We’ve exclaimed Northern Arizona’s second-year head man, Jack Murphy, will be this season’s coach of the year and that Northern Colorado, Weber State, NAU, Montana State and Idaho State are all locks to reach the postseason.
Well, ahem, it’s possible we were a little premature. The Vikings have won four straight, Sac State had plenty of offense when it poured in 52 points by halftime against the Bengals last Thursday and the difference between third and 10th place in the league standings is a whopping two games.
So at the midpoint of the Big Sky season, what do we really know?
1) Nothing.
2) The more 75-foot game winners we have in our lives like the Hornets had to stun the Wildcats on Saturday, the better off we’ll all be.
3) It’s been impossibly tough for teams to win away from their home courts. To this point, home teams are winning 75 percent of the time in the Big Sky.
4) If dates at home are a valuable commodity, then Montana and Sacramento State are in great positions to make a push in the final 10 games. Each plays at home six times in their final 10 league games.
5) Conversely, Weber State, Northern Colorado and Portland State have to hit the road in six of their last 10.
6) Hold on for dear life the next month. Ten teams are vying for seven spots, and call anybody crazy if they claim to know who’s going to make it.
7) Expect the committee (of one) to release a minimum of 10 more predictions before the season’s end. And like road teams in the Big Sky, we’ll be off 75 percent of the time.
1. Weber State 11-7, 8-2
Last week: No. 1
On the road, the Wildcats beat Northern Arizona 76-67 and lost in overtime to Sacramento State 78-75.
It took a buzzer-beating 3 from 75 feet away for Sacramento State to upend Weber State, and it ruined a 29-point effort from senior Wildcat guard Davion Berry.
On the bright side, WSU still got the all-important road split after taking care of NAU. With Northern Colorado’s loss at Eastern Washington the same night, Weber blew a chance to take first place in the league standings by two games. The ’Cats, however, do get the Bears in Ogden, Utah, Saturday for a pivotal matchup.
2. Portland State 11-8, 6-4
Last week: No. 8
Portland State has won four in a row after pasting Northern Colorado 80-57 and squeaking by North Dakota 70-68.
The committee (of one) always wants these rankings to reflect how teams are playing in the moment. And right now, the Vikings look great. Since starting conference play 0-3, PSU is 6-1 with quality wins against Montana, Sacramento State (on the road), UNC and North Dakota.
It can’t be ignored that Portland State has benefited from playing six of its last eight in Portland and that six of the next eight are on the road. The Vikings lead the Big Sky in assists per game and they’re one of the highest scoring teams in the league. We’ll see if that translates to the road.
3. North Dakota 9-11, 6-4
Last week: No. 3
The mascot-less whipped Eastern Washington 73-61 in Cheney, Wash., and fell to Portland State 70-68.
At 19.7 points per game, UND senior Troy Huff is second in the Big Sky in scoring. He’s such an incredible, dynamic athlete, Huff attracts the spotlight and overshadows guys like Jaron Nash (10.8 ppg) and Aaron Anderson (10.7 ppg).
North Dakota boasts depth with eight players averaging at least 12 minutes a game. That’s a roster advantage the mascot-less have over most teams in the Big Sky.
4. Montana 10-9, 5-5
Last week: No. 5
Montana escaped Cedar City, Utah, with a 69-61 victory against Southern Utah. Monday, the Grizzlies beat Montana State (70-66) for the seventh straight time.
The committee (of one) has gone on and on about the Big Sky’s issues of winning games on the road. Then there are the Grizzlies, who are a Big Sky best 5-5 away from their home court, including three road wins in the league. For whatever reason, it’s Montana’s record at home in the league (2-2) that’s been the issue.
The Grizzlies’ ability to rebound and defend is still a concern, but UM leads the conference in made 3-point field goals a game and 3-point field-goal percentage shooting
5. Northern Colorado 13-6, 7-3
Last week: No. 2
Da Bears lost by 23 to Portland State (80-57) and 94-90 in overtime to Eastern Washington.
Northern Colorado, a sterling 11-0 in Greeley, Colo., stinks like everybody else in the league away from the comfy confines of familiar beds.
More concerning for the Bears, who are still in great shape to grab the postseason’s No. 1 seed, PSU and EWU made a combined 25 3-pointers while shooting 52 percent from the perimeter. Statistically, Northern Colorado still has the league’s No. 2 scoring defense and No. 3 field-goal percentage defense. But the committee (of one) has to imagine coach B.J. Hill is losing his hair trying to figure out what happened to his defense last week.
6. Northern Arizona 9-12, 6-4
Last week: No. 4
The Lumberjacks lost 76-67 to Weber State and rallied past Idaho State 67-65.
Freshman Kris Yanku sliced through the Bengal defense to nail a floater in the closing seconds, lifting NAU out of a three-game slump and dashing Idaho State’s hopes of a much-needed road split.
It means ISU has lost six games by no more than five points this season. Yeah, we know this is supposed to be about the Lumberjacks, but what is there to say? They got the big win at home Saturday and the Bengals lost another heartbreaker.
7. Sacramento State 8-11, 4-6
Last week: No. 10
The Hornets held off Idaho State 84-78 and upset Weber State in overtime 78-75.
1) Nothing.
2) The more 75-foot game winners we have in our lives like the Hornets had to stun the Wildcats on Saturday, the better off we’ll all be.
3) It’s been impossibly tough for teams to win away from their home courts. To this point, home teams are winning 75 percent of the time in the Big Sky.
4) If dates at home are a valuable commodity, then Montana and Sacramento State are in great positions to make a push in the final 10 games. Each plays at home six times in their final 10 league games.
5) Conversely, Weber State, Northern Colorado and Portland State have to hit the road in six of their last 10.
6) Hold on for dear life the next month. Ten teams are vying for seven spots, and call anybody crazy if they claim to know who’s going to make it.
7) Expect the committee (of one) to release a minimum of 10 more predictions before the season’s end. And like road teams in the Big Sky, we’ll be off 75 percent of the time.
1. Weber State 11-7, 8-2
Last week: No. 1
On the road, the Wildcats beat Northern Arizona 76-67 and lost in overtime to Sacramento State 78-75.
It took a buzzer-beating 3 from 75 feet away for Sacramento State to upend Weber State, and it ruined a 29-point effort from senior Wildcat guard Davion Berry.
On the bright side, WSU still got the all-important road split after taking care of NAU. With Northern Colorado’s loss at Eastern Washington the same night, Weber blew a chance to take first place in the league standings by two games. The ’Cats, however, do get the Bears in Ogden, Utah, Saturday for a pivotal matchup.
2. Portland State 11-8, 6-4
Last week: No. 8
Portland State has won four in a row after pasting Northern Colorado 80-57 and squeaking by North Dakota 70-68.
The committee (of one) always wants these rankings to reflect how teams are playing in the moment. And right now, the Vikings look great. Since starting conference play 0-3, PSU is 6-1 with quality wins against Montana, Sacramento State (on the road), UNC and North Dakota.
It can’t be ignored that Portland State has benefited from playing six of its last eight in Portland and that six of the next eight are on the road. The Vikings lead the Big Sky in assists per game and they’re one of the highest scoring teams in the league. We’ll see if that translates to the road.
3. North Dakota 9-11, 6-4
Last week: No. 3
The mascot-less whipped Eastern Washington 73-61 in Cheney, Wash., and fell to Portland State 70-68.
At 19.7 points per game, UND senior Troy Huff is second in the Big Sky in scoring. He’s such an incredible, dynamic athlete, Huff attracts the spotlight and overshadows guys like Jaron Nash (10.8 ppg) and Aaron Anderson (10.7 ppg).
North Dakota boasts depth with eight players averaging at least 12 minutes a game. That’s a roster advantage the mascot-less have over most teams in the Big Sky.
4. Montana 10-9, 5-5
Last week: No. 5
Montana escaped Cedar City, Utah, with a 69-61 victory against Southern Utah. Monday, the Grizzlies beat Montana State (70-66) for the seventh straight time.
The committee (of one) has gone on and on about the Big Sky’s issues of winning games on the road. Then there are the Grizzlies, who are a Big Sky best 5-5 away from their home court, including three road wins in the league. For whatever reason, it’s Montana’s record at home in the league (2-2) that’s been the issue.
The Grizzlies’ ability to rebound and defend is still a concern, but UM leads the conference in made 3-point field goals a game and 3-point field-goal percentage shooting
5. Northern Colorado 13-6, 7-3
Last week: No. 2
Da Bears lost by 23 to Portland State (80-57) and 94-90 in overtime to Eastern Washington.
Northern Colorado, a sterling 11-0 in Greeley, Colo., stinks like everybody else in the league away from the comfy confines of familiar beds.
More concerning for the Bears, who are still in great shape to grab the postseason’s No. 1 seed, PSU and EWU made a combined 25 3-pointers while shooting 52 percent from the perimeter. Statistically, Northern Colorado still has the league’s No. 2 scoring defense and No. 3 field-goal percentage defense. But the committee (of one) has to imagine coach B.J. Hill is losing his hair trying to figure out what happened to his defense last week.
6. Northern Arizona 9-12, 6-4
Last week: No. 4
The Lumberjacks lost 76-67 to Weber State and rallied past Idaho State 67-65.
Freshman Kris Yanku sliced through the Bengal defense to nail a floater in the closing seconds, lifting NAU out of a three-game slump and dashing Idaho State’s hopes of a much-needed road split.
It means ISU has lost six games by no more than five points this season. Yeah, we know this is supposed to be about the Lumberjacks, but what is there to say? They got the big win at home Saturday and the Bengals lost another heartbreaker.
7. Sacramento State 8-11, 4-6
Last week: No. 10
The Hornets held off Idaho State 84-78 and upset Weber State in overtime 78-75.
Sac’s Mikh McKinney is the Big Sky player of the week after averaging 29 points and 5.5 assists in the two wins for the Hornets.
What a week for McKinney and the Hornets. The win against the Wildcats is the biggest shocker of the season since Northern Arizona beat Montana in Missoula to start conference play.
8. Idaho State 7-12, 4-6
Last week: No. 6
Idaho State lost to Sacramento State 84-78 and Northern Arizona 67-65 to fall to 1-9 on the road this season.
Good news for ISU fans: The Bengals have dropped six of eight, but they only trail third place by two games.
Bad news for ISU fans: What bad news? Halfway through the conference season and Idaho State has as good of a chance as any other team in the Big Sky to reach the postseason.
At this time a year ago, Idaho State was 3-7 and headed to the road for three of its next four. By mid-February, the Bengals were 3-12 with their postseason aspirations buried.
This season, three of the next four are at home and it’s a great opportunity for Idaho State to make a push toward the tournament.
9. Eastern Washington 9-12, 4-6
Last week: No. 9
Eastern lost to North Dakota 73-61 and then prevailed in overtime 94-90 against Northern Colorado.
Sophomore guard Tyler Harvey scorched UNC for 38 points and a school-record 10 3-pointers two days after recording seven points in the loss to UND.
“Tyler doesn’t lack any confidence,” Eastern head coach Jim Hayford said after the game versus the Bears. “He believes in his game, and he believes in his teammates. He understands when he has a great shot it is his role to take it. There are a lot of players that would have come off of Thursday night and said, ‘Oh, I am not going to shoot it.’ He understands what his role is.”
Harvey’s role, of course, is to score and score big. When he does, the Eagles can beat Northern Colorado. But how reliable is 10 for 15 shooting from the perimeter?
10. Montana State 10-11, 5-5
Last week: No. 7
Montana State knocked off Southern Utah 54-52 and lost to Montana 70-66.
We doubt the Bobcats are really the 10th best team in the conference. But with the way Portland State laid waste to Northern Colorado, MSU’s best win of the season (a 70-55 victory against the Bears) is less impressive.
The ’Cats have lost four of five and five of seven. Those are negative trends for a program that has historically been very good in January and very bad in February.
11. Southern Utah 1-18, 0-10
Last week: No. 11
Southern Utah is getting close, really close to winning a game for the first time since Nov. 8 of 2013.
At home, the Thunderbirds lost to Montana 69-61 and Montana State 54-52. After losing a smorgasbord of contests by double digits, SUU has finished within eight points or fewer in five straight contests. The T-birds are the only team in the Big Sky without a shot at the postseason, but they’re in perfect position to ruin somebody’s year.
8. Idaho State 7-12, 4-6
Last week: No. 6
Idaho State lost to Sacramento State 84-78 and Northern Arizona 67-65 to fall to 1-9 on the road this season.
Good news for ISU fans: The Bengals have dropped six of eight, but they only trail third place by two games.
Bad news for ISU fans: What bad news? Halfway through the conference season and Idaho State has as good of a chance as any other team in the Big Sky to reach the postseason.
At this time a year ago, Idaho State was 3-7 and headed to the road for three of its next four. By mid-February, the Bengals were 3-12 with their postseason aspirations buried.
This season, three of the next four are at home and it’s a great opportunity for Idaho State to make a push toward the tournament.
9. Eastern Washington 9-12, 4-6
Last week: No. 9
Eastern lost to North Dakota 73-61 and then prevailed in overtime 94-90 against Northern Colorado.
Sophomore guard Tyler Harvey scorched UNC for 38 points and a school-record 10 3-pointers two days after recording seven points in the loss to UND.
“Tyler doesn’t lack any confidence,” Eastern head coach Jim Hayford said after the game versus the Bears. “He believes in his game, and he believes in his teammates. He understands when he has a great shot it is his role to take it. There are a lot of players that would have come off of Thursday night and said, ‘Oh, I am not going to shoot it.’ He understands what his role is.”
Harvey’s role, of course, is to score and score big. When he does, the Eagles can beat Northern Colorado. But how reliable is 10 for 15 shooting from the perimeter?
10. Montana State 10-11, 5-5
Last week: No. 7
Montana State knocked off Southern Utah 54-52 and lost to Montana 70-66.
We doubt the Bobcats are really the 10th best team in the conference. But with the way Portland State laid waste to Northern Colorado, MSU’s best win of the season (a 70-55 victory against the Bears) is less impressive.
The ’Cats have lost four of five and five of seven. Those are negative trends for a program that has historically been very good in January and very bad in February.
11. Southern Utah 1-18, 0-10
Last week: No. 11
Southern Utah is getting close, really close to winning a game for the first time since Nov. 8 of 2013.
At home, the Thunderbirds lost to Montana 69-61 and Montana State 54-52. After losing a smorgasbord of contests by double digits, SUU has finished within eight points or fewer in five straight contests. The T-birds are the only team in the Big Sky without a shot at the postseason, but they’re in perfect position to ruin somebody’s year.
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