ND-fan

What happen other night when we were missing number of players for the Weber state game. Why does everything have to be such deep dark secret around this athletic program just come out with what happened did number of players test positive for covid or was there something else. This is not good sign again where we have number of players unavailable to play for a game. We went through this last year and again everything was big dark secret how do expect fans to invest in team if they are not willing to invest into fans ability to follow this team. The team we put on the floor other night could not compete in Summit conference and would even have hard time competing in North Star conference of small colleges. I turned on the game saw we had short bench and no one even mentioned this through the whole game. The positive of the game was new player from Texas DJ Davis looks like she could be candidate for point guard if see can improve her shooting and the new recruit of Jodi Anderson looks like she could develop into quite offensive player before the year is done. From there it's hard to tell when we played with four small guards on the floor exposing Leet to cover up for our lack of size which led her to foul trouble. Let us hope we can get our full team back and we start developing into team that can compete in the Summit conference. I sound critical but more so disappointed that we have to start again like last year we need to have something positive happen if your going to get any fan interest in this team.

I believe Sather can coach and is good technician of the game but getting back to the recruiting that is another story. Its just not Sather but assistant coaches that also have to have those skills and connects to help a build a program. I was sad to see Mihailovic leave the program because he had helped bring players like Rebraca and several other players for UND but i am sure he had better opportunity elsewhere. Its finding those diamonds in the ruff and developing them so far Sather hasn't been successful in finding these players for the program or been able to keep them on the team. Contrary to what many you think on this board coach Jones before him had pretty good record on finding talent and developing what he recruited. Rebraca, Geno Crandel, Hooker, Marlon Stewart, Seales, Walter, Avants, Anderson, and Huff to start naming a few that came in became good players and some had careers after UND are examples of talent Jones brought in developed here. If UND is to get to be power in the Summit Sather is going have to start getting these type of players. This years recruiting class i hope he has few of these players in the mix so we can start building this program. To be fair the last two years its hard to judge because of Covid with so many restrictions on travel and how kids have been playing games to find and being able to recruit has hurt coaches especially new coaches like Sather moving up division. I hope to see some diamonds in ruff with this year recruiting class but time will tell on that front. After this year this team will all be his recruits with last of the Jones recruits graduating he will be held accountable for the team on floor so this year and next year are what he will be judged on if he can coach at the division i level bring in talent to compete with other schools in conference.

I am not willing to pronounce whole season is already gone on the first game of the season but from the box score there are several things of concern is that we were out rebounded for the game which i believe we should have been dominate to Crookston, second our poor shooting from 3pt. land, and i was expecting that some of transfers would have received more playing time and my reason is when you bring in transfers it should be up grade in your talent level you have for that position other wise should then be looking for young players that are diamonds in rough to be developed. At least that is my philosophy and especially after the season we had last year where we were definitely behind leaders in conference talent wise. This may be case here too because of team chemistry but we will see what happens when we start playing better teams. I am looking forward to watching them see how they improve from game to game i still think this team should be better than last year with the new players added to this team.

This was terrible loss and you can point to number things like coaching or individual players but the bottom line i believe is we have team that is being led by number young players that are very talented are still young players who are prone to make mistakes under pressure especially on the offense. WE have quarterback, running backs, and receivers who are all either freshman or sophomores leading this team on offense. Defense is more experienced but because of injuries were now playing more young players there also. This has been weakness of North Dakota is we haven't gotten to point where were real deep on the football team where we have junior /senior starters with sophomore / freshman as backups learning and developing into players. Taking this all into account we still have very competitive team and seems to be getting better talent wise the past couple years. I can hear now naysayers its all coaching but remember we have just gone through changing conferences and playing independent schedule making recruiting more difficult to attract top players. Also not to mention the difference in conferences in type of players you need to be successful between the conferences. This has been difficult season to say and with such high expectations to start the season but maybe what were experiencing is hang over from the spring for sure this is going to be lost season where we could have been force in conference. I am sure the people who know more about football will tell me i am all wrong but over years teams with senior leadership generally are more successful this doesn't happen quickly but people believe it happens this way.

The season begins in less than week and very little has been said about women's basketball team. How do create fan interest if don't so some promotion of the team. I can imagine how season tickets sales have been like selling long underwear in the desert in middle of the afternoon. I know they had to cancel fan fest but then they should have tried to get little press to promote the team and season coming forth. This has to do more with the athletic department than coaching staff and i guess were all about hockey and hard core football fans that keep that sport in public eye. Enough of said subject has anything heard how the team is progressing and are they healthy who looks to be making major contributions this year. I am kind of excited to see this team and wondering if they can turn the corner to be of some factor in the Summit conference on paper they look to be improved.

I got to believe Sims and Tyree left because they thought they would get looks at power 5 schools and i also think they wanted to be at schools that were close to big city social life. They didn't get to go power 5 school but schools are close to big cities. Today players can move freely without much penalty and just look at number of new players in Summit conference that have transferred this year and power 5 schools are filling out there rosters with transfers the day of having athlete for whole career is over basically. The top three in conference have kept core of players for four years but what will future bring South Dakota will graduate majority of their team this year or next baring nobody leaves , the same for North Dakota State they will graduate most of core in next two years and does Nelson stay or does somebody make offer where he moves to power 5 school, Same thing for Oral Roberts does Abmas come back for senior year does he leave like Obanor did this year. The rest conference is like UND with some home grown talent but transfer's to fill out the roster. It will be interesting see if projections hold up when season is complete or will somebody put together team that puts it together by end of the season comes in knocks off some these top three contenders. The last few years being favorite to win this conference has not happened and i have feeling this could happen again this year.

Schuster i like alot about his game but the one thing that hurts this team is that he can't seem to run ball when they have good coverage on his receivers and i don't mean he has to run alot but he has to do some to keep the defenses honest and free up his receivers. Vaughn does this for UND but he only is in for a play or two a game so we have no idea how he can manage the team and run offense but we need to get a little out of Schuster what Vaughn brings in when he's quarterback. This is especially true when we have run into teams that can control our running game and were in passing situations they can drop deep for coverage and let there defense fronts rush without much worry of Schuster slipping out running for yards needed. I got to believe they have to be working on this because limits our offense so much especially in the red zone. Maybe i am not see this right would like to hear what others think.

what's happening with Tiffen and Und Volleyball we have heard nothing in two weeks and the program is in shambles if you judge it by its record. This has been long time coming Hardee built this program but because of personal problems had to leave but since then we lived off his recruiting and the team he put together. Pryor was good enough coach to get results out the team inherited but his recruiting and way he felt about Grand Forks and North Dakota in general did little to help him recruit and before it all fell apart he left for warmer climate and division III program if that doesn't tell you something. Then we hire Tiffen from our assistants with upcoming resume but doesn't seem like a ball of fire when he has been interviewed but was given benefit of the doubt. Then we have blow up with girls on social media and our recruiting seems to be falling off especially since covid hit. It's hard to believe a program that was competing for conference championships and heading to NCAA tournament has fallen so far in such few years. This has to be on the AD because he's made hires and has direct knowledge of what's happening with the program. I think Chaves was hired because he was all in Hockey and had good football program in Eastern Washington but i wonder what his commitment has been to women's sports because since his arrival we have seen both women's basketball and volleyball program's go dramatically backwards.

The Fargo dome size of stadium means getting nonconference game against major FBS program is not going to happen they will be left with bringing in FCS opponents and also guaranteeing them money to play how is that going to help for increase budget of moving to FBS. The dream of being major player at FBS level is that a dream they will not be playing for national championships best will be playing for conference championship at one lesser FBS conferences and chance at one lesser bowl during christmas to New Years time frame. There will be no home playoff games like they have now with FCS and chance to play weekly until Christmas one big reasons it had become so popular with people in North Dakota gave them something to follow at the end of the year. I can't see them building a new stadium on short run all players to get funding done for the project are fighting budget battles now them selves like Fargo with flood control project, State with budget short falls from less oil revenues, and NDSU lack of funding research and enrollment declines. I may be wrong but Fargo is not ready to move up even though they like to think big but resources are not in place to make this move now and may take another 10 to 20 years growth to get to where they will have resources to make this move.

The sports world in Fargo may be prepared to go FBS but i don't think general public is prepared to go or on the political side yet. The football program probably make the jump but the cost of moving all other sports to FBS conference i don't think there is enough money or schools in those conferences don't want to have to travel to North Dakota. Und proved this with there time in Big Sky conference the costs of travel and other schools soon wanted UND to leave as much as UND needed to leave. Add in that NDSU state affairs right now with declining enrolments and less research dollars and forced change in presidents coming i don't see where NDSU makes the shift to FBS. Fargo likes to think they will be leaders from FCS moving up to next level but like number of posts before we as region lack population and economics of moving up a division in college sports. Only way it may work is if only the Football program moves up but here again economics i still think makes this difficult jump. The move FBS will not mean like it was for FCS you had a chance to play for national title but move to FBS will be one smaller schools where chance of playing for national title will be almost zero but just for New Years bowl game and not one of the top bowl games but just a bowl game. I think this will be hard for casual fan to get handle on because they understand winning something on national basis but for bowl game i don't think it carries like playing for national championship. If they do only go FBS for football there other sports just become even more taxed for revenue and fan following in essence they become even more than UND with one sport dominant school. I think alot of NDSU hard fans may be disappointed they don't make this next step and for sure local media in Fargo but i don't think the economics will ever support this move at this time. If you have my guess is the top conferences and schools will soon break off from NCAA for same reason why they have formed up into their power conferences because they are not going to want to support bottom half of schools with money.

This coming season has many questions to be answered by number of the off season moves we had to make because of number of transfers we had. We have NDSU and SDSU, and Oral Roberts basically standing pat with addition mostly of traditional recruits and then rest of the conference in status of great change for the coming season. It will be interesting to see if somebody puts together a team that can challenge and upset the power balance in conference for the coming year. On paper we look to have at least put a team together that could become contender but that all depends on how they gel and if they live up to their billing. This is definitely going to take coaching and player buy in if we are going to have successful season. I am sure Sather didn't plan on this type of rebuilding process when he took the job but that is how fast game has changed with new rules on player transfers. The top three in conference so far has not seen what other schools are going through some say its the culture of programs and i just think they have been lucky so far and when they have to replace their current group of players things will change for them also. Small midmajor's will never be same where they take players develop them and have winning program by building a team this way because now the power 5 schools are going to come knocking on these kids door and recruiting them to move. I also think the power 5 schools are even going to do it more with change of coaching from the old school coaches to new coaches coming in to replace them.

Little early to predict future line-up for North Dakota. We still have two spots open yet on the team i would guess we will see some future announcements on players yet to be signed by us. Verbal commits has still with one offer still open to juco out Snow college but with leaving of G it has created another opening on the team. I am guessing they are waiting to see if major player becomes available yet before fall and are keeping their options open with scholarship to give.

Men's basketball verbal commits shows each player on the team if its walk on, scholarship, transfer, verbal commit, signed, and the transfer. They don't show it for women's basketball is there somebody else that does this for women's basketball. Women's basketball has it own transfer portal site for each school and shows commits on site but doesn't tell if its scholarship or walk on. If Lane and Sieben are walk-on's this would then leave UND with two openings left. I would guess then couple of recruits that may redshirt for the coming season with that many recruits available for the roster.

Do we have scholarship left i was going through player list i have 15 players or are we adding one for Leet. The list Borowicz, Manson, Gordon, Leet, Lane, Lane, Van Loo, Vander Wal, Anderson, Adams, Wallace, Sieben, Orth, Hoskin, and MCcarthy. This would give us 15 players for next year as i have figured unless i made mistake again.

I looked at JMU box score against VMI and there the stated attendance for that game was 6011 and my guess that will be similar for us this coming Sunday. the maximum attendance based on stadium capacity would be 6219.

Yes as far as i know there not transfer portal for this year and i have not heard of anything else other than they are on the team. The second Lane girl was brought in last year midseason when they were needing guards.

I see Jarnot is transferring to West Florida a division II school so all our transfers went the D-II rout. I believe that Zander and Jarnot can play Division I basketball but they have transferred for what ever reasons and i hope they have successful careers in the future. I think that we still have one position to fill yet and wondering if anybody heard any more things on that front. This is definitely Mallory's team now with only few hold overs from Brewster tenure with Manson, Leet, Borowicz, Gordon, and Van Loo with Mallory having say on these girls when they were recruited.

I was looking at verbal commits see we still have 3 open scholarships left to offer with several offers to different players. Looks like we have already gotten bigger than last year and with open scholarships this team is not fully structured. The players we lost this year so far they either have made lateral transfer or step down a division. The one i would say that i will miss most is Ihenacho because i think he could have developed into quite star player. The thing i don't understand is the move to James Madison team already stocked with starting guards all returning for the coming year. There he will have to fight for playing time and if he gets hurt or nicked up like he did last year he may find hard time getting back on the court. Here at UND he would almost guaranteed himself playing time to develop into the star player it will be interesting see how this transfer pans out in the future. I am thinking that the various recruits Sather is putting together will have more than enough talent to develop competitive team for the coming year and with team being able to workout before the season starts they could be further along than this past season before next season. We are going to miss Rebraca having that experience he gave us last year and would have again this coming year is hard to replace and will take time to get this from new players coming in. The key going forward will be we need to have players buy in to developing a good team we can't have this mass transferring every year and if that becomes the norm for mid major basketball we will not see quality of the basketball we have seen in the past. This past year nothing seems to be normal anymore and if this new normal alot of the institutions and values we have come to accept will not survive.

I was looking at Sather's staff at Northern State University and i see one of his assistant stayed there but did not become part of the new staff. He lived in Aberdeen and was teacher there for thirty years so i am thinking he could take full retirement from there now and do the assistant coaching job. I see has masters degree, was assistant coach for 28 years, worked on recruiting and scouting under Sather. He would check alot of the boxes for requirements for the assistant coaching job.

I am not against the transferring rule but now were getting transferring in the middle of season even in professional sports free agency happens after the season. I think there should be penalty for doing this when the season is in play the school that provided scholarship and position for you have invested time and money in exchange for you playing and now you transfer in my mind it totally wrong. If this going to be case then the schools should be able pull players scholarship in mid year too if were going to have open recruiting in midseason which i am totally against. I think if you transfer or quit in season then you should have to sit for a season before you can play at another school or why have any rules for scholarships. This is not teaching young adults any values or that your word means something this is all about me mentality. He's not only letting down the coaches, school, but all of his teammates who have put forth this effort to be able compete for championship how do ever face these people again and look them eye feel good about yourself. that's my feelings on this.

This is pretty much lateral move on his part and they have made NCAA tournament lately but under different coach but so had UND once in same time. Attendance may be 1000 more per game and big difference here this school has no football or hockey so basketball is king on this campus. I don't know but speculating this may be move because of location of the school closer to bigger metropolitan area to live than Grand Forks based he came from bigger city environment. I could be totally wrong reason on this but this transfer sure wasn't on playing at higher level.

I was looking at verbal commits so far the offers that Simms and Ihenacho have received look to be pretty much lateral move to me. The question i have is they say one time move without sitting out a season so if they want to move after this will they have to sit for year unless their graduate transfer. If this is the case why would use up this option if your only going to move laterally especially for Ihenacho where his upside potential looks like he could become highly rated player. The Summit conference is as good mid major conference to develop your talent and if you want to go to power 5 school. I just think he was premature on transferring unless he just can't stand being in Grand Forks. I wonder if number of the transfer this year are going to turn out to be move in wrong direction and ultimate goal of getting good education paid for to start in the real world. I think Rebraca transfer is being done for right reasons he can get top education from playing basketball and he may have opportunity to play in big dance at power 5 school. This why fully understand and support Rebraca move and kids like him making best of their college careers they will be real winners of playing college athletics.

South Dakota State looking at there roster they will have at least 10 to 11 players over 6 feet tall on their team for next year. Also see the latest recruits are all over 6 feet for NDSU and looks like South Dakota is recruiting some taller players for next year as well. These are top teams in the conference this year and looks like they either getting bigger or already there. I still think that UND will need to add one more taller girl for next year or we will have hard time matching up with these conference leaders. Looking at this upcoming year we will be counting on several freshman players to make major contributions not recipe for having big turn around season. My hope is that we can improve through the season and at least maybe play win one in the conference tournament but its going to take time now to get this team rebuilt.

In the Above post i forgot to mention Hoskin the new transfer and she looks like she can play forward but would me more of small forward but i do see her stats she is good at rebounding. She does give more depth at forward but i still think we need poward forward if were going to match up with number of teams in this conference.

Faraway you are right Roach is only junior this year but looking at other players it looks like they only have one position opening for this coming year with their latest commit. I would think they are looking for another power forward for the coming year and probably transfer somebody with experience. The point guard position will probably be filled by Wallace, Borowicz, and Sieben for the coming year and then Roach would be candidate year after. We will be very young at the forward postion this coming year with only Lane returning to the team and i guess Gordon could play some forward. The new commits of Anderson 5-11, and McCarthy 6-1 probably will be looked at to play forward but alot to ask of true freshman and be able to compete in the conference. The three centers we have will probably share the playing time at that position. Van Loo will need to step her game up some and Vander Wal we have no idea of where she will be at without playing this year. So this why i got to believe they have to be looking for experience power forward for the coming season. Unless we get bunch of transfers next season this will be our team because Leet position is already recruited with Roach coming next year and Wallace but here she gets back last year in eligibility granted to all the players. Bernhard will not have alot of moves for 2022-2023 in changing make up her team.