is an interesting team. Sixth-year head coach Brian Katz openly said the Hornets had to take advantage of the four-game home stretch they just finished up Monday night against the Thunderbirds. They were 2-6 and only ahead of Southern Utah in the conference standings.
If Idaho State had completed a second-half comeback Jan. 30 or Dylan Garrity hadn’t buried a 75-footer at the buzzer in overtime against Weber State, Sac State wouldn’t have dug out of the cellar into sixth place.
In the four games at home, the Hornets season field-goal percentage jumped from 45.2 to 49 percent, they made nearly six more free throws per game and their 3-point field-goal percentage leaped from 36.4 to over 45 percent (a mark that would lead the country).
They’re numbers that are hardly sustainable and Sacramento State is headed back to the road for two crucial matchups versus Eastern Washington and Portland State.
5. Portland State 11-10, 6-6
Last week: No. 2
Portland State lost in overtime to Montana 82-76 and fell to Montana State 69-64.
The Vikings came within a fraction of second of beating Montana in regulation after a putback off an offensive rebound by senior forward Kyle Richardson came just after the final buzzer.
That win could have vaulted the Vikings into the Big Sky’s upper-echelon (while pushing Montana off of it), and it could be the type of moment that defines PSU’s season. Portland State has two games at home this week before embarking on a four-game road trip.
6. Eastern Washington 10-13, 5-7
Last week: No. 9
In its first road win of the season, Eastern blew out Montana State 79-50 and then lost to Montana 82-77.
Against MSU, Eastern Washington poured in 11 3-pointers and four players scored in double figures as the Eagles shot 53 percent from the floor while holding the Bobcats to 39 percent shooting.
But where EWU could rely on the 3-pointer to beat MSU, it wasn’t there against the Grizzlies. Sophomore guard Tyler Harvey was 1-of-8 from 3 and the team shot 23 percent from the perimeter. Montana outscored Eastern 30-15 from 3 in the five-point victory.
On the bright side, EWU has five of its last eight at home in Cheney, Wash., to finish conference play, putting the Eagles in a great spot to make a push for the postseason.
7. Northern Arizona 10-13, 7-5
Last week: No. 6
Northern Arizona lost to Sacramento State 87-70 on the road and held off Southern Utah 64-57 in beautiful Flagstaff, Ariz.
The Lumberjacks beat the Thunderbirds in Cedar City, Utah, 70-36 Jan. 13, but it was a seven-point game last Saturday nearly a month later in the NAU victory.
Southern Utah has improved from that first meeting but the committee (of one) feels like NAU has already hit its peak this season.
8. Northern Colorado 13-8, 7-5
Last week: No. 5
UNC dropped a 73-70 decision to Idaho State and a 79-65 final at Weber State.
In two short weeks, Northern Colorado has fallen from a tie for first place with Weber State to a tie for second with three other teams. Losers of three of their last four, the committee (of one) can only assume the Bears can’t wait to play at home again where they’re undefeated in 11 games.
9. Idaho State 8-13, 5-7
Last week: No. 8
The Bengals managed to tread water and stay alive for the postseason after Tomas Sanchez hit a 3 with 14 seconds left to push ISU past Northern Colorado 73-70. ISU followed up that victory, though, with an 80-75 defeat to North Dakota.
Five of ISU’s last eight games are on the road to end the season, so the Bengals have to find a way to pick up a couple. They’re 0-5 away from Pocatello this year, but the Bengals aren’t reaching the postseason without at least two victories in someone else’s gym.
With senior leadership (Sanchez, Andre Hatchett), elite shooting (Chris Hansen) and the ability to rebound (Jeffrey Solarin, Ayibakuro Preh), the Bengals have the ingredients to win away from their home court. They’d better start doing it.
10. Montana State 11-12, 6-6
Last week: No. 10
The Bobcats were blasted by Eastern Washington 79-50, but they rebounded with a 69-64 victory over Portland State.
Montana State is in a great position to reach the postseason tournament at 6-6 and a game behind second place. But a couple factors are working against the Bobcats. Five of their final eight games are away from snowy Bozeman, Mont., and they’re 2-5 in their last seven with wins against Southern Utah and PSU.
11. Southern Utah 1-20, 0-12
Last week: No. 11
The T-birds lost 64-57 at Northern Arizona and 68-56 at Sacramento State, extending SUU’s winless streak to 20 games.
With their next four at home and the conference standings from second to 10th separated by a mere two games, the Thunderbirds are in a great position to ruin somebody’s season.
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