ND-fan

All Omaha has to due is win out at ORU and the y win the conference. UND can determine who they play with St. Thomas if they win they probably get them in first round or if they loose we get SDSU probably for the first round. Either is not what could say high percentage game of winning. The way conference is ending NDSU is coming out they have great chance to get to championship game. They will have probably Omaha and South Dakota to beat on that side of the bracket. A interesting fact is if St Thomas gets to championship game and wins Omaha could go tournament no matter how they do in the tournament. I also was looking if we loose out then we could possibly fall to 8 th putting us on other side of bracket but most likely we end up with the first two. Either way looking at long hard way to championship.

Playing in Denver we have Horne played every minute and 3 others will have 30 minutes playing at high altitude what effort from players but what is thinking game shouldn’t be close .

Beal and Hurst not meeting expectations has had effect on where the team is. But we do have several freshmen on the team I believe if Mallory had worked with them earlier this season could be playing bigger roles on this team. Piekny, Volmer, and Mathern have shown flashes this year they could provide minutes and roles on this team but true to form Mallory has lost patience with these players and then would sit for number of games or only see a minute or two a game. I can say Beal was also in this group too and I can see where Beal as Junior now didn’t see any role for her play regular minutes. I know I don’t know what happens internally with these players but coach has to figure out roles with these players and then you carry through developing role for these players but you can’t just yo yo these players where don’t use them for number of games and then expect them to play exactly what you want in this role you have to coach them to what you want and is in there ability to do that. I look at Piekny she was getting fair amount of minutes earlier this season until she was sitting on bench. Mathern same thing played number of games then was not even in games and now she playing again no consistency to develop these players. Volmer was hurt early and after that hardly seen the floor. I believe she could have provided some minutes of rest for Schiller. I think Schiller would have even better numbers if she would have had few less minutes because she would have been better at the end of the game. I look at SDSU coach Johnson has developed younger players quicker by playing them giving minutes fill in certain roles and coaching them correcting their mistakes as they go. This is why there teams are really deep and he is able recruit the talent he does because they know get some playing time. This is one of the reasons we need better coaching here Mallory hasn’t been able to learn but just believes what she does is right and when your loosing you need to self evaluate and figure out how to win. She has had 5 years we’re still only winning 30% of our games and had only one winning season with one done in the Summit tournament.

I thought this was likely coming players leaving with younger players moving ahead of older players. Beal looking at her potential when she came here has been disappointment for us and for her too! She is so athletic and has size and quickness but her offensive skills never developed to where she could get playing time. Her defense was above average but for 2 guard you need that ability to score from outside as well as on the inside. I don’t know if was our not being able to help her develop or it was on her for not getting to next level. What ever it is I wish her well going into the future. Don’t be surprised if we see more changes coming especially after the season.

yes it has been obvious for last few years and I thought Mallory would learn but she hasn’t improved other than this has been her best set of assistant coaches. We had another night of 23 turnovers and some miscues from our players but look at their minutes they were tired most had played nearly entire game. If you look when we control our turnovers we usually win the game. If you go to box score we out rebounded them, made 3 more free throws and shot same percentage. The difference is they put up 9 more shots and we gave up 11 more points off turnovers.

I was looking at our schedule we only have three games left we are probably locked into our 6 or 7 position but one win would probably lock in 6 place finish. A bigger factor would be if we would be able pull off upset against St. Thomas would probably change who we would play in opening round game of tournament. My guess we would end up playing Omaha a loss probably sets up against SDSU or St. Thomas. My feeling I would prefer to be on opposite of bracket of SDSU. If that would happen I think NDSU and USD would. Have greater chance of beating SDSU then we would again. Also I think we could beat Omaha we match up them best top 3 teams. Second I think KC could pull off upset of St. Thomas because they have talent to beat anyone on neutral court. Also both Denver and ORU could be difficult in opening round these young teams are much better than at beginning of the season. SDSU is probably favorite especially basically at home in front of their crowd.

I have question I believe it was reported that President Armacost had input on football hiring if that was true. I had to believe Armacost had to approve additional money and commitment for football. The other major sports needs similar commitments and changes in these programs like football received this December for the coming year. I know there are posters that are in know what is happening and how university address the problems in athletic department. This has to be communicated to public because people are loosing good will.

Mallory after game interview said the changes made after halftime were suggestions of Hutter which explains a lot. The only positive it appears player like Mallory. I wouldn’t be extending her on one game win when you look at her total record but nothing would surprise me. The big question to ask do you believe Mallory can make us contender for winning conference in next two years. If Chaves does that his job she be tied to his next extensions.

We play the bison tomorrow night what are peoples thought on the game. I thought we might have had chance if Bison had played SDSU better on Wednesday night but I have feeling Jory going to have them motivated by there poor play Wednesday. If we play like we did Wednesday the game will be over at half time. I expect Demers to have better game around but the problem will be if we can control basketball. Second if we run any offense but will we play one on one offsense with very little assists and scoring coming individual basis. My guess we loose by 16 to 24 points. Chaves and Armacost got to be there unless they both travelled with hockey team. If they are there I hope they attention.to product and quality play compared to what we have to the Bison because both coaches have been in charge same amount of time. This should show we need a change at top.

The season is almost over and I am hoping for the end something I never would have wished before but plain fact is I just want to see if we’re going to finally make a change in coaching. I thought tonight ST. Thomas has been just four seasons in conference now they are sweeping us in conference season. I look at this basketball team they deserve better coaching and I believe if they had better coaching we battling for third in the conference. Hard to know how much better we could be but I know we have enough talent to reach that high. Chaves if he does nothing should also be fired but way it looks to me he has decision on basketball teams and may have to address hockey too if we do not make the tournament. This after football and women’s soccer changes. The whole athletic program is in mess we don’t have one winning program for the year.

I am too!! I am so frustrated and if I can see why we’re loosing why can’t division I coach see it and if not that Athletic Director who responsibility is to have winning programs.

Larkins today had 47 against NDSU but the Bison won by 10 with controlling rebounds and only committing 9 turnovers proving we could have beat USD if we could control the basketball. The game is about winning shooting possessions and shooting good enough percentage to win basketball games. I watched SU game to see how they would play South Dakota.

My opinion Mal has learned nothing in her tenure as coach here when putting game plan or making adjustments to counter attack opposing coaches moves. I could believe point that assistant coaches aren’t doing there jobs but I think it’s case of head coach countering what your teaching and rewarding bad performance by playing players when they keep making these mistakes. To point of you as assistant just follow her lead. The reason I don’t believe it’s the assistants in Mallory tenure we have been through three different sets of assistant coaches. This problem is at the top and has gone on way too long. Chaves made this hirer which was mistake which we know now but big mistake was extending her contract for several years. President Armacost needs to step in at athletic department fix the department we need higher standards on performance not just student performance in classroom and community service but that we expect winning on consistent basis. then we need to compensate these individuals well and provide all resources so they can be successful. We have problem when we have loosing streaks of 5 to 10 years against our conference opponents and gap is not even closing with these opponents. I think this has to start at top of the department we have done this on academic side it needs to be done on athletic department.

Was Chaves there how can you as head of Athletic department watch this and not even have some comment to fans of UND on performances this women’s basketball team has had last few games. A division I team averaging over 20 turnovers and now a game with one assist for the game. Just those two stats you know we lost by double digits. How many games this season have we exceeded 20 turnovers? Also the team gave up some where in last part of third quarter. Also we didn’t have many shots at timeouts don’t want us to see what’s happening on the coaching either. I think this is worse this season of coaching than her first season when we won only two games we have enough talent to be better than this.

South Dakota made adjustments but we have not adjusted run any kind offense to much individuals play just said one assist. Hutter gets us prepared then Mallory slowly through game reverts us back to what she has been doing for tenure here. To where we are making turnovers and playing for our selves. I am so tired of this nothing changes. Val Sussex I can’t stand to listen too either has no concept of what’s happening on the floor and never even mention some criticism of coaching moves or what we are not doing.

There is discussion on men’s basketball sight about extension for Paul Sather but nothing here about Mallory Berhard extension or even I should she continue as Head Basetball coach at UND. I don’t think rest of season record could result to lead to extension unless she would win Summit Conference make the NCAA tournament. The latter would be winning back to back lotteries. I wonder where are the UND faithful on this seems to be very quiet response.

Because athletic department has been my observation is small group.of people and donors and alumni are big part these people are close and friends from top to bottom and when things get to where needed change they take care of people like Mallory and Bubba. They then always have money to make it happen. There have been just firings like Chris Mussman, Brewster, and Logan but these were coaches not part of inner UND family and Grand Forks community. This is my observation from afar and have seen this over the 50 years I have been following UND sports since I was junior high.

I agree Mallory is green through and through but problem is she hasn’t been able to become coach many thought she could become. It time for UND find her position she can still contribute to athletic department and women’s sports. The UND family needs to step back see the facts of where we are just like we did with Bubba move on.

Larkins looks like she beat us. What beat us is the turnovers we give up to many possessions and those possessions turnover turn into points to them. We out rebounded and shot better percentage but it still was not enough to offset the turnovers. Foul shooting was 60% but season average of 78% would have netted us another 4 points. Not mentioned how we had to pressure them to stay in game resulting putting them to free throw line 23 times. Reason we even got back in this game was they continued to shoot three point shots at terrible percentage and still we couldn’t come back. Take back turnover points to even 15 which should be on high end we win by 6 points even if Larkins scores 40.

All you can say is 20 turnovers and points off turnovers 31 to our points off turn overs of 6. I could say number of things but we’re trying to play fast again and guess what return to same old results turnovers and we can’t win games like that.

We’re not running any offense it just push try to create drive and score. This is Mallory game up tempo game then one on one individual scoring and offensive rebounding scoring.but all individual. Announcer said we’re playing like we’re at track meet. This is not formula to win and be successful in the Summit. The result ends in loss, Ruth Sinn out coached us and just played fundamental game and team game. Mallory lost patience and goes back to her style of basketball and we were never in the game really and we lost. This should have been winnable game for us playing at home but we just took step backwards again or should I say returned to what we have been for Mallory’s tenure as head coach. Chaves and Armacost I hope were at this game because they should not be pleased with this performance when St. Thomas is beating us now regularly even in their probation period transitioning from D3. I thought we had chance finish 5 in conference now we’re looking at probably finishing 6 and maybe 7th so we will end up probably playing SU ending our season having 3 loss season to them.

I was it in other day look of condition there have to be code violations other mechanical things not up to standards the city can start applying pressure so the cost and hassle of not being in compliance becomes reasons to sell. Grand Forks needs to improve its shopping or people will continue to go to the south. My wife complains about selection and nobody selling different things in Grand Forks so she continues on to Fargo or goes on line to find the products. Grand Forks has demographics and regional shopping area to support number of stores but needs to have facilities to support businesses in prime area of shopping where the mall is located. The shopping is essential also for large designation casino they provide entertainment but people if they come and stay need full array of services to or they will go farther to find that.

The need to have Columbia fixed seems to me to have casino built the two are tied together can’t there be.some economics put together free Columbia mall to new ownership and the city finally to start rebuilding there consumer shopping in the community. I have to think condition of Columbia mall there have to be some political solutions to force change of ownership and now if tied to casino there should be investors and money for this to happen. I would think this might be opportunity to fix major problem with Grand Forks because until this is fixed. It will limited Grand Forks growth for all sectors. Even for university and getting new employers to come to the area and retain younger generation want to live here.

I am advocating for new coach for us. My point is that even our assistant head coach would be step up for us then where we are now and who next coach should be based on who is best candidates for the position. When the season is over women’s basketball needs to be addressed we shouldn’t be in lower half of conference but one of the teams in Summit that is considered to play in NCAA tournament. Traditionally we have fan base and looked at place to go to for women’s basketball but that has slipped away in last 10-12 years. When we have records like we do against other Dakota schools we need to make changes.

I agree with your last comment and I would bet if Hutter was head coach right now from beginning of the year we would have winning record and would be competing with SU for second place. This with talent on this team as it stands now. I would even bet we would view number of players in even more positive light because he would have worked on fundamentals and execution of playing defense and offense. When I was young UND had top flight coaching for both men’s and women’s basketball but standard has slipped Tom Clifford would never put with this kind of performance. I think our current president has held academic side of university to this I hope he turns to athletics side as well